Friday, December 30, 2005

Pepper Lunch!


Finally!!

I heard so much about this new dining place and I finally tried it!! Situated next to Mos Burger at Ngee Ann City, contrary to its name, it does not only serve lunch!

First impression when I got there, it’s a fast food kinda service. And secondly, the person taking my order did seem to be too happy serving me!! Nonetheless, I am willing to endure the prudent humiliation for food.

Basically, you choose your food, pay for it, get a number and wait for it at your table. But the novelty comes when your server (this time a polite guy) serves the hot stone dishes and explains in detail how to eat it.

Yes, the first time in a fast food outlet where I am taught to eat!!

BE CAREFUL of the hot stone, it’s really hot (duh)!! But the management took the effort to put a piece of paper around the stone to prevent people from burning themselves. It could be because of angelic consideration or lawsuits (go figure). LOL.

Beef Pepper Rice
I chose this dish because it’s e cheapest (but still not cheap)! Luckily my dear old sister offered to treat me, knowing that I was sucked dry during the Christmas season. Haha.


Now, the instructions:
1. Mix well to cook (butter hidden inside but I cannot really taste it)
2. Mix mix mix!! (literally without too much strength)
3. After mixing it, pour the sauce of your choice (Honey Brown Sauce or Garlic Soy Sauce)
4. Mix well again (yes, again)
5. Now it’s ready

There are 3 different instructions for 3 categories. But basically you can mix and match or even opt out of it (free country okay). For those with an adversity towards salty food, dun add the sauce@!!

My advice: take your time to eat! Fucking hungry kids, dun waste your time burning your tongues and starting bawling!!

Anyway, the beef was tender with a slight peppery taste. The excessive corn surprisingly enhanced the taste of the meat and the sweetness for the rice. I added the Honey Brown Sauce and it’s like….. hm…… more salty than sweet.

Overall a very good dish.

Rating: 8/10

Hitokuchi Cut Steak
My sister chose this. From the picture below, you can see more bean sprouts than anything. But the meat was succulent and rich in taste (though the number of pieces was too pathetic) but the vegetables (especially the carrots) tasted really fresh!!


Instructions:

1. Spread special butter on meat (have no idea how special it was. Hopefully it comes from cows)
2. Quickly turn over the patty as it cooked really fast!
3. Cook the vegetables (Eh….. Forget also can eat lah. Fresher!!)
4. Pour Sauce of your choice (aforementioned)
5. Place meat over vegetables to avoid overcooking (Hm…….. we didn’t do that)
6. Enjoy (we did. Haha)

This dish is recommended if you wish to have a small meal (not filling one)!! I didn’t say that, my sister did. For those on low carbs diet, this will suit you best!

Rating: 8.5/10

Overall, a meal well eaten (I didn’t feel the pain of spending) but I hated the way the smell lingered on my polo tee!! Like I was stuck behind the cooking stove of a hawker centre!! KNS…….

Price was not that economical for the quantity served though it’s beef (not sure which part it came from). Haha. Have this meal the last for the day so that you can go straight home and bath!! And when you mix, don’t wait too long hor; the meat will stick onto e stone!!



Tuesday, December 27, 2005


Custard Apple


How many of you know what a custard apple is? Anyone of you has seen one before?? I did a mini survey and apparently, out of 5 persons, not one knows what the heck it is!!

I guess I was fortunate to live in a kampong before, plus the fact that my family was in a fruit business, resulting in ample opportunities to eat fruits with a personal favorite for the custard apples!!

However, before the 24th December this year, I had not touched even half a custard apple since 1996!


Coming back to my first question, custard apple looks like a soursop and has as many seeds as one but with a taste that is fructose sweeter!! This one (picture) I tried came from Taiwan, was in fact a hybrid between a custard apple and pineapple and you cannot get it in Singapore!! Neh Neh Neh Neh!!


