To cycle from there to back again!

Awesome! We cycled about 12.5km all the way to Clementi and then back again. When I reached home, my legs felt like jelly and felt like it was about to fall off.

Well, thats what you get for not exercising for years! I was so tired that I went to bed early from the exhaustion.

To be honest, I was more amazed than anything as if we took the bus or the train from where we started, it would take a good half an hour to 45 minutes to reach the destination. If taking into the consideration for waiting for the bus to arrive, and queueing up and other things.

Compared to public transportation, cycling felt different too. We could slow down and look at the different sceneries, breathe in the fresh air and stop where ever we wanted to.

We travelled mainly by the AYE highway (quite dangerous I know, but unfortunately the sidepath wasnt big enough for bicycles) and used the pedestrian path as much as we possibly could.

Thankfully, it was still a ghost-town because of the Chinese New Year and there were hardly anyone around the sidepath and there wasnt that much traffic on the road.

I could breathe in the ‘jungly’ smell of Teban and see the scenic view of Pandan River. Nothing beats the feeling of the simple joy of rolling downhill on the bicycle with the wind in the face.

We reached Clementi in about 30 mins. Ahh .. clementi. The place where I spent alot of time, during my days in Jurong Institute. Plenty of memories here as I walked around the area with my brother.

I told him of how I had to leave the house early to get to the Clementi Interchange to get to school on time. And how we spent time roaming around the different shops when we needed a break from all the studying.

There were hardly any shops opened but I reminisced about the area.

There were so many memories.

Like the time when we still had A&W Restaurants here. A couple of friends and I would go there on Tuesdays to order mugs of Root beer (in those lovely frosted mugs) and Coney Dogs and sometimes waffles with ice cream on top.

I also encountered stupid situations like having blind dates over at A&W. Ahh the carefree stupidity of youth. In fact, many of my teenage blind dates happen at fast food restaurants. I wonder if I should make an advertisment script for that 😛

Camera zooms in to a girl in A&W, gingerly sipping her root beer and looking expectantly for her date to come.

A boy comes in, with a loud shirt and overdone hair – he just looks odd!

Girl is repulsed until he whips out…

A coney dog!

And they both beam at each other and the girl bats her eyes, just for good measure

Erm … Okay, that sounds like a horrible advertisment. Furgedisaidabouddit.

We dont have A&W in Singapore anymore. It was still nice to remember the memories there.

We walked around and explored the area and saw many changes. Some shops has moved, like KFC wasnt at the cinema building anymore. The shopping center seems to be gone and a mysterious pizza hut and a Karaoke Lounge just popped up on the building where they shared with the polyclinic and bigbookshop.

But no dramatic things much has changed there and it looks pretty much the same as it was about 10 years ago. Err … even smells the same.

My bro and I stopped by the hawker center. By now, we were extremely thirsty and needed a break. Fortunately for us, there were still a few stalls opened and I decided to have dinner there too.

I ordered Indian Styled Mutton Chop (which is basically marinated meat in spicy tomato sauce, usually served with fries and half fried egg)

It wasnt that tasty though. It was tad bit too crispy when it should have been soft and melt in your mouth. The portion didnt justify the price either. ($4 for that? Bleh)

Bro had sop tulang which was basically cow bones cooked in savoury sauce. It takes skill to eating it as there are still precious meat left on the bones and the insides of it are the best thing to eat.

It was pretty alright. It wasnt the best sop tulang that I’ve ever had, but it was decent. the best ones would be the ones in arab street or that hawker center where Juli and Hema and I discovered when we wanted to buy tickets for our penang trip… Oh I’m craving for good sop tulang now …LOL! Maybe I could persuade someone to go out with me later 😛

While eating, I had a thought though. About the promotion of Singapore culture. Tour agencies can promote all of the landmarks that they can here, but there is hardly anything authentic about the whole situation.

What they do, is nothing really special. Organized tours … Ho-hum! In the end, they would go back and think that there is nothing to it here. It would be so much better to experience things in the local’s context.

Eating at hawker centers like a local. Having the chance to mingle with the locals. Living in a flat, like a local. Even enjoying local hobbies.

Which travel agency has ever promoted the joys of “mahjong” or “community center events” or even “karaoke competitions”. I know that it sounds very radical but we wont know till we give it a try, right?

Something that the Singapore Tourism Board hasnt done yet and which I’m looking forward to.

