17 Aug 2017 – Horizons Of Change

Mon: appreciations to Aileen for her help with copies for the application to a Senior Pass – The National Parks&Federal Recreational Lands in USA, hopefully the notarized copies from a lawyer is acceptable!

Tkx to Sue for the time@her office – will donate Norges Lover 1685-1981 to her for an additional to all the other law books in the conference room! Will certainly make an impression to non-speaking Norwegian clients and to surprise Norwegian clients 🙂

The Marmalade Pantry****(Oasia Hotel Downtown). Yummy Truffles Fries and tasty Minute-Steak Sandwich.

Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) 市区重建局, the national urban planning authority of SIN where I like to visit whenever in the area and when time permits – highly recommended. Enjoy the regular updates and info of my birth island-city&country. Today there is a new painting at the lobby, Horizons of Change by ChanKerk Tay.

The model of the whole SIN island is so thoroughly well-done that in spite of my aging eye-sight, can still find&see where my accommodations can be located!

See The Big Picture by Stephen Wiltshire is located here on Level2

To the library@Esplanade to collect the reserved MeePokMan DVD and to Spotlight@PlazaSIN to get some sewing accessories. Indeed a very busy&productive Mon!

Tue: grocery shopping around dinner time for reduced items+3%discount can be a decent saving. Also not so crowded and foods like roast-chicken, prawns, pork&salmon are reduced. All that including washing detergent at Giant/Parkway under S$50 with PassionCard points added.

Wed: tkx to Pat for T@Tanglin Club. Nice to catch up with Cecelia who lives half the year in Aus.

Movie The Big Sick****based on the real-life courtship between Pakistan-born aspiring comedian Kumail and Emily, a grad student. What they thought would be just a one-night stand blossoms into the real thing, which complicates the life of Kumail whose parents are traditional Muslim.

Thu: so sad to hear about these devastating floods in Sierra Leone (Kitty is safely away at present). Nepal (Deepak, where are you?). Thoughts&prayers are with the ppl affected.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/floods-kill-300-fears-rise-600-missing-170816060837531.html

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/aug/16/floods-and-devastation-in-india-nepal-and-bangladesh-in-pictures

Lunched@Crossings Cafe – tkx to KK. Appreciations to cousin Karen for her delicious home-made Kuching Laksa – pix credits of me to her.

Yummy bread from Asanoya****in good company with lovely cool, wet&rainy weathers.

13 Aug 2017 – A Celebrations of Dreams

Fri: TGIF and tkx for good company from Seb&Adrian who kindly loan his Flux HD Zoom for me to try out.

Sat: neighbourhood setting up for the National Day party and was not even aware of it until I was heading for the bus in the late afternoon. Looks like quite a set-up, saw on the sign that the ticket for this party cost S$10.

Marina Square’s food-court is the only food-court I have seen robots along the aisles asking you to leave your trays in them. Was about to place my tray there, but the cleaning crew just took it off my hands, probably feeling threatened about their jobs by these robots! This location is good when I need a bite before or after a concert.

A delightful performance by OMM/Orchestra of the Music Makers with the Taipei Philharmonic Chorus and the International Festival Chorus&Friends at Esplanade Concert Hall.

Rit played the piccolo and also the flute in between – if my eyes were not playing tricks on me! Quite amazing to have such a large choir filling the hall with their glorious voices complimenting a full orchestra in this sold out concert. With Elgar in the program, one of the encore pieces were of course Pomp and Circumstance. May the Force be with them all.

We are the music-makers,

Nice to see that Singapore Dreaming (2006) was showing@the Concourse as I was leaving. Have seen this movie and enjoyed it then, but stayed for a few minutes to soak in the ambiance, and there was an empty bean-bag available on the floor.

Sun: inspiring and worthy to document – especially when I hope to also go back to school when unable to travel and if my mental health is still intact 🙂

http://www.todayonline.com/world/91-year-old-thai-woman-earns-bachelors-degree

Grandmother in her 80s still rocking away.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/guitar-slinging-grandma-mary-shreds-stereotypes-9102144

Glad to see young local talents being recognized and encouraged.

