Greenhouse Cafe

I dislike going to mega-malls like Vivocity. Other than having to navigate through throngs of busy shoppers, finding a place to eat (especially at peak meal hours) is always a headache. Thus, when I accompanied my mum there to do our Christmas shopping a few days ago, I jumped into the first eating place we saw that had seats available.

Located just next to the MRT entrance to Vivocity, Greenhouse Cafe offered a slightly quiet(er) respite from the insane hustle of desperate last-minute shoppers.

While the cafe was decorated quaintly, with a warm, semi-rustic charm (as well as an adjoining shop called Pocket Full of Posies selling assorted knick-knacks), the relative lack of customers at lunch-hour should have warned me about the lukewarm standard of the cafe’s offering.

I ordered a beef lasagne set, which came with cream of mushroom soup, orange juice and a slice of cake (with alternatives being jelly served in a plastic cup or a slice of watermelon at an admittedly cheap price of $12.90.

While the lasagne was texturally savoury and the cheese was chewy but not tough, the sauce was too salty for my tastes. Repeated bites had me going for the horrendously diluted orange juice (which wasn’t even up to the standard of the cordial mixes in the army).

The homemade mushroom soup (i.e. not plopped out from a can of Campbell’s), though, was pretty good and had a slightly bitter and strong mushroom taste, as was the surprisingly-light peach cake (although the alternatives sounded terribly cheap).

My mother had seafood marinara pasta, which was terrible. Other than a lack in the marinara sauce (it was barely enough to cover up the pasta), the sauce was bland and lacking and the few ingredients scattered on the plate tasted oddly uncooked and had uneven textures.

The service staff at the cafe, while earnest, weren’t knowledgeable about even basic things like whether there was any credit card promotion (although, to be fair, the guy serving us was only on his first day at work). Also, while the promotional menu implied a choice of drinks for the set meal, when I ordered I was told that the afore-mentioned terrible orange juice was the only option. To top it off, the bill we asked for turned out to be the hand-written white piece of paper where the staff took our orders on.

Although these aren’t huge gaffes per se, they do show a distinct lack of preparation and professionalism on the part of the owners.

While the mushroom soup and cake were ok, they were nothing to write home about and, couldn’t make up for some of the gastronomical mishaps we were served (the orange juice, in particular, was a huge turn-off). I wouldn’t recommend the place except for those desperate for seats.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Greenhouse Cafe
1 Harbourfront Walk
#B2-42 VivoCity

Tel: 6376 9706

Opening hours:
Daily 10am – 10pm

Looking back at 2009

2009 has been an eventful year (both in the world and personally), to say the least.

Starting off with the inauguration of the first African-American president of the United States (which is just about the only world news I followed all year), 2009 was marked by celebrity deaths (from Michael Jackson’s highly covered demise to, most recently, Brittany Murphy’s heart attack) as well as random award show outbursts (the Kanye spoof memes are still not stopping), amongst others. And those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Personally, it has been a pretty exciting, action-packed year as well. Thinking back on the past year, it’s hard to believe that so much has happened (especially after the uneventful 2008 spent totally in the army) and that at the start of the year, I was still slogging it out in camp, preparing for ATEC evaluation with my unit.

Other than the ATEC evaluations in the first few months, I also had to aid my unit for the Best Unit Competition, attempt to secure both my IPPT silver and SOC pass awards as well as finish preparing and maintaining my vehicle for external inspection.

Then, in June, I finally ORDed and said goodbye to my two years spent serving the nation (not to mention my 1.5 years spent in my camp). After two months of rest and relaxation (i.e. not doing anything), I started my very first semester at the National University of Singapore.

The last four months of the year were spent experiencing culture shock, trying to get myself back into the student’s mindset, learning to bid for modules and understanding the system, non-stop mugging and rushing for projects, my very first university examinations, results and even my first term break. Understandably, the time shot by without me knowing.

Thankfully, as the year draws to a close, I can say that I’ve just about adjusted to student life and am ready to start the next semester blazing. Looking back at the unbelievable speed this year has passed, army (which only ended half a year ago) seems such a distant memory.

Here’s looking forward to an even more exciting (but only in a good way) 2010!

How was your 2009?

How to wake up early in the morning

Waking up early in the morning is a hardship for many people. But if you have an important early appointment the next day, you need to get up in time. To ensure I don’t oversleep, I tried out some methods:

Least effective
Set multiple alarms - your subconscious will either turn them off, or your conscious will hit snooze. The plus side is that maybe your room-mates will hear you, and SHOUT at you to get up. But then again, we all have selective hearing, especially when it is not our wake-up alarm.

Somewhat effective
Being asked to wake someone up. After all, this means you *have* to be awake. Again, this may work, depending on how important the reason to wake someone up is.

More effective
Ask someone to wake you up. This is a bit more effective than one waking a person up, but has a chance to fail as well, depending on how important the event is.
Example: Being woken up to go play badminton or to go gym. I think the enthusiasm will get one up, even if it is at an insane time at 7am.
Example: Being woken up because of a New Year Resolution not to skip the most boring lecture. Oops. Went back to sleep again! 

Most effective (and this works even if you slept at 5am the previous night) - and this has been working ever since I came to Warwick - or actually army days.
Get an unexpected SMS or call ASKING for help in the morning. When you start to answer or reply, you’ll won’t want to sleep! This is 100% confirmed and guaranteed.

Brownie is taking part in RustiRun!

Ever thought of doing a race with your dog? RustiRun is an event you can enjoy with your beloved dog.  There are a couple of race distances catered to each dog - 1km, 3km and 5km.  I’ve registered my little Brownie for the 1km Fun Paws Run, not sure if 1km is too much for her but I do hope the frequent walks and run in the park will help her complete the race. 

