9 Jul 2014 – After House Guest…

Mon: had to get out after resting and cleaning. Movie: Begin Again***Gretta and her boyfriend that is passionate in making music. Things go wrong when Gretta’s boyfriend gets a deal from huge recording label and make his debut solo, dumping Gretta for all the fame and fortune in NYC. Just when she thought her life is ruined, a record producer appears out of nowhere, and gets captured by her singing talent. They decide to help each other out…

Some commercial was screening as I walked into the dark and a loud voice said ‘Amy, where are you?’ Quiet a shock to the already weak ♥

Tue: when one has a tiny place and not much space for hanging sheets etc, bigger loans of laundry have to be done over a few days. Yeah, all put away and now to something more exciting –  like planning to see 2 bridges which are in my bucket list 🙂

South of France (Millau Viaduct Tarn Valley) and Switzerland (Trift Bridge near Gadmen). Since Keith&Marianne have homes in these areas, wrote to ask if they would join me! Am told that they are afraid of heights but told them that they can just look straight ahead when driving in France and to wait for me at the bottom while I walk across the one in Switzerland 🙂 🙂

Wed: not a soccer fan but this World Cup madness with Germany slaughtering Brazil 7-1 is posted just about everywhere, including this posting! Even the MP CC has balloons, voting boxes and believe it not – dropped my name into the Germany box last week . May the best team win, but will certainly not lose any sleep to watch 🙂 🙂 🙂

Lunched at Namnam**Plaza SIN. Welcome home Audrey; welcome Jinyoung whose gracious hospitality from Apr 2013 visit in Busan/S Korea and the surrounding areas is still fresh in the memory. Great to catch up and safe journeys to Jinyoung back to Korea. Good Luck to Audrey’s next posting in Beijing/China.

Thank you Audrey for this most beautiful and elegant piece of Bach’s Minuet in G. Appreciations for her thoughtfulness and for remembering Mozart with sweet memories of Busan’s cherry blossoms

http://amylamsg.com/2013/04/09/reflections-on-busan-%eb%b6%80%ec%82%b0/

We build too many walls and not enough bridges – Isaac Newton

6 Jul 2014 – Without the Scream!

Wed: The Angriest Man in Brooklyn**Some people have bad days. Henry has one every day. Always unhappy and angry at the world including everyone in it. At the doctor’s office, Henry is  reveals that he has a brain aneurysm. This news makes Henry even angrier, yelling at the doctor demanding to know how much time he has left. Faced with Henry’s anger and insults,  the doctor tells him he has only 90 minutes…

Thu: Lunch at Glory***and to Mt E visiting 4th aunt who seems much better. Dropped off food to Clem who is going thru’ some stomach flu. Dinner at Plaza SIN with Jo and John.

Fri: Happy 4th. Safe journeys to John back to HKG and thank you for one of the most delicious cookies. Took the MRT to One Raffles Place/Basement to check out Munch, where Clem is one of the partners in this location. Just had lunch at the airport, so did not taste the food there.

The Norwegian painter Munch with the painting Scream is more my frame of mind at present 🙂

Passed by these fan looking banana leaf plants on the way to Les&Ivy. Have been fascinated with these Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as Traveller’s Tree or Traveller’s Palm ever since a child. B/W pix from the mid1950s at Raffles Hotel then. And today, still is the logo for the Raffles International Hotels & Resorts. Quite appropriate, considering the name Traveller’s Tree!

Appreciations to Les&Ivy for champagne, yummy caviar and mussels (cooked by Les).The only way to celebrate 4 Jul 🙂 🙂

Sat: extending a helping hand at Munch*** and to try out their food. Will recommend the John Dory and Chicken Caesar Salad, quite good!

Sun: completely wiped-out. Napping 6hrs today and soon getting ready for bed to start another new week tomorrow 🙂 🙂 🙂

Perhaps when distant people on other planets pick up some wavelength of ours all they hear is a continuous scream – Iris Murdoch

2 Jul 2014 – Hello July 2014

Sun: T1 to bid farewell and safe journeys to the HCC group. Rest of the day at Mt E hospital with David where 4th aunt has been admitted. She is 99 and has recently suffered from some infections.

Mon: all day at Mt E. Lunched with Jo, David, Daisy and John at Paragon Soup Restaurant*** with jazz entertainment in the lobby. 4th aunt is not with it but quite amazing that she can talk non-stop for a day or 2 about what food to buy and make. Then she will sleep non stop for another day or 2. Was told by the doctor that this is what dementia is.