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/classical-engagement

11 Aug 2017 – Everywhere Away From NPD

Mon: daughter & son giving their mother a ride! Tkx Pauline, Ruben & Eva for catching up, lunch&goodies – Feijoa candies, a new taste to the palate, would like to taste the real fruit. Pauline says that it is like guava, but I seem to disagree. Missed Tama who had to work. Enjoy the rest of the holidays and good luck with the new school-year to Pauline&kids who are in TanglinTrustSchool, an international school in SIN.

Delighted to see school kids+instructors (blue pleated pinafore uniforms tell that they are CHIJgirls, do not remember our sports’ uniform looking like these back in the 1950s-60s!) using ECPk for their sports activity on the beach. Like living in this area.

Tue: one day sale preview at IKEA and decided to go to the Tampines location by the free shuttle from BedokInterchange. Disappointed that the gravlaks there is served without the mustard sauce! The few items on my list are not on sale. Got this cute owl night-light S$19.90, to replace the old broken one.

Caught the wrong shuttle by mistake and ended up at Tampines! Decided to explore this uncharted (it is my first time here) area since I was here.

A chance to discover the new TampinesHub which I learnt was not connected to the MRTstation or the mall as I thought it was. Took the bus from the MRTstation and realized that it was only 1stop away, ie a few blocks and could have walked.

Previously, community activities were held at temporary spaces like the plot of land next to MRTstation or the open space behind the station. Now all indoor and outdoor activities can be held in this impressive 5-storey building housing

5,000-seat stadium, a roof-top garden, the library, theater, retail stores, eateries, etc.

Wed: Happy 52nd National Day SIN! The best National Days or any days are times with family&friends. Tkx to 4th-sis-in-law, Annie, Judy&Daisy, Vincent&Clem, Stanely&Andrew (missed you Darryl) for including me – Irish duck+yummy Chinese food@TunglokTeahouse***FarEastSq.

My favourite durian shaved-ice@Mei Heong Yuen Dessert****Chinatown and SIN foods@QuJi***SuntecCity.

Thu: what a wonderful day when in musical company of Rit, the young charming talented flautist and with Tama, the drummer. Tkx to Simplicius for lunch@the market and for this lovely gathering with Pat@TiongBahru. The bakery there does live up to it’s name with the best croissant tasted in SIN. This new joint Whisk looks interesting but only had room for water there!

Pat&I watched Dunkirk***serves up emotionally satisfying (not so for me) spectacle, delivered by a writer-director in full command of his craft and brought to life by a gifted ensemble cast that honors the fact-based story about when allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind – JohnF Kennedy

6 Aug 2017 – 1925-1985+Today

Fri-Sun: spent a couple of hours@National Museum, but not enough time. Need to return to go thru’ SIN History Gallery.

Modern Colony 1925-1935 – with the industrialization of the West, introduced new ideas, technologies and cultures were adapted. Set in a 1920s B/W bungalow, this gallery explores the cosmopolitan nature of SIN as a British Crown colony.

The whole atmosphere is different. It’s 1926-27, it’s a thoroughfare. There were motorcars… it’s like coming from a very primitive village (Swatow) to town (Orchard Rd) – Lee MuiLing

Surviving Syonan 1942-1945 – how SIN coped with daily life in a period of great adversity, a time when most will prefer not to have happened and or remembered.

Growing Up 1955-1965 – this is the only era that I can relate best to, being born in 1950 and leaving SIN in 1965! The Everyday Kid, The Rebels, The Neighbours

The Crescendos, first local pop-band, record label with Philips (1963). Toys like home-made catapult, paper- dolls were my favourites. Sport trophies&medals won by SIN including Tan HoweLiang’s Olympic silver in Rome (1960) for weightlifting.

We Built A Nation 1965-1975 – is dedicated to an exploration of the first 10pivotal years of independence that shaped SIN history. It pays tribute to LKY contributions to SIN, and the ideals and convictions that shaped him and his generation of leaders.

Nice to see Yip YewChong’s painting under the staircase.

Voices of SIN 1975-1985 – attempt to define the SIN identity.