Here’s the details of the event:
Date: 24 Jan 2010
Time: 7 -10am
Venue: East Coast Park

If you do not have a dog but would love to join in the fun, there is also a new category in place for you.  Check out the website for more details - RustiRun

Each participant will receive a doggy bag, just like the race packs I received for my races. This is so cool! Also, 50% of the registration fee goes to charity. Wait no more, registration closes 31 Dec 2009! I’m so looking forward to a day of fun and bonding with Brownie.  Plus, she will be meeting many new friends too.

My Brownie is taking part!

Hope to cya there!

Don’t get bullied by retailers hiding behind “the rules”

It’s a very common excuse.

“Sorry, this are the company’s rules,”

“It’s my boss’s instructions,” the store assistant would say.

Most people, upon hearing this, find no other avenue to turn to, and drop their cases. It could have been something small like getting a refund for an abysmally done dish in a restaurant, or it could be as huge as getting an insurance company to stop shirking from that payout because of their desires to protect their profits, but the end result is the same.

You, the consumer, get shafted by companies, and there is no way around this because it is “the rule”.

But, is it really “the rule”? Do you really have no way of resolving the issue? Does it all have to go to the Small Claims Tribunal?

Not necessarily. Despite what the front-line staff may tell you, companies are never totally fixated with “the rule”, and most certainly, they (the front-line staff) are never the “last person you can talk to” regarding the issue.

The fix is simple. Ask for a supervisor. Often, the employee manning the counters at retail stores would say that something is outside his power to fix. By itself, that isn’t totally a wrong answer to tell a customer; because it would wreck total havoc on the company’s downline if the cashiers or waiters were empowered to give discounts willy nilly, just because the customer asked for it. Companies, are after all for-profit entities, and they naturally will seek to protect their profit margins at all costs.

The problem come when the front-line staff put it across in such a way that the customer has absolutely no recourse for that cockroach-in-the-soup, or that gaping-hole-in-the-shirt-collar; customers who aren’t well-trained to handle such situations end up walking away, dissatisfied, but do not press their cases.

Don’t be that shafted customer! Ask for a supervisor. 100% of the time, the front-line staff reports to somebody higher-up in the company, and that is the person to talk to. Do not be fooled by staff saying that “there’s nobody else you can talk to”: there always will be somebody higher up in the chain of command that has more power to investigate your problems, and deal with you as a rightful representative on behalf of the company.

At a certain point in the hierarchy, there should be somebody with enough power to deal with the problem, or at least smart enough to not want it to deteriorate into bad publicity for the company’s reputation. Failing that, I figure it would be worthwhile to consider the next course of action: is the time spent pursuing the case a worthwhile one?

The company may be one of those that don’t give a second thought about their reputation, so your only recourse is to let the whole world know about that irresponsible company. It probably won’t be around long enough anyway, the way it’s operating.

Streamline your life in 2010

Whenever you find yourself stressed and not living a pleasurable, care-free life, chances are you have too much clutter in your home and commitments. It’s time for some spring-cleaning, de-cluttering and streamlining!

As one lifestyle coach suggests, “streamline” means to de-clutter, in order to give yourself space and clarity to achieve your objectives and enjoy every moment of life.

Streamlining represents being aerodynamic, going with the flow, and energy-efficient (you expend less effort and time living the streamlined life).

So, to live a streamlined life, here’re some to-do suggestions:

Be present. As life success gurus are fond of saying, focusing on the past is no way to live. But many people (and even cultures) do that. These people fill their rooms, drawers and closets with trinkets to commemorate every little milestone in their lives.

Don’t you just hate to open a drawer to see it filled with dried-up ball pens from three-star hotels, ribbons from last year’s countdown party and candle stumps from leftover birthday cakes? And when you enter the store-room, you are bound to trip over a bent plasticky Christmas tree.

A streamlined life keeps mostly things for present use, not junks from the past.

Be ruthless. Do your possessions and actions serve your goals and dreams? Too much old stuff can hold you back in our life’s pursuits.

For example, if you’ve inherited a fine china dining set that’s been in your family for three generations, it becomes difficult for you to sell everything and backpack around the world. Be ruthless, give the set away to one of your siblings or auction it on eBay.

Remind yourself constantly that you are not your possessions and you are under no obligation to keep the things your ancestors loved and left behind for you. Most inherited stuff has sentimental value only for the original owner, not you.

Own things only because you want them and because they help you achieve your immediate objectives and longer-term goals.

The same goes for emotions. Have you inherited your current emotional state from past experiences that have no relation to current situation and choices? Clear out the clutter that rattles inside your cranium and that prevent you from achieving serenity, poise and mental clarity.

Be clean. Streamline the furniture in your house so that tidying up, cleaning and dusting is easy. Get rid of all broken appliances, worn plastic Christmas trees, toys that your grownup kids are no longer interested, and musty encyclopaedia and reference book sets that you have stopped browsing.

Some people keep stacks of newspapers and magazines. If you are one of them, sell the stuff to the rag-and-bone man, and immediately stop all newspaper and magazine delivery. The only printed matter you should buy are books.

Be simple. Simplicity is the soul of efficiency. Simplify your schedule and reduce your commitments. Carry only a pocket-sized diary to record appointments, payments and commitments. Don’t use a cell phone that also has complex PDA features. If you have such a sophisticated phone, give it to your nephew or niece, and buy yourself a secondhand model that is able to do only two things - make phone calls and SMS.