When I was in the hospital they gave me apple juice every morning, even after I told them I didn’t like it. I had to get even. One morning, I poured the apple juice into the specimen tube. The nurse held it up and said, ‘It’s a little cloudy.’ I took the tube from her and said, ‘Let me run it through again,’ and drank it. The nurse fainted – Alan King

Dinner at Tangs basement and then proceeded on to Chinatown to meet with Sue for a ride. The new Chinatown Food Street/Smith Street looks like a nice place to try, but has to be another time. Newly constructed high-ceiling glass canopy shelter and internal spot cooling system makes it more inviting.

Tue: at Mt E again, this time with my laptop to help David to get online to retrieve his work mail. Dinner at Takashimaya Food Village. Tasted the beef noodle soup at the Vietnamese cuisine and nothing much to write home about!

Following the news about the march in HKG and the crowds are amazing in spite of the rains. You will certainly NOT find me there! Pix downloaded from CNN

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28102644

Jul special dates:

4th Happy 4th for USA

14th Happy  Bday Keith WESTMACOTT  and Happy Bastille Day

17th Happy Bday Nancy McGee BOWMAN

19th Happy Anniversary Linn & Jeff HALL

20th Happy Bday David YEOH

21st Happy Bday Albert CHUA

22nd Happy Anniversary Dika LAM & Mark BOROWSKY

23th Happy Bdays James HALL & Lucas YEOH

25th Happy Bday Winnie LEE in California

28 Jun 2014 – Today’s Raffles Hospital

Fri: at the Malay Heritage Centre but this time round learnt that the location of The Star Opera Co/1910 then is today’s Raffles Hospital. Before Raffles Hospital was Blanco Ct and am not sure what was before Blanco Ct if any?

Lunched at Mamanda*** Arab Street area with some cheerful and colour windows and other displays, even a Norwegian spectacle shop in Haji Lane!

Hari Raya light-up marking the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting but just did not have he energy to venture to Geylang Serai.

A short rest in the apt before heading out by foot to East Coast Lagoon Food Village again. Cheers to the younger generation and may they also mature with their experiences and live life fully with joy and wisdom

Sat: Happy Birthdays to a wonderful son-in-law Jeff, AT Hiker friend John and Adriane in HI/USA.

Dinner at Por Kee Eating House****my favourite place for their champagne ribs. Nice that Daisy could join us.

After dinner drinks at Tiong Bahru Bar located on the ground floor at Cape Inn/3 Seng Poh Rd where the LAM family was at one time the landlord of this property many many moons ago. Cousins Lock, Yun, Chai and Mike used to live there.

Appreciations to David for dinner and drinks. Time to say goodbye to the HCC group as they will be heading back to HI tomorrow. Safe journeys to them.

It’s clearly more important to treat one’s fellow man well than to be always praying and fasting and touching one’s head to a prayer mat – Naguib Mahfouz

27 Jun 2014 – Four Days in SIN

Thu: SIN River, lunch at Mama Chin Nonya Café*** Ministry of Culture Community & Youth (Hill Street Police station)

The Central Fire Station SIN oldest existing fire station (1908),  Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator SIN oldest Christian church (1936), The Peranakan Museum 

Campers Corner to say hi to Calvin & Chris and to cool down with a drink. Did not have what I was looking for in their new Chaco stock.

Up up up on the SIN Flyer with a slight haze but still good views – just the 3 of us! The others gave up after Campers Corner!!

Dinner at East Coast Lagoon. Great that Christian could join us fand later sis Jo and niece Sue joined to chat after dinner. Thanks to them for the ride home.

Wed: welcome to SIN cousin David and his HCC group from HI/USA. The smallest group so far since the first guiding of the HCC students in SIN from 2004. Good to catch up with DaveP again. And to the 2 young ladies, hope that their journeys will be good experiences.

From Raffles City to Sin Swee Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant*** A walk underground via CityLink to the Esplanade

These butterflies or moths have been frequently sighted lately, but this is the largest one who was resting at the Leica shop at Raffles Arcade. For a sec, we were all wondering if it was for real.

Underground art décor

John’s flight was half hour delayed from take off due to bad weather, then another hour delay going thru’ immigration! Thank goodness for the  comfortable environment in T3 with good company, a book! Long day but always a relief for safely arriving flights no matter how late.

