早上六时四十五分，闹钟嘟嘟嘟嘟地响。
响了快五分钟，我才心不甘情不愿地爬起来坐在床上，又拉起被单把头蒙着。又过了五分钟，我按停了闹钟，拖着沉重的脚步去冲凉。
地铁自动门一打开，人群就哇地一窝蜂涌向电动扶梯去。我随着人群，像溪水那样随波逐流地被挤上扶梯。在离自动检票闸门约十步的地方，我瞥见了从身旁快步走 过的OL。她化着淡淡的妆，穿着一件式的白色套装裙，腰间系着一条两寸阔的深褐色绒布腰带，脚上那双褐色高跟鞋随着她那轻盈的脚步踢踏踢踏地响着。可是， 怎么这个女人却怎么看怎么别扭？好奇心促使我大步大步地跨上前去，赶在那个女人前头，然后尽可能自然地回头看了她一眼。
“哦，原来她的脸很臭。”这句话差一些脱口而出。可是我没说出口，因为同一时间另一个念头在我脑中闪过。“我今天的脸也很臭。”我喃喃自语。
是 的，自大年初二回到新加坡以后，接下来的三个星期都是忙忙碌碌的。第一个周六，我和另外两个同事还有一个朋友花了十二个小时骑着脚踏车车踏遍了新加坡岛。 周日又到大老板家拜年拿红包，过后又看了电影The Reader。第二个星期，英国的同事到访，我们就陪着她逛新加坡。周五晚上我们吃过晚饭后，就去了新加坡五星级酒店内的Long Bar去clubbing。这可是我人生中第一次clubbing，而且还很惊险。其中一个男同事因为对酒精敏感，引起身体不适而在凌晨被送到急诊室。还 好有惊无险，那同事在医院休息了数小时后就没事了。第三个周末我们一班同事七个人去了印尼的巴淡岛共度情人节。
虽然很忙碌，每天回到家都筋疲力尽 了，可是却很开心，生活过得很充实。英国同事回去以后，一切活动都停止了，生活也恢复平静。我却像泄了气的气球一样，每天都不愿起床。并不是厌倦上班，我 不过是厌倦了挤在地铁上班的路程，加上无处不是的拥挤人群，还有家里那股一进门就闻到的发霉味道，这些简直就让我想立刻收拾行李回槟城。
所以，我的脸每天都是臭臭的。笑容是很难在我的脸上出现，就算出现了也无法停留超过五秒。现在最讨厌的就是呆在房间里无所事事，因为我会很想家。没有办法，唯有把每个周末的行程表都排得满满的，才不会胡思乱想。
Monday, February 23, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Best Meal in Singapore
SlrRp SlrRp SlrRp...Mmmmmmmmmmm Asam Laksa!!!
I've been hunting for Asam Laksa since I came to Singapore. Though I found a few restaurants and hawker stalls selling Penang food on the Penangites in Singapore (PIS) group on Facebook for quite some time ago, but I didn't have the time to try them out.
As I didn't have the time to eat my favourite Ayer Itam Asam Laksa during my last trip back to Penang in Chinese New Year, I've been craving for it since the day I stepped my feet on Singapore. Today is a long and tired day for me because I attended a one-and-a-half-hour training and a twenty-minute meeting, and of all I didn't get enough sleep last night after a heavy Indian vegetarian meal.
This is the kind of day I will treat myself some nice food. But it's not easy to find something that really soothes my soul and stomach in Singapore. I knocked off sharp at 6pm, dragging my body back to Toa Payoh. Two weeks ago, I found the Ipoh famous Old Town White Coffee Cafe at the HDB hub in Toa Payoh. And someone from the PIS group recommended the Asam Laksa from Old Town at East Coast. So, I just couldn't wait to try it out.
When the waiter passed me the menu, I didn't even read it carefully, my eyes just went on hunting for my Asam Laksa and I ordered it straight away without second thought. Oh, I ordered an O Beng (Iced Kopi O) as well, one of my favourite drinks in Penang.