Be cool. We are emotional creatures and happiness often comes from collecting and showing off non-practical items, like Star War figurines and Balinese carvings. Set aside a corner of your house to display them. Everything else that is of no use to you, throw it out.

TCC Wisma Atria

Despite having grown up in Singapore and gone out often with my friends to eat, there’re some popular food chains that I’ve somehow never had a chance to dine at. The Coffee Connoisseur is one of them.

Before eating there a few days back, I’ve always thought that the franchise, which seems to have more and more outlets popping up islandwide, consisted of cafes placing heavy emphasis on the drinks, with food added in the menu as an afterthought. Having tasted the food at the Wisma Atria branch, however, my viewpoint is decidedly different.

As I was heading off to supper after that, I didn’t want to overload my stomach and so chose to go with a sandwich instead of a full course. The Veal Thing (quite a cute name) was great. Consisting of two large veal sausages and a thick slice of tomato bundled between two herb-sprinkled toasts, the sandwich was meaty, juicy, tasty and, even after slicing some of the sausages for my friends, I still had plenty to get full on. The meal was a little heavier than I expected, but I didn’t regret it, thanks to the sumptuous sausages and just-nicely-toasted bread.

My friends ordered an assortment of dishes, ranging from chicken & turkey bacon lasagne, to a pan-seared chicken breast set, to a couple of pasta choices. While some were pretty perfunctory, none of them tasted bad at all and, considering their prices were all below $20, were a pretty good bang for the buck.

Of note amongst my friends’ choices was the shrooms n’ cheese sandwich. The combination of decently-sized portobello mushrooms and cheese drenching a thick chicken patty was so delicious that many of us asked for second helpings after trying it out. Despite its small size, the burger was still sufficiently filling even after having been shared out.

The service staff, while friendly and cheerful, weren’t very knowledgeable about the menu. My friend’s query about what a certain sauce on her dish was had to be repeated to different personnel and at the end of it we were none the wiser for it.

Still, I loved the food and there’s no doubt I’d be returning there or heading to other outlets to try out some of their other dishes (the beef d’luxe sandwich looks really exciting!). And to think I didn’t even have to try out their coffee in the end!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Coffee Connoisseur (Wisma Atria)
435 Orchard Rd #02-18 Wisma Atria
Phone : 6733 6597

Business Hours:

Daily: 10 am to 10 pm

You’re still drunk even when hangover is over

When you get drunk, the alcohol will continue to harm you long after you have “slept it off”. When you think that the nasty hangover is gone after waking, your judgment, reaction time and ability to concentrate will continue to be lousy.

A study by America’s Brown University researchers also found that it didn’t matter whether the liquor consumed was clear or dark, and whether the level of impurities was high or low.

The findings are based on a study of the effects of heavy drinking on 95 people between the ages of 21 and 33. They spent two nights at a test facility. One night they were given alcohol (either vodka or bourbon mixed in cola) and the other night they were given a placebo. The researchers determined their blood alcohol levels, sleep patterns and ability to think quickly and over a long period of time.

Vodka and bourbon appear on each extreme of alcohol purity: vodka is the most free of impurities while bourbon has the highest level—all other alcohols are somewhere in between.

Bourbon versus vodka didn’t make a difference; the biggest thing was the alcohol itself, according to the researchers.

Young people can be so stupid

Why do folks, especially young people, drink? The standard answer is they want to socialise. But when you consume alcohol, your brain gets soggy and you can’t think or speak or behave properly—so how can you socialise?

Other than the above answer, which is no answer at all, there is no reason to drink and many reasons not to: your body gets poisoned, you vomit, your hands misbehave (and start molesting members of the other sex), you waste money, and when you drive, you smash up your car and your body as well as other innocent lives.

Even if you survive all these, you end up with a pregnant belly, high blood pressure, diabetes and eventual amputation of your legs.

Alcohol linked to cancer

Some people say they drink only red wine which they claim helps prevent cancer. This is just another urban myth.

Red wine is thought to have anti-cancer properties because the skin of the grape contains phytochemicals, which act as antioxidants, thus possibly preventing cancer. Studies concerning the effects of red wine against cancer are still preliminary.

What is known is drinking excessive amounts of wine and other alcohol is linked to many types of cancer.

For example, studies have shown alcohol can affect levels of estrogen circulating in the body and can increase the rate at which the body processes estrogen. Since many breast cancers are fed by estrogen, moderate to heavy alcohol consumption may be fuelling the cancers, says Marilyn Kwan, research scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, who earlier this month presented findings on drinking and breast cancer, at the American Association for Cancer Research San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Kwan and her co-researchers studied 1,900 women in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Cancer Registry who survived early-stage invasive breast cancer between 1997 and 2000. The women reported their own level of alcohol consumption. The women were followed for eight years. Women who drank three to four alcoholic beverages experienced a 30 percent increase in the risk that their breast cancer would come back.

Green tea for Christmas

If you want a drink that can really fight cancer, sip green tea. Studies conducted by the University of Murcia in Spain and the John Innes Centre in Norwich, England, have discovered that green tea can prevent cancer cells from growing. Green tea contains a compound called EGCG. The EGCG stops cancer cells from growing by binding with an enzyme, called dihydrofolate reductase, in the body.

Scientists also found that the structure of EGCG is very similar to to a cancer drug called methotrexate. They discovered that EGCG kills cancer cells in the same way that the drug does.

Drinking tea doesn’t seem exciting or stimulating, but why should you get stimulated? The smart strategy in living is to keep your cool, maintain a clear head at all times and not endanger your life in “exciting” situations like a bar fight or drunk driving. 

