Frivolities

2010-03-03T23:02:00.003+08:00

In our March collection, we will be bringing in selected BCBG gowns, all priced extremely attractively. Ever have problem getting the right garment for the right occasion? Check out JH Chic on facebook for the full collection and prices. Stocks are running out fast.

Chic Closet March 2010 Collection

2010-02-21T21:53:00.005+08:00

BCBG Cocktail Dress

DKNY Baby Doll Dress

We were pleasantly surprised that our inaugural launch received very encouraging response from our friends and customers. We knew with some degree of certainty now that Singaporean and Malaysian white collar working women appreciate quality well-tailored dresses that will take them from day to evening. In our follow-on collection which will debut in March (sneak preview on jhchic facebook), we will be bringing in more brands and a variety of items (including shoes, clutches, and accessories). However, all items will be carefully selected to ensure true integrity to Chic Closet's motto of Quality, Style and Value.

Introducing Chic Closet

2010-02-09T22:13:00.007+08:00

If you like these images, you will love the January 2010 launch collection of Chic Closet. Chic Closet carries only authentic designer pieces sourced directly from manufacturers, and sold at a steep discount to retail boutique prices. Chic Closet's prices are guaranteed lowest in Singapore. Wholesale purchases are also welcome. Lovers of Karen Millen dresses will be thrilled. Do check out jh chic on Facebook.

Mumbai Flavours

2009-12-13T16:00:00.005+08:00

Lady's fingers in Chick Peas Curry

Butter Curry Beef

Black Lentil Dal

Cauliflower Bryani Rice

Four years on, Mumbai surprised me. While still far behind China's pace, Mumbai's urban development is evident. Slums are still around, only this time they are hidden behind taller buildings and newer structures. The long awaited highway bridge is open, but traffic never eases. The snail pace infrastructural development just could not keep up with India's economic miracle. My rides in the city were comfortable this time around. I expected worse, being haunted by memories of my previous trips years ago. Constant honking on the roads however, remains a regular feature. Saw fewer slum kids in the street coming up to our car this time. Hotel accommodation at the Trident was world-class. It just opened its doors last week, and I was the first customer from my company. Staff's attentiveness was over-the-top, I must say. Everywhere you turn, you'll hear "Excuse me madam, may I help you?". Got some excellent dinner recommendations from Indian colleagues. The Peshawri at ITC was superb - it serves the best black lentil dal and mutton in the world, I was told. Will have to agree with that. Soma at Grand Hyatt was nothing less spectacular. Felt like a pig last week.

So inspired by my trip this time, I tried my hands at reproducing some of the dishes, with the help of ready-made spices purchased on my way home. They loved the food. It was Mumbai in a flash!

It's out!

2009-10-23T23:22:00.003+08:00

Our house was featured in d+a magazine Issue 052 recently. This completes the project. The article will serve as a useful marketing tool for us in time to come. Interestingly, the same magazine issue also features an interview with Ole Schereen of OMA, who is more famously known as Maggie Cheung's younger boyfriend :). On a more serious note, I have been an admirer of the works of OMA. Being featured in the same magazine is an honor.

Sunbirds Had Left

2009-06-28T01:50:00.009+08:00

The chicks have fledged, and the nest is now empty. It happened just a few days ago, less than 3 weeks from birth. I remembered getting up earlier than usual that morning, did my usual routine, and oblivious to what was about to unfold. Like every day before that, I would check out the nest the first thing when I woke up. Nothing particularly suspicious, and as amazed as the day before, I contemplated how the fragile and tiny nest could house three birds. Little did I know that was the last time I saw them. Yes, just like that..

However, we managed to capture one of the many feeding frenzies in the last few weeks in this video clip. Enjoy and be inspired.

Birthday Dinner at Home

2009-06-25T12:26:00.007+08:00

Time flies. I can't believe how quickly it came and went. This is my second entry on the topic of my birthday celebration. So, I knew it has been a year since I started blogging. Given the current economy, we decided on a home celebration, and since it was my birthday, I was not to lift a finger. Yan did all the grocery planning and shopping, cooking and washing. After all, it was meant to be a treat for me. I must admit that I was a little stressed out watching him do his things in the kitchen. Precision and timing don't feature often in my cooking vocabulary, yet Yan, an engineer by profession, is exactly that type of cook. "Two minutes on each side of the steak", I heard him murmuring to himself. I smiled and walked away.

He did impressed me in the end. The steak was cooked to perfection, with the right thickness and medium well.

He used some of my pesto sauce to prepare spaghetti mushroom as a main course for his mother, who's a vegetarian.

He baked a dozen escargot for a few minutes in the oven, which added an element of sophistication to the menu for the night.

And since I wasn't allowed to meddle in the cooking, I volunteered to set up the table in my favourite apple green and white theme.

Baby Sunbird

2009-06-15T15:19:00.002+08:00

It was a "National Geographic" moment. I was proven right. Mama sunbird was indeed building a nest for its newborn. The nest houses two tiny chicks. Each day, Papa and mama sunbirds will take turn to feed the babies. At night, only mama bird is seen returning to the nest to take care of the birds. The same routine is repeated each day. Very soon, the little chicks will fledge, and the entire family will migrate, leaving behind the lovely nest for remembrance.

That ubiquitous dish!

2009-05-31T19:41:00.004+08:00

This is one dish that most people in my part of the world will know how to cook. It never disappoints no matter how bad the cooking is. I love making it because it's easy and it's delicious. Something I could whip up within an hour.

Moroccan Inspirations

2009-05-24T18:44:00.004+08:00

I was so inspired by a cooking show on TV that I dreamt about cooking Moroccan dishes last night and sprang into action early this morning. It helped that I had a box of couscous in my larder unit and most of the spices needed to make it work. I couldn't wait for dinner, and made Sunday brunch instead.

Moroccan Lamb. Combination of lemon juice and spices (coriander seeds, cumin and paprika) gives a sharp tangy flavour that goes really well with cous cous.

The marinate.

Butter couscous.

Moroccan inspired dip, made from split beans.

Love Nest, literally!

2009-05-23T12:52:00.015+08:00

It has been barely 2 months old, and it looks like our neighbourhood birds are already making themselves comfortable at our home. I'm hoping it's the good fengshui that's attracting the nature. First, there was the bumble bee trying to tunnel through my new wooden kerosene lamp in the garden, leaving a permanent coin-sized imprint on the wood. Next came a green-feathered bird happily building its nest on our backyard bamboos. And now a small bird who's finding our bonsai tree a haven for its newborn. She's weaving a nest from twigs, pellets, and just about anything found from the surrounding area that could hold the nest together. It's humbling to see how hard the bird has been working (flying in and out, and weaving non-stop for 2 days now). The choice of location could not have been more conspicuous - the nest hangs precariously on the bonsai tree right in front of our main entrance, along the walking path and within reach by hand. The prospect of destruction by human or nature does not seem to be a deterrent at all. Mother nature is awesome!

Bird landing on its newly built nest

Bird starting to weave

Bird trying out its nest

Bird resting at night after a hard day's work

P.S. I just found out from a website maintained by a group of bird watchers in Singapore that the little bird is a female olive-back sunbird. She's probably incubating her eggs in her new nest attached to our bonsai. I'll try to see if I could catch a glimpse of the eggs.

Oxtail Soup - Two Ways

2009-05-10T22:13:00.003+08:00

It had been a productive Sunday. Got up early. Prepared green curry base. Boiled oxtail bones soup base. Hit the gym. Lunched out at La Petite Cuisine. Watered plants and lawn. Fixed new solar-powered plant lights. Cooked dinner. Set up dining table. Guests arrived. Enjoyed dinner conversations. Prepared coffee from Spinelli's coffee beans. Watched Man U struck 2nd goal. Guests called it a day. Washed up. Started blogging....

Oxtail soup - Chinese style - clear soup with yam and white radish

Oxtail soup - Western style - Goulash

Sour cream green curry shin beef fillet

La Petite Cuisine

2009-05-10T14:53:00.007+08:00

5 main events, 2 entrees and a soup. That sums up our Mother's Day lunch-out today at a little French kitchen, La Petite Cuisine, located at Bukit Timah Serene Centre. No-frills scrumptious French cooking that's kind to the pocket but generous on tastes. The best part is there's no service charge and GST, which is music to the ears in this economy. Not surprisingly, with its very casual dining experience (almost canteen-styled) and its very reasonable pricing, La Petite Cuisine is a popular regular joint, especially for the Bukit Timah expatriate community. One critique though - food is a tad salty, but some people may just prefer that as being flavorful. Otherwise, it's perfect and seems authentic enough.

Entree #1 : Escargot served with hot tomato and herbs sauce over a croissant and green salad.

Entree #2 : Goat cheese and green salad

Mushroom Soup

Main Event #1 : Macaroni stuffed with salmon and cooked in creamy sauce

Main event #2 : Duck confit with baked potatoes

Main event # 3: Spaghetti with mushrooms

Main event # 4 : Rack of lamb

Main event #5 : Creamy prawns served with butter rice and salad

Black Olive Rice

2009-05-01T21:23:00.009+08:00

This Labour Day weekend presented yet another opportunity for me to try some new dishes. As always, I love to modify existing recipes to suit my own style, which inevitably will have something to do with swifter cooking time, healthy(ier) choices and freshly available ingredients. My version of black olive rice uses less oil, no seasoning, and cooked using a rice cooker. Instead of canned salted olives, I used pitted black olives which are a lot less salty and fresher. I first stir-fried the finely chopped black olives in a small amount of garlic-infused olive oil until fragrant. I then added in soaked long-grain rice to the fried olive paste until well mixed in low heat. (Sprinkle a little salt to the rice mixture, if you prefer). Lastly, I transferred the rice to a rice cooker, filled it with water just enough to cover the rice, and let it cooked automatically in the cooker. Easy and hassle-free.

I served the olive rice with baked cashew nuts, fried shrimps, fresh-cut onion slices and hot chillies. Rice and condiments are best eaten when mixed.

To compliment the olive rice, I made some mild green curry mutton, with long beans and fresh peas (again not canned or frozen).

Another dish to go with the rice was baked chicken with orange zest and spring onions. This is yet another simple and easy recipe. I first rubbed sea salt over the chicken, let it marinate for an hour (this is the seasoning), before browning them on medium heat with a small amount of oil (skin side on the pan or skillet) for a brief few minutes. I then poured in a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice, a few strips of orange peel, and spring onions, before placing the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes at 170 degrees C.

To balance the meat, I prepared a simple vegetarian dish - stir-fried brussels sprout in garlic infused oil. I served the cooked vegetable with fresh onion slices for added punch and freshness.

Cantonese Roast Duck

2009-04-26T11:12:00.009+08:00

Preparation was somewhat tedious. I had to first blanch the duck in boiling water for a few minutes, prepare the stuffing (which is where the magic is), insert the stuffing into the cavity of the blanched duck, sew it up, glaze the duck with honey dissolved in rice vinegar, tie a string onto its neck and hang the duck overnight to dry.

Honey glazed, stuffed, and ready for the oven

Roast duck fresh out of the oven

Carving the roast duck

Succulent pieces of duck breast meat

For the stuffing, I first fried finely chopped ginger roots and star anise in vegetable oil until fragrant, then added in a mixture of yellow bean sauce, hoisin sauce, five spices powder and chinese wine. I then tossed in a bundle of chopped spring onions, and let the gravy boiled for a minute or two.

Pasta for Vegetarian and Seafood Lovers

2009-04-14T11:06:00.004+08:00

It's a little more complicated when there's a vegetarian in the house of meat eaters. To make sure that everyone has a satisfying meal, the vegetarian gets enough nutrients and there's no over-cooking, the menu needs careful consideration. For that reason, I cooked two different types of pasta. Spinach tagliatelle with brussels sprout, asparagus and goat cheese for the vegetarian, and spaghetti with clams and green mussels for the rest of us.

Boil tagliatelle

Stir-fry brussels sprout and asparagus in olive oil with garlic

Mix in pasta and goat cheese

Cook for a few minutes, and you'll have spinach tagliatelle with brussel sprout, asparagus and goat cheese. I used 1 tablespoon of goat cheese just for flavouring. If you prefer a more cheesy or creamy flavour, you could add more goat cheese to taste. This is a light and healthy pasta, as long as one uses a considered amount of olive oil and cheese.

Spaghetti with clams and green mussels was a crowd pleaser. One can't get it wrong with seafood. It's so easy to cook, and sure to impress your guests. I first stir-fried the clams and mussels in garlic-infused olive oil, then added in a little white wine for extra flavouring, and finally mix in the pasta. I let the pasta cooked for a few more minutes in the clams/mussels base.

Spaghetti with clams and green mussels

A Simple Dinner for Five

2009-04-06T01:05:00.004+08:00

It has been months since I last cooked a complete meal. Now that the house is ready, it's time to unpack the wok and cook up a storm. Not exactly....

It's not easy to pick up the pace after a long time away. For me, this applies to everything in life, including cooking. I need to be inspired, and inspired I did. This weekend, I tried cooking something based mostly on imagination and a little on past experiences. Yup, first-time dishes and with no recipe, I whipped up a light dinner for five.

Briyani-styled Rice

Fish curry with assorted vegetables

Beef Rendang

Stewed Pork Ribs with Bitter Gourd

As always, I enjoyed setting up the table. Nothing elaborate as it was a casual dinner for family members. A good presentation helps to wet one's appetite.