Tue: one day to space out before more guests tomorrow. Catching up with sewing which is another way for me to chill and  relax. The beautiful fabric from Lawrence when visiting Sarawak is now an outfit.

Happy with my new Brother sewing machine.

Mon: visit from Jennifer and condolences to her and her family for the passing of her dad. Wishing her a safe journey back to Toronto where she lives.

A place that doesn’t welcome tourists, that’s really difficult and off the map, is a place I want to see – Paul Theroux

23 June 2014 – Another Love Story

Fri: was quite worn out after such a busy sociable week. Like to go to movies to chill. The Fault In Our Stars***Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on an unforgettable journey.

Based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny and tragic ways of being alive and in love.

Met Aud on the bus and great to catch up over a bottle of wine. Also bumped into Philip at the food stall to discover that he lives in the same neighbourhood as Aud and I. Such coincidences…

Sat: another night of fine dinning thanks to Les&Ivy. First time in ME@OUE*****delicious food with perfect wine to go with all the 3 courses. The squid ink brioche is really good, beef Tartar, quail (no pix) and the yummy lava cake. Food pix uploaded as Les does not like me taking pix of food when with him!

Nice views with fireworks for the National Day rehearsal.

With Rodin’s ‘Thinker’ but not much thinking from me except to wish those celebrating ‘God Sankthansaften’ Happy Mid summer and Summer Solstice.

Cogito ergo sum/I think, therefore I am – René Descartes

Sun: byebye SIN for a few hours. Out to the islands and a floating nasi lemak champagne lunch at sea in good company of Sue&Niall, MeiPin and my bro. Thanks Les. What a blessed and good life with no faults in any stars nor any complains…

20 Jun 2014 – honoris causa

Thu: congratulations to Les for receiving an NUI Honorary Degree of Doctor of Medicine/honoris causa. So proud of him and blessed to have such a bro. Does not seemed that long ago he graduated in 1967 from Med School! A short and sweet speech where he expressed that his wife Ivy is the most important person in his life and as the saying goes…

Behind every great/successful man there stands a woman

Such a prestige to be the 6th over 100yrs to receive this. Also to have the Chancellor (NUI), President (UCD), Registrar (NUI) and other distinguished guests from SIN and others from to fly into SIN to present the award.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/s-pore-cardiologist/1179304.html#.U6jM279xtZA.facebook

Honoured to be among the guests for a such an occasion. Thank you to Les&Ivy for turning their lovely house to an elegant celebration for a night. Delicious food catered by Four Seasons**** Surrounded by profession photographers and thus not too focus on my own pix…

Wed: an evening of fine dining at Tower Club***** where Les was awarded a life member for UCD.

Dr Leslie Lam honoured by the National University of Ireland with an Honorary Doctorate (youtube.com)

Corporate Events | Confering of An Honourary Degree of Dato Dr Leslie Lam by Heaven’s Gift (youtube.com)

An early afternoon at Gardens by the Bay’s Spring in France, which concludes my SIN guiding for Sue&Niall. Safe journeys back to the UK to them and thank you for being here to attend Les’s conferring. To rest for a few days before cousin Dave and his HI group arrives next week in addition to houseguest from HKG!

18 Jun 2014 – On the Wall

Mon: day 3 of tourist guiding. Sue & Niall are in SIN from the UK for Les’s conferring of Doctor of Medicine. Appreciate Gel & Dave for the invites to Phuket/Thailand and Mandalay/Myanmar and apologies for not being able to be there. Another time.

Proud of my bro. Feeling honoured and looking forward to attending the ceremony on Thu.

It’s been a while since I have left the apt before 1000hrs and back at midnight! Good to know that the energy is still there when needed 🙂

A drive thru’ Little India’ and Geylang, the red light district before going on foot at the Arab Street area. Forgot that museums are closed  on Mon, thus did not get into the Malaya Heritage Centre.  Authentic Nasi Ambeng at Mamanda****which has a 200yrs old mirror on the 2nd level function rooms. A selfie with the mirror hoping that it can reflect some tales from the past 2 centuries – no such luck 🙂 🙂

Continued to Divine Wine Bar at Parkview Square for a drink. Thank you to Sue& Nial for lunch and cocktail.

