A sanctuary

Silence is very much taken for granted at times and it could even be much hated by some. I feel that I have learnt to love silence in the recent months, or at least treasure it. Too much noise and conversations could irritate me much at times especially when I am dying for some peace, quiet and personal space. During our stay in Osaka, we spent a night at a temple, away from the busyness of city life. I can still remember the feel of silence in the room that we stayed in. Simply felt like closing my eyes and enter into the world of peacefulness. Liked the fact that every step that I took within that sanctuary was slow and reflective. It's true...in order for one to listen, one needs to be silent.

Breakfast in Osaka

Ha, I reckon I should blog about my trip to Osaka in June before my trip to Tokyo in December. Don't ask me why I am going to Japan again in December because I don't think I may be able to provide an answer for that question. Okie dokie, stay focused and back to Osaka :P Well, a nice breakfast is important at the beginning of the day. And a nice homemade breakfast is certainly an extra bonus in our lives...simple but warms the heart and feeds the soul. I hate to gobble down my food especially when it's prepared with much love and care...Every bit and bite matters. Thank you, Rika and Mark, for preparing breakfast! 

A letter to Time

Dear Time,

I have been wanting to write to you for the longest time. Well, so much in my mind but not quite sure how I should begin. I just wish to write to you to let you know how much I really empathise with you. You know, it seems that we, human beings, never seem to get enough of you. “No time” or “Not enough time” are phrases that I think I have heard quite often throughout my adult life thus far. And I think I am guilty of saying those at times too. Very often, you are being blamed or should I say you have become the scapegoat due to our inability to prioritise, make choices and manage our lives. There is really nothing that you can do except to just silently accept every comment that goes to you. It must have not been easy for you especially when 24 hours is all you can manage in a day.

Today, I thought I should write to you to also thank you for being there for us. You don't say much but I feel that you have been a constant reminder to us, ticking away, as we walk through this life journey of ours. I appreciate those times, seconds or minutes, that I am able to breathe and walk through this life journey safely and being blessed with beautiful moments, seconds and minutes, that are always filled with simple joys and happiness. I told myself that I cannot manage all the roles that I have in my life well all at one time, I know I really cannot, but I will learn and try to be make choices about life. As I am writing this, I would also like you to know how thankful I am for every second that you have given me and I will aim to treasure every second that’s mine. Know that you are much appreciated...

Love Always…

A toothy issue

Dr Wee (endodontist): I am sorry that I have to be the bearer of bad news. The prognosis is not good and I am afraid the tooth is unsalvageable, not even with root canal treatment. It 's a pity that it has got to be extracted as there's no signs of decay or gum disease, it's just a cracked tooth. 

Dr Loh (my dentist): The extraction process could be difficult and longer as it's a cracked tooth and I may need to extract it in parts. But not to worry, you will not feel any pain but just pressure from the pulling action. 

Dr Loh: Alright, let's numb it. 

I cannot deny that the words of your dentist are important but the above are so very impactful that I could still hear them ringing in my ears when I thought about what I had gone through the past two days. Yes, it's certainly a toothy issue but I think it must be an unforgettable one. A "stress line" was noticed by my dentist on one of my molars some months back but it was causing neither distress nor pain. Hence, not much attention was paid to it. But for the past recent months, occasionally when I bit on something hard, a nagging and unbearable pain would linger for a while before it disappeared again. Well, for the fact that the pain disappeared after a short while, I kinda dismissed it and thought maybe could get it checked during the next dental appointment. And just this past week, the pain came back and stayed longer, even through the night. I knew I needed consultation. Fixed an appointment with my dentist, was referred to an endodontist and decision was made to extract the unsalvageable tooth. The tooth was cracked on three surfaces of my tooth and Dr Wee was saying I must have had quite a high threshold for pain. I do? Don't really think so as I was worried about the pain during and after extraction. The day before the extraction and that was Friday, I could hardly eat as the pain was real bad. I was wondering if that was going to continue for a few weeks, I think I could be as thin as a supermodel :P Okie, jokes aside, I definitely will not want to go through that kind of pain. Although I was fearful of the extraction (my first ever in my life), I am kinda glad that that painful tooth which had caused much agony the past three days was going to be removed soon. The extraction process was painless but I shut my eyes most of the times as I did not want to see any of the tools being used although I could hear them. The noise from use of the drill to extract a broken part of the root towards the end was unbearable and I thought my mouth was going to be torn apart! I guess to many, extraction is no big deal but for me, I knew the thought of it initially was freaking me out. But sure grateful to Dr Loh for her assurance, words of comfort and who had taken her lunch break on Saturday to extract my cracked tooth, knowing that I would be away for a holiday trip soon. 