1950, the pop of SIN was 1+mil with 1,487ppl perSqKm – today’s pop 5+mil with 8,571ppl perSqKm. Am totally claustrophobic and dislike crowds and noises, thus learning how to survive here…

http://www.bluemarblecitizen.com/world-population/Singapore

Glass Rotunda – Story of the Forest and Singapore, Very Old Tree.  Colourful digital presentation.  Photography installation explores the discourse of nature in SIN.

Desire and Danger – at the GohSengChooGallery, this exhibition explores WilliamFarquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings explores the complex and sometimes uneasy relationship between man and nature. Whenever Farquhar is mentioned, it is easy to speculate that if history is correct, then Kama has done its job with Raffles’s children – considering how badly Raffles treated Farquhar…

Random pix from the museum. Those chandlers were red a decade ago, now they are of Swarovki crystals.

Movie Hampstead***an American widow, adrift and struggling to keep her flat in the London suburb of Hampstead and a man who lives on the Heath form an alliance against unscrupulous property developers in the neighborhood.

Curiosity leads to friendship and unexpected late-life love.

Campers’ Corner@51 Waterloo St, geared and ready with a new season even a fireplace for your comfort if and when the AC gets too cold! The only outfitters store where you can sit and relax with a cuppa or a glass of wine while discussing about the best suitable gears for your needs.

Tkx to Calvin for dinner@Taste of Thailand***(formerly from SembawangShoppingCentre Basement) Stall 12, 18 SinMingLane, MidviewCity. First time in this location tasting the yummy LaoPoSoup老婆湯, full of seafood which has a tinge of Thai flavour!

Mr Ang tells me that the Lao Po soup is so named because it is something he would cook for his wife regularly.  It epitomizes his style of cooking. Not quite Thai, not quite Singaporean.  It has that characteristic tang but not as tangy as a ‘tom yum’.  It is milky but not quite like a ‘tom kha’.  It tastes more like a Thai Red Curry cross with curry laksa without the laksa leaves.  There is a treasure trove of seafood in the claypot apart from the crab which gives the soup a good crustacean umami boost –  Dr Leslie Tay

4 Aug 2017 – Welcome August

Mon-Wed: here in the neighbourhood, preparations for SIN 52nd Bday are in full swing or should I say completed! Catching up and chilling with mundane activities, nursing a deep cough and surfing online. Some links where Where Words Fail Music Speaks that I would like to KIV here.

http://indulgd.com/piano-house-in-huainan-city-china/

Orchestral Musicians Bring Whales To Surface –

http://www.cmuse.org/orchestral-musicians-bring-whales-to-surface/

Would like to imagine that many of us are listening and hearing these lyrics and most important, practicing them! PEACE be with us all✌️

https://www.apost.com/en/blog/brand-new-spin-on-john-lennons-classic-is-putting-tears-in-everyones-eyes/1802/?debug=false&vt=1501789931

All pix from links downloaded.

Thu: morning walk to MarineTerrace wet-market and on EastCoastRd for grocery & foods.

Do like the Peranaka culture&foods, so just as well this is my neighbourhood!

Welcome back to SIN Richard&Judy and enjoy your stay here. Tkx to them and Hong for Peranaka food, the kind that is difficult to get when living overseas. Lovely catching up with childhood friends, now Age to Perfection with local foods in a local tropical presentation.

Fri: TGIF

Growing old is humbling and it takes effort to accomplish this stage of life with dignity – Kilroy Oldster

2 Aug – Happy Bday Claire

4 Aug – Happy Bday Candice Tay

5 Aug – Happy Bday LAM ChengEn

9 Aug – Happy 50th Bday SIN

10 Aug – Happy Bday LAM JenWee

31 Jul 2017 – Farewell To July 2017

Thu: needed this day to recover from the news about Ranveig.

Fri: bus197 to NorthBridgeRd for breakfast and you will have no problems finding somewhere at these shop-houses across from BujisJunction – good MeePok for S$3.50.

Walked down to towards RafflesHotel which is under renovation. RafflesCity with 2 new white sculptures, one pointing@RafflesCity and the other pointing@CapitolBuilding.

Edited 1Aug: so this is what is going on@RaffledCity, Tian Tian Xiang Shang Exhibition. Like the literally translated title Looking Up Everyday but these sculptures do not speak to me! Pix credits to Gel for the poster on the right

Passing by StAndrew’sCathedral into ColemanSt where it is all ready for NationalDay (9Aug) and matching the theme of NationalGallery latest Exhibition.