I was smiling all the time while enjoying my Laksa. I've never appreciated Laksa the way I did today. I just feel like smiling while biting the noodles and the big pieces of onions. Yum yum...I believed the waiters and waitresses were staring at me and knew it right away that I am a Penangite! Hahaha So what if I eat like I've been starving for days?! I just couldn't bother less!
I emptied the whole bowl of Laksa, I drank all the soup (简直就是碗底朝天嘛^o^). I feel as light as a feather as soon as I finish it. :D Hehe
Even though the Laksa only scored 8 out of 10, it still beats everything else in Singapore. Okay, it's now time to give a fair comment on the Laksa. I rated it 8 because the noodles wasn't soft enough and the soup was a little too thin. Also, the cucumber were sliced too thin and took away the crunchiness. And my favourite pineapple was MIA (missing in action), which disppointed me a little.
And here's some info about Asam Laksa for those who're not Penangites or haven't try it before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa
http://www.delaksa.com/penang_laksa.php
http://www.rasamalaysia.com/2008/02/recipe-penang-assam-laksa.html
I've been hunting for Asam Laksa since I came to Singapore. Though I found a few restaurants and hawker stalls selling Penang food on the Penangites in Singapore (PIS) group on Facebook for quite some time ago, but I didn't have the time to try them out.
As I didn't have the time to eat my favourite Ayer Itam Asam Laksa during my last trip back to Penang in Chinese New Year, I've been craving for it since the day I stepped my feet on Singapore. Today is a long and tired day for me because I attended a one-and-a-half-hour training and a twenty-minute meeting, and of all I didn't get enough sleep last night after a heavy Indian vegetarian meal.
This is the kind of day I will treat myself some nice food. But it's not easy to find something that really soothes my soul and stomach in Singapore. I knocked off sharp at 6pm, dragging my body back to Toa Payoh. Two weeks ago, I found the Ipoh famous Old Town White Coffee Cafe at the HDB hub in Toa Payoh. And someone from the PIS group recommended the Asam Laksa from Old Town at East Coast. So, I just couldn't wait to try it out.
When the waiter passed me the menu, I didn't even read it carefully, my eyes just went on hunting for my Asam Laksa and I ordered it straight away without second thought. Oh, I ordered an O Beng (Iced Kopi O) as well, one of my favourite drinks in Penang.
I was smiling all the time while enjoying my Laksa. I've never appreciated Laksa the way I did today. I just feel like smiling while biting the noodles and the big pieces of onions. Yum yum...I believed the waiters and waitresses were staring at me and knew it right away that I am a Penangite! Hahaha So what if I eat like I've been starving for days?! I just couldn't bother less!
I emptied the whole bowl of Laksa, I drank all the soup (简直就是碗底朝天嘛^o^). I feel as light as a feather as soon as I finish it. :D Hehe
Even though the Laksa only scored 8 out of 10, it still beats everything else in Singapore. Okay, it's now time to give a fair comment on the Laksa. I rated it 8 because the noodles wasn't soft enough and the soup was a little too thin. Also, the cucumber were sliced too thin and took away the crunchiness. And my favourite pineapple was MIA (missing in action), which disppointed me a little.
