Thursday, January 31, 2013

Red, Blue, Purple

Are apparently good colours for oxen in the year of the snake. We are also meant to avoid white and green.

hmmmm.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Hoshino Coffee, Singapore (Plaza Singapura)

*I’d also posted this on HungryGoWhere.

There had been so much media coverage about Hoshino Coffee that we decided to give it a try. The experience was, overall, disappointing.

First, the table that ordered after us was served before us - it was only when we noticed this and asked to check on our order did our first dish arrive. This is plain unacceptable, considering we had ordered similar items (the famous pancake), as well as spaghetti and coffee - which should have been served sooner than the pancake anyway.

Also, the staff got our order wrong - twice. We ticked our selections on an order list, which was confirmed by the staff member while we were still in the queue. Yet, when we were subsequently handed the order printout, it was missing our matcha softee and our double pancake was a single pancake instead. We clarified this with a staff member - who managed to rectify the softee but not the pancake order. This was finally settled on the second time we approached the staff.

That said, one particular staff member who was serving our table was very attentative. She kept offering to top up our glasses of water, cleared the dishes promptly and was very friendly. Thumbs up to her for her initiative and attitude.

Foodwise, Hoshino Cafe is good but overpriced. The friend who ordered the Hoshino Spaghetti ($14) found it good but a but a bit oily. Their cafe latte ($7.00) was small, and while it was good, it wasn't any better than other good coffee I've had. Their blended coffee ($5.80), which I didn't try, received no complaints - except for the teeny cup of milk which accompanied it. We had to ask for more milk, although the really tiny cup provided some amusement.

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For some reason, the coffees took quite long to arrive even though you wouldn't think it'd take too long to prepare. More puzzling is that our matcha softee ($5.80) took the longest to arrive - even longer than the famed pancakes which require at least 20min to prepare. The matcha taste wasn't very strong, and at that price, I certainly wouldn't recommend ordering it. Good thing that ours was redeemed due to a Stanchart promotion (1 free softee with every drink and main ordered).

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The double pancake ($12.00), made souffle style, was indeed fluffy and delicious. However, the whipped cream that came with it was a bit too salty and the serving of maple syrup was too dainty for the amount of pancake served. Luckily, the pancake batter is sweet on its own, hence we didn't need to ask for more syrup.

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Having tried the double pancake, I'm not sure what the huge fuss is. While it may be interesting that such a thick pancake still manages to be fluffy, fluffy pancakes on their own aren't too hard to achieve in your own kitchen. For that, I recommend The New Otani pancake mix, available at Mediya, Liang Court. It works like a charm for making fluffy pancakes.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Two and a half years

A chat the other day had someone ask me what made me decide to move to Belfast “out of a sudden”. And it struck me then that this move isn’t sudden at all – on the contrary, it is a whole two and a half years in the making.

I hadn’t thought about this in a long time, and I suppose I hadn’t shared it with that many people either. But there were what were to me anxious, depressing talks about “what next”, “where now from here” and “how can we get visas with nothing but experience being assistant language teachers beneath our belts”. The decision to first go our separate ways was made, but there was the knowledge – although I might not have fully admitted it to myself back then – since the day we boarded separate planes at Kansai Airport, that this Singapore-phase of my life was always going to be an sojourn; an interlude before our lives merged properly again.

I recall how it was when I just came back – with no job, severely missing Japan and full of uncertainty over what was going to happen to us. I remember the difficulties adjusting – to living with the parents again, to the crowds in Singapore, to the lower quality in the taste of food, to being so very far apart. It was painful, it was frustrating, I didn’t want to be here and I was not happy.

Yet, humans will always adjust and somehow things managed to develop their own sense of permanence. The friendships I had before Japan were renewed and some new friends were made; work, unfortunately, more or less became my life but I really got back into ballet; my ability to really appreciate good, fresh, clean flavours faded to just a memory; and I came to spend lots of time with a bunch of colleagues whose company I really enjoy.

One year flew by, and there came this ‘turning period’ where a question posed led to some thinking, which resulted in the decision that something had to be done to end this at two years. Slowly, steps were taken and plans were made – it would have been very nearly 2 years if I could have left in September as originally intended, but there was the traumatic visa application, the agonising wait, the monetary calculations and decisions stemming from desires borne of friendship and, of course, Chinese New Year. So two and a half years (and 9 days, in fact) it will be.

Looking back, things feel so different now. August 2010 is without a doubt the lowest point in my life thus far, and I hope it remains so. Also, I’m tempted to describe the time back here as “liminal” – except that it really is not, as I’ve gained a lot and things have developed. Regardless, the next phase is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, so here’s wishing for its fruition, for a good adventure and for much more happiness ahead!

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Hokkaido, July 2010. We used to take so many shadow pictures in Japan.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Four-wheeled goals

My grand plan to take intensive driving lessons while I’m unemployed has been dashed by the realisation that I will need to apply for and obtain a provisional driving licence before any school will start giving me lessons.

The process will take about two weeks, cost me £50 and I will have to surrender my passport – again, and with my visa inside this time – to the authorities handling my application >.< I just hope they won’t lose my passport, like the Embassy staff did to one of my friend’s passport.