I cannot describe how good it was… but I have one word to summarise it; fabulous! Okay, fabulous cannot even describe it!! It’s just so amazing!! No wonder it cost $6 a piece!! Well, you can get to taste it in Singapore (the original custard apple) but it’s half the size and cost around $2, provided you can get it. *evil grins*

Fortunately, my sister still has one last one. Apparently, her hubby was not that adventurous with food so it goes to me!!!!!!!!!!! LOL~~~~~~~~~ *prays it wun rot by the time I collected it from her place*




Saturday, December 24, 2005

Movies - Not Just Entertainment


Have anyone of you ever ponder on the true meaning of movies except for the widely accepted fact that it’s just for pure entertainment? Have you guys and gals, for a single moment; relax after the movie and think, just a simple thought, of what the movie can teach you about your life, your relationships, your environment, your world….


Take King Kong for example. A simple though exaggerated story about a humongous ape that lives for a simple love. I mean exaggerated as in who the hell can survive the constant active swaying by the big ape!! I am surprised Naomi Watts didn’t die of concussion! Haha. .

Anyway, before the 80s, this story will be considered as anthropomorphism, pure fiction, impossible! But now, new research has shown that animals like dogs and even cows are capable of human emotions. But back then, a life (albeit non homo-sapiens) was easily sacrificed due to the inability to understand the "human" emotions.

We can laugh about "Singapore" being made as a reference in the movie but do we know that in the 1930s, Singapore was widely acclaimed as an "in" city? We can laugh about how stupid King Kong was to be lured by Jack Black and how persistent he was to just get Naomi Watts back. But numerous stories where animals were so attached to human owners that they will starve without them were often reported.


Another movie was the recent Jack Neo movie "One More Chance". Yes, I heard yawns!! But well, I like his movies for the simple reason that I can relate to them still laugh about it.

The movie was about convicts. I feel for them, I can understand their anguish but who can deny the way we react when we heard that an ex-convict is applying for a job in our company? Who will also calculate that 3% of hardcore gamblers amount to roughly 120,000 countrymen?? But what we see are only figures but can anyone deny that 120,000 persons can made up one fairly small city??

Movies exist for a purpose(s): For us to know, for us to understand, for us to learn, for us to dwell deeper into the meanings behind the movie. Not for us to just leave our popcorns, drinks in the cinema and proceeding to a Karaoke session.

Next time, watch a movie and ponder, just for a second..


A Very Impt Issue!


Today I shall side track from my usual foodie reviews and dwell on the ever important issue that everyone must take note!! Basically this post should be stuck on the face of those damn f*cking drivers (me inclusive) on the road!!

Can’t you guys be a little bit more patient?!?! Im driving a Toyota Corolla DX that is like almost 30 years old, lack air-con, lack a fifth gear (80km/hr and my car will have fits) and has a f*cking (literally) new driver holding tightly to the steering wheel!?!? Disregarding the fact I am a new driver, you guys should also be more considerate on the road!!


How can you just cut into my lane when we were all in a f*cking jam and I was going across e yellow box!! What if the damn car in front just stopped and I will be stuck nowhere near!! You wun be fined but I will be! Just because I am a new driver shouldn’t make you inconsiderate drivers think:"New driver, tats all!!" F*CK k?!?!


Listen up, the driver of SDY3094E (12/12/05 at around 7 pm along Upper Thomson road) or whoever that knows this driver, please be considerate!! U want to rush home, I want to rush home too!! And I have no air-con cooling the sweat beads rushing out of my body!! You know how damn frustrated and hot I am?! In addition, I need to pee, poo and my dog is waiting for me to be fetched!! Fine! I give you the benefit of doubt! If you have better reasons than mine, I will apologise.



I came across another driver, a taxi. Yes, multiple horror stories about this group were famous and I always tot they were just a small percentage. Rest assured, I still think so. But today, this CityCab of SHB 1257M was travelling behind me along a residential estate (normally speed limit ard 60-70) and i was on the second lane driving a comfortable 60km/hr when he flashed his high beam on me! Another bastard!! And after that he honked at me! When he finally got to the first lane, he stared at me!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARgh!!!!!! I have a good mind to just email CityCab and demand an explanation. Should I or not?

I have been talking guys but I am sorrie babes, you are not to be spared either! A few months back, I was driving around Thomson Medical Centre (hospital?) when i was at a merging lane where I had the right of way when this b*tch driving a Benz cut across me! I give it a slight horn because we were near a hospital, must be considerate mah, but she BOCHUP!!! She accelerated and I had to brake and the best thing, she had such low concern for her life and others (she had a few kids in the car) that she went on to speed across the 1st lane!! And I tell u, it was considered heavy traffic there and I did admire her stupidity.