Interior Design

2009-03-23T21:51:00.018+08:00

Now that the outer shell is completed, interior designing takes centre stage. This is where I have been and will continue to be heavily involved. Our architect did not have much input in this as we preferred to go on our own. I am guided first and foremost by our budget. This is the single most critical factor in reining in the total cost for the house. It makes the project that much more challenging and fun.

To the extent possible, we recycled as many things from our old condo as possible. An old set of kitchen utensils works the same.

It was a conscious decision to have a disproportionately larger kitchen this time. We have them separated into wet and dry areas by full height sliding glass doors. We allocated a big part of our budget on fittings and faucets. Their quality can mean day and night, a lesson we've learned from our previous condo renovation.

This is how our dining table and wishbone chairs put together looked like. I love the contours of the chairs, and the organic feel they project. They make the space looked airy and light.

Sunlight streaming across the foyer from a slit above the shoe closet.

A small patio for a small house.

As you can tell, I'm trying hard to keep the main look of the house away from public eye for now. Hence, the abstract pictures here. There will come a time.

Play of light

2009-03-18T20:27:00.005+08:00

It was 2.30pm. I finally saw how the sun beat down, from the skylight through the two flights of the cantilevered staircase, casting shadows on the white-washed wall. It's wonderful to see the interaction between nature and man-made structure. Our architect hasn't seen it as there's only a brief window during the day when this happens. I'm sure he'll be pleased. These pictures taken using my Iphone do not do much justice.

I am resisting every temptation to showcase the house as I wish to buy some time for a little surprise for loved ones who will come visiting. Don't wish to spoil the fun.

Goodbye Honed Granite!

2009-03-14T20:59:00.008+08:00

Yan didn't like the Mongolian honed granite flooring that spans our ground floor. While some may called it the natural matte look, he said it looked dusty and dirty. So, we had it polished today to reveal a new semi-matte finish. I'm not certain (yet) if I like the new look. I had opted for honed granite for its zen effect. I wasn't very thrilled with the idea of polishing it, but went ahead nonetheless for practical reasons. Honed granite is harder to maintain because of its open pores. Even with the application of impregnator, stains can still penetrate its surface if left unattended. Polished granite is more compact and the application of sealant can therefore be more effective.

Honed granite before polishing

Polishing in progress

Our last piece of furniture just came in today. It's a 2.7m long oak veneer dining table, made by our carpenter to match the wishbone chairs. We suggested the design, which is inspired by the Madame Lillie table made by E15, a German company. I like the simplicity of its design.

We are targeting our move-in within days from now. It's just frantic!

Quickie Steamed Cake

2009-03-08T03:45:00.004+08:00

I'm one of those who often have late-night cravings. This is one recipe where one could whip up a cake within minutes, and would have the ingredients ready at home. It calls for cooking oil and canned evaporated milk as replacements for butter and cream, and steaming rather than baking. What's more music to the ears is the fact that one could just mix and swirl all the ingredients together in a single bowl using a spatula, for a mere couple of minutes, with little impact on the outcome of the cake. There's no need to take out the electric mixer and other tools, which means little after-wash and clearing. A very simple and quick recipe that brings instant gratification. Perfect for rainy nights when hunger pangs strike. (Thanks Zaeda).

P.S. Alternative-Mom, here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Method:
1. Sift all dry ingredients; flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Mix oil, eggs and milk until all incorporated.
3. Mix dry ingredients with the wet mixture, by folding slowly.
4. Steamed for 30-45 minutes. (No hard and fast rule for steaming, time can be shorter or longer depending on your cooking utensil. You can take a peek every now and then, and it wouldn't ruin your cake).

Laying Carpet Grass

2009-03-07T19:51:00.009+08:00

A month had passed since the trees were planted. The laying of carpet grass on our front porch was scheduled this morning. It had been an interesting experience watching the planting process unfolds.

Carpet grass comes in rolls like these from the nursery.

Soil is compacted before sand is laid

A thin layer of beach sand is laid over the compacted soil

Rolling out of carpet grass

Front porch is fully covered in carpet grass

Lastly, another thin layer of sand is laid over the grass before watering.

We are days from moving in, yet I feel so unprepared. There seems to be a thousand details to attend to, and the issues are never ending. We just burnt our weekend coordinating TV and cable wire installation. I have a phobia for all things electrical! My mind switches off instantly, I get flustered easily whenever I encounter electrical-related issues, and I'll be more than willing to pass it on to Yan to deal with. Not a side of me that I am proud of.

New Furniture for the House

2009-02-27T20:21:00.008+08:00

Our new furniture had arrived. Two mid-century inspired "winged" chair (that's how I call them as they looked like flying objects, it's otherwise more popularly known as the Shell Chair by Wegner, first made in 1949), four stools for the kitchen island, eight Wishbone chairs for the dining table, and a re-upholstered Louis chair for my dresser. These are all classic designs which I love.

Time to Unpack

2009-02-25T21:05:00.008+08:00

I'm bulldozing into our new home. I figured that since it'll take me weeks just to unpack, it's better to start the process now than to wait till the T.O.P has been secured. I have been assured that T.O.P is just a formality at this stage, as the house has been constructed in full compliance with local building regulations. Inspection by the relevant authority has been scheduled for next Tuesday. Excitement is building up, I must admit. Movers were called in this morning to help with the relocation of things from the rented storage area. I've arranged for the newly purchased furniture to arrive in batches over the next few days. Lighting and fittings are almost done by now. Next will be the TVs and sound systems.

It took the electrician an entire day to fix this pendant light. There'll soon be two of them hanging from the ceiling of the master bedroom. They are the mid-century style "Supernova"-inspired lighting, inherited from our previous home.

Movers assembling the bed in our master bedroom, again inherited from our previous home.

I would have liked our main door to be slightly wider than this. The door handle as seen here is custom-made as there is no off-the-shelf handle of this height. Just a tad worried that it is a little chunky.

Pizza Boxes For Sale - SOLD OUT

2009-02-15T23:41:00.007+08:00

While I was going through an intense pizza-making phase recently, I whimsically ordered 500 pizza boxes. It was one of those crazy moments in life. I now struggle to understand why I did it. The sight of them piling in one corner of Yan's home is causing endless irritation to me, and constantly reminding me of my indiscretion and lack of self-control. I hope there will be a buyer soon who'll scoop up all the boxes, and make good use of them. I did attempt to sell them on e-bay recently but to no avail. Not even a single viewing of my ad! Oh, how pathetic. I had to convince myself that perhaps e-bay just isn't the right medium for this kind of product.

So, I am hoping, by the most remote possibility, someone will stumble upon this blog entry, who is a pizza-maker and who has been hunting high and low for no-print brown corrugated boxes suitable for 12-inch pizzas, to contact me. If you are that someone, please do drop me a comment here, and I will get in touch with you. I promise swift reply, sale of any quantity of your choice, free delivery in Singapore, and the best possible price that you can't resist!

Update (Feb 18): I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who had stepped forward to help. All 500 boxes have been snapped up within days of my blog entry here.

Carpentry

2009-02-14T19:43:00.005+08:00

With me constantly on the back of those contractors and sub-contractors, the project is now chugging along well on the revised completion schedule. If there's anything that I may have learned from this project, it is that I really need to take matters into my own hands. Take the bull by the horn, so to speak! It's tiresome, no doubt, but it's better than to face an indefinite timeline and live with lingering uncertainties. They promised pre-Christmas, but look what happened! I am now entertaining a post-CNY scenario. I could only imagine what the workers at site must have been murmuring and snickering behind me, "There she goes again, the de-facto project manager running amok!". [Sigh]

Carpentry and soft furnishing represent the bulk of the remaining 5% work. As we are taking on a warm minimalist theme, there's actually not much detailed carpentry work to be done. The house will look a little barren at first, but I'm sure as time goes by, it'll get cluttered up just like every other homes I know. The carpenters had been diligently working at our site in the last few days, and I am slowly seeing the parts coming together.

The TV in the kitchen is finally up.

They have miscalculated the complexity of cutting a hole in the middle of the bathroom mirror. This took them the entire day to finish, all 5 men!

Architect/interior designer explaining carpentry details to the carpenter, with the main contractor looking on.

These pictures are just teasers. Let's wait for the big reveal day, shall we?

Kuih Seri Muka

2009-02-14T19:26:00.003+08:00

It has been some weeks since my last attempt at baking. I have been preoccupied with the house and other mundane things in life. But mostly, it's the house. I'm hoping that something exciting is going to happen soon, and that I could put my priorities back in the right places. For now, I'll just enjoy life a little.

I've been thinking a lot today about a memorable quote from the cartoon movie, Ratatuoille, that "Anyone can cook". There's some truth in it. Cooking is no rocket science. It just requires some passion and a heart. As simple as that, really. So when a friend posted pictures of some delectable Malay cakes on facebook called Kuih Seri Muka, I thought to myself, "Hey, I could do this". Indeed, it was a great and easy recipe. I modified it a little to suit my taste.

Glutinous Rice Layer

1. Soak 500gm of rice grains in water for up to an hour.

2. Mix 2 cups of coconut milk and a pinch of salt with the grains.

3. Steam the rice in an 8-inch square cake pan at low heat until it's cooked (takes approximately 30-45 mins)

4. Let it cool, and then press the cooked rice layer till it sets firmly into the cake pan. Set aside.

Pandan Layer

5. Prepare pandan extract. Cut 4-6 pandan leaves into small pieces, and add 1/4 cup water into a processor. Blend them thoroughly and then strain to get the pandan extract.

6. In a separate bowl, add 2 cups of coconut milk, 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of castor sugar, 2 large eggs and the pandan extract. Mix well to form batter.

7. Strain the pandan batter to remove any crumbs. Pour batter over the glutinous rice layer.

8. Place the cake pan back into the steamer for another 20-25 minutes or until the batter is cooked. Remember to steam at low heat to ensure a smooth cake surface.

9. Cake is ready.

Becoming a Wedding Planner?

2009-02-09T05:54:00.015+08:00

When I learnt from YS and Rachel that they have fixed a date for their marriage solemnization, I jumped at the opportunity to help out with the interior decorating work. A recession-case scenario makes the assignment more challenging, but it was interesting to see how one can stretch the dollar to produce the same dramatic effect. The planning didn't take long, as both of them were cool with most of my ideas, and they infused some of theirs along the way. The venue will be their 1200sqft home on the 22nd floor! The predominantly white interior of the apartment makes conceptualization of ideas somewhat easier. All in all, conceptualization and shopping took about 2 full days. We went to Arab Street and got an entire roll of organza (about 40 meters) which was just about enough fabric to drape the space. The rest of the materials were purchased from several DIY shops in town. Here's some pictures of the decorating process and you can judge for yourself if justice was done. I had fun doing it, and I hope you'll have fun looking at these pictures!

I went with the concept of a garden wedding within their living room. YS' lime green new rug came handy, as it provides an excellent backdrop.

Next, I found these two large outdoor lanterns which were just perfect for the concept.

Part of the floral arrangement for the solemnization table.

The ring pillow

DIY candleholders, made from drinking glasses and recycled beads from curtains.
More candles

I purchased these flowers from a nursery nearby. They were chosen for their longer-lasting nature and in keeping close to the lavender-white theme.

Large floral arrangements for some drama in the room.

Room is ready for the event.

The Trees Have Arrived!

2009-02-01T12:24:00.007+08:00

This is probably the most fun I've had in this entire project. I love trees. It took me a good few months to research on suitable trees and plants for our small and humble house. I finally settled with the zen garden concept, and carefully selected trees from nurseries nearby. My selection criteria were pretty simple; a clean minimalist look to compliment the house design, easy maintenance (relatively speaking), suitable for confined spaces, and most importantly, cost effective. Not too many, just some Thai bamboos to form a green blanket for the backyard, a 7-feet tall Frangipani, two 3-meters tall tropical trees with interesting layered effect for the front porch, and a 7-feet tall ficus bonsai next to the front door. It's still a month away from handover, but I've arranged for the trees to be planted now, as they need time to adjust to the new environment. I've been told to expect existing leaves to fall and be replaced by new-grown in the next few weeks. I rushed to take some pictures today before they become barren. Carpet grass will be put in once the trees have nicely settled into the new soil.

Nearing Completion

2009-01-24T23:51:00.004+08:00

Here's a sneak preview of the jacuzzi bath on our roof top. The house is 95% completed, and the remaining 5% (representing the nitty gritty) is driving me crazy. From lighting to switches, locks, door handles, and other finishings, these issues can really wear one down. And especially so for a near-perfectionist like me. I am so used to seeing things executed with precision and accordingly to plan and timeline, the construction industry just isn't like that. Always expect the unexpected, and one will make peace with oneself.

Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) is expected to be received by end of February. This is one month away, and there are dozens of things on my tasklist yet to be ticked off. I am exhausted, but the show must go on, as they say.

The French Stall

2009-01-11T13:26:00.003+08:00

Never mind the unexpected setting. Fret not the heat and casual dining atmosphere. Expats throng this place, and keep coming back. It's not that strange a notion once one has tried the food here. Getting the price right is key to everything, especially in the credit cycle we're in today. The French Stall does just that, and does it really well too! Situated at 544 Serangoon Road (Little India), it's indeed a queer and the most unlikely place to find good and authentic french cuisine.