So much for keeping myself gainfully occupied as far as possible when unemployed. In that case, I probably should purchase a copy of the highway code and start preparing for the theory test, spend lots of time looking for a proper job, take on some part-time work, and offer my services for English <—> Mandarin/Japanese translation.

On the bright side, it should all be done in two weeks and I definitely don’t expect to find a job that quickly anyway. Gargh.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Revelation

Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland (NI) has been listed as one of the top 10 destinations to visit in 2013, and I was browsing their calendar of events when I came upon this:

The Chinese community is NI’s largest and oldest minority ethnic group. Chinese immigrants arrived in the 1960s, mainly from Hong Kong, and today there are over 13,000 Chinese people - including students - living in NI.

No wonder the first few people I saw when I was in Belfast over Christmas 2010 were Chinese! I recall back then that I was all excited being the token Asian – I mean, you really wouldn’t expect Chinese to be in NI, would you – only to have that thought crushed quite promptly.

At any rate, Derry/Londonderry is also the UK’s city of culture for 2013 (that’s probably why it was on the Top 10 list) and given its proximity to Belfast I’ll be using this as an excuse for getting people to visit me!

This, by the way, is in the county – the gorgeous Mussenden Temple. Come visit!:

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On exercise

It just occurred to me that I attend ballet twice a week for 1.5 hours each time, which adds up to a total time commitment of at least 4 hours including travelling.

Hence, in theory I could easily split these 4 hours into 45 minute blocks of exercise spread over 5 days a week do head to the gym – or at the very least, I have no excuse not to exercise at least twice a week on the treadmill or elliptical or cross trainer or whatever.

Here’s to a fitter, toner, slimmer and healthier 2013. Or at least a 2013 where I don’t get any fatter than I am now!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Reminiscing Taipei

It has taken a while to occur to me that the place I have visited the most often in the course of my work is Taipei! I think I’ve actually been there 6 times, although there never was much chance to travel around. Would like to go back again some day, on a leisure trip this time.

This night market below is notable for the fact that I’ve been there twice, and isn’t one of the famous few. The only one I’ve been to more times than this is Shida Night Market, which is awesome on weekends.

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One of the more recent visits is when we were there during Taiwan’s ‘Double Tenth’ celebrations. I think this road is 建国大道, and there will be a procession on 10/10 each year.

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The most beautiful view I’ve had of Taipei so far – taken from the Taipei Zoo Metro station. I like this view even better than that from the Maokong Cable Car.

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When I was Thirteen

Was clearing some of my stuff when I unearthed a notebook containing journal entries which our Sec 1 literature teacher made us write.

It’s funny to discover that my tone hasn’t changed much since all those years ago. Granted, I was more affected and exaggerated, just like all teens are, but – if I may say so – the somewhat systematic thought progression, the dry tone and the sarcasm were all there! I actually think I was meaner then, as the scorn for things I didn’t care for or didn’t agree with was laid on fairly strongly at times, but the strength of opinion and the way I said things didn’t seem like those thoughts were written a full 14 years ago.

I suppose some things never change, and it’s a interesting reminder that I’ve been the way I am for many many years. Hopefully I’ve gotten smarter and will continue to gain in knowledge, insight and wisdom.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Looking forward and looking back

2012 was an eventful and crazy year. Things that occurred at the start of the year felt like they had happened much further back, as the days were hectic, the hours were long and there were so many things going on.

I somehow managed to have a fair number of social gatherings, trained for and took my Grade 8 exams, and made it to M&D’s wedding. I got my visa, E came to visit, and I caught sight of the pandas. There were personal and work trips to Subang, Penang, Danang/Hoi An and Taiwan. And of course, there was lots of good food.

Looking back, I can say that I have survived. December brought a wonderful breather, after all the insanity that had come before. After the stress and anxiety, my visa is in my passport and we are finally ending this long-distance thing. I’ve also managed to maintain my weight – although this may change after the repercussions of December’s feasting kicks in.

2013 will bring excitement and adventure – as well cold weather and as lots of rain. I will try to make the most of Jan to finish up my work and catch up with friends. The start of Feb will be to spend time with family while packing up my things, celebrating Chinese New Year, then heading to Belfast in the wee hours of 初三。

The year will bring the challenges of finding a job, getting used to living together and adjusting to a very different climate and city. I wonder how it will be like to have my mobility decreased due to the lack of relatively affordable taxis and an extensive public transport system – I will have to rely on my two feet, the boy’s driving (when he’s not at work) and infrequent bus services. Shopping for groceries, browsing for leisure and buying necessities will not be as convenient as it was in Japan, and now my cooking will have to be fit for two.

I will try to land a good job, learn how to drive and find somewhere I can continue with ballet classes. Otherwise, I should venture into other forms of exercise – Zumba, jazz, or just heading to the gym. With plentiful countryside, we should try to venture outdoors at least once a month or once every other week if possible. I hope we can travel a lot more, around Ireland, around the UK, and around continental Europe. I also hope that we will be prudent in our spending and keep a clean, tidy and happy home.

 
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