And here's some info about Asam Laksa for those who're not Penangites or haven't try it before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa
http://www.delaksa.com/penang_laksa.php
http://www.rasamalaysia.com/2008/02/recipe-penang-assam-laksa.html
Sunday, February 15, 2009
回家，过年
今年是第一次以游子的身份回家过年。家，原来并不只是家人，它还包括了家的所在地，国。
对每个马来西亚华人来说，我们的身份是非常尴尬的。在国内，大部分的时候我们都被视为外来者，只有在国家有难时，政客就会踊跃地跳出来提醒我们，我们是马来西亚公民，我们是一家人，我们的祖先都为建国作出了贡献，然后那些华人商家就被逼着捐出巨款拯救国家。虽然我们都非常清楚我们是马来西亚公民，可是却接受着比二等公民还要差的待遇。那些为了捞取政治本钱的无耻政客，还会不时地发表华人是外来移民的谬论。
到了国外，无论我们在国内受了多少的委屈，肚子里装着多少无从发泄的怨愤，我们总是很骄傲地告诉别人我们是马来西亚人，我们是马来西亚华人。我们都会很骄傲地说We are Malaysian, we are Malaysian Chinese。有位朋友在中国念大学时，更为了坚持自己是马来西亚人的身份和一位中国远亲发生口角。当时我那位朋友在假期时到一个中国远房亲戚家住，在那之前他们从来没见过面。那位亲戚非常热情地招待我朋友，可是有一天那亲戚跟我朋友说，你是中国人，你的祖先是从中国移居到马来西亚的。我朋友告诉那亲戚说，我不是中国人，我是马来西亚人，我是马来西亚华人。两人后来就各自坚持己见，一个说是中国人，一个说是马来西亚华人，两人争得面红耳赤。我朋友更一气之下离开了那亲戚的家。
看官读到这里可能会满脑子疑问，既然都那么不满了，为什么还要为了那么个身份问题和别人吵嘴呢？可能你会认为我的那位朋友太激动了，可是我却了解他的心情。从我们呱呱落地的那一刻起，我们的脚踏着的是一个叫马来西亚的地方，吃的是马来同胞的三峇巴拉煎炒蕹菜，喝的是印度同胞的拉茶 (Teh Tarik)。这一切一切就只能在马来西亚找到，要是硬要说我们是中国人，那实在是说不过去。除了国籍，文化决定一个人的身份。
1月回家过年时，在电视上听到了这首歌《回家，过年》，我哭了。身在国外的我，虽然离马来西亚就只有一堤之远，可是生活文化全然不同。以前在家乡时常埋怨的事物，现在都成了宝了，空闲时总会想起家乡的好，所有的不满突然间都变得有点微不足道。
“……家在土里长 国在心里放，你来自北方 我来自南方，你不是寄居 我不是流浪，你身在异乡 我心在家乡……”
对每个马来西亚华人来说，我们的身份是非常尴尬的。在国内，大部分的时候我们都被视为外来者，只有在国家有难时，政客就会踊跃地跳出来提醒我们，我们是马来西亚公民，我们是一家人，我们的祖先都为建国作出了贡献，然后那些华人商家就被逼着捐出巨款拯救国家。虽然我们都非常清楚我们是马来西亚公民，可是却接受着比二等公民还要差的待遇。那些为了捞取政治本钱的无耻政客，还会不时地发表华人是外来移民的谬论。
到了国外，无论我们在国内受了多少的委屈，肚子里装着多少无从发泄的怨愤，我们总是很骄傲地告诉别人我们是马来西亚人，我们是马来西亚华人。我们都会很骄傲地说We are Malaysian, we are Malaysian Chinese。有位朋友在中国念大学时，更为了坚持自己是马来西亚人的身份和一位中国远亲发生口角。当时我那位朋友在假期时到一个中国远房亲戚家住，在那之前他们从来没见过面。那位亲戚非常热情地招待我朋友，可是有一天那亲戚跟我朋友说，你是中国人，你的祖先是从中国移居到马来西亚的。我朋友告诉那亲戚说，我不是中国人，我是马来西亚人，我是马来西亚华人。两人后来就各自坚持己见，一个说是中国人，一个说是马来西亚华人，两人争得面红耳赤。我朋友更一气之下离开了那亲戚的家。
看官读到这里可能会满脑子疑问，既然都那么不满了，为什么还要为了那么个身份问题和别人吵嘴呢？可能你会认为我的那位朋友太激动了，可是我却了解他的心情。从我们呱呱落地的那一刻起，我们的脚踏着的是一个叫马来西亚的地方，吃的是马来同胞的三峇巴拉煎炒蕹菜，喝的是印度同胞的拉茶 (Teh Tarik)。这一切一切就只能在马来西亚找到，要是硬要说我们是中国人，那实在是说不过去。除了国籍，文化决定一个人的身份。
1月回家过年时，在电视上听到了这首歌《回家，过年》，我哭了。身在国外的我，虽然离马来西亚就只有一堤之远，可是生活文化全然不同。以前在家乡时常埋怨的事物，现在都成了宝了，空闲时总会想起家乡的好，所有的不满突然间都变得有点微不足道。
“……家在土里长 国在心里放，你来自北方 我来自南方，你不是寄居 我不是流浪，你身在异乡 我心在家乡……”
《回家，过年》
作曲/编曲：Alex San
作词：吉安
MV导演：吉安
演唱：满江浤、爱FM DJ（国俊、理强、佳文、吉安、晓芬、碧枝、敏明 、晓薇）
一年又一年 这座城市的喧哗
谁还在欢唱 谁不再反抗
一站又一站 站在自己的车站
一面都是墙 一退就是让
一年又一年 这座城市换红衫
谁还在欢唱 谁不再反抗
一代又一代 先贤锣鼓走过来
家在土里长 国在心里放
你来自北方 我来自南方
你不是寄居 我不是流浪
你身在异乡 我心在家乡
只求你我都心宽
但愿年年内心安
过年已过了三代 上一代靠岸 下一代上岸
作曲/编曲：Alex San
作词：吉安
MV导演：吉安
演唱：满江浤、爱FM DJ（国俊、理强、佳文、吉安、晓芬、碧枝、敏明 、晓薇）
一年又一年 这座城市的喧哗
谁还在欢唱 谁不再反抗
一站又一站 站在自己的车站
一面都是墙 一退就是让
一年又一年 这座城市换红衫
谁还在欢唱 谁不再反抗
一代又一代 先贤锣鼓走过来
家在土里长 国在心里放
你来自北方 我来自南方
你不是寄居 我不是流浪
你身在异乡 我心在家乡
只求你我都心宽
但愿年年内心安
过年已过了三代 上一代靠岸 下一代上岸
