New Year's Eve - not a typical way to celebrate

Hubby n I were deciding what unique way to spend the New Year's Eve other than thronging with the crowd @ Marina Bay watching fireworks and counting down. So I had a brilliant idea... why not hit Little India where we could try some really nice North Indian cuisine? Btw, hubby is a very conservative diner (he eats mainly Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai food)... so I clearly thought he needed to be 'educated' on the various dishes popular in Indian cuisine.

Boy, was it a wrong night to hit Serangoon Road... we forgot it was Sunday, a typical day for the Bangladeshi workers to gather for a chit-chat with their hometown peers around Little India. Hubby n I had to wind our way through the large crowds (and I kept telling him to stick near me instead of wandering far off as he's in the habit of doing so...) and finally we made it to Usman Restaurant along Serangoon Road, facing the mosque.

We ordered cheese n garlic naan (wonderfully, freshly baked in a tandoori oven served piping hot), palak paneer (finely grated spinach with cottage cheese cubes) and hot plate pepper fish (Hubby liked this best). I initially wanted him to try Aloo Gobi, Aloo matar and Bhindi (ladies fingers in curry sauce) but sadly, they were all sold out. And like a typical caffeine addict, he had to wash his meal down with Kopi halia (coffee with ginger milk) and of course, plain water since he's not used to the spiciness of the food.

After dinner, we made our way through the small roads into Mustafa shopping center in search of Nic's casio watch. Barely 15 minutes in the shopping centre, hubby felt claustrophobic, saying he hadn't encountered such crowds in years so we scooted off home instead....now we know, Sunday is never a good day to hit Little India.

War & Beauty

I can't believe I did it... I completed a marathon of 30 episodes of this Hong Kong Drama serial in a week... wow! This broke my previous record of Jewel in the Palace in 1.5 weeks... yipppeeee...

Here's my reviewer comments on the show: Great casting, I think Sheren Tang as the arrogant, scheming yet vulnerable Imperial Concubine Yuet is wonderful. In the first few episodes, she outshines everyone else in her more evil than evil character. In the midst of the series, she transformed into a pitiable has-been power figure, even cowering at the mercy of the Empress and later after the death of her daughter, she rises again to compete as No. 2 in power. Bowie Lam does well at his role of the Imperial Physician Suen who finds himself drawn into the power struggle and tricked of his emotions by an Imperial Concubine wanna-be Yuet-ying (played by Gigi Lai Chi).

What I really like about the show: The plot is very engaging, many schemes are being hatched by the various characters, all trying to win the favour of the Emperor and shows the fragile nature of power. Human emotions are cleverly portrayed: betrayal of trust, hurt, anger, entrapment, fear, suspicion, greed etc.

Rating: **** (4 stars)

And The Skies are Still Crying

It's been 2 whole days since the skies started pouring and it still is. It's days like these that makes me feel 'relieved' for once that there's almost zilch chance of my home being submerged by flood waters. In fact, just to give you an analogy of how heavy the downpour has been -- a 'lake' (of the muddy sort) has suddenly 'appeared' in the middle of this green lush patch of grass opposite my home and I can see it from the full panelled windows of my living room. The appearance of the lake seems to have amended the view which I am so used to by now. Was commenting to hubby that it would have been nice if our place had a 'sea view'... so this is probably the closest we'll ever get to it huh? **ha ha**

Speaking of wet days, one of those memories etched in my mind is definitely the day it rained so hard my school flooded and we had to be let off earlier than usual. And I had to wade through thigh-high waters to get to the car Dad was waiting for me in and my school uniform was soaked cos I didn't have an umbrella with me. Another memorable occasion would be getting of the bus at the bus stop with my classmate and then running in about 2.5km into her estate without an umbrella. Both of us, needless to say, were sneezing and badly needed a warm shower and a hot bowl of soup which her maid so promptly provided. Given another 20 years I'd still recall these two incidents.

I certainly do hope the weather clears up in a couple of days or it'll be a wet wet Christmas. The rain does make one depressed, does it not? Dark gloomy weather... sigh...till the next blog...