This supposedly dental ordeal for the past couple of days has certainly provoked some thoughts which I thought I would like to pen down and not forget. I love food and for those couple of days, to know that eating has become a torture was really a torment. The eating process took twice or even thrice as long to complete. It's like from being a "live-to-eat" to a "eat-to-live" circumstance, even at this stage when I am recovering from my extraction. "Eat to live" because I need to eat so that I could take my medication or else I don't think I would want to move that mouth of mine that much. Ha, my father was the one who has been trying to coax me into eating more these few days. He was trying to relate his own "no-big-deal" experience of a painful tooth and eating after an extraction. I thought maybe I must have been a pampered baby at times. 

Prior to discussing with Dr Wee about extraction and possible replacement plans, my first question for him was whether extraction would affect my pronunciation. Ha, he smiled and he said that it would affect more of my chewing habits and swallowing in the long run if no replacements are made or adjusted. Oops, felt like I had asked a silly question :P Nevertheless, he's a nice doctor who went through every detail clearly with me although I was unable to do root canal treatment at his clinic. Was sharing with Miss Tan that one can be poor but must never get sick as medical or dental fees are not cheap. These few days of visiting two clinics and the extraction procedure can easily pay for a short trip to Thailand, I must say, maybe during off-peak period :P Dr Loh seems to have also mapped out possible plans for my teeth after my holiday trip. She has been eyeing my two crooked front teeth for quite long actually. And now, given that big empty space available after my extraction, she saw the possibility of getting the two front teeth straightened. She also wanted to look into the clutching of my teeth which could possibly link to my cracked tooth. Gosh! Not really thinking about all these as yet but maybe should consider increasing my intake of calcium, at least a non-procedural way of strengthening my teeth. Could feel that huge space between my teeth at the back as I am eating my porridge now, still not pretty used to it as yet. Hope the next few days will be better.  

   

Korean food craze

Always the star! Love the rest of the side dishes too.

I thought I kinda like the thickness and the abundance of spring onions found within the pancake.

Lovely big bean sprouts, absolutely my target! 

Has never been my favourite Korean dish but heh, I thought it looked pretty appetising. Hence, just took a spoonful of the soup and snapped a pic of it.

The tofu soup was a little too oily for my liking but nothing's stopping me from eating the silky tofu.

Right after Korean food with Miss Tan at Neil Road, we had Korean food with Mark and Derrick at Joo Chiat Road (as highly recommended by Mark :P) the following week. I realised that it's actually Ju Shin Jung. I remember having had their Korean food at the other two outlets - East Coast Park and West Coast. But it's been quite some time since I last visited Ju Shin Jung as I did not really feel that their food had left a great impression some years back. Hmm, but I must say that maybe at times, it's good to revisit some restaurants after having not gone back for quite some time. A few years later, it's not that bad though, not a real superb meal but I thought it's a satisfying meal. Maybe good to give BBQ meat a miss at times and try the rest of the variety found in the menu. 

Dear Holiday

Rose macaron from Laduree 

Remember how we played when we were still little kids? I remember playing my favourite set of cooking toys and how I had torn pieces of tissue, hoping they looked like noodles that I could cook and served :) I remember how I had taken small pieces of cloth from my grandmother's bag of leftover cloth from sewing and draped them over my dolls so they could have different pretty clothes to wear. I remember how I tried to wear my aunt's heels, hold a magazine and tried to look like I was a businesswoman, trying to sign documents (Ha, probably from watching too many of drama serials then) Don't you think as children, we were more imaginative, creative and expressive? Kinda miss those days. Well, I guess as adults we could still kind of play "Pretend, Pretend" and maybe try to be a little imaginative :P Why do I say so? You see, it's a long weekend and Miss Tan and myself tried to pretend (or was it more of denial?) that we were having a holiday overseas. Met up for shopping and meals for almost two days and concluded that there wasn't really much to explore in this country that we're 'travelling' in :P Or probably we were too lazy to explore. Popped by Laduree, the talk of the town I guess and saw people posing in front of the boutique to take photographs. Ha, that's interesting and at the same time intriguing to me. Bought two flavours of macarons - rose and yuzu chocolate. Oh my goodness, love romantic Rose! Such pleasant taste and sweet romance in the mouth as I took a bite of it and yes, it brought a smile on my face. As for yuzu chocolate, there's a tinge of bitterness which tasted  unique and there's strong taste of yuzu too. However, rose still gets my vote! ...Dear Holiday, sure hope to stick by you longer :P