I mean, all the Haw Par Villas and the Sentosa Resort is fine but we also need something authentic. I’d like to show my dearest something that I enjoy doing, and going to, on a personal basis.

Anyway, I’ll stop here for the moment. Till the next time.

Hot Chocolate!

I am officially addicted to this

Comes in Hot Chocolate, Cappuccino, Mocha and French Vanilla (yum!) For less than two dollars, starbucks and coffee bean had better watch their back 😮

Nimmo and Friends : Series 2










By the way, did anyone try out the new KFC Lava-chicken? I kind of like the chicken though the sauce which accompanied it was something I really had to get used to. What on earth *is* in that thing? It says “sweet and sour sauce” but I dont taste any resemblance. I cant find the words to even describe the taste. It was a really interesting experience.

At least it didnt taste as bad as the Masala chicken that KFC introduced some months back. Oy, that was disgusting. I could hardly get it down my throat. Dont anyone at KFC ever do research to see if it would be palatable for some testers before launching it to the public? I think that the Masala Chicken was the worst food that KFC has ever thought up of.

Ohh .. and dont get me started on wasabi mayo crabsticks sandwiches that delifrance had some weeks back. Whoever thought that dousing sandwiches in wasabi was a good idea should be tied to a chair and force fed these same sandwiches. For goodness sakes. A little is nice, but too much is an overkill.

O well. I’ll stop complaining for now 😛 And speaking of disgusting food … Enjoy!

Yummy!

And look at what’s for dinner 🙂


Penne Arrabbiata (well, sort of)

To make penne arrabbiata, you boil some tomatoes in some water to make it easier to skin and remove the seeds. At the same time, fry 2 cloves of garlic in extra virgin olive oil and add in a piece of chili. Once they look fried and lovely add in the tomatoes. And add in salt to taste and mash them up every now and then. Once the sauce is ready, fold in the penne and serve with chopped parsley

Wow I’m on a roll! Made Gnocchi on thursday, and then my dearest taught me how to make pasta sauce so its spaghetti on friday. I’m so surprised at how easy it was to make and so tasty. I doubt that I’d go back to bottled pasta sauce again.

For the pasta sauce, fry some chopped onions in a pan with a little bit of olive oil. Wait till golden brown and then add in finely chopped carrots and celery. And then add in tomatoes which is then mashed in the pan. And in some minutes, you’ll end up with a light, delicious, fresh pasta sauce. So simple. My goodness.

And I felt such an achievement when the sauce was made. But most surprisingly was how such simple ingredients when brought together, tasted so good.

No more bottled sauces!

And today, I only spent less than 6 dollars in buying the penne pasta, some tomatoes, some parsley and chilli. Ingredients for the penne arriabbata. Beat that Bistro Delifrance!

However, I think, that should be all the pasta I’ll be eating for this week. I’m sure it has alot of carbs in them. It couldnt be too healthy (could it?)

I just had myself weighed on monday and found out that I was already 57kg. Compared to just about a month ago, during the fasting month, I went down to 54kg. Its definitely not healthy.

I cant even seem to fit in the white dress I wore to the makeover photoshoot


Bwahh!

Oh well, the only thing to do is to eat less and exercise more. Whoopee.

ho fatto gli gnocchi!

I’ve been craving for Gnocchi for days. And today, my brain and my stomach had a wrestling match with each other.

Stomach : I want Gnocchi!!!

Brain : No

Stomach : Gnochiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Brain : NO NO NO NO NO!

Stomach : Give me gnochiiiiiiiiii.

Brain : ARGH! Quiet you!!!

Stomach : I wont keep quiet till I have gnocchiiiii

Brain : OK OK! SHUDDUP! I’ll get some gnocchi later okay! Just SHUT UP!

Stomach : (Yay! I win!)

Now, Gnocchi are actually potato dumplings that can be eaten with different sauces. I gave them a try while I was on vacation with my dearest and I found that I loved them. I saw some recipes online and though I’m not superb in the kitchen but I thought I’d give it a try.

After work, I went to liberty supermarket at Jurong Point and got these loot.

San Pellegrino sparkling water – $2.60
Raguleto Sauce – $3.50
Herbs – $3.40
Potatoes – $1.90
Semolina Flour – $1.80
Parmesan Cheese – $4.20

Total = $17.40

(Not too bad aye, about the same cost for a meal at Delifrance Bistro)

I boiled the potatoes. Then mashed them and mixed them with the semolina flour. Cut them in little pieces and dipped it in boiling salted water. It’ll be ready when it floats.