Thanks for listening to me. Driving is stressful…… when u have a non air-con, no fifth gear, 30 year old Toyota Corolla that is gonna be "put to sleep" next year.

I will post more photos of those bad drivers. Am i breaking the law? When I am merely admiring their audacity of displaying their stupid powers in threatening other lives?


Friday, December 09, 2005

New Eatery - Qun Zhong (群众)!!


Yes!! Another new eating place! My elder sister treated me this northern China cuisine at Tanjong Pagar today. Called Qunzhong, literally means mass population (I think). When I stepped into e place, I was quite appalled by how little decor they have inside. Basically, it felt bare but the whole place was fully occupied!! Eventually we had to share a table with two other guys! So you can guess how popular it is!

We ordered a total of five dishes as follows:

1) Zha Jiang Mian ("Fried" Sauce Noodles)
This dish appeared as a normal dish of thick noodles with a generous helping of the meat with sauce and a tidy sum of cucumber! Generous when compare the bowl, which was quite small by my standard. Lol. The main ingredient was of cause the sauce, which was just right, without being too salt-ish but to me; it’s the cucumber that made the noodle tasted good. Just imagine the crunchy and fresh taste of cucumber with the tasty, flowy meat sauce~~~ Can imagine or not? hehe.
 
Price at $4.00 a bowl.
Rating: 9/10

2) Guo Tie (Fried Dumplings)
When I first saw this dish, I tot it looked over fried. It was like chao tar (burnt)!! The initial bite was a bit tasteless with only the generous ginger and vinegar flavor. However the second one was much better (without my generosity). The other skin looked black, did not taste burnt and was in fact, crunchy. The ingredient comprised of more vegetables compared to other guotie I have eaten. The overall combination made u want to eat and eat and eat!! The more I ate, the more I liked this dish!!


Price: i forgot… I think $7.00 for 10.
Rating: 10/10

3) Xiao Long Bao (Small Dumplings)
This dish was often my most favorite dish in those Shanghainese and Beijing restaurants and I normally take reserved my best regard for this dish. To tell you the truth, the xiaolongbao here was really nothing…….. Yes, nothing!! I prefer crystal jade at any time~! The most important thing to eat this dish was the soup or sauce that is found within each dumpling! And the one here had a funny taste and lacked the special meat taste that all soup in xiaolongbao should have!! I was utterly disappointed with this dish though I have to admit they are not the worst I have eaten.


Price: Forgot again but i think its $7.00 for 10.
Rating: 5/10.

4) Tang Yuan (Soup Balls?) Haha.
This dish was actually quite novel since it was the first time I tried tang yuan with two different soup (do u call that soup!?!) base. One was rose and the other was guihua (also a type of flower). The best thing was that the soups dun taste sweet and was instead very thirst-quenching. The tang yuan were a bit routine (with the normal sesame paste, peanut) and small… But I have to mention that there was tang yuan with the lotus paste filling. Surprisingly there was a nut within the lotus paste (presumably walnut). Luckily I bit using my back molars instead of my fake front tooth; would definitely have broken it!!


Price: $3 per bowl.
Rating: 8/10

5) Dou Sha Guo Ping (Bean Paste Pancake)
As with xiaolongbao, I have great expectations about this dish. I tried it at yum cha and crystal jade and I love both of them!!! So, while I eagerly wait for the dish to come, with the overflowing emotions of thinking how tasty it should be, it finally arrived on my table. For one, it looked burnt. With a bite, it tasted burnt!! Thirdly, it was too expensive!! Sigh, another disappointing dish.

Price: $9.00 for a plate.
Rating: 4/10

The service was not good although the last auntie who gave us our change was very friendly and had a really nice smile. There’s one who complained to us (the customers) haughtily:"if you want to order, can order all in one go so that it’s easier for us?”

Luckily, the nice lady came last so my impression of this place was somewhat damped.. Lol. To me, i find this place a bit expensive with the lack of ambience and service (we spend $40 odd). But do try the guo tie, I love it!!!The place is at neil street!!