Some of the permanent displays along Coleman St.

There are 4entrances into NationalGallery, so if you are meeting anyone, make sure to specify which one.

Yayoi Kusama – Life is the Heart of a Rainbow is why I am here today.

Forget about connecting the dotes, they grow on you as you wander thru’ this amazing maze of dotes.

Infinity Mirrored Room where reflections within reflections seem to forever extend the visual field – Gleaming Lights of the Souls. Felt a bit like I was in Twlight-Zone!

The Narcissus Garden – when gazing into it, the viewer only saw his/her own reflection staring back, forcing a confrontation with one’s own vanity and ego. Quite a fascinating effect…

More fun random dotes, tkx to Audrey. Yayoi sums it all as to why dotes and circles…

Sat: bus36 to SMU thru’ the old gates of the former NationalLibrary via the outdoor escalator up to the new SMU/School of Law to early morning walk@FortCanning Park. 

What a welcome crow from a very handsome rooster or should I say cock 🙂 Good to be back in such familiar grounds – Chan&I designed the flyer&map here when we were working in H&H which has be modified but I can still recognize it clearly from our original design.

Designed and printed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Need to get the correct year when time permits. This was my favourtie project, thus documenting it here before the hard copy is lost.

Appreciations to Nparks for the informative Trees of the Fort Tour and nice to meet Choy KuenChin. Tree pix edited to Amazing Tree blog post –

https://amylamsg.com/2012/07/12/around-the-world/

Continued to the NationalLibrary for a talk on Spice up you food blog by SethLiu and was pleasantly surprised by an exhibition of before and after pix, which are to my great interest. Again to show how things have a tendency work out for the best.

Was sooo excited to see and recognize old pix of Orchard Rd. Busy snapping pix at all angles and was completely unaware that the Guest of Honour Yaacob Ibrahim (Minister of Communications and Information) was standing beside me. Thank you for his patience and graciousness to wait until I was done. Apologized for being in the way, but was just thrilled to see the music store Keller Piano where my music supplies were from in the 1950s. Father owned the property then!

Above 2B/Wpix downloaded of Orchard Rd – pix credits to SIN National Archives.

A busy and tiring day continuing to SuntecConvention to get my annual supply of Recogen supplement S$248 (including free for 2months), seems to help me but of course nothing scientifically proven. Ended with dinner@BeerThaiHouseRestaurant (GoldenMileTower), maybe it is my imagination, but the food seems better some years ago!

12 Storeys***1997@TheProjector – SIN drama film focuses on the troubled lives of several people living in the same building, directed by Eric Khoo (son of old family friend).

Good job from director and his crew but was a depressing movie, definitely not comedy for me! Tkx to Rosemary for her company.

Sun: tkx Les&Ivy for lunch@TiongBahru and home-made black-pepper crabs dinner. Nothing can beat catching up with family for yummy local foods. Need to rest after such an active&colourful weekend 🙂

Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days – Doug Larson

26 Jul 2017 – In Memory Of Ranveig

Mon: tkx to Hannah for showing me around to find the food court Kopi (which accepts my Kopitiam card) on the ground floor of the JurongEast MRT Station. Was waiting at Westgate (appreciations to  EleanorFoong for the correct location) which is connected to the MRT station and is totally new to me, refreshing to see the greenery in the courtyards among all the concrete, but glad that I was at the wrong place or would not have ventured into this new mall.

Appreciations to The International Association for the Study of Irish Literature/IASIL for their Opening Reception and the first day of launches and readings (24-28Jul 2017)@the HSS Building at NTU which is between the Chinese Heritage Centre and the Hive. Need to re-read James Joyce’s Ulysses –

Love loves to love love

Tkx to Rosemary&BoonCheng for the ride to Commomwealth MRT Station. Do remember that I did some work here for the Business School many moons ago, but gave it up as the journey on public transport with MRT EastWestLine and 2buses changes took nearly 2hrs to get here.

Tue: many thanks to Ambassador Geoffrey Keating and Mrs Jane Keating for hosting the book launches for the IASIL 2017.