How to take jumping photos

Flying in Bali

Mid-air at the Marina Barrage

We often see photos like these on Facebook or blogs. I used to wonder, how many times do they need to jump, in order to achieve the “flying in mid-air” look? My cousin taught me some simple steps to achieve the above jumping effect:

1) Place the camera as low as possible. Best to place it on the ground and tilting it in an angle facing and capturing the subject. This is to create a wider gap between the ground and your subject, thus making them look like they’re high in the air.

2) The camera shouldn’t be too far from the subject, no more than 2m away.

3) If more than one person are jumping, ask them to leap at the same time.

4) If your camera has multiple-shot function, switch it on so to snap a series of continuous shots. Then choose the best jumping moment.

Try it!

Have a merry, fun, blessed Christmas.... May 2010 be filled with peace and fulfilling achievements!

The tapestry of life

Sometimes, I can’t help thinking that the most part of my life has been a pattern. I imagine my life being like a finely woven piece of art in creation, threads intertwining to form a delicate tapestry by an unknown weaver. Each strand is painstakingly interlinked with another strand by dextrous hands, and as time passes, they are meshed and pulled to form colourful shapes and designs. It is an ongoing process of art. And at the finale, a magnificent tapestry fit to be shown to others.

Yet, I feel the majority of these shapes and designs follow the same common pattern.

Think of it, there is the same frequent motif of “Education” being braided and woven into the tapestry. They branch out into their own individual compositions, yet each share the same pattern. For after all, do we not follow the same route in each educational institution? Essays to be written, assignments to be completed, studying for tests and exams, and a major exam which determines how proficient you are in that subject or module. The motif is repeated again and again.

We move on to another portion of the tapestry. Bright, almost garish colours form the bulk here, yet while the threads almost seem to shimmer in their individuality, a common pattern emerges when you study them. It seems we are now at the “Leisure” motif. Everything just boils down to the same thing. Going out with friends, indulging in a hobby, perhaps even succumbing to a vice (Ah, so that’s why the colours are so garish here!). Yes, the patterns continue repeatedly.

Cast the eye at another part of the tapestry, and the threads are roughly woven here. Spirals, whorls (on a tapestry?!), helixes are being braided, and while they seem to diverge in nature, they too, follow a similar pattern, that of “work”. Whether paid work, volunteer work, or even conscription, the weaver is almost mechanically following the same template, but over time, these threads too, distinguish themselves.

The tapestry continues on and on, being forever a work in progress by the unknown weaver. It is definitely a unique one, for there are patterns within individualities, and individualities within patterns. Unfortunately, I can only visualize this tapestry, but never get to see it in real life. And all I can hope for when the tapestry is finally completed, that it deserves to be called a work of art, without any blemishes, or imperfections.

Rich In Vitamin C - China

My husband and I are in our second leg of my 18-day China trip. Already, it has been pretty eventful. I realised that C doesn’t only stand for China, but a China that is full of Constructions, Confusions, Confidence-Building and Creativity.

My friend who is staying in Guangzhou, my first stop, told me that there are currently three thousand construction projects going on at the same time – all because the city is getting ready to impress the world once again at the 2010 Asian Games, where it will play the host.

And my, there really is construction going on at every stone’s throw away. Drilling, piling and building – dust is accumulating and flying all over the air. I even wondered if the fog was due to the cold weather or the pollution, and my friend had no clear answer for me too. Not that it mattered, as I spent most of my time in doors. To be more specific, at my friend’s home.

That was also when I had the chance to watch the TV programmes. I didn’t get hooked to any (Phew!), but what caught my eye were those motivational words that just scrolled up sentence after sentence! Yes, right on the TV.

All written in Chinese, I couldn’t memorise any by now, but I remember very clearly that they were all motivational. Inspiring people to work hard for the nation’s economy; believe in the leadership; create a beautiful future – these were just some examples. How’s that? You get inspired to go out and conquer the world just by sitting at home watching TV! Nice huh?

Not only was Guangzhou full of constructions and confidence messages, it was a city filled with creativity too. Well, maybe not the kind that is Nobel-prize worthy, but many times, you really had to give it to the brains behind the mischiefs.

My friend told me that revealing the gender of the baby to the parents is not allowed due to the one-child policy. Hence, the physicians came up with an answer that is both revealing and legal at the same time. When they say “Congratulations!” it means you’re having a baby boy. Otherwise, it would be safe to assume you’re carrying a baby girl.

Want to learn how to flout the traffic rules without getting caught? They had not just one, but a few, to achieve their goals. I had the honour to witness two already.

Of course, I am very inclined to believe that their creativity is everywhere – and not just “mischevious” acts – if only I had more time to stay here. 

Compared to our law-abiding society, China is much more interesting. Though it creates more confusion, it is also a fertile ground to breed creativity and innovation. Similarly, though we have more conformity, it also kills creativity and innovation.

Well, is there a way to have the best of both worlds – to have the cake and still eat it anyway? 

Fruits in the office

Where I’m at for my internship, we have fruit delivery every so often; and when they do come, it’s a joyous occasion.

It’s great that the internship company is encouraging its employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

We need more people like Ris Low

Singapore needs more people like Ris Low!

Yes, you read correctly. We want more like the beauty queen, minus her negative attributes, of course.

Just look at her positive traits: spunky, can-do character that survives and thrives despite all the mean things thrown at her by the self-righteous snobs in the establishment press and their underlings.