Saturday, November 26, 2005

Anguished Hokkien Mee

Another day spent slacking at home playing Simcity 4. Believe me, every game is lame after you have played enough of them. The game is fantastic and fabulous but the time i wasted on it can be better make use of it. Anyway, i will play again tomorrow. Lol.

Supposed to accompany my mum to visit my grandpa (mum wanted me to be the driver). Anyway, before we reached our grandpa’s place at Lee Ah Mooi old folks home, my mum decided to buy hokkien mee and rojak for my grandpa. We happily drove to Sembawang Hills Hawker Ctr. I like this place for its offering of quite good food with even better price. 

The rojak was not bad but there was only a hokkien mee stall with a grouchy, unhappy, unsmiling, stingy, impatient boss!! Please excuse my language but CCB!!! Ask him how long do i need to wait. "Ready soon" was his answer and i waited for at least 10 more minutes!! And he didn't even ask me how much i wanted and assumed it's the higher priced $3 one!! KNN!! My grandpa 80 plus years old liao, how to eat $3!?!?!? ARGH!!!!!!!!

Unhappiness loomed inside me!! I cannot stand ppl like that leh… Not nice food and yet expected me to tahan the attitude!! I WUN buy from him again. Come beat me, torture me, SM me and i wouldn't budge from this declaration!

After the visit, i decided to eat hokkien mee at this hawker centre in Ang Mo Kio, near Presbyterian High. And it's a stark contrast with the service i had!! The food was so much better, though very little prawns. $3 a plate, same as that grouchy, attitude, unsmiling, unhappy, stingy bastard althought i have to admit gave more prawns and bigger prawns. BUT NO!! I wun go back there again!

A very very very big consolation was that the hokkien mee in AMK 600 had a soup base that was really "xiang tian" and the sotong was not over cooked, exuding simply softness. I think the difference from this to many other Hokkien Mee is that of the soup base and gravy. It tasted very different, with a certain sweetness in it that made the hokkien mee very tasty.

Obviously i cleaned up the plate. Lol.


Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Craving for These Food at the Moment!

It's been quite a while~~ I was having my exams then and yes, exams ended for like a month but well.. dear old me need to relax and destress a bit… PLUS, im quite busy playing games like Age of Empires 2 (i know 3 is out but i am slow to change), Command and Conquer and Simcity 4. I still go out to eat but i have started to develop some 'breasts' so i guess it's an early indication for me to control my cravings. BUT!! I still need to have some food… Lol.

Strawberries
No kidding! It's $1.50 a punnet and they were bloody red and fucking nice!! Since they looked so nice, i "persuaded" my mum to purchase 4 punnets and boy i didn't regret it!

The scent of the strawberries were not overly pungent and added in a "bit" of sugar, they were served fabulously as an after dinner dessert! HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… I can still imagine how i feel when i ate them.. Until i ate the spoilt parts. *vomits* we finished all 4 punnets anyway.. without the spoilt parts of course.

AMK Carrot Cake
This carrot cake is one of e best i ever have and it's "cooked" by one very very friendly but forgetful owner.

Me: Uncle, one carrot cake, no chilli, black black.
Uncle: Ok, no chilli ah
Me: Yes Uncle.

*30 seconds later"

Uncle: No chilli right?
Me: Yes uncle.

*10 seconds later"

Uncle: Black black ah?
Me : Yes uncle.
Uncle: Drive here ah? Careful of traffic cops. Blah blah blah
Me: Blah blah blah.
Uncle: No chilli and black black right?
Me: Yes uncle.

*ends*

He is nice to talk to lah and have good cooking skills, so i don't mind. But since i always asked for takeaway, i have to wait. If i waited away from his stall, guarantee he will give me a pack of carrot cake with chilli or one that is white. Lol.

Anyway, his carrot cake cost only $1.50 and although super moist was filled with egg and the ever lasting smell of the black carrot cake.. Whenever i bring a pack home, my whole car smells so good i almost wanted to stop and and eat the carrot cake there and then! Lol.

Chong Pang Nasi Lemak.
Ok, this one i only like the drumsticks.. The others stuff i guess ok ok lah~ I prefer the nasi lemak below my block. The chilli is the best! lol.

The drumstick is fried to a cripsy crisp with the inside hot and juicy!  The chicken oil oozed out when you bite the drumstick. With the chilli as an accompanying condiment, u just know you have the best chicken drumstick! BEWARE, sometimes you can still see blood inside and this tends to make me stay away from it for a while, only a while..

