Bah!

I am off to Port Dickson for the weekend, albeit half heartedly. I have a more important date next week - choosing my flat - and I need more time to do more homework! Anyway, looks like I need to find a bigger flat now, as the smaller ones are 99% taken up. So I am left with no more choice! Why do we need to have ethnic quota in each block! Will Singaporeans nowadays bother who are your next door neighbours! Where will there even be riots?

你是阳光空气

严冬里寒风里无论冰天跟雪地
仍是要每秒每秒跟你哼着爱歌
挽着你走每段每步每天可跟你拥抱
你是阳光暖风与空气

我要看你细赏你日日夜夜永不分离
我要抱你再呵你自自在在地可相随
接受每份目光的妒忌
我跟你相处愉快心内玩味
只要是你口里字句都会像诗般印记

我要永远靠紧你共渡浪漫每星期
我会永远爱惜你段段道路亦可紧随
努力制造幸福天与地
感激你给我觅到当日梦寐
只要是你总有乐趣彷似在空中高飞

Song by 古巨基

The calm amidst the storm

I guess I've been pretty perplexed at a time when I am in the deepest of my worst luck, in the midst of adhoc depression, passing each day unable to think what is gonna happen tomorrow. All the thoughts of the problems which I think exist and worse, worry nuts that they will persist till forever.

Last night I remember I was tossing about in bed, can't get to sleep till about 3am. Even then, if I had slept after that, I could feel the heaviness in my head and chest. Sometimes it happens. And it happens most of the time recently. And having had a bad day at the office didn't help either. You know, it was like one of those days where you just wanna disappear from the existence of this world.

Then today at work while in my zombie state and the relaxing ride home after, I calmed down. I straightened some of my thoughts. There must be a way to resolve everythng. Just a matter of when and what. So I should not think too much. I should just let the greater beings above take care of me, as I know they are. Many masters have told me before, don't worry, you will be alright. Yeah, so I think i should be alright for now.

BTW this is my 500th post. Hurray!

Value for money none

Rich Friend and I tried this Jap restaurant in Ngee Ann City last week. God, what a rip off, meaning it was so ex, and considering the meal wasn't that satisfying, the dinner came up to about $123 for all these dishes. I could jolly well have zeeeee best buffet in Singapore with this kind of money. Boo...

- Prawn tempura

- Clear fresh scallop soup (each bowl costs $15)

- Garlic fried rice

- Soft shell crab

- Some special sashimi that was $30 for 5 tiny slices

- Tou fu

Fish & Cheaps!

I never had such shiok Fish & Chips for a long time. This Crab Shack stall in Bestway Building serves the best fish and chips and at $5.50 for such a big portion is jolly well worth it. The fish was sooooooo tender and soft and no fishy smell at all. They are also popular for their flower crabs and western dishes. Must try!

Same birthday

Wow I just discovered I share the same birthday as these celebrities

His Holiness The Dalai Lama
George W Bush, US President
Sylvester Stallone, Actor
Nancy Reagan, former US First Lady
Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore
Geoffrey Rush, Aussie actor

Ideas abound

Some renovation ideas. After I choose my unit next month, I will be busy with design, embracing ideas and sourcing for furniture.

Good house hunting

I didn't know choosing a house unit can be such a hassle. I shall be moving house soon probably in early 2008. And the government has assigned an place for us near central Singapore, which is just next to a MRT station, very convenient and just 3 stops away from city. But just deciding on which unit to select can be so mind boggling, and plus the fact that my queue number is right at the end, last few days (no thanks to computer balloting), I will be left with not much choice of which unit and higher floors.