At YS' suggestion, we celebrated Yan's birthday today at the French Stall. It was a surprised treat from YS, and we're grateful for the introduction to this restaurant. For appetizers, we ordered a bunch of things from the menu - rocket salad served with parmesan cheese, escargot, garlic bread, mussels cooked in white wine sauce and carrot soup. They were all very tasty, but of course, one can't expect michelin-star standard. My only slight regret is the presentation style for the escargots. Although at S$9.20 per half dozen, they're probably the cheapest escargots one could find in Singapore, the dish could have been better presented.

The minced herb garlic bread was very tasty, but then again, it's a no-brainer. So were the mussels cooked in white wine, for it really is hard to get it wrong.

The carrot soup was light - more for diet-conscious people, I would say. I prefer it creamier and thicker, like how I would have made it.

As for the main courses, the most value-for-money choice on the menu for meat eaters would be the rack of lamb, as it comes in huge serving.

However, the steak failed to impress. It was very average, and tasted rather like Han's cheap steak.

The birthday boy ordered something healthy for once - baked dory fillet served with spinach. As long as the fish is fresh, it's hard to get this wrong as well.

For a vegetarian like Yan's mom, it's not easy to eat out with a group of meat eaters like us. She had to order the only vegetarian dish on the main course menu - spaghetti in creamy mushroom and tomato sauce. This is a relatively safe dish to order, and it didn't disappoint.

For a gourmet like me (ehhmm), one of course will have to go for more refined and sophisticated choice - grilled duck breast served over a bed of risotto, and topped with orange peel. At S$21, this isn't exactly inexpensive, but overall I was rather pleased with the taste and the presentation. I consider this dish satisfactory.

And the verdict? If you're looking for value-for-money and no-frills french food, this is the place!

Delay, Delay, Delay

2009-01-02T22:25:00.011+08:00

It has been more than 2 months since my last entry on this topic, and there's a reason for this. Construction has hit a snag, and nothing much has moved since. I was hoping that our vacation abroad will take us away long enough to give the workers a break from my constant scrutiny, and therefore they'll be able to work more efficiently. This has proven to be totally unfounded. Contractors do need to be pressured, and constantly monitored, or they'll think you're a softy and a pushover. The last 20% is taking forever to finish. From engineer's erroneous governmental application submission to sheer project management lapses, manageable problems had snowballed into one big delay. We now have to reschedule CNY celebration because the venue cannot be ready in time. Talk about patience and expectation management, there's much to be learned. Take these cantilevered staircase for instance, they have remained unfinished for months, and the safety glass panels have yet to be installed.

The only bright spot at this stage is the mosaic tiles that we have selected for the pool. Fortunately, they turned out to be modern-looking, just like what we have always wanted.

Le Mont St. Michel & D-Day Beaches - Day 6

2008-11-29T22:14:00.007+08:00

We got up early for our ascent to the abbey. We were joined by several Japanese tour groups. The weather was cold and wet, but the walk up wasn't as daunting as anticipated. The sight of many quaint-looking houses helped to keep our interest going strong and distract us from what could have been a struggle up the steep slope. Once up there, the view was breath-taking!

We finally arrived at the entrance to the majestic abbey. There was a monk guarding the huge entrance door. The other tourists and us formed a line just outside, waiting to enter.

The central place of worship is a humble sanctuary. See picture below.

The abbey has overcome many adversities over the years. It has suffered many fires and collapses, and had been rebuilt many times since. Le Mont St. Michel was a popular place of pilgrimage in the mid-century. Today, it's a tourist attraction.

It requires merely 2 to 3 hours for a complete tour of the abbey. We checked out of Hotel Mouton Blanc at around 12pm, and headed back to Paris. We took a detour to the northern beaches of Normandy, via Caen and stopping by Arromanches, one of many historic towns along the D-day beaches.

We had to drive past many remote french villages before arriving at the D-day beaches. The GPS device that we brought along with us to France proved to be a tremendous help. It would have been impossible to navigate the remote outdoors. Arromanches is a tranquil small coastal town with hardly any economic activities visible to us. It is such a far cry from the battlefield scene during D-day that we imagined.

We parked our rented Fiat 500 next to a tank.

One of the many commemorative stone at site. Reportedly more than 100,000 soldiers perished during the D-day.

The abandoned steel platforms used by Ally soldiers to land at the D-day beaches have been left strewn along the beaches, providing a grim reminder of the battlefield day.

Le Mont St. Michel - Day 5

2008-11-28T22:00:00.017+08:00

The sight of Le Mont St. Michel looming in the distance was a welcoming relief after a nearly 4 hours drive from Paris in our rented Fiat 500. Situated out of nowhere, atop an island, the abbey offers a unique setting for a short getaway. Controlled by the rhythm of tides throughout the year, the place at times appears like an island surrounding by sea and at other times a hill surrounded by vast tracts of swamp land. Cars and tourist buses are parked along the bridgeway leading to the island entrance, as there's barely space to move once one is within the island walls.

As one nears the entrance door, one is immediately greeted by a medieval looking retractable bridge door.

At the foot of the abbey, within the island walls, a small community of Le Mont St. Michel lives in quaint stonewalled houses and cobbled stones narrow alleys.

Hotel Mouton Blanc is only a short distance walk away from the entrance. One will not miss it as there are only a few hotels on the island. Many tourists will come here for a day trip or stay just outside the island where there are larger and newer hotels. However, nothing beats the experience of staying on the island itself. The picture below shows the facade of Hotel Mouton Blanc, which is one of the oldest hotel at the foot of the abbey.

The hotel reception has a small reception counter with a wall adorned with copper pots and pans. What a cute sight!

Checking-in was a breeze as the hotel was organized and had all our details in advance. We were given a set of keys to Room 103 which is on Level 2. There was no lift in the hotel, as one could easily understand, given that it was built a few hundreds of years ago. Room 103 turned out to be a dream room. It wasn't anything fancy, but the quaint interior decor, reminiscent of an English old cottage home, really set up the mood. It's a room that looked like one lifted out of a Harry Potter film. I squealed in delight!

The picture below shows the view outside the room window.

It was about 4pm by the time we checked in and had a warm shower. The sky was once again cloudy and gloomy like in many winter days in northern France. We were reeling from our long drive, and all we wanted at that time was a good meal and some rest before the climb. The restaurant in Hotel Mouton Blanc could be conveniently accessed from our room, where we needn't step out into the cold. However, dinner would only be served only from 7pm onwards. We took a short nap in our hotel room, with "Mumbai Attack" continuous reporting on CNN - the only English-language channel available.

We were so ready by dinner time. I ordered mussels cooked in cream while Yan went for seafood platter as appetizers. Presentation was generous and the seafood was fresh.

I then had roasted leg of lamb served with french beans and green salad. Yan ordered his usual medium grilled steak. The food was average, but we didn't mind it at all. We were in great holiday mood!

We finished the meal with creme brulee.After dinner, Yan ventured outside the island wall to take a snapshot of a light-filled abbey. It was an awesome sight.

Paris - Day 4

2008-11-27T22:17:00.007+08:00

Having been to the highlights of Paris, it was time to explore the city itself. The temperature this morning was probably in the low single-digit deg C. It was a little uncomfortable for me, and I found myself wishing for some sunlight. After a heavy breakfast in the hotel, we took a slow stroll around the Invalides neighbourhood. The picture above shows the Golden Dome of the cathedral at Hotel Nationale Invalides. We understand that Napoleon's tomb lies beneath this dome.

A short distance away just across the bridge, we arrived at Avenue des Champs-Elysee. This is the famed tree-lined up-market shopping street in Paris.

Flagship stores of huge international luxury brands are not located exactly on this street itself, but around this area. LV's flagship store is situated at one corner just off Ave Champs-Elysee. See picture below.

It was past noon by the time we reached the upper end of Ave Champs-Elysee. The Arc de Triomph at Place Charles de Gaulle, stood majestically across the busy cross junction.

It was time for lunch, and Laduree (the Avenue Champs-Elysee outlet) seemed a great choice. I've always wanted to try macarons from the originals, and I read somewhere that macarons originated from Laduree. With a history of over a hundred years, the outlet at Avenue Champs-Elysee retains much of the old charm.

There was a long queue at the pastry section and photo-taking was forbidden. Somehow, Yan managed to snap a shot of the famous macarons. There were many flavors, and we bought one of each. The restaurant section was also crowded and many lunch-goers were turned away. We were fortunate to be able to find a table.

Table setting was simple but professional. I ordered foei gras (yet again) for appetizer and grilled veal loin for main course, while Yan went for something healthier - baked cod with mashed pumpkin. The food here is decent, but nothing much to shout about. We came primarily for its famous macarons which didn't disappoint.

The Lourve - Day 3

2008-11-26T23:44:00.001+08:00

We missed the Lourve yesterday, and we were not about to miss it again today. The Metro subway station at Musee Du Lourve is connected directly to the underground entrance to the museum. So getting there via the Metro is a breeze. The picture below shows an inverted pyramid structure (part of the exterior design by renown architect, IM Pei) that allows sunlight to filter through to the basement entrance at an angle. The proportion of the structure and the play of shadows give it an awesome sight.

A visit to this museum can be overwhelming for most people, and it's not surprising to hear that many tourists are put off by the idea that they may have to spend at least half a day here to make the visit worthwhile. But I will say that it's worth every penny and one should never rush a visit to the Lourve.

The museum is divided into several wings, each housing a massive collection of the world's richest historical heritage, from paintings to sculptures and ancient artefacts of every civilizations known to mankind. The picture above shows the expansive limestone steps leading to the Denon Wing that houses the world's most famous paintings. There were many artists at work today in the museum. It's an honor to witness their amazing skills at work as seen in these pictures below.

An artist is seen here reproducing the famous self-portrait of Rembrant.

The Lourve is busy the whole year round, and is probably one of the most visited museum of arts in the world. It's also a great place for art students to do field work.

The picture below shows an identical painting of Napoleon's coronation found in the Palace of Versailles.

There is also a permanent collection of Picasso's paintings of nude human forms. Yan and I have seen many of such Picasso paintings of that period when Picasso arts were in exhibition in Vienna 2 years ago. I must confess that I could not quite appreciate this form of art. To me, Picasso's twisted mind is just too disturbing.

Of course a visit to Lourve would not be complete without seeing the world's most overrated painting, i.e. Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of Mona Lisa. Owing much to its popularity (especially after Dan Brown's novel and Hollywood's blockbuster film, the Da Vinci Code), the painting is now put under heightened security, with a large clearance area created around it to prevent anyone from getting too close. I am glad I have been here before all these hoo-hah.

There were just too many paintings worthy of mention that it'll be foolhardy for me to claim that I have seen them all. Below are a small sampling of paintings that have captured my imagination today.

Apart from its vast collection of arts and artefacts, the building itself is worthy of attention. Frescoes paintings on the ceilings of some of the rooms here are as magnificent as those found in other parts of Europe.

As I have mentioned earlier, there's every form of art for everyone here. Enthusiasts of Egyptian artefacts and mummies would not be disappointed.

Virtually every civilizations and cultural periods are represented in this great museum.

Versailles - Day 2

2008-11-25T23:33:00.009+08:00

Tuesday, 25th November : It's a great feeling waking up to the smell and sight of a well-presented breakfast. Though far from 5-star standard, the breakfast spread at Hotel Muguet was decent enough given its EUR8/pax rate. It has everything typical in a Parisian breakfast - croissant, baguette, cheese, cold meat, hard-boiled egg, fruits, cereal, yogurt and coffee. Beside the room rates and its location, I loved the fact that it's a small boutique hotel where hotel staff is attentive and wifi internet access is free in all rooms!

Today, our plan was to spend a leisurely day at the world's greatest museum, the Lourve. However, much to our dismay, we arrived there only to discover that it's close on every Tuesday. A signboard bearing "CLOSE" was displayed at the pyramid entrance.

We took some pictures of the museum exterior (see above), made a swift decision to reshuffle our itinerary around, and quickly headed off to Versailles. The train ride from Paris to Versailles took about 45 minutes. It was around noon when we arrived there. Versaille is a small touristy town situated on the fringe of Paris that thrives on tourism, with the Palace of Versailles being the central attraction. The palace is located a short walk away from the train station. It's not hard to find one's way there. Almost every passenger who arrived at the train station from Paris is a tourist. One just have to follow the walking crowd.

A visit to the Palace of Versailles is like a tour of a show house. But with the rich heritage and history that lies within, it's definitely worth a visit, particularly if one is a fan of Marie Antoinette.

Below is a photo of the famed hall of mirrors - the largest and arguably the most beautiful room within the palace. It owed its name to the 17 mirrors on one side of the hall facing 17 arched windows at the opposite side.

There is a room dedicated to Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The famous Coronation painting adorned an entire wall. See below. An identical painting can be found at the Lourve.

The works of Jeff Koon, a contemporary artist, can be found in almost every room within the palace. These modern pieces seem so out of place here. They must have raised some eyebrows, especially the old-school historians, who may see them as distractions. Whether one is old-schooled or more culturally accepting, one thing for sure - these modern art do bring the place alive.

To understand Jeff Koon's mind, one just need to look at some of his works, I guess. Take this porcelain statue of Michael Jackson. He added a monkey named Bubble to the statue, and the two are not necessarily unlike each other. Go figure!

There were just too many things to talk about, if one is a history buff. With that, I end this tour with a photo taken on the way out of the palace. Can you see a large red heart-shaped structure in the background - that's also Jeff Koon's creation.

It was late evening by the time we returned to the city of Paris. We went back to the cathedral of Notre Dame for some night shots.

There is nothing better to look forward to after a long day of sightseeing than a hearty French meal. Tonight, we had a very satisfying French dinner at Le Florimond, a traditional restaurant near Hotel Muguet.