The Day It Wouldn't Stop Raining

Today has been a day of de ja vu...why? Cos it wouldn't stop pouring. Right in the early morning, it started off with a light drizzle, then it got heavier as I was munching on my morning sandwich and by the time I hit the roads, it started to get so heavy, sheets of water were just preventing me from getting a clear view of the cars behind me through the rear window screen. Suffice to say that reminded me of my driving test when the rain got so bad, it started to fog up and my side mirrors reflected nothing clearly and I started to feel frightened and lost my calmness of mind...well, it would not require much imagination to figure out the results of my test then. Hence, whenever I (have to) drive in the rain, I start to sub-consciously remind myself that I need to remain calm to survive the drive to my destination....a simple theory of the mental state affecting the physical state.

Needless to say, the incessant instoppable rain made me home-bound, much to my chagrin. I'd wanted to run out to the supermarket to grab a couple of missing ingredients but decided against it cos I didn't want to risk getting a cold. That meant I was stuck with TV...and not that I'm extremely picky, but there simply wasn't anything watchable... now it would have been nice if I had a DVD to keep myself busy after lunch. Lesson learnt... must always have a couple of DVD titles on hand as Plan B on a rainy weekend...

Let's hope tomorrow brings clear skies...

The New IKEA

Finally, hubby n I had a rare chance to shop at the new IKEA Tampines. Although it's already been a short while since IKEA opened its doors on 30th November, I 've been putting this trip off cos I guessed I'm the kind who doesn't love squeezing with the crowds. The moment we exit the expressway, it was queue-queue-queue all the way into the multi-storey carpark. We inched and inched and scanned hard for spaces to squeeze into. I dare say 25 minutes at least to get a decent parking lot before jamming with the weekend crowd on the travellator.

Once there, hubby n I hunted for the IKEA restaurant -- me in the hope I can have my poached norwegian salmon n he for the local special. Alas, there was absolutely no more space and I could only sniff in the aroma of deep fried chicken wings, swedish meat balls and poached salmon from the plates of those who had probably fought hard for their prized seats. **Disappointed**

I managed to get a swivel chair in bubblegum pink with silver legs for my pink-crazy princess and of course, more kitchen accessories for myself, a clear plastic clock for her room and magazine files for my hubby who has innate karang-guni instincts (he keeps every single manual of everything we've ever bought). The bright yellow egg-shaped table top and legs were out of stock sadly...

We left IKEA feeling barely half-satisfied. So... our plan B is to hit the store after 8pm on weekdays and/or before 9.30am on weekends if I wanna eat my poached salmon. Luckily we managed to stumble our way into a Koufu foodcourt that served very good grilled fish with spaghetti and a sunny side-up that satisfied my craving... at least for today....ha ha.

Okay, wish me luck for the next trip...

Anyone watched The Lakehouse?

This is not so much a reflection blog but a query. Has anyone out there seen this movie? i was really tempted to pick it off the shelf along with the animated titles but resisted the move until i read the reviews of it. www.rottentomatoes.com rates it 36% which is very disappointing compared to 76% garnered by The Devil Wears Prada.

One reviewer's comment read "This insultingly dumb film doesn't even have the good manners to be fun...This new star-studded fantasy romance features Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves as two star-crossed, would-be lovers who face what seems to be the insurmountable obstacle of living two years apart. No, it doesn't make much sense, and you never lose the feeling that the makers of "Siworae" (known elsewhere as "Il Mare"), the 2000 Korean film that "Lake House" is based on, did not intend such sappiness for its creation."

Anyone has an opinion on this? ...pls comment...

Review on The Devil Wears Prada

yeah, yeah,.. i know i should have caught this movie when it was newly released but i swear i have ten thousand things to do and would never have been able to catch it in the cinemas... thank god for video rental service providers... i was so excited when i picked it off the shelves, couldn't wait to watch it...

What i really like about the movie:

1) Meryl Streep - she's just wonderful as Miranda Priestley, boss from Hell, fashionista diva with an acidic tongue coated in wit. i absolutely love her portrayal, I'd say that meryl streep's acting skills have reached the stage of nirvana...

2) Anne Hathaway - i love her transformation from college girl geek nerd (mismatched sweaters with granny chequered skirts) to high-end fashion-conscious, confident Andrea who has a 'never-say-die' attitude...