A lovely evening was had by all@the Irish Ambassador’s Residence. There are so many books I would like to read before the eyesight goes. Quite a difference with time – took 90min for bus196 from MarineC to Commonwealth during rush hour and 50mins back in the late evening.

Edited 16 Aug:  in spite of my back profile in The Irish Times, was following the with speech 🙂

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/an-irish-literary-summer-school-in-singapore-1.3179501

Wed: Safe journey home to HI/USA to cousin Wilki&Patti. Tkx to Jo for dinner.

Condolences to Ranveig’s family. Pix downloaded from her FB. Was very shocked and saddened by the news of her passing and memories from the Northern Norway days kept creeping up today. Met Ranvieg in the 1970s where I was working at Tromsø Musikkskole and NordNorsk Musikkonservatorium and she was a student there then. She invited me to her parents’ farm, an island on Grytøya@Lundenes where I tasted my first and best fresh cod-liver – mølje. 

http://www.ht.no/nyheter/2017/07/25/Navn-p%C3%A5-omkommet-kvinne-frigitt-15063483.ece

On Sunday her body was found on this same island. Have not seen Ranveig or been back to Grytøya since then, but have never forgotten their kindness and hospitality. Regrets that I did not make that trip to Harstad when I was in Tromsø last year. May she RIP. Pix downloaded in memory of her and her parents.

Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age – James Joyce

23 Jul 2017 – To ChoaChuKang

Fri: TGIF and what a delightful performance by Armenian cellist Khachatur Khachatryan who did proud for his country and people with his recital of –

JS Bach’s #1-3 Suites for cello and 2 encore pieces – Giovanni Sollima’s Lamentatio and Sergei Prokofiev’s Marche from Twelve Children Pieces.

The Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, referred to as locally as the Armenian Church (1835), is the oldest Christian church in SIN is an architectural masterpiece from the early 19th century. The building was gazetted as a national monument in 1973. This is one my favourite churches (+its grounds ) in SIN.

http://www.amassia.com.au/church.htm

Was unaware that Yoshie was sitting behind me at the recital.

Bras Basah Complex’s food court (have not been there for ages) for a bite and ice-cream@McD (often for an ice-cream when in the area). Appreciations for Yoshie’s good company and pix of me and my head 🙂

Sat: instead of the MRT when&where it is probably faster with 2changes, decided to take the bus48 from MP Rd to ChoaChuKang with 1change@RochorCanalRd to bus67, 0.87cents and nearly 2hrs discovering new places on BkTimahRd. Interesting to see from the bus the stretch where the Green Corridor is.

https://amylamsg.com/2016/01/16/the-green-corridor/

The Warren/Garden in the Sky (2004) – 699units condo, beautifully maintained with 3 swimming pools, jacuzzi, cascading waters, clubhouse, gym, etc conveniently located across from MRT and bus Interchange.

Tkx to Hong for appetizers&drinks in his lovely condo, and dinner@Rasa Istimewa C2K Restaurant. Good to catch up with Sam and nice to meet Colin, her future husband. Had a plate of see–hum (blood cockles, pix downloaded), but being from a public place, they’re not as bloody as I would have cooked them but still OK. Appreciations to Sam for dropping me off to catch the last bus48, getting back past 0100hrs.

The stomach needs to rest after all the eating – I am on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.

Sun: Happy Happy Bdays #5James (6) and grand-nephew Lucas (9), the purple generation is growing up!

Drums and the elaborate celebrations from the Malay wedding downstairs are keeping me entertained and bringing back a good memory from 2yrs ago when I was walking pass another Malay wedding.

https://amylamsg.com/2015/07/27/sg50-fun-package/

Oh I don’t mind going to weddings, just as long as it’s not my own ― Tom Waits

21 Jul 2017 – To Linn and Jeff

Mon: hospitals in SIN have come a long way and very much impressed after a visit in NUH. Bro Steven was admitted there for observation after a fall, he seemed OK and has been discharged.

NUH Medical Centre is the hospital’s newest outpatient facility to serve primarily subsidised patients.

Located directly above the KentRidgeMRT Station and patients can also get from one building to another, including a mall with a Kopitiam and a variety of eateries.