I peered at the dumpling. It doesnt look quite right. Mine looked a little rough. But I added in the pasta sauce, sprinkled some cheese and the herbs and it was pretty alright.

Well, it was edible 😛

Mmmmm … Stomach like. Stomach happy.

Brain: Now, may I continue with my work?

*chuckles*

My inadequacies

Mushroom and tomato cheesemelts, disgusting to look, but oh so yummy to eat.

I stumbled upon PniiWof’s blog and marvelled at the wonderful dishes that she could whip up with such ease. Lets just face it, I’m not a good cook. I’m the type of person who just literally throw things in the pot and hope for the best. Sometimes I feel embarrassed when I see Cartcart cooking so easily and when he asks me about Asian food and all I could do is to stumble … Cooking should be second nature to women right?

Oh well.

There are a few issues that Mum and I maturely discuss about.Mum thinks that being independent is a level of how well someone cooks and keep house. I kept thinking that how a person could live without the help others is independence. I believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using pre-made bottled ingredients. Mum is vehemently against those. At the very least I know how to cook simple things. I can boil water with no problems… I can make Sweet and Sour fish, Chap Chye, Fish Curry, Stir Fried Veggies, Tom Yam Soup, Curry Puffs and I can bake cakes and biscuits *proud*

I’ve always wanted to invite close friends to a home-cooked lunch or dinner. Juli cooked a memorable dinner and Hema cooked wonderful lunch for us. I can’t even remember what I cooked for them. It would be nice to do ala-Jamie Oliver. Maybe I should just procrastinating and just do it. I’ve been complaining about this for ages.

I was watching telley with my brother today and was amazed to see that the Power Rangers were still around!

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

I’m so amazed. This thing has been around for about 10 years now. Those things were the craze when I was still in secondary school. I swear, Power rangers everywhere. Water-bottles, pencil cases, bags … even the school collar pins we were supposed to wear were replaced with a pink / blue / green / yellow / red / black ranger collar pins. Such were our obsession with it.

I could still remember a little robot that went “ai-yai-yai-yai-yai” I wonder whatever happened to that annoying little thing.

I’m just as amazed because the Pokemon phenomenon,  I didn’t think it went beyond 10 years.

If I made a pokemon, I’d be something like this … heheheh

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

I encountered the most interesting thing at work a few days back. And I just realised that Flash MX 2004 uses Actionscript 2.0 now. Normally, when I create buttons, I’d just use

on (release) {
nextScene();
}

Flash MX had an option for me to click and choose the scene that I wanted to go to. So it was pretty easy for me. That Friday I had to crack my head trying to figure out why that code didn’t work and all sorts of error messages appeared. I mean, it’s just a button, it should be easy to code right?

Wrong!

I stared and stared at the screen hoping for some divine inspiration to appear. Nothing. Worse part is, when a HOD was standing behind me all the time looking at what I did. Very stressful when I have to do something with someone looking at me all the time. I had to run away to the computer labs upstairs. Even then, experimenting with the codes didn’t worked.

Then I realised that the new Actionscript version uses a more object orienting programming and that I had to give a name to my button. So now, the code looks like this

buttonname.onRelease = function()
{
gotoandplay(“scene”,1);

Oh I think its time to study programming again … It looks like I just can’t run away from it … I might have faked it in my diploma course, but I cant fake it any more now no matter how much I think programming challenged I am, I still have to try…. Ai-yai-yai-yai-yai.

But work hasn’t been too bad for me, the staff are nice and the kids aren’t bad. I’m very surprised to see that the students are quite respectful of each other. I’m serious! I’ve never seen a culture where the students are actually responsive and actually talks normally to each other without screaming. And this coming from a neighbourhood school. Can you imagine that? They actually DO the tasks you ask them to. I couldn’t help but be in such wide eyed wonder.

Of course I was puzzled at why the students were allowed to bring hand-phones to school, even mp3 players. But they have *never* used them in class. *faints in amazement*

How? How? Wow! How? Woah … How???

Amazing, aye?