Yan's appetizer turned out to be a real surprise. It looked like a dessert offering - strawberry triffle of sort - but it was not! What looked like strawberry puree was actually beet root puree. The white foam was not some sweet-tasting cream but seafood flavored foam, and the last layer contained the prized mussels. What a creative presentation!

For the main course, Yan ordered from the beef menu. It came in two forms. The first was stewed beef served with raspberry sauce, and the second was grilled steak served with polenta and baked potatoes.

I had crispy duck confit served with green salad. It was heavenly, to say the least.As for dessert, Yan went for sorbet, and it came in three different flavors.I was more adventurous and was rewarded with a pretty presentation of mango mousse.This is a picture of the cosy restaurant (taken the next day when we walked past).

Paris - Day 1

2008-11-24T23:41:00.001+08:00

After a 13-hour flight from Singapore, our plane finally touched down at CDG airport at around 6.50am on Nov 24th. Checking out was hassle-free as the airport was relatively empty given the early hours and the fact that it is now an off-peak travel period. However, the morning highway traffic into Paris was a nightmare, with cars crawling bumper to bumper virtually all the way from the airport to our hotel. We arrived at Hotel Muguet at 11 Rue Chevert almost 3 hours later. By this time, we were reeling from a gruelling flight and horrendous traffic congestion. Fortunately, a decent hotel room and a hot shower saved the day. As the hotel is located at Arrondisement 7, in the vicinity of Eiffel Tower, it was only natural that our first stop was the iconic man-made structure. I was still awed by the sight of the Eiffel Tower, notwithstanding that this wasn't the first time I visited the place. Such is timeless architecture!

It doesn't take much to have decent photography when the weather cooperates. Such was the case during our Day 1 in Paris - a sunny clear blue sky. We chose not to exert ourselves on this very first day, but to experience the true Parisian way of life, taking our trip easy and with much emphasis on having a good culinary experience. It is after all, Paris, the world capital of haute cuisine!

And so we walked slowly, taking in the sight and sound of Paris, in a high-spirited sort of way. Next, a short subway ride took us to the cathedral of Notre Dame.

The place would have been flooded with tourists, had it not been the off-peak season. It was already 3pm, and the clouds were gathering rapidly. Yan and I decided to have our late lunch break at a cafe just opposite the cathedral, called Le Petit Pont.

One would have thought that it's a bad idea to eat at touristy places, but our rumbling stomachs were crying for food. Besides, the effects of jetlag was slowly creeping in. Our minds and limps too needed a rest. So Le Petit Pont shall be it! For ease of ordering, we just went for the set menu that cost EUR16 per pax. It came with an appetizer, a soup and a main course.

One just can't go wrong with a hot serving of pumpkin soup in a cold autumn day. For appetizer, we had duck pastry served with green salad, while our main course was medium-grilled steak served with mashed potatoes. The quality of food was surprisingly decent, and in fact better than Singapore bistro standard. The marinated duck meat fillings in the pastry was to-die-for. The steak was cooked to perfection. And this was only a simple tourist cafe! A positive start, for sure. We so look forward to the rest of our culinary experience in France. Bon Appetite!

Planning a Trip

2008-11-18T19:30:00.002+08:00

Modern technology and internet have transformed the ways holidays are planned nowadays. Gone are the days where one will have to refer to a travel agent or be frantically making phone calls to everywhere to make things happen. Neither does one need to fret about having to physically pick up air tickets. Almost anything can be planned from the comfort of one's own home. Planning a two-week trip to a foreign land, where one has never set foot before nor speak the language of the land, is no longer as daunting as in the past. We have visited far-flung places, relying solely on internet resources. In fact, the hardest part is in deciding which places to visit given time constraint and often times conflicting interests. Once that can be amicably resolved, the rest is pretty easy - just a little research, some time management, air ticket and hotel reservations, and one is ready for some adventure!

This is how all of our trips had been planned. Virtually everything is done online - e-ticketing, hotel selection and booking, restaurant reservations and land transportations. With a preponderance of online materials, travelling to Europe has never been easier, and potentially cheaper!

Route Planning

I usually start with a little read-up on Frommers online. The popular website is free and comes with suggested itineraries (for instance a 1-week or 2-week trip). It may not be everybody's cup of tea but it is a good starter kit for first-time visitors. Once a potential route is mapped out, one can then google for the individual cities/places, to decide whether they are worth a visit. Another travel website which is useful is Fodors.

Hotel Booking

For hotel recommendation in the selected cities, I find Tripadvisor highly reliable and easy to use. Hotels are ranked in terms of popularity and one can find just about any accommodation types that fits one's budget. Don't forget to check out other travelers' reviews as they are often very helpful and reliable. I also have the habit of checking out other travelers' photos on the hotels rather than relying on hotel photos (for a more accurate portrayal of their current condition). Another tool that's highly convenient to use on Tripadvisor is the hotel reservation function, where low online rates are available at the click of a button. Very often, one can find bargain rates by booking through these sources. I have used venere.com many times in the past and find it highly reliable.

Land Transport

Depending on the time available, the state of the infrastructure of the places one is visiting, as well as the purpose of visit, one could choose between taking public transportation or self-drive road trips. For this particular trip, we will be taking the TGV from north of France to the south, and we will be exploring each of the region (Normandy and Cote d-Azur) by car, basing ourselves in Paris and Nice mainly. This will allow greater flexibility for time management and broader coverage. Arrival and departure times is an important consideration for a well-planned trip. It is advisable to check out train schedules and estimates of driving time between places well in advance. For our train schedule from north to south, we have referred to the TGV website, while road trips travel time is ascertained via www.viamichelin.com.

We are just a few days away from our trip. Autumn in the city of light, love and romance will be chilly and wet.

Mosaic tiles

2008-11-18T01:02:00.008+08:00

Seriously, I don't know how to describe the water feature in our house. It's too shallow and small to be a pool, but it's larger than a tub. It has jets and water cascades but it's not exactly a jacuzzi. It's a hybrid of many things, and we'll have to see how it turns out. What I really wanted to talk about, however, is the mosaic tiles. Despite all the recent bad press about China-made products, it's hard to resist buying them when price is key and the market is flooded with ready goods. The Italians and Greeks are finding it tough to fend off competition from Chinese quarries. In fact, China-made tiles have overtaken the construction sector everywhere in the world. It's impossible to stop the juggernaut. How could one resist going for China tiles where it's 30-40% cheaper, offers a wider range of great new looks and promises short delivery time? This is exactly what happened to our project. China-made glass mosaic tiles come in a variety of texture and colors - shimmery, metallic, translucent, you name it! They are finding their way into our homes, and the true test of their durability will be time. We are taking on a risk, but I must say that the glass mosaics are truly chic and modern.

Stone selection and installation

2008-11-07T19:03:00.018+08:00

I have never thought that the process of stone selection and shopping for suppliers can be a mini project in itself. I am not sure if I enjoyed it, but thank goodness, it's done, and now we are awaiting the final installation of the slabs in our bath.

It all started with our architect suggesting some exotic looking stone, commonly known as silver travertine. The name may be misleading as it's not exactly silver in appearance. Rather it's a rock with dreamy veins of grays, browns, pinks and whites, layered and compressed over millions of years, from the mountains somewhere in Italy (like the picture shown here). It looks good, no doubt and it seems to be in vogue these day. Of course, it comes with a nice price tag too, and that's precisely what got me into my mini project, eventually leading us to our gem find at a stone supplier's place located at Changi North. The stone factory is somewhat out of the way, but my trips there had been well worth it. This factory probably has one of the largest selection of natural stones in Singapore. It's not known to retail buyers, but a well kept secret amongst discerning property developers. Futar Enterprises supplies to many ups-scale retail and residential projects in Singapore like the Orchard Turn and Nassim Park. I believe we had a good run for our money (for the cost of natural stones from this factory is about 30% cheaper than the more well known retail suppliers in town). I will need to thank a friend for the introduction. Believe it or not, after all the trouble and a little education exercise, we didn't go for silver travertine in the end, but settled with volacas marble slabs that cost 40% less.

Just when I thought my job is over, there is then the dry-laying process that I did not know of. As I had sourced the stone supplier myself, I inevitably had to take a lead in coordinating amongst the supplier, my architect and contractor. The dry-lay inspection is a story in itself (which I do not wish to bore anyone here). Suffice to say, it was a little overwhelming for me as a first-timer, not knowing the trade of the industry and unfamiliar with my right as a buyer.

Finally, the day came for the delivery of the marble slabs. It was a wet Saturday morning, I received a call from the delivery man while still in bed, saying that I had to receive the goods in 15 minutes! Fortunately, Yan's home is only 3 minutes drive away. We made it in time, in fact in such unbelievable speed that left the delivery man completely astonished, like we just beamed ourselves there! So there we were, standing under an umbrella, receiving the goods in a heavy downpour. It wasn't anything close to romantic. I hastily made out a cheque, sent the guy off, and got us out of the rain, again in a lightning!

As you can see, the marble slabs are indeed precious, for it had taken me a great deal of trouble to get them to our place. Now it has come the time for installation. It was another nervous day for me. Each piece was like a baby, and the installer better handled them with care!

Choosing Colors for the Exterior

2008-10-30T16:56:00.015+08:00

We were fastidious when it came to the color of the exterior walls. Earlier, the contractor had made a mistake assuming that we would be going for pristine white like most new houses today. They were in for a shock when we wanted it re-painted greenish grey. Double the work, and more costs. We showed our architect pictures of a house we saw in an architecture magazine, and requested to replicate the same color. The house (located in Venice, California) was finished in green black plastered cement, and not exactly painted. We like our house to blend into a green environment as if it's an extension of the nature. As you can see from the photos here, the two wild scrubs at the back of our house have grown so impressively in the past few months that they now look more like trees. We love them. Apart from acting as cool shades, they add to the natural environment that we so long for.

It took nine strong men to hoist this piece of glass panel above the study room. I gritted my teeth and my heart raced as I watched over. Although it's tempered and extra thick, one wrong move would send the glass panel crashing to the ground. A dangerous moment indeed.

Workers are seen here clearing the sewage trench for inspection by the authorities next week. Once approved, the trench will be covered with soil and timber deck.

Singapore Chilli Crab & More

2008-10-26T00:27:00.021+08:00

It was about 2.30pm. We were shopping for bathroom accessories and kitchen faucets for our new place when YS called to say he'd be giving us a dinner treat. He just purchased two gigantic Sri Lankan crabs from the KK wet market, and promised us a hearty meal. Yan's mother almost flipped when she heard that the crabs would have to be killed just before cooking in order to preserve its freshness, i.e. the killing will have to be done right in her kitchen. Nobody was thrilled at the idea, frankly, but we just couldn't resist a scrumptious dinner of chilli crab and steamed crab. Three hours later, YS and wife turned up with a huge brown bag, and straight to the kitchen, they went. I tagged along like a curious inquisitive child. Out came YS' prized acquisition, each of the crab weighing no less than 1.5 kg.

The crabs were first given a thorough scrub.

YS said the killing will be done humanely and with surgical precision. In a single clean jab at a small hole behind the flab of the crab, using a sharp object (he used a chopstick), the crab was swiftly dispatched. I looked away as this was done. Next, he began to skillfully prepare the crab pieces.

He then heated up the wok with some oil for a minute or two, and poured in his special Singapore chilli sauce.

Crab pieces were then added to the curry, constantly stirring to ensure they were evenly covered with the curry. The lid is lowered to cover the wok, allowing the crabs to be simmered for about 5 minutes.

While the crab was simmering in the wok, he diluted a few teaspoon of corn flour with water to use as thickening agent, and beat a few eggs in a separate bowl. The thickening liquid is then added, fire was turned off, and lastly the egg mixture was added to enhance the appearance of the dish.

He stirred the crab for a minute or two, and then arranged them on a serving plate.

Next, garnishes was prepared.

And that was the first dish of the night - the famous Singapore Chilli Crab! He deftly moved on to the next crab. This was bigger than the first (weighed about 1.8 kg), because he knew Yan and I prefer the steamed version. Only the freshest of crabs will make the cut for this kind of preparation, as there were virtually no other ingredients (apart from Chinese rice wine and egg whites which were used more as flavor enhancer at the last cooking step).

He carefully arranged the crab on a serving plate, placed it over a steamer, and allowed steaming for about 5 to 7 minutes.

The crab turned bright orange red when it was done. Egg whites was added, to be followed by a dash of rice wine. The lid was put back on for another 1 minute, and the second dish was ready!

On the side, I prepared chicken and potato curry, using the leftover rendang from a few days ago. I first sauteed potatoes (chunky cuts) in a hot pan until golden brown, and then stir fried the chicken pieces. The two were mixed together, and rendang curry is poured over. I let the concoction simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

The third dish - Chicken and Potato curry - was ready in less than half an hour!

While the dishes were being prepared by YS and Chef C separately, YS' wife steamed some Man Tou (chinese plain buns). Man tou goes really well with curry dishes, and is an excellent alternative to rice or noodle.

And we were ready for a scrumptious meal cooked in style! So cheers!