3) Supporting cast was fabulous... from Emily Blunt, the perpetually green-eyed assistant (with a bad sense of eyeshadow colours) who makes a mockery out of Andrea's dress sense, Andrea's designer friend (played by Stanley Tucci) who helps her with a 'makeover' and fishes her out of her misery...with good advice on how to dress to imprezzz...

4) the morale of the story - dun get so sucked in by your job's demands...take time to do your own things...be it catching up with pals, spending time with loved ones and people who matter most to you... remember, you dun wan to drop dead at your work desk and say "i should have put aside time for my family n frens"...

To all urbanites out there slogging for the next pay check, this is the movie you can't miss.... happy holidays...

and here's a comment from www.rottentomatoes.com

The intersection of career and personal life is explored in The Devil Wears Prada, a slick yet refreshingly mature take on the boss-from-hell premise.

Fried Rice Paradise

One sure way to cook a meal which will easily be devoured by a six year old is definitely good ol' fried rice. There're plenty of ways to make that leftover rice look so delectable indeed. The Japanese egg fried rice emphasizes on loads of garlic cum egg omelette shreds stir fried till golden brown with a dash of good quality soya sauce whilst the chinese version boasts of adding meat like lap cheong (chinese preserved sausage), chicken cubes, prawns (and make sure they're at least medium sized or kids will just shrink away), ham (I heard from a bachelor fren that this is a must-have in his fridge or risk starvation) and loads of peas. Personally i prefer my own version which is -- add what you hv in the fridge... ha ha. I have usually 3 varieties which I serve as a quick-cook all in one meal -- egg fried rice, chicken cubes fried rice and lately concocted my own vegetarian version (throw in sliced shitake or white button mushrooms, long beans, french beans, peas, diced carrots, vegetarian ham if you prefer some colour to it).

To mention fried rice, I can't help but recall Dick Lee's infamous song "Fried Rice Paradise". Though i can't quite recall what the lyrics were exactly, I remember it being a very localised Singaporean-song. of course, those were the days where we sing about simple things like fried rice, banana boat etc. I find myself hardly tuning in to the latest pop songs, probably a sign of ageing yet again...sigh...

well,am gonna tuck in to my bowl of fried rice now...happy cooking till the next blog...

New Generation Signboards

Now it's time to post some food blogs ... for ardent foodies, make sure you check out the renovated Tiong Bahru market for some good ol' hawker style food. For those who live in the East, South, North and Central, check out the reputed Tiong Bahru Lor Mee stall. There's at least 3 other stalls there all bearing different names but the original one has to be the stall with the yellow placard that hangs precariously over the food items that says "LOR MEE" in huge font size (at least 1000 point in size, so that even the severly myopic will not miss it). For $3, you get a large generous serving of thick flat yellow noodles (i prefer my humble plain bee hoon though) with generous servings of lor bak (very lean, so even if you're on diet, fret not), ngor hiang slices, a braised egg (very deeply flavoured, must have taken time to cook till perfection) , deep fried fish in batter (you can request to add on more if you like deep fried stuff for an additional charge), beansprouts and loads of their wonderful gravy mixed with freshly finely minced garlic and rich black vinegar with a dollop of red chillies and a splash of spring onions.

Other than the famous Lor Mee, there's the peanut pancake, pork porridge, kway chap, teochew fish porridge and roasted pork rice (on the yellow signboard, it reads Tiong Bahru Roasted Pig www.tiongbahruroastedpig.com.sg) waah! talk about IT-savvy hawkers.

But my most fascinating find must be this stall with a signboard that reads "KOPI MUSEUM." And who else to inform first but my coffee addict hubby who was sipping his third cup of caffeine by then. Speaking of kopi, let's just say that he has double standards when it comes to the person who's brewing that cuppa. He insists that uncles make better kopi than aunties, a hypothesis which I strongly refute. Is there really a difference of gender in concocting that dark aromatic brew which most Singaporeans cannot start the day without? To extrapolate further, do male chefs make better cooks than females? Are male supervisors better people managers than females? Are sportsmen better achievers than their female counterparts? Not necessarily so, isn't it? Thus why the double standard with coffee?

To end off this food blog laced with a tinge of feminism, do check out this stall with a signboard that reads TAW KWAR POP. I assume that it should righfully translate into TAU KWA POK (the deep fried brownish beancurd skin squares filled with cucumber slices, bean sprouts, prawn paste -- the Asian version of the pita). Surely it can't be a new genre of music? I've heard of cantopop, korean pop (K-pop), Japanese pop (J-pop) but TAW KWAR POP? Now, that's gotta be realleeee new.... till then, happy pigging out and adios...