What we can learn from Ris, other than her ability to coin words like boomz, frienemy (person you love and hate) and niffy-bitty (something cute and tiny):

To be thick-skin and to possess a strong sense of humour

Singaporeans are notoriously thin-skin animals who take themselves so seriously that they cannot see the funny side of life. They want to bash you up or scratch your car or call the police to handcuff you if you so much as breathe into their face, or make jokes or sarcastic remarks about them.

We live and move and work in a crowded, tense urban jungle, surrounded by jealous co-workers, bosses from hell, indifferent neighbours, sullen taxi drivers, unsympathetic parking attendants and tigress mothers-in-law. If we do not learn to relax and see the lighter side, we are all going to end up with high blood pressure leading to diabetes, gangrene limbs, amputation and finally to premature death.

Be like Ris Low who seems never to lose her cool, when people boo and insult her. Ris will definitely live longer, with plenty of time to enjoy reading her enemies’ obituaries.

To be able to stand out from the crowd, promoting oneself

Ris Low has achieved fame, simply for being famous, like her idol, Paris Hilton. And she is pretty savvy in promoting this fact, the way she keeps herself in the limelight, always with something new and interesting to say and do. She wants to open a cake shop, no, she wants to open an ice-cream shop (and we drool over a photo of her licking ice-cream). She learns Thai kickboxing and she is also into pole-dancing, and has even compiled a Ristionary—her very own dictionary. (You can read them in her blog.)

Be like Ris, a ball of energy. Don’t be like most Singaporeans who are zombies (blame it on the 100 percent humid weather), who feel sien whenever you suggest to them a new idea or interest or activity. Our society has deteriorated to the point where we can’t function without aircond, latte and beer.

Tourism officials are wasting millions of dollars producing expensive ad campaigns overseas to create a “Singapore buzz”. It would be far cheaper for them to hire Ris Low, Xia Xue and other spunky characters. We can learn from them how Singapore can also be famous for being famous. Maybe Ris Low will come up with a new word for that.

Manhattan Fish Market

Since its opening years ago in Singapore, I’ve heard rave reviews about Manhattan Fish Market from my friends. My personal dining experience at the Plaza Singapura branch a few years back, however, wasn’t all that great, a subpar experience marred by mediocre food and lukewarm service.

At that time, Fish & Co., its biggest competitor, seemed indisputably superior (although that statement has to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt since I’m a huge F&C fan). Wanting to give the Market another go, though, I headed down to the Marina Square outlet with my friends. While the prices for the food were competitive, I’d say Fish & Co. still reigns supreme in the Western seafood department.

My friends and I all ordered the pacific dory fish n’ chips, a platter of fried fish that looked like a bang for the buck (only costing about S$9, several dollars cheaper than Fish & Co.’s fish and chips).

Cooked different from Fish & Co.’s signature dish, the Market’s fish n’ chips was deep fried, with a thick shell of crispy golden batter, served with a side of fries. While the initial taste of the fish was flavourful, the overwhelming amount of grease and oil soon resulted in a feeling of bloat, not to mention the resulting guilt at having shoved essentially deep fried flour (which out-volumed the almost two-to-one) down our gullets. The fries were decent but unremarkable, although it has to be said that they were surprisingly oil-free.

The service, though, was much improved since the last time. The service personnel were friendly and attentive and we had constant refills of iced water without even having to ask.

The main draw of the outlet, at least from the viewpoint of a poor student or NS-man, would be the competitive pricing and admittedly, the prices were cheap. On top of the S$9 fish n’ chips, they also had several set meals catered towards students, offering up dishes like fried fish pieces, fried mushrooms and garlic rice at pretty affordable rates (alas, we only spotted the menu for that after it was too late to change our orders).

Still, I’d recommend the food here only for those on a tight budget or who are looking for their deep fried grease fix. For anyone else looking for good Western seafood, I’d advise heading to Fish & Co. instead.

Of course, that’s my opinion from only having tried one dish (albeit one that’s supposed to be highly recommended). How have your experiences at Manhattan Fish Market (this or any other outlet) been? Any particularly outstanding dishes?

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Manhattan Fish Market (Marina Square)
6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square
#02-182 Singapore 039594
(There’re also outlets at Iluma, Plaza Singapura, The Central, White Sands, Junction 8 and North Point)

Tel: +65 6333 9965

ps. Please excuse the low quality of the photos. I had forgotten to bring my camera and so had to rely on a camera phone for the shots.

Understanding my Legs

"Half squat with one leg” is what the physiotherapist will instruct me to do everytime I go for my session.  She uses this to access whether I have improved with the exercises being taught.  As each session progresses, I find my legs more stable when I attempt the half squat.  Good news is, I have improved!

I started my 1st session in Oct and benefited alot from the physiotherapy.  I understood more about my legs, the muscles and realised that it’s not enough just to have the stamina or the correct jogging shoes but also the right condition of legs to do a long distance run.  During these sessions, I identified my weak muscles and was taught a series of exercises to strengthen them. 

The exercises are tailored to individual condition.  The one exercise that I can share would probably be climbing stairs. Climb the stairs like a duck by pointing the knees outwards.  It may seems awkward but by doing this, the muscles would be strengthened.  It’s a convenient exercise which I can do everyday.

Physiotherapy seems like a chore many hate to do.  It involves many follow-up sessions which requires time and patience.  It’s really easy to give up along the way.  I am reminding myself to persevere too.  I wish that in no time, I will be all ready to run again.  Of course, as a more prepared runner!

My dad’s dream of being an artist

My dad has been actively painting at home for the past couple of months. As I watched him paint one evening, I couldn’t help but notice his crumpled face that spoke of past years of hardships, deep wrinkles that displayed wisdom of age. In his 60s, at the beginning of his retirement life, he finally has a chance to slow down in pace and enjoy what he has always dreamt to do - Paint. I am somewhat like him, always idealistic in thoughts and dreams. Mum would say: “You can’t feed yourself being an artist.”