In addition, I am a sucker for Feng Shui. I need to ensure I pick the RIGHT house, else risking my fortunes for the next few years to come. I believe Feng Shui does affect some 40% of one's luck. I got my master to pick some units for me based on the units layout on the map. But lo and behold, when I did an actual mapping of the direction with a compass on the external unit and downstairs, the directions seemed different, thus changes the interpretation of each unit! My master said even then, when we take measurement downstairs or outside the unit (as the keys are not available yet) the actual direction may still differ compared to taking the direction inside the house. So lo and behold, end up looks like I need to plot my own flying stars chart based on some units, based on Period 8 stars, and taking into consideration of the wealth area, whether my main door falls under a loss area or wealth, whether certain directions are good for me and family, whether the front view is blocked, whether this and that etc etc.

On top of this, aethestically speaking, must also consider whether my unit will get the morning sun or affected by the afternoon sun, whether the unit is windy enough or plain stuffy, whether my neighbour is a neat or clutter the outside, whether higher units are brighter or lower units are passable, whether facing the nice view on some lower units compared to higher units with normal view, making note of which units are facing the directions which I want etc. All these made my weekends very busy checking out the place, taking compass directions, asking for advise from those who have moved in.

At least my master sms me this assuring reply: "You buy the apartment first. Then do the fengshui. The Buddha will protect you and bless you with a good house".

Muffy

This is Rich Friend's newest toy, a few weeks' born Shih Tzu, named Muffy. Muffy owns a more expensive dog bag than me, a more comfy bed than me, eats more expensive dog cookies than me, gets to idle whole day doing nothing, even his doctor(vet) visits are more expensive than mine, and he gets to pee in a special pee tray! What do I have against a dog, you say?

Give way lah!

9am on a typical week day, in the hustle of Central Business District (CBD) in Shenton Way, in the MRT lift lobby, many people were rushing for work. That morning saw this handicapped man in a wheelchair, trying and waiting to get into the lift. However other abled bodies were rushing into the one and only lift by batches, every minute. The poor man has no choice but to patiently wait for his turn to even get near to the lift door. The irony of it all was, this lift was built to cater for the handicapped, with the "Handicapped Sign" above the lift door. Which make us abled normal humans seem like sick creatures, right?

Orh Luak

Went to Chinatown on a Friday night, found a very nice fried oyster omelette (Orh Luak) stall in the newly renovated People's Park Cooked Food Centre.

This stall is near the famous Yong Xiang Xing Yong TauHu Stall. It has a variety of fried noodle dishes - from the usual fried kway teow mee (char kway teow), carrot cake, hokkien prawn mee and fried oyster omelette to the Indonesian Fried Kway Teow Mee to a combination dish of Bean Sprouts with Cockles, and also a very unique Oyster Fried Kway Teow Mee. They have about 4 chefs frying the different dishes. I only tried the Orh Luak which is very soft and melt in your mouth omelette and oysters with the got-the-kick chilli, yummy! I will be going back to try the rest!

Address: #01-1016B People's Park Cooked Food Centre, 32, New Market Road, Singapore 50032 (outside Chinatown MRT station)

莆田（兴 化）菜馆 Pu Tien Restaurant

Had dinner with 2 friends in my first Heng Hwa food experience. The small outlet is smacked inside the Republic Food Court in Vivocity. The restaurant is called 莆 田（兴 化）菜 馆 Pu Tien Restaurant.

莆田卤面“Pu Tien” Lor Mee

芥兰豆皮Stir Fried Kailan with Bean Curd Skin

肉松笳子Fried Egg Plant with Pork Floss

辣汁花蛤Spicy Bamboo Clams

Their Lor Mee is not like our Singaporean dark starchy sauce version. Theirs is a soupy noodle dish very light and appetising with prawns, clams, veggies. The Bean Curd Skin with Kailan was delicious when it was served and eaten piping hot. The Fried Egg Plant is very unique in that you can't taste the EggPlant at all. It just melt in the mouth, together with the pork floss with curry flavour. The Spicy Bamboo Clams was also something I have not tasted before. Very nice.