The (My) laksa story

Ever wonder how variety and quantity could hamper performance and hinder thinking at times? Must be wondering what silly and weird thoughts this silly gal is brewing again. Ha, well, it's been a long long time since I had buffet of some sort, I think. Met up with a group of ex-colleagues on a Friday night and we decided to have buffet at Asia Market Cafe@Fairmont Hotel. Walked around the spread and wondered what to begin first. When I finally reached the restaurant, I saw Rene having bread and butter, should I have some bread to start off the meal? Saw Julia having some satay, should I have some satay before they are snapped up as they seemed quite popular? Saw Edmond feasting on cakes and pastries and wondered what I had missed out :P I should say I was at a loss as to what I should eat first. I would say that the restaurant does offer quite a good variety of Asian dishes in the buffet spread. I kind of like the chilli crabs and sambal stingray. Mostly very fresh ingredients and not to mention how Edmond and Julia had eaten at least two servings of durian pudding or was it more of puree? But a buffet may not necessarily suit the eating preference of some. I am not really a great fan of seafood like prawns and oysters but they are really top on the list in terms of popularity. Well, I ended up eating a small portion of everything but not sure if I have thoroughly savoured the wholesome of each. Well, ha, decided to focus on just the laksa for photography, just on the beauty of the thick and delicious gravy, yes, just one focus would be good enough for me to manage and to thoroughly enjoy that "laksa" moment :) 

Simple comfort food

Once in a while, when Derrick is in the mood to cook, a few of us will be invited over for some homecooked fare. This time, it's Penang kway teow soup! Ha, kinda like my task of garnishing every bowl of kway teow with a variety of greens :) The soup was nice and sweet, had us all slurping from our bowls throughout dinner. The chef was really generous as each of us had a big bowl of kway teow soup,  with sure a lot of ingredients in it. A simple but satisfying meal indeed. Thanks, Derrick! Heh, wonder what's cooking next for Chef Derrick? Looking at his skilfulness in cooking and how he has shared about preparing certain dishes, I think I really have to start as a disciple by first cutting vegetables or maybe even washing dishes in the kitchen :P 

Rene's birthday

 Simply love the relaxed and homely feel when you first step into the cafe.

 Another love of mine at this cafe - freshly baked bread with four different flavours. Always warm and very soft when they are served! 

 Organic quinoa salad...not exactly in harmony with the taste buds of some but it makes me guilt-free when I had just that for lunch a few months ago. Food like this must take time to enjoy slowly, every bit of it :)   

 Pan-seared barramundi

 My grilled trout...this whole dish has made me realise the importance of the sides that accompany the main on the plate. The various kinds of vegetables around it complement the fish very well.  

 Had a slice of Miss Tan's pork chop (without the corn :P), it's very tender.

Veal must have been tender and flavourful for both Kat and Jakki had their plates polished clean. 

 Happy happy birthday!

 Kat's creation! That's really a lovely cake, fit for a lovely princess :)

 Snap! Snap! Click! Click!

I would say not s good shot especially with those lights grabbing the attention in the photograph but I really do love the smiles on all our faces, such beautiful, lovely and irresistible smiles :)

This should be the third time I was at Waterfall Cafe at Shangri-la Hotel and this time it was to celebrate Rene's birthday. Hee, kinda glad that she has chosen this place as personally, I do like this place, not just for the ambience but also the food. If I am not wrong, this cafe was just newly opened last year. It's certainly the kind of place which one could spend the whole afternoon just chilling out and relax. Well, that's exactly what we did last Saturday. We had lunch and I could not believe that by the time we left the cafe, it was almost 5pm. As usual, I was impressed by the service and the thoughtfulness of the staff there. A nice and cozy place I know I would love to 'hide' myself in and to be away from the hustle and bustle of life. Sure gonna try their chocolate cake the next time! Tea time, anyone? :)

That pair of hands

 She's always camera shy, had to be quick to take a shot of her when she's on her phone or doing other things :P

 Ha, I always laugh at that pair of hands which is filled with lines and wrinkles no matter how much moisturiser was 'invested' on them. But truly treasure this pair of hands that has supported me in one way or another in this friendship that we share all these years since we were studying in JC. My dear very good friend, thanks for the little gifts in life! 