But we still hope. To be able to share fragments of our own creativity and imaginations in the form of art pieces to people who can appreciate them.

What say you? Do you think an artist will succeed in Singapore?

Psychedelic Synesthesia
Tryptych textured acrylic abstract on stretched canvas set.
Dimensions: L45.5cm x W30cm, Thickness 2.5cm

Regal-Illus
Tryptych textured acrylic abstract on stretched canvas set. Of Royal Gold and Mystic Silver.
Dimensions: L45.5cm x W30cm, Thickness 2.5cm

Solitary Lady (left) - at times we don’t mind being alone, when the world around us is scenic and at peace.
Conjured Woods (right) - we live in the concrete jungle, surrounded by cold walls and machines. we could only imagine.
Acrylic painting on water colour paper (Material - coldpressed, 140 lbs grained paper - 300 gm)
Dimensions: L30.5cm x W23cm

Hiking round the Saxon Shoreway

The exams are over, and it’s the holidays again! What better way to celebrate the start of the holidays than going clubbing and getting drunk hiking round the Saxon Shoreway in the UK?

A few of us Singaporeans gathered together at 6am in the morning at the Coventry rail station, before heading off to Sandwich (the place, not early morning breakfast) and heading for a 24 km + hike to Dover.

And away we went!

Our starting point.

Something few of us ever get to see in real life, and definitely not on a plate in front of you.

A sea wall.

Choppy waters, with strong wind blowing.

One of the many beaches.

Of course, it’s not just hiking along the coast, but climbing up and down the cliffs.

The views from the top.

What do you expect to see on top of these cliffs? It’s not just rocky, pebbly ground, but a myriad of different terrain.

See that yellow dot in the middle? It’s one of the Dover locals running UP the steep slope of the cliffs.

And being garang as well, we followed him. It isn’t easy, being almost vertical at some points, and actually using your hands to boost yourself up. Add your heavy backpack to this equation, and it becomes quite a feat. Turn around, and look at the steep drop down, and the other Singaporeans vertically below you, and you start to wonder why did you even consider climbing up this cliff?

This is also atop one of the cliffs, and is not some scene from a Chinese movie. Monks do meditate on top of cliffs in the UK as well.

The famous White Cliffs of Dover, and the port town ahead!

Just a small comment. You know the balancing log in the SOC? It’s probably to train you for hikes like this. Imagine walking up or down a steep path with no handholds at all; to the left is the cliff’s edge, and to the right is a barbed wire fence. Plus, you have to content with a strong wind trying to blow you off the path.

It’s perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, and the path isn’t really that steep or narrow, and the wind is only a minor annoyance at worst, but nature is like this. There are no handrails or escalators or even safety officers to tell you what to do or what not to do. If you fall, you fall.

Each of us did take turns leading the hike, and when I was leading, it was quite a thrill actually seeing the majestic beauty of the landscape before me, especially when looking up the cliffs, or down the valleys.

I did slip a few times though, but thankfully, I either steadied myself in time (I do wear good boots), or the people I was hiking with steadied me.

We reached Dover safely though. Quite an exciting start to the Christmas holidays. You’d never even think it was winter too.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me….

It’s the time of the year, where cozy Christmas carols sound as you shop for presents in the malls.

I used to naively believe that Santa would really drop a present in my sock if I hung it at the window on Christmas Eve. My parents did not play along by dropping a gift or two secretly in the sock that I hung by the window and very soon I was convinced that Santa was crap. At times I would try to believe in a glimmer of hope that he is real, only that he couldn’t appear because my home did not have a chimney for him to slide in. I was seven when I totally lost hope in finding excuses for Santa who never appear.

The Christmas decorations along Orchard road are up. I took a walk along it and snapped some photos. I must admit that I didn’t really feel the spirit of the festive season in the air. Yes, there were lights and bells and Christmas trees, even the weather was suitably cool and wet for the season. Somehow, something intangible was lacking to make me truly enjoy the coming of Christmas. Perhaps Christmas has lost its magical touch as I grew older.

You do not need a tripod to take this kind of shots. Just frame your subject, take a deep breath and hold your breath as you click to engage the camera shutter. Try to keep very still when you click the button. That’s what I did! With practice, who says you need to bring those bulky and inconvenient tripod stands around?

I’m so sick and tired of these boring cone-shaped Christmas Trees!

Christmas trees should come in different shapes in future. The cone-shaped ones are everywhere and looked annoyingly similar!

Christmas trees at the ION Shopping Mall (left) and inside Takashimaya (right)

Christmas trees outside Paragon Shopping Mall (left) and outside Takashimaya (right)

There is a series of reindeers in different themes for people to pose with along Orchard road

Kids never get tired of playing with water, do they? Outside the ION Shopping Mall, beside its massive Christmas tree

Oh well… on a positive note, let’s just look forward to the enjoyment of sumptuous meals and priceless company of our loved ones as the year of 2009 closes in grace. And welcome the dynamic year of 2010 with open arms and expect something spectacularly good to happen!

Humming: On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me....

My Knees

Last year after I attempted the 42km in Dec, I experienced acute pain in my knees.  I thought this was a normal after-effects from a long distance run.  It persisted for a couple of weeks.  I rested my knees so that they can heal.  The pain left after some time and I started jogging again.  The pain will strike everytime I go for movies, perhaps from the limited space and my knees were bent for 2 to 3 hours.  I visited the GP a couple of times and was given ointment to relieve the pain.  The pain come and go.