Malaysian Curry - Beef Rendang

2008-10-24T11:04:00.017+08:00

My baker friends have been a constant source of inspiration for me in the last two months. I have not cooked traditional Malaysian cuisines for some time now. Having read Zaeda's testimony in her blog that a way to win a man's heart is through his stomach, and that how her husband always look forward to home-cooked dinner, I think to myself; "There must be some truth to this adage". Zaeda talked about her mother's secret recipe named "Rendang Babu", and said she doesn't know how the name came about. From what little I know, "Babu" in Tamil means "male or boy". This recipe could have been inspired by a fusion of Indian and Malay curry - perhaps Indian ingredients cooked in traditional Malay style, and hence rendang + babu? Could this be right? A fusion recipe? A powerful combination of explosive Indian and Malay flavors that will tempt even the strongest will to resist?

Here's a look at the ingredients for the rendang paste (adapted from Zaeda's blog):

30g dried chilli

1 medium-sized onion

3-4 cloves of garlic

3cm ginger

Homemade Rendang Paste

Other ingredients:

1 kg beef (the shin is an excellent choice - cut into chunky cubes of 3cmx 3cm)

1 cinnamon stick

100ml evaporated milk

50gm tomato puree

salt and sugar to taste

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cooking Method:

1. Heat oil to saute cinnamon stick and rendang paste until fragrant.

2. Add tomato puree and milk, stirring constantly until thoroughly blended.

3. Add beef cubes and let it simmer in the curry until tender (approximately 1 hour).

4. Add salt and sugar to taste. Remove from heat, and you are ready to serve.

Rendang Babu simmering in the pot

Custard Cake

2008-10-23T05:02:00.018+08:00

Marina, Zaeda and I found each other on Facebook only about 2 months ago, after more than 20 years apart. We were childhood friends in Malaysia, first knew each other in school and were in the same class for much of our primary and high school. Lanky Zaeda and I were seated together in the last row of our classroom during our Form 4 and 5 (the final 2 years of our secondary school). It was not because we were troublemakers, just that Zaeda and I were a lot taller than many of our classmates then. Marina, on the other hand, was a petite little girl who was almost always seated at the front row. Schooling in those days was fun. We didn't have the luxury of picking our own seats or companion. It was always decided by our class teacher, but none of us ever complained nor did it ever cross our mind that we ought to choose wherever and whoever we wish to sit with. The lack of choices didn't matter to us, we were happy kids nonetheless. Indeed, the simplicity of life and thinking then was a bliss. Those were the formative years. Meeting them over Facebook after 20 years has brought back so many memories of the past. Twenty years is a fairly long time in anyone's lifetime. Zaeda's daughters are now in their teens, while Marina's bundles of joy are already in primary school. There's indeed so much to catch up. Already I have seen many beautiful pictures of their wonderful families and children, posted and constantly updated on Facebook. I share their joy, and can't wait to find out more about them. The uncanny thing is, after all those years apart, with each having gone through such diverse and different life experiences, we somehow ended up sharing a common past-time of baking and cooking, exchanging recipes and marveling at each other's creation. Life has a strange way of bringing people together.

Below is an adaptation of Marina's prized custard cake recipe. In her original recipe, she has a layer of caramel before the custard. I took some short cuts, ignore the caramel and went straight to making the custard. As a substitute for the caramel layer, one could sprinkle fine sugar over the custard when the cake is done, and place it under the broiler for browning (in the same way as creme brulee). This cake is best served chilled.

Custard

4 large eggs

500ml fresh milk

70g castor sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cake

70g all-purpose flour

60g fine sugar

2 eggs

20g butter (melted)

Method

1. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with softened butter. Pre-heat oven to 170 deg C. Melt 20g of butter over low heat and let it cool.

2. Prepare custard. Heat milk together with sugar over fire until sugar melts. Whisk eggs and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Pour hot milk into the egg mixture. Stir gradually to avoid forming bubbles. Strain custard into the cake pan, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

4. Prepare cake batter. Separate egg yolks from whites. Whisk egg whites with 30g of sugar till soft peak forms. Whisk yolk with remaining sugar till creamy. Combine the two.

5. Sift flour into the egg mixture. Fold gently.

6. Add melted butter into the cake batter. Combine gently. Pour batter into cake pan containing custard prepared earlier (the batter will float over custard naturally).

7. Place the cake pan over hot bath and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Spiced Cake

2008-10-20T18:09:00.015+08:00

This is the time of the year where one will find a preponderance of pumpkin-based recipes online. I like searching online for well-reviewed tried and tested recipes, and do occasionally log onto Youtube for additional materials. One will be surprised how magnanimous the baking world is (tongue-in-cheek, haha). Any way, during one of my routine website flipping, I came across some very tempting pictures on www.joyofbaking.com about pumpkin recipes. Beside the mouth-watering pictures, I have most of the ingredients required by the recipe and this helped to set my mind on trying it out. The recipe does say that one can make one's own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins, but this would be far too tedious for someone like me who doesn't appreciate fastidious/challenging recipes. So I set out to the Paragon Market Place to look for canned pumpkin puree, and lo, there were a few cans of Libby's 100% pure pumpkin puree sitting at the bottom shelf. That sealed the deal! The canned pumpkin puree tasted just like freshly made puree.

Other Key Ingredients

Pumpkin Spiced Cake

1/2 cup (110 gm) butter

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup umpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground spices

1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Pre-heat oven at 177 deg C.

2. Cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on high speed (2-3 minutes) until light and fluffy

3. Add eggs one at a time. Mix well.

4. Add vanilla extract. Mix well.

5. In another bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and spices.

6. Add the cake mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture. Begin and end with the cake mixture. Mix sufficient to combine the ingredients, taking care not to over-mix.

7. Bake the cakes for approx. 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

8. Remove cakes from oven, and let cool on wire rack.

9. Once cooled, put one cake layer face down. Spread cream cheese frosting. Add another cake over the frosting top, again facing down. Spread frosting over the top and around the cake.

10. Garnish with toasted and coarsely chopped walnut.

Frosting

228gm cream cheese

1/4 cup (56gm) butter

2 tablespoon Maple Syrup

2 cups icing sugar

1. Cream butter and cheese together until light and soft

2. Add maple syrup to the mixture. Combine.

3. Add icing sugar to the mixture. Mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Frosting is ready.

Quick-and-easy chocolate cake

2008-10-17T14:50:00.004+08:00

Yet another super easy recipe that's low in sugar and fat content! No whipping, whisking or beating is needed. Just combine all ingredients in the same bowl, and one is ready to bake in 15 minutes. This recipe is contributed by fellow baker friend, Zaeda, and is a great alternative to ready-mix cake mixture sold in supermarkets. As the recipe is so healthy, one can afford to have it with any ice-cream of choice, without feeling horribly guilty after eating.

Coconut Cake With Lemon Curd

2008-10-12T07:59:00.011+08:00

I had not anticipated the complexity of this recipe (adapted from www.joyofbaking.com) that calls for numerous rounds of whisking, beating and mixing of different ingredients in separate bowls. Certainly not something that one should attempt to do when time is of the essence. I started baking at around 9.30pm and did not finish till about 1 am. I took the picture this morning after refrigerating the cake overnight to let it set. There's a distinct taste of coconut in the cake, and the lemon curd balances it very well. For those who love coconut, you will appreciate this recipe. Apart from the laborious baking process, there really isn't that much to be said about the recipe. However the lemon curd is delicious and goes really well with simple butter cakes. This is as much I will recommend. Here's the full recipe if you are interested to try it out.

Cake recipe:

6 large eggs (separate the yolk from the egg whites)

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

170gm of unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 3/4 cups of castor sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

60ml of coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar

1. Pre-heat oven to 170 deg C. Butter and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl. beat butter with an electric mixer until soft, and gradually add 1 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat the mixture till light and fluffy. Add egg yolk slowly and beat well.

4. Combine the flour mixture with the butter mixture, to form a smooth cake batter.

5. Add vanilla extract to the cake batter and mix till combined.

6. In another bowl, whilst together buttermilk and coconut cream. Add the coconut cream mixture to cake batter and mix well. Set aside.

7. In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating till soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat the mixture till stiff peaks form.

8. Fold the white peaks into the cake batter until combined (taking care not to over-mix)

9. Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for about 1 hour (note: I used Yan Mum's little oven. Time to bake differs between ovens) or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

10. Let cakes cool on wire rack.

Lemon Curd:

3 large eggs

1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon of finely shredded lemon zest

3/4 cup of castor sugar

56gm of unsalted butter (cut into cubes, leave at room temperature)

1. Whisk together eggs, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl over simmering water until the mixture thickens (approx. 10 min).

2. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter cubes until melted.

3. Add lemon zest and let cool before refrigerating the mixture.

Frosting:

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups of castor sugar

1/4 cup of cold water

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk egg whites, sugar, water and corn syrup in a bowl over simmering water, for about 3 minutes on low speed until the icing is shiny with soft peaks.

2. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and continue beating on high speed until the frosting becomes thick.

Garnish:

2 cups of shredded or flaked coconut

1. Cut each cake in half horizontally.

2. Spread lemon curd generously on the cake layer, and sprinkle with coconut flakes. Stack the next layer and continue to work on the cake layers the same way.

3. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting prepared, and sprinkle with coconut flakes.

4. Refrigerate.

Banana Bread

2008-10-03T18:25:00.008+08:00

Quick and easy recipe where no fancy mixer is required is what I like doing most. I made this bread in between cooking green curry chicken and monitoring the stock market today. Preparation time was a mere 15 minutes. All one needs is a large bowl (where dry and wet ingredients are combined), a fork (to lightly beat the eggs) and a wooden spatula (to fold the wet mixture with the dry ingredients). Baking time is about 60 minutes at 180 deg C (using Yan's Mum's retro-style oven again). It's that simple. The bread turned out quite all right (although not of the quality that I am proud to share it with anyone). It still needs some tinkering.

Carrot Cake

2008-10-01T14:53:00.015+08:00

Yan's Mum's cute little 80s retro-style oven remains functional despite its old age. Instead of staying underutilized in her store room, I've decided to put it to good use, and tested my friend's carrot cake recipe today. Thus, killing two birds with one stone. It's a super easy recipe to handle, even for novice bakers. Just mix all ingredients in the same bowl and shove it into a pre-heated 180 deg C oven to bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (note: baking time differs with different ovens, so you should always monitor the baking process, if you are using your oven for the first time for any recipe). The cake is fluffy in texture, not sweet and tasted healthy (as the recipe uses vegetable oil and has a low sugar content). I have omitted the frosting this time due to time constraint and lack of an electric mixer (as my KitchenAid is packed away at a rented storage place now).

Here's the recipe (adapted from Marina Ismail's carrot cake recipe):

Ingredients

4 eggs (beat on medium speed for about 1 min to mix)

2 cups of grated carrots

3 cups of plain flour

1 cup of walnut (coarsely chopped)

1 cup of canned pineapple (diced)

1 1/3 cups of castor sugar

1 1/2 cups of olive oil

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Method

1. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg C. Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add baking powder

3. Add all ingredients into the bowl, except for eggs and walnut.

4. Fold beaten eggs into the mixture until incorporated

5. Add chopped walnut, and mix well.

6. Pour mixture into the cake pan

7. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean

Peng Lai Ge Taiwanese Local Treats

2008-09-21T21:58:00.007+08:00

A variety of local taiwanese treats and snacks on its menu

Media coverage of the restaurant

A modest frontage

Fancy eating stinky toufu? Ever thought you could find it in Singapore? We stumbled upon this restaurant today while driving through Joo Chiat Road. The smell of stinky toufu readily greets you as you enter the premises. Make no mistake, this place serves authentic Taiwanese treats and snacks. I am familiar with this smell, but had never tried stinky toufu before. There are several places in Hong Kong (where I had lived for four years) where stinky toufu smell permeates the entire street. I plucked up the courage today to try it. Believe or not, I loved it!

Pan Pizza

2008-09-21T00:15:00.005+08:00

Based on some feedback, it looks like there are people who prefer thick pizza crust to thin and crispy ones. There's a reason for Pizza Hut's longevity, I figured. So today, I've made some pan pizzas for comparison. I replaced plain flour with bread flour for a higher gluten content (to give the crust a chewy and softer texture), and jiggled the proportions of the ingredients slightly. Pretty good results. See below pictures.

Hawaiian Pan Pizza

My New Pizza Cutter

Close-Up Shot of Vegetarian Pan Pizza

The Pump Room

2008-09-20T16:43:00.012+08:00

Microbrewery seems to be gaining popularity in Singapore. With brisk business seen at Brewerkz and the Red Dot Brewhouse, it's only natural that more people will attempt to copy the business model. Microbreweries may, in time, be spawning out of control. The Pump Room is a new establishment, offering own-brewed beers, and bistro food. Unlike Brewerkz which is situated smack in a touristy Clark Quay area, and the Red Dot Brewhouse that perches on Dempsey Hill, the Pump Room seems to target at shoppers at the Great World City mall during day time, and yuppies living in the River Valley area during night time (or at least this is my conjecture). So it's not difficult to understand why the Pump Room is a bistro for most part of the day, and a pub with live music after 9pm. Having exhausted all options for lunch today, Yan and I decided to give the Pump Room a try. After all, it's a sweltering day, having lunch in a comfortable air-conditioned place just seemed a natural choice. Yan ordered their speciality burger meal while I went for Linguine Vongole (oh, how predictable!). A meal here would not be complete without the Pump Room's own-brewed beers. We liked it. Prices were reasonable. We will be back again.

Light Shafts

2008-09-20T16:13:00.011+08:00

Internal plastering has begun, and the project is nearing 60% completion. Skylights have now been put in place to allow sunlight to penetrate from the top of the house - a way mitigate one of the main constraints of an intermediate terrace house, being lack of openings and natural light.