 Our common love! We finished a whole big plate of it and lamented together how sinful it was. Ha, we are truly disgusting, ain't we? 

Truly no cream, but a little too salty for me. 

Well, you see, my very good friend is a chicken lover :) Not bad but I thought it was a little too dry for my liking.

It's time with my very good friend again! Fixed the date some time back but going to Prego for dinner that Friday evening was kind of a last minute decision. Was not able to shop with her coz I only knocked off at about 7pm. But glad that at least we were able to meet up for a meal to celebrate her birthday. Adore her for those times that she shares all the good things (not necessarily things at times) in life with me, love her for those times when she reminds me of the more important things in life by merely a simple comment or thought, cherish her for those times that she scolds me like an elder sister with good intention and will always treasure her for being that special and very good friend in my life. She is truly one dear friend that I know I will grow old with :)

Mummy, Mummy, Mummy

 Ha, I call it Japanese kuei lapis :P 

 Only managed to take a photo of Mummy's crab pasta. Bravo, Mummy finished the whole plate!

Eating well and hoping we will be well :)

I kinda like those times that I get to have Sunday lunch with my parents. It was Mother's Day weekend and Mummy said not to fuss over it and just had a simple lunch at a nearby food court. Silly me thought   maybe we should 'venture' further :P My father suggested having some Western food and my mummy added we should have some healthy food. So, there we were, landed up at Cedele@Great World. Actually, it is kinda my favourite Cedele probably because of the space and variety in the menu. Surprisingly, we managed to get a table in less than five minutes without any reservation and considering it's Mother's Day weekend. As we were having our lunch, my father commented that I ate too fast. But I was never a fast eater, not amongst my friends. Hmm, but yes, indeed, it kind of struck me at that moment that maybe I was really eating too fast, it also kind of reminded me that I was going too fast in my life and that I needed to slow down, food for thought indeed. Just as we were about to make payment, we heard a lady shouting angrily at one of the staff at the restaurant outlet. Apparently, she felt that she was in a way being discriminated and not served at the payment counter. She was shouting so loudly that the whole restaurant could hear her. She must be really angry but her way of expressing her anger kind of shocked me a little. Is shouting the only way to express our anger and displeasure? How would you feel if you are being shouted at? Food for thought again. My mummy was commenting that the lady was really fierce and I was thinking that I could not even recall when my parents actually did shout at me. Maybe they never ever did and somehow, I am thankful for that. Well, we shopped a little after lunch and had our teh and kopi at Toastbox for our afternoon tea break. Ha, simple day but satisfying! 

As simple as that

One of life's little pleasures can be as simple as enjoying a cup of nicely brewed tea or should I say, a cup of teh (siu dai). Why do I feel such a strong desire to enjoy more of such moments nowadays? Is it more to satisfy a want or a need? ...Maybe my mind is tired from the constant list of things to work on, maybe it's time to find a focus, or maybe it's time to refocus? Ha, or maybe age is just catching up, finally admitting the impact and effects of those digits. As I was sipping on my cup of teh peng at a eatery at Gardens by the Bay last weekend, I wish I could just spend a quiet morning or afternoon sitting there, taking sips, not gulps, of teh. Maybe pen down some thoughts, think about the good old times or simply just watch life pass by, slowly. Even admiring the cup that contained my teh fascinated me quite abit as I was snapping away with my camera, trying to get the right 'feel' and 'mood' for the picture. Well, I guess my happiness can be as simple as that!

If only they could speak and we could listen

 Sometimes, the little things in life are hardly noticed and appreciated in our daily lives. If we do look closer, we will come to realise that these little things are gems and those moments of joy when we really discover these gems are truly unforgettable. 

 If we treasure those moments of silence, we would probably realise that we could hear melodious music in our hearts. Such beautiful songs playing in our hearts that it could instantly bring smiles on our faces. But is there time and space in our lives for silence?