Conclusion, I like Heng Hwa cuisine as the flavours and ingredients used and cooked in different way from the others. I would definitely go back to try more dishes. Their main branch is in Kitchener Road.

Address: Vivo City #03-01B Food Republic

01 Harbour Front Walk Singapore 098585 Tel: (65) 6376 9358

Will you remember?

The Buddhas of the ten directions are compassionately mindful of living beings just as a mother remembers her child. But if the child runs away, of what use is the mother's concern? However, if the child remembers the mother in the same way that the mother remembers the child, then in life after life, mother and child will never be far apart. If living beings remember the Buddha and are mindful of the Buddha, they will certainly see the Buddha now and in the future. Being close to the Buddha even without special assistance, they will awaken by themselves.

– Great Strength Bodhisattva's Perfect Penetration through Mindfulness of the Buddha (Surangama Sutra)

Thunder Tea Rice

Yesterday at Amoy Street Food Centre, had Hakka Lei Cha 擂茶 at Thunder Tea Rice. I'm not that fond of Lei Cha because of the Lei Cha, the soup that is made from green tea and basil and mint, and it's green in colour. Yucks. However, I like the rice and the numerous ingredients that comes with the soup. The typical Hakka eats this by pouring the whole bowl of green stuff into the rice and mix it before eating. I normally leave the soup almost untouched, short of a few sprinkles onto the rice. I rather eat the rice and ingredients on its own. It's a very healthy and crunchy dish. And I ordered the side dish of the Fried Tou Fu. Nutrituous wholesome meal.

Ingredients include: Green Tea: Powerful anti-oxidant, helps to lower cholesterol. Basil & Mint: Anti-stress, for cooling & calming effect, aids relaxation, relieve colds. Fuliksum: Remove body toxins and fluid wastes, strengthen immune system. Chinese Parsley & Coriander: Ease digestion & gastric, combat flu & headache. Ginger & Ngal: Expel body winds & gas. Sesame: Maintain youth & enhance beauty. Groundnuts: High in protein, good for stein. Also anchovies, peanuts and dried shrimp and different veggies.

It's all herbs & veggies, high in fibre, rich in vitamins and herbs provide medicinal value. Lei Cha has excellent physical & pharmacological value. Frequent consumption of Lei Cha promotes good health. Physical value: Enhance slimming & body detoxification. Pharmacological value: Fatigue prevention, vitality promotion, physical improvement, improves body functions, ease digestion, ease chronic bronchitis, prevent hypertension & hardening of arteries, effective for chronic rheumatic and arthritic, inhibiting cancer cell growth, helps treat diabetes, enhance relaxation and improves good sleep.

Amoy Street Food Centre #01-11, Singapore 069111

Kambing soup!

Dinner tonight was at the hawker center in Upper Boon Keng Road. Ordered the fish soup with rice from Rong Ji. Their soup came generous with big slices of fish, seaweed, tomato and cucumber slices, toufu and veggies. Tried the fried oyster from Shun He. It was very starchy and a few oysters. No shiok. No kick.

The star of the dinner should have been the Kambing soup. Whenever I was there, I would order this because it was simply heavenly thick rich kambing soup with no lingering smell and not too oily. The mutton was however a little hard. But today the guy who took my order was a tad too rude. Perhaps business was too good. When I told another guy in front of the stall my order, this rude guy said he was the one who was supposed to take the order! That's why I didn't even bothered to take note of the name of the stall. I was little disappointed with the service if I was full of praise for the soup. Dip the bread into the soup or drink it on its own when it is still steamingly hot. It warms the heart on a rainy night.

Rong Ji Fish Soup (3/5)
Shun He Fried Oysters (2/5)
Kambing Soup (4/5)

Jeju Island!

These were taken in Jeju Island, South Korea in Autumn 2004. I love Jeju, the sea view island. We went to Seongsan Sunrise Peak, high on the mountains overlooking the sleepy fishing town beneath. Also at Jungmung Daepo Coast where the natural formation of the rocks were such a beauty with the blue clear ocean, and the elderly Korean ladies hawking their oranges and fresh oysters. 