Char Kway Teow
I just tried this with Alex in Bukit Merah. and boy boy boy, best one i ever try!! Strongly recommended with ten stars!! Only $2 with 6 cockles and cooked to perfection with its usage of crispy pork lard that enhances the taste buds to the max! I have tried alot of char kway teow and seriously, this is the best!!

I feel hungry now just thinking about it. As u can see in the before and after, i licked the plate dry except for thecockles (who wana eat all those bloody black shit inside!)

That serves all i have for today. Next week i shall throw in the dim sum buffet im going. Will tell u guys more….. Cheap, good and fucking full! I sh*t quite a few times after tat! Lol.


Saturday, September 24, 2005

Curry Favour

It's been a few weeks since i last updated my blog.. And it has been like what, one month or so, since i have food inside my blog! I guess my friends in Australia are hating it.

One commented that it made her so envious, so hungry whenever i touched on Singapore food and they can’t have it!!! But seriously, i can make sure they will get the food if they want, provided they pay for DHL. Hm… Provided the food don't chao sen. Lol

Anyway, i went to another place today for makan. Sort of a last minute thingy, my younger sister wanted to treat my elder sis, my bro in law and myself to this retaurant called Curry Favour, some Jap fusion cuisine. Apparently it is supposed to be good, ever winning a food award. No big deal though, i realised a lot of places nowadays have certificates touting their good food, good culinary skill etc in their area.

Curry Favour's decor is nothing to fantastize about, no sexual drawings, just plain with splashes of color here and there. There are two connected areas; one relaxed area like coffee bean called Moon River cafe (machiam like elves kingdom) and one that is Curry Favour. The staff service is okay but should smile more. I dunno if we are paying service charge since it's free for me!! lol.

We ordered one main dish each that comes with either salad or miso soup (there are 4) , one side dish (shared by all) and one desert. Of coz, as usual, i have a taste of everything!

Beef Stewed Curry
 (choice of Regular or Spicy)
Spicy was selected and it's like normal japanese curry althought with slightly more spice. The main thing is the tendorloin beef that goes together wif the curry. The meat was cooked to medium rare, with a tenderness to it. You can even see the redness in the meat itself!

Rating 7.5/10.

Pork Stewed Curry
(choice of Regular or Spicy)
Regular was selected this time. This dish was almost like normal Japanese curry i have eaten before. So of course i am disappointed!! I am paying a much higher price for it lor!! But it came with quite a big serving of pork, though it's like san cheng rou. My younger sis, being a fat conscious girl, like most others, didn't finish it.

Rating 6/10.

Teriyaki Chicken Don
This one i like. It's very different from outside's teriyaki chicken don. The meat was cooked to a state where the outside was dark but not yet burnt and the inside was tender, soft and moist. The extra thing in this don was the minced tamago (egg) put on top of the rice. So basically, you can only see the meat and the egg! The taste was really marvellous! After eating teriyaki chicken don for so long, this dish is really a master of all!

Rating 10/10 .

Spicy Pork Don
I tell you. This one everyone DIE DIE must try!! The pork wascrisp and the taste of e japanese sauce with a tinge of spiciness brought out the taste until it's like so heavenly!! I dunno how they do it, but everything just mixed very well and tasted marvellously!!

Rating 10/10. Would love to give more thou. Lol.

Stuffed Mushroom (Prawn and Scallop)
This one is abit overated thou it looks nice. Price is abit too high for it and the taste is ok ok lor. Cannot reli taste e scallop. I will prefer to pay abit more and order another spicy pork don thou.

Rating 5/10 .

Death of Chocolate
This is unique and tagged with a scary name. It came with a chocolate brownie, a slice of chocolate fudge cake and a scoop of ice cream. The cake was reli good, with the fudge oozing out of your mouth. Felt so blissful just eating the cake! Most importantly, it's not very sweet. The only disappointment was the hard brownie. This dessert is not suitable for one person unless you love eating!!

Rating 7/10.

That summed up my visit. I will recommend people to check out this place but do remember that it's a bit pricey. Situated at Stamford House in between the Old national library and city hall Mrt station.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Don't like Books? Too BAD!!