Not even sure when was the last time@HollandVillage?? It sure has changed – had to walk around to discover the new…

and to revisit the old!

The sun was setting too fast, will need to return in daylight when there is less crowds to check out more.

Tue: another day with health-care location and another good experience even without an appointment. Was in and out of the neighbourhood Polyclinics in less than 2hrs with no outstanding bills+6months of medications. Pix downloaded.

A trip to the library and was delighted to find pix of how an original HDB 3-rooms flat should look like. Did not have the chance to take pix before the walls were taken down to make it into a studio apt then! Documenting them now before the memory fades. 2above pix for the original HDB downloaded from HDB Homes of SIN. Appreciations to Jo for dinner.

Wed: to my beautiful first-born Linn and her wonderful husband Jeff – Happy 20th Anniversary. Thank you to all who were there to celebrate their day 20yrs ago and to those who are still here to support them. Amazing that she can still fit into her wedding gown after 20yrs+The FaBulous5.

TEDx Speakers Agreement signed and email to Keystone Academy/Beijing, China for my presentation in Oct. Pix downloaded. Third day in a row visiting another medical location – Mt E!

Thu: day in Chinatown with cousin Wilki&Patti. Tkx for good company, food and foot massage at Teochew Meng Reflexology Centre at People’s Park Complex. 

https://amylamsg.com/2014/01/08/parkroyal-on-pickering/

16 Jul 2017 – To Yong Siak Street

Wed: catching up with more paper-work and as usual, snoozing away away where paper-work is concerned 🙂 Also restoring some energy for another busy weekend ahead.

Thu: window grocery shopping@Isetan, such a feast to the eyes but only affordable for very special occasions, ie Christmas or a special Bday!

Noticed there seems to be another arm in this reflection image! Rather disturbed and quite puzzled by it, but was explained by Leo that reflection from another angle with glass which is multi layered so you might see the image reflected at a different angle. Interesting, now can try different angles of reflection to give different effects.

Movies at any of the Shaw cinemas cost S$4 for seniors compared to the other cinemas S$4.50. A dark romance movie – My Cousin Rachel***a young Englishman who plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. When he meets Rachel for the first time, his mood suddenly changes as he finds himself falling for her. Based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier whose writings I enjoy.

If we killed women for their tongues all men would be murderers ― Daphne du Maurier, My Cousin Rachel

Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all – Happy Bastille Day Lynda, Jean-Baptiste, Marianne/Keith, Liz and to all celebrating. Happy Bday to Keith.  Downloaded this fantastic shot under the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile – pix credits? Has it really been 5yrs ago since my last trip to France??

https://amylamsg.com/2012/08/24/citron-2cv/

Lunched with PT&Pat@New Green Pasture Cafe****in Fortune Centre, one of my favourite Vegan Restaurant, tkx to PT.

Welcome cousin Wilki&Patti from HI who are staying in the Citadines Serviced Apts conveniently located behind Wilki Edge on Selegie Road. Nice catching up with Daisy too@Waterloo St Food Centre. 

Sat: tkx to Clem for lunch@The Terminal Cafe Lounge**** (Airbus Asia Training Centre).

Excellent Truffle Risotto with Mushroom and Arancini Rice Ball in good company of Betty, Aud and Clem.

Wheeler’s Estate located at the Oval@Seletar Aerospace Park is an old world charm, sited next to Seletar Airport. Once upon a time, the many black and white colonial bungalows served as residences for RAFofficers, but are now converted into lifestyle businesses, including restaurants and cafés. Enjoy exploring new places, tkx to Aud for driving.

Yong Siak Street@Tiong Bahru – this 1950s residential neighbourhood is now a trendy hot spot with a batch of independent coffee houses, retail shops like BooksActually. 

Continuing to SengPoh Gardens where the Dancing Girl sculpture by LIM NangSeng (1916-1987, also the same sculptor for the Merlion) is located. Learning all this today just from taking a slow stroll to catch the bus! Life is amazing when you can keep learning with an open mind and heart.

Sun: appreciations to Alvin Mark Tan for his La Kopi – still working hard at learning how to order coffee at any local koptiam 🙂