ABLAZED

The sky is on fire.

AN EVENING WITH JOE HISAISHI

Another super HOT day! I hid indoors until about 6:00PM, when it was time to leave for The Arts House.

Tonight I had the urge to rewatch all of Hayao Miyazaki's films after immersing myself in "The World of Joe Hisaishi".  I do love a good string quartet, don't you?

I even wore my Totoro jeans!

BRUNCH ON A SUPER HOT DAY

Early morning. Woke up to a crimson "yolk" in the sky. It's going to be another HOT, HOT, HOT day!

Still, I dived right into the heat and blinding sunlight and made it to Chinatown Point by 10:30 to have brunch with friends. (My love of food clearly outweighs adversity.)

Four friends from secondary school went out to brunch but one decided to sleep in so we became three.  

Three friends turned up at Victor's Kitchen for the Minced Pork with Dried Veggies Congee (菜干肉碎粥) but sadly it wasn't something to write home about. Instead my favourites were the Victor's King Prawn Dumpling （超级虾饺皇）and Poached Szechuan Dumplings in Spicy Sauce (酸辣红油抄手).

Photo by Mayz

Photo by Mayz

Soph and Mayz couldn't stop raving about the "whole prawn inside the Har Gow!". I guess Victor's Kitchen will be the venue for our next secondary school gathering.

 

61

Thanks to all my beloved friends who celebrated my 61st birthday with me. 

On my actual birthday, Lee Ling drove me to MacPherson Road to eat crabs!  The crabs in Steamed White Wine was something to write home about.  The seafood fried rice was also fab. I might eat there again. 

In the evening, Eunice treated me to dim sum at Victor's Kitchen. Unfortunately, I was already (over)stuffed with crab.  We later watched a dance performance together at the Drama Centre. 

Yesterday, Serena bought me sumptuous sashimi at 千両 sen-ryo @ ION Orchard.  I haven't been there in ages.  I'm pleased to report that the food is still good.

Today's weather is still super warm.  I thought we'll be having a thunderstorm but the tangerine in the horizon foretold it all.  Joanne bought me a rather expensive buffet lunch in the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. Her mum sewed me a cute bag, which I really, really like.

Thanks for the love, everyone.  I feel younger with the passing of each year.  

YELLOW

I was on my way to have lunch with Eu and Ev and my sense of direction got the better of me. The weather was at least 36 degrees (well, it certainly felt like it) and not a good day to take a wrong turn. Nevertheless, a great day for snapping photos of an overgrown bush that's bursting with vibrant yellow blossoms. Yes, I did turn up late for lunch. :)

IF I HAD THREE LIVES

 

If I Had Three Lives 

After “Melbourne” by the Whitlams 

If I had three lives, I’d marry you in two.
 

The other? Perhaps that life over there
 

at Starbucks, sitting alone, writing – a memoir,
 

maybe a novel or this poem. No kids, probably,


a small apartment with a view of the river,


and books – lots of books, and time to read.


Friends to laugh with, and a man sometimes,


for a weekend, to remember what skin feels like


when it’s alive. I’d be thinner in that life, vegan,


practice yoga. I’d go to art films, farmers markets,


drink martinis in swingy skirts and big jewelry.


I’d vacation on the Maine coast and wear a flannel shirt


weekend guy left behind, loving the smell of sweat


and aftershave more than I did him. I’d walk the beach


at sunrise, find perfect shell spirals and study pockmarks


water makes in sand. And I’d wonder sometimes


if I’d ever find you. 

 by Sarah Russell, first published in Silver Birch Press

I WENT TO PENANG

May 22 - 24, 2025

Four friends from secondary school went on a 3 day / 2 night food trail to Penang.

***

Day 1 

OO White Coffee, Penang Road Chendol, Auntie Gaik Lean's

Char Koey Teow with duck eggs.  Nice but not fried over charcoal.

Oyster Omelette

Curry Mee :(

Buo Luo Bao

***

Penang Road Famous Cendol.  I like this.

Also from Penang Road, Kwey Pie Tee.  Not great.

***

Dinner @ Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery

Authentic Peranakan food.

 

I was completely smitten by this Otak-otak.

Kiam Chye Ark Tn'ng (咸菜鸭汤).  This is very, very good!

Stingray Curry

Sambal Eggplant

Curry Kapitan (Straits Settlement Curry Chicken).  Top 3.

Sambal Sotong

The Nasi Ulam (herbed rice) is also delicious.

***

Day 2

Breakfast, then visited a durian plantation

Lor Bak

Hokkien Mee.  Not great.

Actually, we wanted to try the noodles at Green House but our driver told us that Green House gets sold out by 9am.  He took us here instead.

Wanton Mee

Pulut Hitam

***

In the car, on the way up to the durian planatation.

We sampled 3 variaties of durian.

Lobster

Hor Lor 葫芦

Capri.  I love this one most - rich, creamy, a subtle of bitter flavour.

I've not seen this variety of durian in Singapore.

***

A little bit of sightseeing after eating durians.

***

Dinner @ Lorong Baru (New Lane) Foodstalls

Char Koay Teow x 2, Hokkien Char, Grilled Chicken Wings, Shrimp Omelette

Waited in line for 30 minutes to eat Charcoal Seafood Char Koay Teow 炭烧海鲜炒粿条.

***

Day 3

Breakfast @ Yong Pin Restaurant 榕槟茶楼

Part 1

 

Part 2

***

Someone recommended chee cheong fun with shrimp paste @ MacAlister Lane.

One friend lost a small piece of luggage and was pretty sore with herself but the important thing is we made it to the end of the trip without killing one another.