Terminated another book! Yes, i know i have complained to many that i am feeling stressed over my projects and also felt sick due to my heart condition, but well, books are a source of relaxation!!!! Hm... I normally stretched my day until the wee hours just to finish a book. That shows how book hungry i am!! Inevidently, i normally feel a lack of sleep after tat!! Lol. .

Anyway!! Another Jeffrey Archer book! Guys and gals, take my advice and read his books. It's really good and will make you crave for more!!

This book, Honour Among Thieves, is the 3rd book i am reading from him. And surprisingly, this book is unlike the few books i read. A bit of a fantasy and it involved public figures that both you and me will know; President Bill Clinton, ex-president of USA, and Saddam Hussein, ex-president or should i say deposed president of Iraq. Those who dunno what e fuck i am saying, please read the newspapers frequently.

Summarising without revealing too much, in case i am killed by some of my friends who are also following his books, this book narrated a plot by the then-President of Iraq to teach a lesson to the then-President of USA. 

There are two main characters; a professor on law and a Israeli Mossad agent. Like wat i said before, i found it entertaining, revealing the factual information of Iraqis and also the Kurds, plus the intelligence of Israel. It may be a bit far fetched on how the plot really comes about, with too many hints and pointers that can readily solve the mystery.

I hope i didn't reveal too much. And i hope i can finish another book tonight so that i can concentrate on projects tomorrow… Wish me luck ppl… I need a holiday.. By the way, rating for this book is 7/10

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Fruitful Week

It had been a very good last week for me.

Not just because i can be in sync with things or maybe i should say the life i like. Last Sunday, i helped out in another pet event (i get paid thou). A cat show. I like cats. Basically i like all mammals and will love to have a cat to add to my little animal family (my younger sis is called pig mother so you can imagine how many animals my family has).

Surprisingly, this is also my first cat show! I ever went to one and frankly, it's so different from a dog show! You people should just get ur butt off your house and visit a cat show! Besides the normal showing (i find that boring, sorrie, cat and dog showers), there was a competition for best crate design!! Many were so unique, so nice! I don't mind sleeping in it!! I have ever managed to squeeze into a four feet cage. Lol.

Of course, there are the cats on show. Pedigree cats!! Some look like some of you guys and gals wouldn't like and will start wif a loud Eeeeeeeeee. But most cats have a certain personality. Even if it's a cat you don't like physically, you will still be amazaed wiith a soft fluffy heart when it comes up to you and purr~

It was very fun especially when i can be in touch with the pet owners and show my expertise to them. I may not have much experience on cats but i have read extensively on them. At least it's something!! lol

Anyway, besides fulfiling the little animal in me, this week was eventful when i saw a few friends whom i haven't see in ages!! Just last sunday for the cat event, i saw my poly mate, Sarah and another ex vet assistant who is studying a vet course in Philippines, her name is also Sarah!

And i happened to meet up with a few customers i knew from the pet shop (which i quit over a yr ago). When i go for Comex in Suntec, i saw ex colleagues, Shirleena, Li May and Gordon! And i also coincidentally met a secondary school mate, Cindy who is a year my senior. And yesterday, i saw another friend, Charles, in NTU when i went there for some personal matter. He is my NS friend whom i haven seen for 2 years! Gosh, evenful eventful. But i did learn something….

A few commented i have gained weight…. Sianz…… I haven't really been bingeing recently… But nevermind, i started jogging yesterday! Six packs, COME TO ME!!!

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Have You Heard About This New Library?

Here i am finally in the national central library in Singapore; the biggest, the tallest in Singapore. No doubt i am awed by its design and really feel proud being Singaporean to have seen such a vast library in comparatively tiny Singapore, ever described as an insignificant red dot in the world map.

I am also impressed by what I saw within the building. Nice décor with spacious areas for which we are not required to walk carefully less knocking someone or something down. But yet, nothing is ever perfect.

Space is big but it doesn't relate to a big quantity of books. Loads of half empty shelves that gave a very cold feeling towards the warmth of reading. Slightly made up by some mini exhibition of some kind on every level; the family tree exhibition, the building of nation etc etc, but it just didn't have that warm feeling.