 Every one of us has our own story to tell and we all have challenges that we face. We try to stay strong but the worst part about being strong is that no one ever asks if you're okay. Even the strongest person needs to be held by the hand at times. 

Is there always a need for clear boundaries? Is there always a need to classify things (living and non-living) into some categories based on some criteria, characteristics or standards? I wonder what category do I fall under? Do I care? Does it matter? What do you think?

I wondered when I would ever get to see tulips in Holland. So when I heard about "Tulipmania" at Gardens by the Bay, I was rather interested to catch a glimpse of it, not wanting to miss such a beautiful display. Ha, it was a Sunday and when I was at the entrance of Gardens by the Bay, I was actually wondering if there would be more people than tulips at one of the conservatories. I don't really fancy crowds and at times, I wonder if it's considered a phobia to me. Sometimes, I just simply feel like walking away from crowds, weirdo! Well, it was kinda crowded in the conservatory and I must say there was much noise too. Sigh, do we ever give a chance for the flowers to speak? Do we ever listen to them? Or do these little beauties just serve decorative purposes in one's photographs?   

Mark's birthday

 The first thing that needed my attention :)

 Reminded me of those days where we had eaten lotsa BBQ stuff during our Korea trip. Such a joy to see those green leafy greens wrapped around the succulent BBQ meat. 

 Another dish that went well with rice, tasty and favourful.

 I always feel that the most interesting part about eating Bibimbap is the part where we get to mix and stir. Love to see the whole dish being stirred, feels like a whole piece of art being recreated.

 Hmm, more tempura than pancake? However, I thought the ingredients were fresh and there's zucchini too! Well, I guess life goes beyond spring onions :P

Whatever that you are wishing for, I wish you that. Happy Birthday!

We must be a bunch of real horrible friends, or maybe just a few of us. Mark wanted to have Omakase Burger at the Grandstand for his birthday celebration. However, there seemed to be some objection from a few and that few 'domineering' ones finally decided on having Korean food. Well, the birthday boy was real accommodating and we decided to have Korean food at Manna Korean Restaurant. You know, what always excites me when I have a meal at a Korean restaurant has always been the side dishes. Always curious about what goes into the variety, always fascinated by the creativity and not forgetting my star - kimchi. Isn't that a good reason to eat Korean food? Well, I guess at least for me, it is. And by now, you would probably have guessed that I was one of the 'domineering' and horrible ones :P The kimchi stew is a must for me and I thought I kinda like the one at Manna. It's thick, spicy and one that would entice you to crave for more rice to go with it. Realised that I had not taken a picture of it. Hmm, and I actually miss eating Korean cold noodles and summer is just round the corner, isn't it? Well, I would say average Korean fare at Manna (but I wonder where's the best though?). 

Eggs Benny Hopping

I thought Juliet asked a good question when she heard me comparing the eggs benny at Riders Cafe and eggs benny at Marmalade Pantry. On what basis did I make the comparison and what was I actually comparing? Ha, frankly speaking, I have not really thought about this. Hmm, yup, maybe it's the taste, probably it's the texture... At the end of the day, as I thought about this question again, I feel that at times, it's probably difficult to explain one's love for something and maybe there is really no need for an explanation or a specification. I just love it and my heart tells me so! Most of all, it makes me happy. In my heart, I know that I still miss the eggs benny at Riders Cafe and I have this feeling that much care, effort and thoughtfulness have been included in the making and preparation of this dish. And I know that I felt valued as I savoured every bit of that eggs benny right till the plate was licked clean. Ha, I guess when it comes to matters of the heart, explanation and rationality are just not important and irrelevant. 

What is beauty? Heh, don't start, silly gal. I guess not all are going to like answering this kind of question. However, I was really thinking of this question when I was looking at the variety of cupcakes put on display while having brunch at Marmalade Pantry (Fairway Drive). Those trays and tiers of cupcakes were so pretty and beautiful. Hmm, however, I didn't seem to want to savour them. I was wondering why. Not in the mood? Too pretty to be eaten? Or are they just pretty little things to be 'savoured' by the eyes but not the taste buds? Or maybe the first impression counts, looks matter and hooks the interest of those who are contemplating whether to try the cupcakes? Told you not to start, silly gal! Oh ya, not satisfied with the photographs that I had taken of the cupcakes at all, didn't seem to be able to capture the beauty of the cupcakes at all. Why? Oh no, please don't start!