Back to the books

Weather forecast: Rainy for the next 3 days. Time to go under the covers and read a book! 

I’ve dusted the covers of The Crosswicks Journals by Madeleine L’Engle which have been in my bookshelf for years and started on the first book – A Circle of Quiet. These are some sort of L'Engle's memoirs but read more like journals which she have kept over the years.

I always call my Madeleine L’Engle books “soul-refreshers”; books which I turn to when I’m tired, frustrated, sad, angry simply because they lift my spirit and calm my soul. Whether they are fiction like my favourite Wrinkle in Time series, Austin and O’Keefe family series or non-fiction like The Crosswicks Journals, she illuminates the world for me with her honest and personal thoughts on life, love and faith.

The Tyger

You would be familiar with the first stanza of William Blake's The Tyger - I see it at epigraphs of books (such as Margaux Fragoso's memoir of her childhood sexual abuse Tiger, Tiger) and I see it quoted here and there in books and articles. 

I've never really understood that few lines until I got down to reading the whole poem and with alot of help from SparkNotes (the best guide for lazy Lit students). Read here! 

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forest of the night

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?

And What shoulder, and what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,

And watered heaven with their tears,

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye 

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? 

Evernote

Am I the last person to have found out about Evernote?

I love the user interface and its function satisfies my uncontrollable urge to make lists and jot down random notes. The Evernote collaboration with Moleskin is also the coolest thing ever.

A text alternative to Pinterest and the best thing? you get to save pictures for inspiration as well.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Glad that the firm decided to give us the eve off to make it a long weekend. Can't wait for the next one. 

Our usual annual family dinner went well despite my aunt's maid problems. But, she has four hearty boys to help her so no issues there. While the chicken was roasting, my uncle and I decided to tackle the tree. This year, they decided to buy a nice woodsy live one. Aside from the shedding of pine needles, really like the look and feel of a live Christmas tree! The coordinated baubles and such from Ikea made decorating such a breeze really - everything was up in a jiffy.

Work in progress

Bought the headbands from HK a couple of years back. The santa hats were from goodness knows when.

My mom took this extremely unglam shot with her camera phone but it's reflective of how I felt after too much ham and some wine. Nua-ing on a super comfy beanbag (with Ellie doing the same) watching Michael Buble croon Christmas songs. The only thing missing was a fireplace with a roaring fire!

Wedding at sea

Waking up at 5.45am on a Sat after a trial last week to attend a wedding is in all honesty quite a trial itself but a combination of factors put me on a high despite the lack of sleep.

There's the sea for one and the excitement of an early morning "excursion" to a far-flung spot of Singapore - one degree 15 at Marina Cove on Sentosa to be precise. I have not been there and am unlikely to go there in the near future unless I get to know some rich friend who stays there or get invited to a yacht party - very remote situations either way.

ES and AG had the beautiful idea of solemnizing their marriage on a yacht and the theme was white. I was not in white cos the last time I wore a white dress was as a jie mei at SX's wedding and it seems abit too dressy and un-nautical. The day before, we had a horrendous storm. On Sat, it was cloudy but soon cleared up fortuitously. Here are some pics I managed to capture while trying to find my sea legs!

Early morning harbour. Had a celeb spotting moment - the Queen of Caldecott Hill no less and her family in tow!

  

Love the early morning serenity and clear water (don't like the seaweed thingy growing underwater though). 

Wandering along the pier in search of the yacht. 

Love the pretty homemade touches the bride made to the yacht.

 Designed by the bride and cut out by me! Made with my fav new buy - the Silhouette Cameo.

J and I sneaking in some shots before the ceremony.

Very pleasant Justice of Peace. I guess amicability is one of the major criteria in becoming a JP!

The family with big eyes all around!

Out at sea - sun-decking.

Nice to admire, impossible to procure.

Lazarus island - very bucolic in my view.

In front of the lalang field.

The happy couple.

Pose looks familiar? Before anybody says this smacks of corniness, I'd better say that I put the couple up to it. But at least the smiles were natural!

The sea-sick victim whose agony was only slightly alleviated by a pill.

Early bday wishes

September always seems like thanksgiving for me where I am especially grateful for the people and things around me.

Received a very sweet and whimsical card from Cui (to my scrapbooking heart's delight) and my first thought after reading her message was: it's hard to believe we've known  (and put up with) each other for so long. 