"Floating" staircase is used to further allow natural light to flood the house.

A worker is seen here welding together supporting beams for the trellis on the top floor.

My New Pizza Oven

2008-09-14T21:32:00.016+08:00

Since my oven is now packed away in a rented store room at Big Orange, I've bought a new oven for Yan's place a few days ago (my temporary abode until such time our house is ready). I found this commercial pizza oven that's suitable for domestic use from a bakery machinery specialist at Ang Mo Kio Industrial Estate. It's from french-made Roller Grill. I experimented making yet another topping today - smoked salmon with feta cheese. I used a dough recipe adopted from a pizza-making video on Youtube. Ahhh...the wonders of modern technology! It was a quick and easy recipe, where yeast is added together with all other ingredients in a single step, without the need to separately activate the yeast. Compared to the basic pizza dough recipes posted earlier, this dough recipe is fuss-free. I noticed no difference in dough quality using this quick technique. Here's a step-by-step pictorial guide on making pizza topping.

Spread tomato puree on pizza sheet

Sprinkle cheese over the tomato puree

Add smoked salmon slices and feta cheese

Bake in the oven for 8 minutes (at 300 deg C)

Bon Appetit!

Egg Tarts

2008-09-14T18:22:00.009+08:00

I've longed for a good egg tart recipe, and had attempted baking chinese-style egg tarts before. However, it didn't turned out well. Today I've decided to give it another try, using a recipe from a friend. Unfortunately, this recipe is similar to the one that I have tried, i.e. heavy crust/cake-like (apologies Zaeda, this is meant as a constructive comment on your sis-in-law's recipe). I am hoping that someone will be kind enough to share with me a recipe for crispy and flaky crusted egg tart, much like those famous Portugese ones.

Pho Bo

2008-09-13T20:26:00.009+08:00

This is one of my all-time favorite food. A former colleague of mine from Vietnam taught me how to cook authentic Pho Bo. The secret to a great bowl of Pho Bo is in the broth. To allow sufficient time for the broth, I brought a combination of beef and pig bones to boil for 4 to 5 hours, added one cube of beef boullion to enhance its flavor (optional), and a small amount of cinnamon sticks, cloves and star aniseeds into the broth. Beef knuckles were added mid-stream (as a more economical substitute for beef tail). I removed the knuckles from the soup after simmering for about 2 hours, and cut them into thin slices. I added the uncooked beef steak and the knuckle slices on top of the noodles in a bowl. I then poured the hot broth over the beef and noodles. Lastly, onions, Thai basil leaves and bean sprouts were then added as condiments.

Relocation

2008-09-07T10:13:00.004+08:00

Now

Before

It's a war zone at One Balmoral. Relocation is such a chore, and my patience is running thin! This is the time of the year when I regret all my previous shopping indulgence. I don't even know where to start packing. A bit of this and that, and the place is turned upside down!

Apple Streusel Cake

2008-09-03T21:44:00.012+08:00

This is a variation of apple crumbled pie, but only more interesting. Consisting of three layers, the main layer (i.e. apples) is sandwiched between a cake layer at the bottom and hazel nut crumbles at the top. As one bites through the layers, one will experience a series of textures; crunchy at the top, soft in the middle, and firm at the bottom. For someone like Yan who never enjoy dessert, he just could not help digging into the cake. This recipe is a keeper for the family.

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

40gm cold unsalted butter (cut into cubes)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup toasted and coarsely chopped hazel nuts

1. Mix flour and cinnamon in a bowl.

2. Cut butter into the mixture with a fork or blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Stir in brown sugar and hazel nuts. Set aside.

Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

60gm unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk

2 large Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and thinly sliced)

1. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In another mixer bowl, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg and vanilla extract, and mix until incorporated.

4. Add flour, alternately with milk, and mix on medium speed until combined.

5. Spread the batter onto the bottom of the pan, smoothening the top.

6. Arrangely apple slices evenly over the batter.

7. Sprinkle with the topping.

8. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

9. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Pizza Galore

2008-09-03T20:52:00.021+08:00

They say practice makes perfect. This is what I have been trying to do - perfecting my pizza making skill. Today I've created four different types of toppings. I used Yan's dough to make 2 pizzas, and made another 2 pizza from a different dough recipe (that requires no oil). See recipe below.

Thin and Crusty Pizza Dough Recipe (No Oil)

1 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3/4 lukewarm water

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine dry yeast, sugar and water. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

2. Combine flour and salt in a mixer bowl.

3. Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until smooth

4. Sprinkle the worktop with flour. Knead dough for 2-3 minutes until a firm ball is formed.

5. Let dough sit for 2-3 hours. Dough is ready when it has risen to twice its size.

6. Rolled the dough into thin sheets.

7. Lightly oil pizza pan before placing pizza sheet on it.

8. Apply tomato puree, followed by cheese and add topping of choice.

9. Bake on the highest rack for about 10-minutes.

Original dough size

Dough doubled in size after 2-3 hours

Heng Hwa Cuisine

2008-08-30T20:12:00.011+08:00

Heng Hwa is a minority dialect group in Singapore. Unlike popular cantonese cuisine, one can count Heng Hwa restaurants in one hand. There are two such restaurants well known in Singapore - Pu Tien at Kitchener Road (which is frequented by businessmen, artists and politicians and is therefore more up-market) and Ming Chung at 67 Maude Street. Housed in an old shop lot along Maude Road, Ming Chung retains the charm of old Singapore. Its an old-styled restaurant, with traditional open-fire kitchen. There is no pretense, no gimmick. People come here just for the food. A short queue is seen on the evenings on Fridays and weekends, but fortunately turnaround time is fast and customers are encouraged to share tables.

A must-try on its menu is stir-fried fresh clams. For me, this dish goes very well with beer. Other popular dishes include deep-fried batter prawns and Heng Hwa Lor Mee as shown below. These are the three most common dishes seen at every table. Food is overall good if one does not mind the old Asian management style and is willing to trade comfort with real Asian eating-out experience.

Lovely Treats

2008-08-30T01:20:00.005+08:00

Tomorrow is a symbolic day for me, marking the last time I will be stepping into the office of the offshore industry. I wanted to express my gratitude for the kindness of my office staff. Cupcakes are easy to bake and will make an indelible impression. I thought I could put my new skill to good use. They turned out quite all right, although far from bakery shop quality.

Da Mario Pizzeria

2008-08-29T21:03:00.009+08:00

Pizzeria Da Mario at 60 Robertson Quay #01-10 The Quayside. I first came to know about Da Mario Pizzeria more than a year ago. A jewish friend from NYC who came to work in Singapore introduced this place to me. He told me that Da Mario reminds him of Little Italy in Manhattan. As a single working in Singapore, Da Mario was home away from home for him. He ordered all his favorite dishes that evening, but Mario's parma ham sandwich was the most unforgettable. Delectable slices of parma ham, mingled with fresh rocket leaves, sharp cheddar cheese, and generous drops of extra virgin olive oil, sandwiched between two pizza-shaped thin and crispy bread. A great delight for the taste buds.

We have been back to this restaurant many times since. And each time we returned, Mario's patronage seemed to get larger and larger. This evening (being a Friday night), Da Mario was full and we had to take the tall table outside the restaurant. Yan ordered Mario's pizza (wanting to compare that to his home made pizza). I went for Linguine Alle Vongole, my usual choice. We topped off our order with seafood soup.

Here's an honest review of the food this evening. First, the pizza - it was average. There was a distinct lack of taste, and the cheese was sub-quality. I think Yan's pizza tasted better.

Second, the pasta alle vongole - it didn't taste as good as it looked. The taste of white wine and fresh clam, being the key flavors, was just too light for my liking. I like a sharp tangy wine taste which was not present in the dish.

Finally, the soup - it was again average. It would seem Mario's quality has dwindled in the last few times we visited this restaurant. Either that it has become increasingly commercial due to the ever growing patronage, or that Mario has lost his soul for cooking, somehow. The owner-cum-chef now employs two mainland Chinese helpers, who seemed to be taking on more and more responsibilities in the kitchen. In fact pizza-making is now the domain of one of the chinese helper. No longer a true Italian eatery.

Roofing the House

2008-08-29T17:36:00.002+08:00

Two workers were seen here putting on the metal roof. This is a shot of the third floor from the back of the house. I believe construction of our house has now surpassed the half-way point. With the roof done, the interior works can be expedited come rain or shine. My short chat with the contractor revealed that construction is slightly behind schedule. Our year-end moving in deadline remains elusive.

A worker is seen standing precariously on the wooden scaffolding built on our neighbours house. We have been rather fortunate to have pretty cooperative neighbours so far. The scaffolding had to be constructed on the neighbouring land for plastering work to be done on the sides of our house.

Cream Cheese Brownies

2008-08-24T21:15:00.055+08:00

One of my favourite baking websites is www.joyofbaking.com. I have tried many of its free online recipes, and they are mostly very good and reliable. This weekend I wanted to make use of the leftover chocolate bars from last week's cupcakes baking. Brownies came to my mind, and Ms. Jaworski's website has just the perfect recipe! It's super easy to make - brownie and cream cheese batter is separately made, and then put together, with the cream cheese layer on top of the brownie. To create a marble-like effect, drop a small amount of the brownie batter over the cream cheese surface, use a skewer and swirl it. The concoction is then ready to be baked. It's that simple! The combination of chewy cream cheese and dense chocolate fudge is absolutely heavenly. Here's the recipe (yields about 16 squares)

Brownie Layer:

1/2 cup chocolate bar

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cups caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

A pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg celcius.

2. Line a 9-by-9 inch square pan with aluminium foil.

3. Melt chocolate bar (coarsely chopped) and butter in a bowl over simmering water.

4. Remove from heat. In a mixer bowl, add caster sugar and vanilla extract to the mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with the mixture.5. Mix in all-purpose flour and salt, on medium speed, until batter is smooth and glossy.

6. Set aside 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Place the remainder into the baking pan.

Cream Cheese Layer:

250 gm cream cheese

1/3 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

7. In another mixer bowl, mix cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and smooth.

8. Add caster sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Beat the mixture on high speed until thoroughly mixed.

9. Pour the cream cheese batter over the brownie layer in the baking pan. Spoon small amount of the brownie batter set aside earlier over the cream cheese layer.10. Use a skewer to swirl without mixing the batter to create a marble-like effect.

Baking

11. Bake for 30 minutes or until the brownie begins to brown and pull away from the sides of the pan.

12. Remove from oven, and cool on a rack.

13. Refrigerate for overnight until the brownie is firm before cutting into squares.

(Photography by Yan)

Jones the Grocer

2008-08-23T17:41:00.014+08:00

Dempsey Hill is fast becoming a lifestyle area. Like many stores here, Jones the Grocer has a fairly short history thus far. Just opened in the last year or so, its reputation had already reached far and deep into the expatriate community in Singapore. I remembered visiting this place just some 6 months ago, there was little traffic then. But now, it's a bustling all-in-one bakery, delicatessen, restaurant and grocery. Its rustic decor lends a natural and fresh ambience to the place that's perfect for the theme. Almost everything cooked or served here can be purchased from the store. The store's layout is inviting, with vast open spaces and high ceiling. A cafe station is located at the centre of the store, allowing easy traffic flow. A variety of Australian treats (fudges, nougats, muffins, scones, brownies, cupcakes) lined the glass display counter around the cafe station. To add to the impromptu atmosphere, a chef was seen conducting a live cooking demonstration at one corner of the store. Dressed in a "Jones the Grocer" apron, he looked every part a celebrity chef (that reminds one of Jamie Oliver's or Curtis Stone's program). A small crowd had gathered around him as I nudged my way in to snap some pictures. Chef Chapman was offering a free lesson on cooking risotto with fresh wild mushroom and French Summer Truffles. Looked easy enough. Clearly, he had a mission - to sell the fresh truffles available in the store as well as all the accompanying condiments for the dish. It was only about 10.45 a.m., but almost every seat in the restaurant had already been taken. All three of us ordered something different from the breakfast menu. Yan went for a meaty breakfast with Australian sausage, bacon and eggs. Conscious of my weight, I opted for a plain breakfast of banana and pecan bread, served with cream spread. Yan's mum, being a vegetarian, had little choice but to go for the only vegetarian dish on the menu - focaccia served with grilled portobello mushroom and rocket leaves. The breakfast menu was decidedly Australian, just like the ambience, and almost every product sold here. Many Australians living in Singapore will find this place close to home. Some will keep coming back for nostalgic reason.

Homemade Pizza

2008-08-18T16:16:00.015+08:00

We were very productive and creative last Sunday. Yan and I had decided to try our hands on some new recipes - Yan with his pizza making, while I had sort of promised a friend that I would make cupcakes using her recipe. It has been some months ago since I last used the kitchen, and before we move out of this place, I thought we should put it to good use for the last few times. After all, we did spend some effort renovating the kitchen. It was surreal - Yan and I in the kitchen, each doing our own thing, with Nadal battling against Gonzales in the Olympics' tennis final match (on TV) in the background. I must say Yan has some hidden talent in dough kneading. It was almost effortless, and the pizza turned out much better than expected. We did not wait for 9 hours for the dough to rise as recommended in the recipe. Yan went with his gut feel, and the pizza sheet baked to almost crispy perfection nonetheless. That evening, we had pizza for dinner, and cupcakes as dessert. Life can be simple.