In August this year, I participated the Army Half Marathon.  My knee started to hurt when I was at my 6th kilometre.  I was shocked and disturbed as this never happened to me.  I could always run at least 15km without any pain.  I was stubborn and persisted in finishing the race despite the pain.  It was the worst and most painful 21km that I ever attempted.  The pain continued even after the race and worsened.  I was limping. I spoke to my colleagues over breakfast and one of them recommended me to the sports medicine.  It was then I decided to pay more attention to my knees and seek professional help.

I consulted the doctor from Changi Sports Medicine.  They did a series of test and found out that I was suffering from Runner’s Knee also known as Chondromalacia Patellae.

Advice from the doctor is to stop running at least for a month. I was also referred to the Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.  I will talk more about these in my future entries.

I stopped running for two months, did a 1km run and the pain came back.  It was disheartening for a runner who could once do a full marathon.  Now, I can only do 1km and have to stop.  I am switching to low impact exercises like swimming and cycling.

For those runners who have just completed the Singapore Marathon and are still experiencing pain in your knees, don’t take it lightly. Consult the doctor if need be.  If you wish to go to the Sports Medicine, do get a referral from the Polyclinic to get subsidised rates.

It’s indeed depressing for a runner to stop running. I am speaking from experience, so heal your precious knees so that you can start to run again.  Take good care of them as they gonna follow you for the rest of your life. I am so looking forward to that day I can do a marathon again…

Resolutions to kickstart the New Year

Are you ready for 2010?

After watching the disaster movie 2012, some people have gotten so frightened that they are preparing for 2012, but overlooked the need to prepare for 2010 which is just a fortnight away.

In case you feel tired thinking of all the long lists of Resolutions that you have made in past New Years and which were promptly ignored or forgotten, here’re just four cornerstone Resolutions you can recall quickly. Copy into your new diary, as the new foundation for a new life.

(If you haven’t done so already, go get a book-sized diary that displays a day or two days on every page, giving you plenty of space to jot down important ideas, to-do tasks and personal goals. Forget about using an online diary – you will have difficulty finding it later.)

Resolution 1: Get out of debt

In these bad times, only bankers and owners of condos near MRT stations have money. The rest of us are all in debt, after buying the million-dollar flea-sized condo flat or the elephant-sized LCD TV screen (both of which are useless in enhancing the quality of your life).

Being harassed by credit card companies and other loan sharks is extremely stressful, and will lead to high blood pressure which leads to diabetes which leads to amputation of your legs and an early death. So, as you can see, debt will shorten your life span.

Although Singapore’s economic situation is quite different from that in America, there is a raft of very sensible advice and practical suggestions on the US Government web site. Read Knee-deep in Debt and follow whatever suggestions are applicable:

Resolution 2: Get fit for life

Just walking 30 minutes every day, or walking for an hour three times a week, is all you need to be fit for life. Such moderate exercise has low or no risk of injury and helps protect against sudden cardiac death. If you can afford it, buy a stationary exercise bike and pedal it for 30 minutes every day – that’s all it takes to stay healthy. Read more on exercise.

Resolution 3: Get smart

The most pitiful thing a friend once told me was that whatever he learnt in school he has given back to his teachers. I regard him as totally unfilial, because it implies he has wasted his parents’ hard-earned money providing him an education.

Education of course doesn’t stop after you left school or university. Your friends and colleagues are paying huge sums of money to further their education and obtain additional qualifications. If you ignore what they’re doing, you will be left behind because all the best-paying, desirable jobs will go to them, not to you.

A friend in her mid-40s says she is desperate to get a new job because of shrinking business in her present public relations company. She has sent more than 40 resumes in the past three months for job openings, and feel that most of them suit her to a T. But she got zero replies. Knowing her well, I didn’t have the heart to tell her that in her 20 years of work, she has not undergone a single programme of study or acquired additional diplomas or certifications in her industry.

Read top motivation writer Brain Tracy on lifelong learning.

Resolution 4: Get organised

Is your desk a mess? Are your financial and social commitments a mess? Is your appointment schedule a mess? Learning and following effective time management and to-do lists is a no-brainer. Read more here.

Baby dragon in Singapore

After 1-1/2 years of courtship, Bima finally managed to copulate Yoko and out came a baby Komodo Dragon, the first in 34 years.

“The hatching of the Komodo dragon is one of the most significant moments for us at the Singapore Zoo,” says Biswajit Guha, assistant director of the Singapore Zoo.

“Veterinarians and zookeepers have been patiently monitoring Yoko’s receptivity to Bima’s advances and mating behaviour, as female komodo dragons have been known to be hostile during the early phases of courtship. We have been planning for this momentous day over the last seven months (when Yoko first laid her eggs), familiarising ourselves with the various steps required to artificially incubate the eggs, setting up a proper habitat for any hatchlings and reviewing the diet for dragonlets.

“Still, all the planning in the world cannot really prepare us for the tremendous sense of elation and wonder at seeing this 40-cm long baby resting beside its empty egg-shell in the incubator.”

Instant noodle with imperial pretension

The new Imperial Treasure chain of restaurants competes head-on with those of Crystal Jade, offering similar food choices, price and ambience.

I tried out the Imperial Treasure La Mian Xiao Long Bao (a mouthful of fancy names which basically mean ramen noodle and swee-kow) at Marina Square.

I started with la mian and double boiled chicken. The soup and chicken have a “healthy” taste but the la mian was really bland. I ended up having to add lots of vinegar just to feel that I wasn’t shoving flour down my throat.

My friends, who ordered pork chop with their la mian, said the meat was oily and tasty, which balanced well with the bland noodle.