The old raffles road library has that feeling definitely. And I don't understand why those mini gardens in the new library is not open to public!! I don't mind going out to sit under the cloudy sky and read my books! Well, I do understand that those small little inconsiderate brats will eat there, drink there and even urinate there to dirty the place, to show that they have been there!

Another to take note is the lack of seats! I had such a hard time finding a comfortable seat and I never found one. Have to resort to sitting on the floor! It's warm with carpeting but it's dusty as well. Lol. A lot of libraries lacked seating capacity and somemore, I should not have come on a Saturday. There are kids flying around and yelling like it's their home and adults thinking they have gained weight by occupying seats for two when they haven't come to realization that they are just one person!

Furthermore, when I went into the Lee Kong Chian reference library, i waas barred from entering all because I carried a bag that can fit an a4 size paper. I don't understand the rationale! Stealing is a problem but it has always been for reference sections and don't they have those fanciful expensive theft alert system. And if that is ever activated, I don't think any one can escape the security guards! The only way for them to escape fast is to jump down from the 7th floor and best thing, no window is open! All of them are sealed!! The next funny thing was the big tables at the reference section!! It can work as my bed man! But yet, nothing except the laptop I brought and those books I took from the reference section were on it.

The funniest thing to happen is that there are not enough lockers around for usage! I am apparently using a fucking big bag. And the other best thing, I carried my cashcard, my ez link but no coins!! Remind me about Singapore ever being cashless. To change for coins, I had to go down from 11th floor to 7th floor! Such great convenience!! And to think that the national library board apparently still doesn't have enough not common sense to know the society changes and that the govt is recommending strongly for a cashless society!

In conclusion, nice library, nice environment but frankly, I didn't manage to find a lot of materials for my business projects. I will have a better chance with school libraries. The above events are funny but im not laughing.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Books Books Books

I have always loved books. 

I haven't been reading extensively but recently my fascination with books is rekindled by Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown). Since then, i have expanded my field of books from ghost stories, dogs' nutritions, culture, history to well.. literature? Or novels? I don't know. I am not good in classification and don't know the difference between retro and techno~ lol.

Anyway, i am sharing a good book borrowed from my friend, weeeeeyuan. It's a book called Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer. When i first saw the book cover, i dunno whether the title is Kane & Abel or Jeffrey Archer. I dun have a big dictionary of authors and normally don't dwell too deep. Worse, i don't remember too much content of those books i read.

From the time i opened the book, the contents will be hungrily sucked into my mind, the contents will make an impact for the few days and in the end, they will flow out of my brains. *shrugs* Tats why i have decided to blog nowadays!! So i can at least remember some parts of it.

Anyway, Kane and Abel is fabulous and i heard that there is a second book that follows the storyline!! I am so desperate to get my hands on that book. But i am still so stressed over my projects… Sianz…

Anyway, this book is on two guys from two extremely diverse places; borned on the same day and same year. One from Poland, a baby abandoned in the wilderness and suprisingly, with one nipple. Yes, a nipple!! My heart will feel for him if he lives in Singapore where all guys have a chance or two to bare their half naked body to the public! Anyway, the other guy is borned with a silver spoon, in the luxury of a home that belongs to the chairman of a bank.

The book narrated the life of the two guys, from their birth, their difficulties and how they come to detest each other. Surprisingly, this book adopts very clearly stepped and concised narration as it switched from one guy and to another. There is no confusion and i really respect the author for this! I read another book called "The Historian" which is very confusing with the character switching rapidly with no apparent relation.

The end of the book was really quite unexpected (as most books are) but it really shows how wrong we can be even though we have researched it very well.

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Stress Stress Stress

It's been a long long time since i got so stressed…

The last time was my exams last semester.. But well, i am almost half way through this semester and im getting stressed again!! Projects' deadline are around the corner and it's confusing sometimes to have lecturers telling you different formats for submissions?!?! It's like one tell you put dick inside a vagina will lead to pregnancy and another telling you that putting the dick inside the mouth will lead to preganancy!! One is correct and one is wrong but which is wrong for those who are not sure!?!??!

Hm… Medicine is so advanced now and there's a possibility in the future to have a kid through impregnation by mouth. Shrugs. Never know.