Recipe for the thin & crispy pizza:
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

3/4 cup of slight warm water

3 1/2 teaspoons of vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

1. Pour 75% of the water and all of the oil into an electric mixer bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix the yeast with the remaining water and set aside for 5 minutes.

3. Add flour, sugar, salt and the yeast mixture into the electric mixer bowl.

4. Mix on slow speed for 10 minutes to form a dough

5. Then mix the dough thoroughly on medium speed for another 30 minutes

6. Place the dough on a work surface, and knead the mixture into a stiff dough ball

7. Place the dough into a large bowl and sealed with a cling wrap

8. Allow the dough to rise for at least 9 hours at room temperature

9. The dough is ready to be rolled into thin sheets.

10. Place thin sheeted dough over a lightly oiled pizza pan, press into place and dock.

11. Trim off the excess dough draping over the side of the pan

12. Apply tomato puree, desired toppings and shredded cheese

13. Bake in a pre-heated 475 deg F oven for approx. 10 minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp

Cupcakes

2008-08-17T19:56:00.021+08:00

My first attempt at making cupcakes. Admittedly, I have been somewhat late in the cupcakes craze. Inspired by photos posted by friends on facebook recently, I started doing some research on the internet about cupcakes creation, and stumbled upon a website www.ilovecuppacakes.com with truly creative and inspiring designs. Just like doughnuts, cupcakes can be a versatile base for many wonderful designs and toppings. I decided to ask for a tried-and-tested recipe from a homemaker friend in KL, who has been baking cupcakes for sale from home. The recipe was simply marvelous and easy to make. It took less than an hour from start to finish. I created my own toppings using dark chocolate mixed with butter, and melted them in a pan over simmering water. I adjusted the consistency of the chocolate mixture by slowly adding corn flour and constantly stirring it. Once the cupcakes are cooled, one can pour the chocolate mixture over the cupcakes. It will glide easily over the surface, and takes a mere few minutes to cool and set. Thereafter, one can garnish the cupcakes in a variety of ways. Here, I added grated white chocolates over the chocolate toppings for color and texture.

Here's the recipe for the cupcakes (courtesy of my friend, Rozaida):

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of caster sugar

1 cup of butter (softened at room temperature)

4 large eggs

1 cup of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers

2. Combine all dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

3. Cream butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth

4. Add sugar gradually and beat for 3 minutes

5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition

6. Add milk in 3 parts, alternating with dry ingredients

7. Spoon batter into cupcake liner to about 3/4 full

8. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 deg F

9. Cool cupcakes in the tin for 15 minutes

10. Remove from tin and cool on wire rack before icing

Reaching 40% Completion

2008-08-16T23:08:00.007+08:00

It has been been almost 5 months, and the 4th progress claim has just been received. Work has progressed relatively smoothly and on time, with minor glitches. Today is one of our usual Saturday inspection day. These three welders were working on the glass panel clamping for the stairs. The steel cutting generates sparks which looked like fireworks. I just couldn't help taking this picture.

Bargain Hunting at 25 Tagore Lane

2008-08-16T22:46:00.007+08:00

The sign board at the basement carpark lift of the Singapore GoDown building at 25 Tagore Lane says, " Warehouse Sale". We obligingly took the lift up to the third floor, followed the arrow that led us to a nondescript warehouse full with crockery. It was about noon, and there was already a long line at the cashier as we entered the store. On closer inspection, all the goods were made in Indonesia. There was a white minimalist collection on display, branded "Verdi", which must have been intended for export to Europe. There were also those with painted designs which looked like designer stuff. Prices ranged from as low as S$1 (for designer breakfast bowl or mug) to S$12 (for large pasta plate), which would have easily cost 5 times more in a retail store. What a steal! This is why this place is very popular with home makers and bargain hunters in Singapore. Many expatriates have come to know this place, religiously returning for more goods, and even introducing it to many of their visiting friends from abroad. This warehouse has been around for many years, and yet it remains one of Singapore shoppers' best kept secret! Definitively worth a visit if you are looking to fill up your kitchen with reasonably priced but good-looking crockery and you are thinking of Ikea as an option.

An Alternative Seafood Restaurant

2008-08-15T21:38:00.011+08:00

"Red House" seafood restaurant that nestled in a quiet corner at River Place quayside is a good alternative to Jumbo, Long Beach and No-Sign-Board restaurants. It is spacious, with vast walkway along the quay, and an expansive alfresco dining area.

Overlooking the Singapore River that flows through River Place, Red House offers a comfortable retreat away from the hustle bustle of city, and the too-often-crowded-and-"touristy" seafood restaurants in Singapore. Its Chinese retro-style interior, with its trademark red lantern, is reminiscent of old China-only that it offers Singapore cuisines. So we ordered Singapore's iconic dish - Chili Crab - to test the authenticity level of the food served here. After about a 30-minutes wait, out came a medium-sized Sri Lankan crab half immersed in thick Singapore Chili Crab sauce. It looked wonderfully authentic, and it tasted surprisingly good. Most importantly, it was fresh! Brownie points there. Next came one of the restaurant's signature dish -pan-seared toufu-it was again commendable. Lastly, we top off our dinner meal with my favorite fried rice with salted fish and chicken cubes. As simple a dish as this may be, it's a true test of a chef's culinary skill. One can tell if it is a good bowl of fried rice simply by examining the rice grains. If they appeared lumpy and sticked together after frying, it is not well cooked. I was pleased with what we were served with - a bowl of rice perfectly fried, with each grain of rice distinctly separable and identifiable.

Home Cooked Pork Chop Ramen

2008-08-11T23:15:00.007+08:00

Inspired by our frequent dinner rendezvous at our favourite Japanese noodles hut at Ken's, Yan has decided to make his own ramen at home. This picture (taken today) looks pretty impressive. The miso soup base was made from miso paste purchased from a specialist Japanese section of Jason's supermarket. The noodles were not exactly Japanese but Korean ramen. Just the picture alone is enough to make me salivate. It must have tasted just like Ken's. I will have to wait till this weekend to find out, because Yan is cooking again!

Zeng Fu Cai

2008-07-25T10:29:00.009+08:00

"Steamboat" or "hotpot" is a popular Chinese cuisine in Singapore. Zheng Fu Cai at 100 Beach Road, #01-41 Shaw Tower, claims to serve authentic Chongqing hotpot. This was our first visit and it did not disappoint.

Although we don't exactly fancy steamboat, the restaurant's comfortable air-conditioned and clean environment was a draw. The huge sign at its door that says "all-you-can-eat at only S$17.80 per pax" was enough to tempt you as you walk past the restaurant in a humid and busy day. Choices were varied and quality was good compared to many other similar "steamboat" eateries around the beach road areas. The place serves three types of soups - herbal broth, spicy broth and chicken broth. Herbal broth and chicken broth filled each side of our pot. We ate to our hearts content that evening.

Shutters Restaurant

2008-07-11T21:43:00.009+08:00

Shutters at Amara Santuary Resort, Sentosa, serves fusion food, in a modern resort setting, much like everything else in the resort. This was where we had all our 3-course lunches during the 3-day management retreat. Servings came in tiny portions that left our stomachs yearning for more food after each meal. Main course was either fish or chicken, for every meal. I had fish, fish and chicken in that order.

On the first day, appetizer consisted of one (yes, one) pan-seared scallop served with chinese-style garlic and onion sauce, one oyster tempura, and preserved papaya, served on a rectangular porcelain tile.

Put simply, it was simple food decorated elaborately. Can't fool a gourmet like me, though. I was hardly impressed. I had cod fish for my main course. Apart from its freshness, there was nothing special about the chinese-style fermented bean sauce that came with it. Lunch on the second day was equally dismal. The snapper tasted healthy, but the creamy mushroom sauce was such a mismatch.

Appetizer was miserably simple, with just one prawn in tartar sauce served in a small piece of lettuce, accompanied by a sweet serving of cooked raspberry. Chocolate mouse cake as dessert was far too easy. Nothing to shout about.

Amara Sanctuary Resort, Sentosa Island

2008-06-29T23:19:00.012+08:00

This is my 1st management retreat but the company's 2nd at Sentosa Island. The rest of the management team had their inaugural retreat in January this year. Amara Sanctuary Resort is a fairly new establishment in the Island, about 1 year old. It has a modern resort theme, with tall glass panels, wood paneled walls, marble floored staircase that rises majestically across a double volume space, luscious wool carpet in the conference rooms, earth-toned marble flooring in the bathrooms and simple modern lines. Amara Sanctuary Resort is perched on a hill slope, just off the Sentosa Gateway, facing the World Resort theme park, and across Vivocity. I like this wooden door, with hazel nut colored laminate wood, and mirror-finished door handle. One can see Nigel and Glen's reflections on them. The resort has a relaxed outdoor, covered by a luscious blanket of tropical flora and fauna. I managed to catch a glimpse of a few peacocks in the vicinity before the sun set. These birds are the mascots for the resort. They are so used to having humans around them that they were oblivious to my photo taking. The reception lobby and its hotel rooms are in a separate building, away from the conference rooms and ballrooms. We had to shuttle between the two buildings every day. It is considered a boutique-style resort hotel with limited number of rooms. Occupancy during the last weekend was all right, but not full. Many of my colleagues believe that this hotel will face tough competition from the neighbouring world resort hotel and theme parks when they open in 2010. But until that day comes, Amara Santuary Resort is still a pretty good choice for a weekend getaway from the bustling Singapore CBD.

The hotel rooms are standard-looking 5-star quality. The white sheets are comfortable enough for my liking - soft, smooth, and not cutting into my delicate flesh. Generous use of wood panelling in the room, with natural materials throughout.

Modern Terrace

2008-06-25T21:20:00.011+08:00

This re-built intermediate terrace along Watten Road looked like a Semi-D. The owner is an architect in his 40s, and he designed this house. The old dwelling was a traditional inter-terrace that was torn down to make way for this swanky modern minimalist house. Yan and I took a peep at the house the other day when we drove past Watten Estate. We were rather impressed with the effect; it's basically an illusion of a Semi-D. To circumvent the constraints of an inter-terrace house, the owner-architect had cleverly positioned the void areas to create an opening on one side of the house that's linked to the neighbouring unit.

Using this trick, the inter-terrace now has a 3-sided opening, much like a Semi-D. The drawback of such a design is a reduction in usable floor area. Overall, this is an innovative design. Something that I have not seen being done on an intermediate terrace before.

Food and Everlasting Music

2008-06-22T10:11:00.036+08:00

21 June 2008: I had a fantastic birthday. Set lunch at Au Petite Salut at Dempsey Hill, followed by a treat to a one-night only "Air Supply" concert in the evening.

Like many other restaurants at Dempsey Hill, the locality of this restaurant is a sure business head-start. Housed within a modern resort-style bungalow, Au Petite Salut @ Dempsey offers value-for-money French cuisine in a perfect rustic setting. The interior decor is simple but well executed. Its alfresco dining section is inviting. Two glasses of house red wine, and a 3-course meal for two set us back by only S$115 (inclusive of GST and service charges). We were pleasantly surprised.

Food quality here is not bad considering the price tag and ambience. Of course, one cannot compare it to Michelin-star fine dining, but the experience was well worth it. For appetizers, we chose garlic infused grilled escargo, and pan-seared beef slices topped with tuna spread and rocket leaves. They were as delicious as the pictures shown here.

For the main course, we ordered grilled steak served with french fries. The steak was grilled to perfection, very tender and flavor-full.

As for dessert, I ordered creme brulee (a safe choice), while Yan went for the fruit salad. The home-made tangy raspberry ice-cream really packed a punch. A casual lunch crowd. No pompous atmosphere. Every table, both indoor and outdoor was filled throughout lunch hours. Thumbs up for Au Petite Salut@Dempsey.

I was rather apprehensive about attending the "Air Supply" concert initially. Yan had been conditioning my mind for weeks on this prospect. I was worried of being the only "younger" fan. But the concert turned out to be such a surprise in so many ways. Contrary to my belief, there was a good mix of audience, with more than half born in the 80s and 90s, long after most of the Air Supply hits were released.

And it was the younger crowd that sang along and dance to the songs. I was amazed at Russell's flawless live performance given his age. His voice was as solid as his recordings. He belted out those high-pitched songs with such ease as if he has never aged. I learned at the concert that the pair had been together for 33 years, and they are still actively singing together and composing songs for each other. There was an abundant of chemistry and brotherhood between the two.

Russell amazed me with his rendition of "the Power of Love". He is probably the only male recording artist that can pull off a song that was obviously written for a female vocalist. Both of these two grandfathers looked great on stage. Song after song, with powerful vocals and great control. We also learned that Graham is a left-hand guitarist. It was fun watching the two veteran singer-songwriters living out their passion till their old age. That thought alone was inspiring. The concert ended with "All out of Love", the one song that I had been waiting for the entire evening.

It must have been the same for others. What a perfect end to a wonderful evening.

Valentino

2008-06-20T14:27:00.013+08:00

Original Italian cuisine in an authentic Italian setting, minus the gimmicks. This is perhaps the reason why Valentino is perennially full, and walk-in dining is an impossibility. Valentino is owned and run by an Italian chef who settled in Singapore a few years ago. On the walls of this restaurant are photos of his family - his Singaporean wife and their child - a clue to how and why he had ended up cooking in Singapore. It's an interesting place. Located within an old shophouse off Rifle Range Road, it could have been easily missed and dismissed. But despite its locality, Valentino has an enviable reputation as one of the best Italian dining place in town. Its cozy interior decor and ambience evokes memories of little Italy. Home made pasta, top quality olive oil and fresh ingredients.