Spent the weekends just being lazy at home, watching VCD’s and lounging around at home. I watched the village (interesting!) Meet the fockers (boring) White Chicks (funny!) and Closer (thought provoking)

Closer almost came to be one of my favourite list of movie as it was hauntingly beautiful, with an interesting storyline, questioning about fidelities and the subject of true love. I laughed at some of the parts where the two main male characters indulged in seedy online chat. At the beautiful portrayal and the witty dialoge.

Anna: I don’t kiss Strange men.
Dan : Neither do I.

I don’t want trouble.
I won’t be any trouble.
You’re taken!
But you kissed me!
What are you? Twelve?

Why did you swear eternal love when all you wanted is excitement?
It bores you?
No, it disappoints me

At Anna’s Art Exhibition

Larry : What do you think?
Alice : It’s a lie. It’s a bunch of sad strangers photographed beautifully. And all the glittering assholes who appreciate art say it’s beautiful cause that’s what they want to see. But the people in the photos are sad and alone. But the pictures make them look beautiful, so the exhibition is reassuring, which is a lie. Which makes it all a big fat lie.
Larry : I’m the big fat lie’s boyfriend.

Hello Stranger

Coupled with the most excellent music from Damien Rice, The Blower’s Daughter. Wonderful, wonderful movie. I like it.

Before I end the blog for today, just a few “what the heck pictures”

Taken right outside my window the block opposite me… Nice underwear 😛

Just a typical scene in idyllic Italy

Ehi Bernado!
Si?
Il toro calcia l’uomo
Si. A volte il toro vince.
Non lo mangio.

(rough translation)

Hey Bernardo!
Yes?
The bull’s kicking the man
Yes. Sometimes the bull wins
I’m not eating it.


Alicia Milano as a man! *peers*

yick

I dont understand it. Why is it that in some restaurants waiters are always so enthusiastic in clearing your table while you’re still at the table? I was having dinner with Juli yesterday at Seoul Garden. I was just done placing my meat strips on the hot plate and a waiter just took away the plate. Eh?

Then I finished my plate of sushi. And then zoom! The plate was gone in less than 6 seconds. I blinked again.

I took a helping from the plate of bbq’ed meat Juli and I cooked and a waiter came up. “May I clear your plate for you?” Uh .. no … we’re still eating. And the same thing happened again in another 10 minutes.

Overzealous much?

Same thing happened while I was eating at Swensens with Geri in Chinatown on wednesday. I was just halfway done with my Chicken Menuire (please somebody tell me its not pronounced as manure)and this waitress extended her hand on my plate and asked if she could clear my plate.

Allo! I’m still eating! *still munching on my chicken*

Oh my goodness! Similar things happened before in different places. And I’m not sure if its just me, or it has happened to other people too. Is there a secret code that waiters and waitresses have? I used to be a waitress to, but I would always wait for the guest to finish eating and leave the table and then clear the table.

So, thats sort of puzzling to me.

Anyhow, I had a relatively good dinner. I felt completely stuffed, like a turkey on thanksgiving eve having stuffed myself at the buffet. I have one major qualm about Seoul Garden though. They would advertise their food as $16.99 for dinner ($12.99 for lunch) but dont be fooled. I saw that the total bill amounted to roughly $45 dollars for the two of us. Thats the most cut throat restaurant I’ve ever seen.

Lets see, the bill was broken down to:

Buffet – $16.99 (times 2)
Table – $5.00
Drinks – $3.00 (times 2)
Wet Wipe – $1.00 (times 2)

For that price, I’d rather eat at Cafe Vienna
. High tea at a nice posh place with ambience. I dont think I want to eat at Seoul Garden again. Dont you think its a heartache?

The only reason I went anyways was that Juli was nice enough to coax and pay for the +++ I very nearly wanted to leave because I wanted to try the new Salad KFC was having. (Nazry said it was good when he was working there, and I saw this guy through the glass window in the restaurant looking really in his own elements while eating it)

Anyhow, during dinner Juli asked me how ‘The Face Shop’ products were working for me. I replied that it felt really good. It made my face feel smooth and soft. Juli smirked.

Whats wrong? Do I sound like a commercial? Yeah, she said. So I turned my head to an imaginary video camera. Lifted my left hand and cupped an imaginary moisturizer and pointed with my right hand to it.

“The face shop. It makes my skin soft and smoothhhhhh”

That kind of reminded me of the different tacky advertisments that Singapore has (and is still running on the airs)

Advertisment for a weight loss center:

Scene of a pretty slim malay girl, next to an old picture of herself
“My boyfriend used to call me a hippo”

A few seconds later, a scene of a slim chinese woman, next to an old picture
“My husband says that I am fat”

Oh. My. Goodness! How could the director ever allow such monstrosity of this advertisment ever be played?