Anyway, im dead tired now… Been so busy altering my report after i got back home from my one of project meeting. I volunteered to help out because i am the only one who is not working full time. But well, since i have time, might as well help out right? My other group members seem so tired over their work and projects. I can still relax but their day of relaxation on a Sunday is usually burnt doing projects!!

My days of having to work full time eventually is getting shorter… Another 9 more months before i end this fun life…. STRESSSS!! And somemore, i am faced with fun limitations since i don't have the financial capability to do so!! Sighz.. Win some, lose some~

Will talk about food another day. Been so busy with projects that i haven't been eating much these few days. My course mate commented that i have lost weight though!! Yippeee~~ A moment of happiness in the whirlpool of stress~~

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Waffletown

I bet load of you don't what the hell or where the hell this is. For those who used to study near Ngee Ann Polytechnic, you should know because it USED to be at Bukit Timah Plaza. But as i said, it USED to be so where the fu*ck is its new location? Actually i did not know much on this place; yes, I went to the one at Bukit Timah Plaza once and i only ordered a drink! I was not so much of a foodie then (was more health conscious then).

Anyway, time changes and so has the mentality. I am very much a foodie now so i will surf websites like Makansutra and Can.com etc etc for good food!! And i happened to fall in love with waffles after i ate one in Cafe Cartel. So i checked throught the net (my projects had offered loads of training for web searching) and found a place called Waffletown, somewhere near Newton Mrt station, which offers great fried chicken. Though this doesn't satisfy my initial choice, i do love fried chicken too.

So off i went one great afternoon, driving my dear old toyota corolla.

It didn't take me long to find it and i parked right outside the row of shophouses that house waffletown. Yes, illegally.. Im a poor guy okay? I need to save and scrimp on expenses like parking. ANYWAY, the shop looked well.. normal. It has some seats outside but like the usual pampered me and a fucking spoilt and pampered Alex, i have to sit inside to enjoy the cold aircon.

At first glance, it looked like some family owned cafe and there was only a couple (lesbians) seated outside. I glanced through the menu and realised one thing; for a not so branded food outlet, it does charge quite high prices! And im just a poor guy…..

Fried Chicken
I heard it's good mah so i try lor! When compared to KFC, it comes in Original or i should say it looked more like the original type from KFC. I ordered two pieces and added $1.80 for e set that came with potato salad, coleslaw and a drink. For one, their drink was so damn small lor!! And i only ordered one to share with Alex. Anyway, back to topic, the fried chicken tasted reli good!! I can tell u, for those fat-conscious ladies or metrosexuals out there, the fat was reli minimal! It's only well.. skin deep!! Not those fatty skin you find in KFC!! The taste was really great! Not too oily, just right for me. Price quite expensive though - $4 for two pieces, $5.80 for 3 pieces, additional $1.80 for set.

Rating 9.5/10.

Waffles
The waffles were like Cafe cartel but cheaper! But came in a small portion lah~ A square waffle instead of the round one in Cafe Cartel. I dunno why but when i saw the square waffle, i was a bit sad. I am more into shape i guess, not long, not thick, just round and big~! Lol. You can choose a few flavours for the ice cream; normal ones so don't expect Hagen Daz Macadamia Nuts! The waffle's crust was thick and just of the right texture, not crispy like burnt bread and not too soft like normal bread, and with the ice cream on it, i finished the waffle before i finished the ice cream. Was the scoop too big or my waffle too small? Or was it the overall size? Anway the price was cheap at $2 for normal waffle wif butter and syrup. For ice cream waffle, i think it's $3.20 or $3.50. Im old liao lah!! So don't expect my memory to be like a 15 year old! But i have always been forgetful, even when i was 8.

Rating 8/10

Okay, that summed up the experience i had in Waffletown. I will recommend it of course, why not? The staff was friendly, the food was good, no crowd and best of all, no obnoxious chicken smell after coming out of the place!! Lol.

Forget to add, the place is at Balmoral Plaza i think. Along the road where Newton Mrt Station is located towards Novena road, turn left and go straight, the second bus stop is near to Waffletown.

Hm… Guess the next fast food i wana try is Carl’s Junior. The advertisement where Paris Hilton is featured is fabulous and makes me want to drool. Drool for the burger, not Paris. Im old and there's no more VITALISING energy. ;P