At that time I didn't even watch a single Korean drama, know nothing of the K wave, know nothing of the place where the popular All In drama serial was filmed, starring Song Hye Kyo and Lee Byung Heung. They were rebuilding the church in the drama for future tourists. There was the Teddy Bear Musuem too but I wasn't that interested. I was too busy absorbing the streets and lifestyles of the Koreans and their cuisines. Somehow the BBQ pork tasted so nice.

More pixs later.

Cramped bears

Was at Compasspoint Mall in Seng Kang last night. Purposely brought niece and nephew there to see the Care Bears in person! It was some mall promotions where you can meet the Care Bears and take pictures with them. Niece is one "old" fan, as those there were mostly toddlers and kids below 5.

Finally Share Bear and Love-A-Lot Bear showed up for the photo taking. I snapped photos for them. After that it was time for dinner. Then I remembered why I don't go Compasspoint often, it's because it's far and also because of the horrendous crowds during weekends. As Seng Kang is a relatively new estate, the people there tend to be young families, young couples with babies in tow. It was hard to move about without being jostled around by the baby prams, parents screaming, babies crying, children screaming at the top of their lungs etc.. All these made the whole place on each floor pretty noisy and cramped.

The foodcourt was worse. We walked a few rounds without finding any seats and I must say the layout of the food court is haphazard. I wonder how can diners eat in peace without being pushed around by others standing next to you waiting and staring and breathing down at you to finish eating. We gave up and decided to go Jack's Place instead. Again they said we have to wait 20 minutes for seats. After 5 minutes Mom gave up, because she was very hungry by then. So we headed back to the food court. Mom asked to share a 4-seater table with a man and his young daughter, while waiting for them to finish. Niece and nephew refused to sit with them. The man really took a loooooong time to finish his dessert, talking about being considerate Singaporeans. On the last count, the food was terrible, I had Korean Seafood Ramen Soup, Mom had Koo Kee Yong Tau Foo noodles and the kids had chicken rice.

It was a terrible place to spend a weekend. I don't think I will go there again unless for some specific reason. I prefer remaining in an older estate where it's smaller, with better food and I don't have to fight with anyone for a seat. As for shopping and more glam food I can always go to the city and Orchard Road where there are plenty of malls around. I stay in central Singapore, going to Parkway Parade in Katong or Bugis Junction or Raffles City or Suntec or Marina Square or Orchard.... is such a breeze, even going to Mustafa is quite near and convenient and I don't prefer to waste my time in heartland malls where they are always crowded and noisy eg. Compasspoint, Junction 8, Jurong Point, Tampines Mall etc. Just this beats paying little bit more for property and housing in the central.

Granny's fried carrot rice

I've been longing to blog about this dish. This is one of my granny's dish which everyone loves to eat. It is a dish so simple and unique that it is not selling anywhere outside. We called it "cai tao perng" (vaguely translated to "fried carrot rice" in Teochew). Today Mom cooked this.

The ingredients are rather simple too - long beans, carrots, mushrooms, pork, fried "chai por" (fried chopped radish). All these are chopped into small cubes separately, while the chai por comes ready in a packet. The chai por cannot be too sweet as I understand some are sweeter than the rest. Then all the long beans, carrots, mushrooms, pork and chai por are stir fried separately at first, of course with chopped garlic. When they are about 3/4 cooked, we can start frying the rice, and half way through, all the ingredients are added in and mixed and frying continues with all the colourful stuff in the wok, adding pepper and a little soya sauce.

The end result is very fragrant fried rice. It tastes different from normal fried rice because of the chai por which made each mouthful crunchy, alongside with the carrots and long beans. The tiny pieces of meat are to make the dish sweeter. It is a very unique fried rice which I hope my family will pass down future generations.