Number one: What kind of a boyfriend would ever call his girlfriend a hippo? I’m so gonna kill anyone who calls his girlfriend that. If I was in a relationship where my boyfriend would ever call me names, I’m going to slap his face, kick his butt and be so violent to him that he’ll totally think twice about running his mouth like that ever again. Of course, by that time, I think he’d probably be to scared to be in any future relationship. He’d probably be a eunuch … or a priest …

Number two: Why should anyone lose weight because a guy asked you to? Doing practically anything should come from the heart. For example, I want to lose weight so that I will have more confident. I want to lose weight because I will feel healthier. Doing something because a male asking you to do it is just going to end in trouble.

Another low class tacky commercial that I’ve seen on telley would be the breast enhancement one by a beauty salon. Picture this:

A mom, wearing a red sleeveless, low plunged V shirt is fetching her son at the playground. She has carefully applied makeup – bright eyeshadow, red lips and extremely coiffured hair (I salute any housewives with young kids who has the time to actually do all this)

And this housewife seeing her son at the slides, opened her arms to bend down and embrace her son.

Guess what?

Camera angles and zooms in to her ample bosoms which was happily jiggling up and down. Every one of the other housewives were putting on this fake gasp. With one hand covering their mouth (every single one of them!)

For goodness sakes …

How my eyes burns …

I love the weekends!

Not concentrating on work. Not doing anything educational. Not having to do anything useful? I love it. Slacking off is something that I do with pizazz. If there were a certification of doing nothing, I think I’d pass with flying colours. Dr Marina N. (phd in psyco-logy)

Anyhow I’m just resting here, after 2 days of going out with friends. Friday night of pubbing at New Asia to celebrate Hema’s birthday. I really disliked the pubbing scene. A dark room full of bodies and cigarette smokes and you having to wade through it. I can’t dance, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. So what’s the point of going?

Juli and I eventually went there anyway even though we were hesitant about it since we were both tired from work, even more so when Julie was having a sore throat, the same symptoms that I had about 2 weeks ago. But we went there in the end. All to make Hema feel happy on her special day. It was heart-warming to see the smile on her face when we turned up. And she looked gorgeous in her black dress and that styled hair. Happy 25th darling Hema! And many more to come 🙂

Come Saturday afternoon, Juli asked me to accompany her to register at Cosmoprof, the leading beauty and make-up school in the region. I was really excited for her since this is one of the first steps for our own business. I’d have to source out for photography lessons too and save up for a good digital SLR camera and umbrella flash and tripod.

The place looked nice, and we talked to the course consultant and went around the area for a bit. We then decided to walk from Dhoby Ghaut to Somerset for lunch. Unfortunately along the way, there were many food kiosks littering along the way and we stopped many times to buy snacks to eat along while as we walked.

By the time we reached Orchard road, we weren’t hungry any more and topped it off with ice cream at bravissimo. Mmmm … The hazelnut ice cream was pure bliss …

We ordered tickets for Bad Education and had about an hour to kill so we decided to have dinner at BigO which was a misnomer because the food wasn’t so praiseworthy. We decided to become food critics


Grilled Salmon with summer vegetables in sauce

Me: So, on a scale of 1 – 10. How would you rate this fish dish?
Juli : The gravy isn’t thick enough. It doesn’t seem to be able to complement with the fish. It is weak and tasteless and bland. I give it a 6 or 7

Triple Chocolate mudpie with brownie crumble

Me : I’m sure it isn’t easy to fail chocolate. *takes a bite*
Me : Oh.
Juli : Oh?
Me : Yeah, just oh. Not a OHHHH!! Screaming of joy type of Oh. But just oh.

Juli takes a bite

Juli : This isn’t a big O! It isnt even a small O! I’m not satisfied!

It would be funny having us grace the television screen if we really *were* food critics … 😛

We rushed out of the restaurant as soon as we could to catch the movie which was already starting.

Bad education was a disturbing movie, to me. Juli thought that it was really sick. But I thought that it was a well made movie with a good storyline and an interesting plot. But it could be a bit much for some people.

I’ll try to write again later. I think I’ll take a nap or something, I’m still stoned out.