As a starter, we each ordered a bowl of seafood soup. It was thick in seafood flavor with a well-balanced tinge of tomato taste, and an abundance of fresh seafood in it.

For the main course, I would typically go for spaggetti vongole, and this was what I ordered in my first visit to Valentino. The serving was generous with clams.

The Smoked Salmon Salad was refreshing and tasty.

"Tropical Bird" By Chef C

2008-06-18T03:18:00.007+08:00

This was completed more than a year ago. It was an experimental exercise. I was attempting cubist-style painting. I started with colors in mind, based largely on the limited range I had on hand, and moved from there. The result was a combination of free form and cubist. Somewhat odd, I must admit. Since this initial experiment, I had attempted another piece titled "Mother and Child", which now sit unfinished in our study room at One Balmoral. It is a portrait-style oil painting based on a cover of a book in my collection. Yan has said it is a horrifying image because the child looked still-born. Perhaps that is why I have left it unfinished. I may revitalize the project one day, but until that day comes, it will remain an unfinished piece of work. Painting requires inspiration, and inspiration does not come often enough for me, especially in busy working days like now.

A Crude Awakening

2008-06-17T10:47:00.015+08:00

We screened this eco-film at lunch break last week. It is a startling film looking at the phenomenon of Peak Oil - a point where oil production starts to decline. This film has been described as one of the most important documentary to date. It has received numerous awards in the film industry as well as invitations to screen in more than 30 film festivals worldwide. The topic is timely and very relevant to our company's strategy. In fact, it is timely for anyone who cares about our future generation.

Energy is a critical, if not the most critical issue, faced by mankind today. If we take away everything around us in our modern world, from food to manufacturing to transport, there is hardly anything left. Our cities have been designed and built around an almost never ending supply of oil. If you think oil at US$135 per barrel is crazy, think again.

I encourage everyone to watch this film. You'll have a crude awakening and it is better to realize it now. Some has described this film as another "Inconvenient Truth", but I think the materials here are compelling, underpinned by strong academic references and researches. If you are interested in watching this film (which you should if you care about the future of mankind), do drop me a note here.

Construction in Progress

2008-06-16T17:22:00.011+08:00

This is a picture of ground beam work in progress (taken a month ago). Sub-structure work had now been completed, and the contractor is moving ahead with super-structure work. A catch-up program will be needed, given the delays in the last 2 months due to incessant rain. I understand that once the second floor slab is erected, work will be expedited. No alarm has been sounded yet, so I am still optimistic about the original schedule. So far so good with the project management of JY International. It is still early days but their conduct has so far been professional, and this gives us the much needed confidence to stay away from micro-managing the project. While it is completely understandable why many home-owners tend to do that, it can be extremely draining on your every day life. We are (or at least I am) trying hard to avoid this behaviour. This picture was taken last week by our architect, showing the preparation of formwork and scaffolding for the construction of the second floor slab. The house looks smaller from this angle, with all the steel scaffoldings and planks. I just hope that this is the case, or we will be rather disappointed. There is always the risk that the final product can be very different from the plans on the drawing board. A risk we have to take.

Hong Kong Street Restaurant

2008-06-15T23:04:00.011+08:00

Many "Tze Char" restaurants bearing the name "Hong Kong Street" have mushroomed in the last few years in Singapore.

"Tze Char" is a Hokkien dialect, loosely stands for "Chinese-style cooking using the wok". Tze Char is particularly popular amongst local Singaporeans, and occasionally the discerning westerners. Take this Hong Kong Street restaurant at Bukit Merah Lane 1. It has probably about 30 tables, all full to the brim, at every opening hour. I would not be surprised if the owners of these restaurants actually make more money in a year compared to an SGX listed company.

It is famous for many signature dishes - fish head soup with noodles (as shown here), fried chicken wings marinated in prawn paste, steamed herbal chicken, and deep fried giant doughnut yam cake with sinful fillings (colloquially known as "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall"), just to name a few. It makes a pretty intense meal, I must say. Not something that you could have too many of, especially when you are watching your waistline.

Xu BeiHong - Master of Contemporary Chinese Arts

2008-06-15T17:15:00.051+08:00

My interest in Chinese contemporary arts started when I first laid eyes on a painting in Yan's dining room more than 8 years ago. According to his mum, the painting was commissioned by his family. The artist was from mainland China who had come to Singapore to exhibit his works. It was a rare opportunity, and Yan's parents were fortunate to be able to convince him to paint for them. The painting depicts imperial concubines in beautiful royal robes riding on horses and playing polo.

I was told polo was an official pastime amongst royal families in feudal China. I was captivated by the elegance of each stroke on the painting. I paint at times, but I would have never been able to do something like that. Ever since, I have been paying keen attention on the difference between Chinese and Western works. I do like certain types of oil paintings, but Chinese works resonate more at this stage in my artistic journey. So when a Xu BeiHong private collection arrived in Singapore recently, it was a real treat.

Xu BeiHong (1895-1953), had received both Chinese and Western training during his lifetime. He was well travelled, and had spent a fair bit of time in France and Germany, learning and mastering Western arts. Xu is famous for both his oil paintings and Chinese paintings, but it was the images of his heroic horses that he is best known for.The exhibition at the Singapore Arts Muzeum carries a wide variety of Xu's works, ranging from charcoal sketches, portraits in oil painting, as well as Chinese-style paintings. The works shown cover mostly his times in Singapore, Malaysia and India; stops he made when he was travelling extensively to the West. It is an impressive collection, reflecting his observations and understanding of the cultures he visited. There were also several of his handwritten letters to his long time friend in Penang on display. These writings are highly precious, for they are proof of a man who was a genuinely passionate artist, interested only in artistic freedom and excellence, not wealth or fame.

One of Xu's "Drinking Horses" is shown below.

Two drinking horses watched over by a third horse. Its manes are upright, showing it is in alert.

The pictures here were all taken using my Iphone, and edited for sharpness using Iphoto. The results are not bad considering it was ad hoc stealth photography.

The "Preying Mantis" is an interesting piece for me. How lively and refine the strokes are in conveying the action of "preying". The color choice for the mantis, using sharp strokes, in contrast to a fading background of leaves using broader and diffusing strokes, is an excellent technique, as far as I am concerned.

Long Beach @ Dempsey Hill

2008-06-14T21:40:00.011+08:00

We celebrated Father's Day at Long Beach Seafood @ Dempsey Hill. This is the latest Long Beach outlet that is near est to Orchard Road. Opened less than a year ago, it is already seeing brisk business. This place is undoubtedly more upmarket compared to other Long Beach outlets and seafood restaurants in Singapore, due to its unique setting, perched on elevated ground at Dempsey Hill, overlooking the greenery and Holland Road, and housed in a fully renovated army barrack. But this also means a meal here would not be light on your pocket. Dishes are priced at a premium, and despite this, it is virtually impossible to get a table unless reservation is made at least one day in advance. Beside local seafood lovers, bus loads of tourists are also often seen here. The great advantage here is that there is a ample parking space.

This Long Beach outlet serves the same old Singapore signature dishes. Today, we chose the Father's Day menu for 4 persons, consisting of chilly crab, steamed bamboo clam, grilled fresh scallop with cheese & butter, and glutinous rice. We topped it up with an ala carte order of braised Ee Fu noodle with Japanese mushrooms. The bill totalled S$300. Food quality here was just average, but the unique setting of the restaurant more than made up for that. An overall pleasant dining experience with my father, Yan and Oon Hoh.

Iggy's

2008-06-14T06:18:00.008+08:00

I was told one of the must-try fine dining places for special occasions in town is Iggy's at the Regent. Yan's birthday this year was one such special occasion. I made my reservation one week in advance. I wanted to have the best seat in the restaurant, where both of us could have our own cozy corner, away from the pretentious crowd. We were only interested in the much talked about degustation menu. For the price, I was expecting an ostentascious setting and an elaborate service. But that was not the case. Iggy's place is nothing more than a small eating place slightly larger than a Japanese noodle bar. It sure boasts a very equipped kitchen, with quite a few chefs, but I was expecting more. At about S$250 per pax for a 5 course meal, I felt it was overpriced. Yes, the food is Michelin standard, but overall our dining experience fell far short of a 5-star. The only saving grace was perhaps the extra effort taken by one of its staff who noted that it was a birthday celebration. So, Yan and I were pleasantly surprised to find a catered dining menu with Yan's birthday details printed on it, as well as a on-the-house birthday cupcake. So, it ended well.

Prime Society

2008-06-14T05:43:00.005+08:00

An upmarket Jack's Place in Singapore, that's how

I would describe this restaurant at Dempsey Hill.

Prime Society claims to serve premium cuts, and with some gimmicks, fancy designer lamps, and an excellent ambience, it tries to justify its above-average prices. Given the limited selection of western restaurants, and the limited chill-out locations in Singapore, Prime Society still provide some value in that sense. Admittedly, from the ambience perspective, it scores high. This restaurant is housed in one of the old military colonial establishment at Dempsey Hill, that had been extensively renovated.

A place where the old blends with the new, Prime Society provide a perfect rustic setting for dinner. That is if one is not particular about his food, one may just be able to overlook the fact that this is a place where American-styled barbeque is packaged and priced as fine dining.

Little Taipei in the Lion City

2008-06-14T00:36:00.014+08:00

This restaurant at Purvis Street bears the same auspicious name as my father's shop - Lai Lai. It means "Come, Come", literally in Chinese. Straight to the point. Beside the ingenuity of the name, the food is as authentic as one could get in Singapore. It reminds me of little Taipei as I stepped in and browsed through the menu. Stewed specialities in small dishes and iced bubble tea....

We went straight to the familiar dishes - stewed beef tendon, stewed pig intestines, stewed pork knuckles, and stewed pork cubes - and we were instantly transported to Taipei! Every dish was a delight, flavor-rich and aroma-rich. One could finish a whole pot of rice without knowing. The beef tendon was so thoroughly stewed that as I sank my teeth into it, I could feel the tendon melting away. The pork knuckles served here was also unlike any other Singapore-style cooking. No sweet black sauce. It's cooked in authentic Taiwanese style. Simply delicious.

Soba Master

2008-06-13T18:30:00.011+08:00

Shimbashi Soba at Paragon has been around for a few years now. It remains popular, and has a consistent following. There are a number of reasons for this - the reasonable prices, for instance a bento set here costs about S$25; the short time from order to serving; a healthy menu, which is a common reason for Japanese meals; and the central location of the restaurant, being smack in the traffic flow at the basement of Paragon. But for me, it's the psychological pull - they make fresh Soba in the restaurant every day. A trained Soba master displaying his soba-making skills, live in front of the passing traffic, is an instant draw to the restaurant. Whether or not they will be attracted to try the Soba is just a matter of time. I am a good testimony. Although I have seen the soba master doing his trick many times before, I am still drawn to the window every time I walk past. And each time I do so, the same question will run through my mind, "What does one have to give up to be a Soba master like him?"

An Oasis Amidst a Concrete Jungle

2008-06-08T08:05:00.007+08:00

It was nice to meet old friends. More so when we just recently shared a traumatic work experience together. This gathering of former colleagues was in a sense a "detox" session. The location could not have been better - an oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle!

Cynthia, our former boss, had just moved into her new home at Pandan Valley. It is a sprawling 6000 sft penthouse, with an alfresco space at the roof top. I knew I could trust Cynthia's taste, and it did not dissappoint at all. As one of us quipped, it's the "Indochine" of apartments. A smart selection of outdoor furniture, open space, wooden deck, rattan blinds, plants, candles and warm lighting - fused holistically to create the tropical paradise. What a perfect ambience for an intimate gathering.

The night was breezy, and we were oblivious to each passing hours. Moving from one topic to another, five hours on the roof top felt like a flash. It was nice to be able to talk uninhibited, and with no trepidation. The good and the bad things about Citi! As they say, get it out of one's system, and move on. There were 6 of us, and each of us had our many own stories to share.

It was only 6 months ago since Cynthia started the exodus. Now all of us are starting a new journey in life. Although none of us know exactly what lies in the horizon, there was a sense of peace in everyone. Despite all the difficult moments in the last few months, this does seem destined to happen for our own good. At the end of it all, it is heart warming to know that I have a group of ex-Citi colleagues that I can called friends.

I have many fond memories, and I count my blessings.

Steamy Hot

2008-06-07T11:52:00.009+08:00

Chinese New Year, 2006. Like previous years, it was steamboat for our reunion dinner. The difference is this was the first CNY celebration at One Balmoral, and the crockery was all new. Having a novelty factor in every celebration is key. It keeps the festive mood alive. There was way too much food here for four persons. As usual, we had to have another similar round of steamboat the next day, from the leftovers.

Creme Brulee and Tarts

2008-06-07T11:38:00.007+08:00

There were no ramekins in the apartment. Whisky glasses did the trick for me, and it turned out pretty well. This picture shows my creme brulee before browning. I picked up the recipe from the internet (http://www.allrecipes.com/), and it tasted just fine. It's unbelievably easy to make - takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. A rather good way to impress your guests. Like chicken rice, one can't fault a good serving of creme brulee for dessert. A safe bet when one isn't sure of how to end a wonderful dinner meal.

The same cannot be said of the egg tarts here. I can only describe this "experimental baking". As impressive as they may appear, these tarts were a dissappointment. The crust was heavy in texture, and the egg custard didn't taste right. I am still looking for a good egg tart recipe. Any recommendation?