Strawberry Shortcake & SSC

Sigh, Age is catching up with me. Many light years ago, when I was still studying in primary school, owning a Strawberry Shortcake handkerchief (no kidding here, but nobody uses tissue in those days) meant that you were 'IN'. Alongwith the Smurfs (La la la la la la, la la la la la...the Smurfs and evil Gargamel), Garfield, Care Bears (weren't they so pretty in different colours?), i'd be stuck to the TV screen religiously watching Sunday morning episodes of these lovable cartoons. Why, it'd be Papa Smurf teaching the other Smurfs values like honesty, sincerity etc. They sure dun make cartoons the same as before these days... with violence, robots, saving the world from evil and the list goes on...

Strawberry Shortcake or SSC for short (geez, everything must come with an acronym huh?) seems to have blossomed through the ages. From the frumpy nanny nightcap (see picture of Vintage SSC) to the groovy fashionista Strawberry Shortcake in big sunhat decorated with strawberries and i love that sashbelt and the top with the SS embroidery. Like nic would say, this is not SSC but her sister (must be the OLDER sister cos so old-fashioned). And all these SSC collectibles are to die for, must check out minitoons where they sell SSC merchandise like bags, water bottles, pencil cases etc. i've added a pencil case to her collection...let's see what the next shopping trip would bring back

Shopping - a Growing Proce$$

for those who are ardent readers of my blog... here's one that typically describes shopping in my humble opinion. Shopping, if anyone really bothers to do research on this, is actually a process and definitely an addictive habit too. Shopping, just like the ageing process, takes on many facets and changes along with your changing needs.

When single, one shops incessantly for the latest fashion not caring about the pricetag that comes along until the credit bill arrives ever so promptly in your mailbox. Be it that one new limited edition handbag or that new pair of boots that would give an oomph to match your persona, shopping seems to be the cure-all to naggy mothers, demanding bosses and the cute bachelor next door.

When married and settled into a new home, one shops for home items - furniture, electrical equipment, decoration, photo frames to store all those wonderful memories (of being single, sob sob...), kitchen paraphenalia, toiletries (and suddenly you've got plenty more to buy instead of struggling to label them and fight for what's yours and his), bedspreads and bedsheets and the list goes on.

When expecting, you shop for cute baby stuff - milk bottles, small baby pillows, diapers, pacifiers (in all shapes, sizes, colours and texture), baby booties and mittens and those jumper suits that makes your kiddo looks either like a lovable bunny or a toothless dragon.

When your child is growing, you shop to keep the little one dressed up prettily and find hair accessories of all shapes and colours to match that new red dress or that racial harmony day outfit and shoes that make the adult's version look uggly and huge.

When your child is going to school, you shop for stationery sets, colour pencils in all price ranges, crayons, textbooks, workbooks, assessment books, files (check out the strawberry shortcake collection... it's improved drastically since 2 decades ago...), water bottles, school attire, suitable coloured hair clips that the kiddo can wear with her uniform and still look UNIQUE (geez, isn't that ironical? People wear uniforms to look...well...uniform but you have to try to be UNIQUE among the uniformed crowd???... like they say, it's only human nature not to be satifsfied).

When child grows up? i guess i can only post this much later on... till then, let's jus carry on shopping...

The Rabbit Princess

Once upon a time, there lived a Rabbit princess in a faraway land. She loves everything pink - pink shoes, pink blouses, pink skirts, pink pants, pink bag, pink hairclips, pink hairbands and pink socks... factually everything pink. So it's little wonder that she goes by the nickname of Ms Pinkey too.

One day, Little Rabbit Princess chances upon a shop that sells school bags. And guess what? She saw a pink bag with frills on it and plenty of pink ponies sewn onto the front pocket. Now now, it doesn't require much intelligence to figure out Rabbit Princess' reaction?

Yup, yup, so what's the morale of the story behind today's post? .... if you too have a rabbit princess who's pink-crazy... just make sure that when they're much younger, you should not have stuck to just pink... have a repertoire of other colours too...