We also ordered Beijing shui jiao, supposedly one of the star items. While decent, the shui jiao were unremarkable and were nothing compared with those of Crystal Jade. At $16 a head, our meals cost about the same as what we could eat at Crystal Jade.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Imperial Treasure La Mian Xiao Long Bao
6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square #02-138J
Tel: 63382212
Mon-Sun: 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm

What if the figures in your restaurant bill are wrong?

I came back from a night out with my course mates, celebrating the end of a particularly difficult Stats test. But I am thinking of another test.

Consider this: You go out with some course mates to celebrate the end of the term and the completion of the Stats test. The place is an Thai-Indian restaurant because you want Asian food to remind you of home. Your group order plenty of dishes, and then the bill comes.

A quick glance reveals that the total amount has been calculated incorrectly. The restaurant has severely undercharged.

Being poor students, what should any of you do? Pretend not to notice anything wrong with the figures, pay the bill presented and leave?

This I think, is the real test where the answer comes from your moral character, not from a course of study.

Excuse me, do you speak Xiao Xin lingo?

I’m back in KL, in the house with plenty of laughter, joy and happiness, plus moments of exasperation when conflicts appear among those boys.

Five months of separation created a fierce longing to be in their company. This anticipation grew even stronger in the countdown of the last seven weeks among the adults - my mum, sis and me.

I’m referring to the boys, my hyper-active, hyper-imaginative, hyper-naughty, hyper-adorable and hyper-loud nephews. Four of them.

I’ve had a taste of how funny they can be. Yet, nothing has prepared me for this new trend taking root in the family. They’re now crazily and hopelessly addicted to this boy who, if one has many lives, would have killed his own mother probably a zillion times over. Meet the boy who deserves a thousand spankings and a thousand and one kisses: Crayon Shinchan, aka La Bi Xiao Xin.

Spewing quotes and lines without even pausing for a second to recall, you can only imagine how truly, deeply and madly in love they are with this little rascal. Mind you, they were quoting what Xiao Xin says in verbatim.

My cousin had to, on several occasions, ban the boys from watching the cartoon movie because apparently, all they did was quoting Xiao Xin instead of concentrating on an even more important task at hand – their upcoming exams.

You know you have crazy fans when you see the character all over the house. Like in the toilet, for example.

Suddenly, we have a few Shin chans running around in the house. Singing that elephant song, saying those words and replicating those actions in the exact demeanour, voice and tonality. Talk about born talents. Don’t we already know that children are the greatest imitators in the world?

We have to be mentally and physically prepared around these boys: for some hilarious remarks that they would blurt out; for arguments and fights that would arise in the heat of the moment and which would dissolve as quickly as they surfaced, almost miraculously sometimes.

A million things were racing in their minds all at the same time, so much so that I really wonder: Where do all these weird, funny and out-of-the-world thoughts come from? These certainly weren’t born out of wedlock. They must have came from somewhere, someone.

And while I was entertaining these thoughts, one of them would pop his head – again out of nowhere since these boys don’t walk, they fly – and either ask me another million dollar question that I couldn’t answer well enough, or give a comment that makes me want to kiss and strangle them simultaneously.

Welcome to the world of the J4s, as they’re affectionately known to us. It takes, well, a bit of orientation to get used to all the action and noises they make. But, at the end of the day, when all’s left in the house is silence, we don’t get any more peace in our hearts than when they were monkeying around.

I think that’s the beauty of children.

They always manage to make you love and hate them at the same time. Who else has such powers?

Oh, by the way, before I forget. If you like to be their friend, I mean closer ones, then you better know your Shin chan lingo well enough. Fortunately, I’ve had some in my database many years back. It’s now time to fish them out and build rapport with my darlings!

Ciao! 

If you play Left 4 Dead, you would understand this

Yesterday, I was at Harbourfront MRT station, and I spotted a poster extolling the bad consequences of gambling.

The picture told the entire story succinctly, but the only thing this gaming addict could see was this:

Fang-pi! It’s global warming

See that red-tinted coloured draft coming out of the greenish shade? The hot wind is moving outwards from the coast into the surrounding area. Expect a stink if you are anywhere close to that area. Because it’s a fart.

Standard Chartered Marathon 2009

The Standard Chartered Marathon 2009 fever is heating up and I am seeing my friends and colleagues training conscientiously.

I did my full marathon (42.195km) last year, completing it in approximately 6 hours.  It was a test of physical and mental endurance.  Besides ample training before the marathon, a couple of essentials should not be neglected. 

To ensure I am properly fueled, I took all three meals regularly one week before the race.  I included more carbohydrates each meal.  I did not adopt the carbo loading strategy as it seemed to be a thing of the past.  However, two days leading to the race, I consume slightly more than what I usually do.  This article is really worth a read - Carbo Loading.

As the race starts very early at 5.30am in the morning, it is important to have sufficient rest before race day. I remembered waking up as early as 3am in the morning, had my breakfast, cleared my bowels and ready to go! I reached the venue early so that I have enough time for warm-ups.

I brought a couple of energy gels which is a good form of energy replenishment.  Energy depletes rapidly as you attempt long distance run.  It is recommended to try them out before actual race day to ensure they are easy on your body.

I have heard about salt tablets and how they helped in muscles cramp.  I have never tried them though.  However, used them only after ensuring they are safe on you.  Do not take them if you have any medical conditions. 

My friend always tells me, “Listen to your body!” When your body signals that you need a rest or stop the race, please do so. Race happens every year so even if you cant complete it this year, there is always a second chance.

Good luck runners!