Had to take a break before more tourist guiding for a young Norwegian student in the evening. Chilled at the movies: How To Train Your Dragon 2***when Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.

Ingrid’s friend’s son Christian from Norway is in SIN to gain experience for his course at the U. What a small world this is – Christian is a good friend of Magnus who was here in SIN 2yrs ago at SMU with the group I took to the Forest Adventure! Welcome to SIN Christian and hope that your experience here will be a good and memorable one. Introduced him to MeePok at Plaza SIN Kopitiam and a stroll to the Raffles Hotel and City Space Lounge Bar at Swissotel The Stamford.

Tue: this cheerful sight outside of Dhoby Ghaut MRT station made my day. Lunch at basement in Tangs, thanks to Pat T and hope that her cruise to Norway to be a safe and enjoyable journey to you and your friends. Still think that Norway is one of the most beautiful countries to visit and looking forward to be there in Sep.

All’s well that ends well for today and hopefully for everyday. At Mt E and next appointment will be in Aug 🙂 🙂 🙂

15 June 2014 – With Two Special Men in Mind…

Fri: Words and Pictures***school English teacher laments his students’ obsession with social media and good grades rather than engaging with the power of the written word. A one-time literary star, Jack has not published in years filling his time with drink versus the art of language. He meets his match in Dina – a painter and new teacher on campus, who was once celebrated for her art…

Sat: tourist guiding Sue&Niall (Les classmate from Blackrock and UCD/Ireland). Fullerton Heritage Gallery at Fullerton Hotel with their display of teddy-bears for the World-Cup, SIN River with the New Generation,

Esplanade

Some SIN scenes from tourist guiding ending with dinner at East Coast Lagoon Food Village. Crowded night and had to wait for a table.

Sun: Happy Father’s Day to all fathers with special thoughts and fond memories of my father (1911-1996) who would have turned 103 today and to L&M grandfather (1923-2008) who would have turned 91 today.

Summer Palace***at Regent Hotel for dim sum lunch, tkx to Ivy&Les. Tasteful display of the lobster dumplings and was told that you can buy those little basket with handles in Chinatown.

Appreciations to Hafiz for showing us that there is still a kampong/village existing. Built in 1956, Kampong Lorong Buangkok in Hougang is the last surviving kampong in mainland SIN.

Hot and stifling afternoon in Punggol Point Park – felt like my head was popping into bits, thank goodness for AC car. How am I going to pull thru’ this summer?? Too hot to explore but do not remember the white building where House of Seafood during the previous visit…

Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice – Kettering                   

12 Jun 2014 – Good for the Heart & Soul!

Mon: nice quiet dinner at Jo’s. Made a smoked salmon salad  to celebrate Sophie’s Bday. At the airport to see Pat and family off for their holidays plus for the graduation of David’s bro Paul. Seems like yesterday I was talking to Paul and he was told me that he was accepted into the School of Dentistry in UCC, Cork/Ireland. Congratulations to Paul.

The Kopitiam at T3 is now re-opened after renovations – tastefully done.

Blended***In this 3rd romantic comedy collaboration between Sandler and Barrymore, following The Wedding Singer and 50 First Date. After a bad blind date, a man and woman find themselves stuck together at a resort for families, where their attraction grows as their respective kids benefit from the burgeoning relationship.

Enjoyed this light-hearted and entertaining feel good movie.

Wed: at the wet market for fresh produce and the wet market is the only place where I can buy 1 of everything, including 1 stalk of celery! Pandan leafs and torch-ginger flowers can only be bought at wet markets. Trying to make a tasty Nasi Ulam but today they were out of torch-ginger.

Experimenting with Nasi Ulam as I just cannot get enough of it. These are some of the ingredients and fortunately my sis has some of these leafs growing in her garden. Believe me, once you have had a bite of it, you will want MORE…

Torch-ginger flowers, Calamansi (limau Kasturi), Pomelo leafs (daun limau purut), this can also be substituted with Kaffir lime leafs, Laksa leafs (daun kesom), Betel leafs (daun kaduk) are not so easy to come by outside of the tropics.

Yikes! look who crossed my path this week – never knew that snails eat cat-food. Am sure that people with gardens are happy they are on the concrete eating cat food and not in their gardens!!

Just imagine, how much easier our lives would be if we were born with a ‘user guide or owner’s manual’ which could tell us what to eat and how to live healthy ― Erika M. Szabo