Had an early bday dinner with gfs so that we could catch SX before she popped but her darling little prince E decided to grace us with his arrival 2 weeks earlier! Here's some snapshots I got of the proud mama and papa with baby E. Time for the daddy to take more pics of mom and baby please!

Hands down the cutest present I will get this year :) Can anyone actually bear to eat up little red riding hood and her big bad wolf?

First day

I seem to be the slightest bit obsessed with the seasons (maybe cos I'm deprived of it?)

Anyway, it's the first day of September! I always have a soft spot for this beautiful month, not least because it's ahem my bday month, as it heralds the start of autumn. Some people might say that it's still summer (yes global warming); I wouldn't know cos it doesn't change much here. But, the nights do feel a little cooler and the days end a little earlier and I can almost feel the year, very slowly, winding down...

Unfortunately, back to more drudgery (work) with a pic to remind me of better days!

The Ranting Panda

My friend D has started a food etc blog at http://therantingpanda.wordpress.com/ and I'm really enjoying his concise yet personal reviews and pictures. Helps that I happen to like the places that he frequents as well.

D deserves an applause cos everyone who has a blog knows the commitment involved in maintaining one much less an interest blog!

It's getting warm again

 "Summer" in Singapore will be bearable if we didn't have to dress in suits and trudge to office everyday when our rightful! place is at beaches and pools. I wonder how the Americans/Europeans get to abandon their work and go for their long summer vacays.

I like to look to browse though my Japan pics and try to, vicariously, feel the cold December weather (which embarrassingly made me long for Singapore's balmy weather in a couple of freezing moments). How apt is the grass-is-greener adage!
 

For someone who has not experienced the joy of jumping in a pile of autumn leaves, I couldn't resist playing with the scattering of leaves along a walkway in Jingumae, one of my favourite areas in Tokyo.

Can anyone get tried of Disneyland?

A walk through Ginza after lunch at Tsukiji Fish Market.

Tiong Bahru

Yes, apparently there are still undeveloped places left in Singapore where people can set up indie shops and cafes. Finally managed to drop by the new "Haji Lane" - this little neighbourhood in Tiong Bahru with sprawling (relatively speaking) open spaces between blocks of walk-up apartments and lots of trees. I had delicious flashes of "this reminds me of the narrow streets of Montmarte" and "almost like the hidden lanes of the Albacin".

Would be deemed inefficient parking nowadays

Quaint neighbourhood

Quaint corridors

And the streets have the most pedestrian names like Yong Siak Street, Seng Poh Lane, Eng Hoon Steet, Chay Yan Steet. It was all the more charming to discover hip cafes and shops sprouting up sporadically amidst traditional provision shops, fish shops and Hainanese curry rice (can't wait to try!).

 

 

 

 

  

Trying to sneak a shot of the cute baby

I was pleasantly surprised to see that unlike the presently blog-shop cluttered Haji Lane, the few shops in Tiong Bahru are genuinely more interesting and varied (Strangelets, Nana & Bird, Books Actually, Fleas & Trees). One of the main draws is the cafes there (40 Hands, Tiong Bahru Bakery, Social Haus, Open Door Policy). Be warned, you will have to pay a premium for the books, clothes and knick-knacks.

Vintage clothes

Entrance to shop

New location of Books Actually

Tried the bread and pastries at Tiong Bahru Bakery (deceptive local name but headed by a French chef with fantastic decor especially the takeaway boxes and paper bags). 

Tiong Bahru Bakery

 

The inside

The croissant (had the choc one) is as good as the reviews claim but very stingy on the choc and overpriced for the size (and lack of choc). The mandarin tart was a good mix of citris and pandan filling on a perfectly butter and crunchy base. I like the squid ink bun sandwiched with smoked salmon and ham - thought it was charcoal bread at first (craving for the piping hot one at Moomba!). The ham was a tad too salty though. The apple crumble was crumbly enough although I think a person with a very sweet tooth will appreciate it better. The focaccia with ham, cheese and rockets was disappointingly hard - I never trust those pre-baked bread with melted cheese on top. Drinks are limited - the usual coffee, chocolate and tea only.

Managed to pop by 40 Hands and immediately fell in love with the decor again. Food there is a mix of western (mainly brunch grub) and asian (saw some tau sar piah bao!). Snuck away with some peanut butter shortbread thumb cookies (again overpriced and frankly looked better than it tasted) and a snookie (a cross between a cookie and scone?).

My only wish for the place is that the government doesn't unilaterally decide to bulldoze it over for another of those soulless condos.