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Home-Cook Dishes
After moving to Singapore, I miss home-cook food very very much, so much that I constantly skip dinners.
An idea came across my mind recently, and it keeps coming into my mind whenever I eat alone. A restaurant that serves home-cook dishes, simple and healthy, and definitely not oily and has to be additive-free - no 'BI SO HUN' (味精). Home-cook dishes are a luxury for someone like me who lives alone in a city where everyone does not cook meals and dine out basically.
I have been looking for places that serve something that is close to home-cook dishes. But sadly, I just can't find any. Economy rice stalls serve extremely oily food, even the stir fried choy sum is oily. :( Even the claimed-to-be-healthy Japanese food does not appeal to my appetite. Why can't someone open a restaurant that serves home-cook dishes - simple, less oil, less salt, and HEALTHY food?!
Healthy home-cook dishes. That is what I am going to serve to my customers, IF I ever have the opportunity to open my own restaurant. And one-seater dining tables specially for lonely souls to enjoy meals is a must. It is no joke that you need to spend at least 5 minutes or sometimes 20 minutes to find a seat during meal time in Singapore, and sharing tables just make me lose my appetites.
**Another dream of mines after living in the boring city for six months. :P
An idea came across my mind recently, and it keeps coming into my mind whenever I eat alone. A restaurant that serves home-cook dishes, simple and healthy, and definitely not oily and has to be additive-free - no 'BI SO HUN' (味精). Home-cook dishes are a luxury for someone like me who lives alone in a city where everyone does not cook meals and dine out basically.
I have been looking for places that serve something that is close to home-cook dishes. But sadly, I just can't find any. Economy rice stalls serve extremely oily food, even the stir fried choy sum is oily. :( Even the claimed-to-be-healthy Japanese food does not appeal to my appetite. Why can't someone open a restaurant that serves home-cook dishes - simple, less oil, less salt, and HEALTHY food?!
Healthy home-cook dishes. That is what I am going to serve to my customers, IF I ever have the opportunity to open my own restaurant. And one-seater dining tables specially for lonely souls to enjoy meals is a must. It is no joke that you need to spend at least 5 minutes or sometimes 20 minutes to find a seat during meal time in Singapore, and sharing tables just make me lose my appetites.
**Another dream of mines after living in the boring city for six months. :P
Sunday, January 11, 2009
帅哥和美女
原来帅哥也和美女一样，禁不起岁月的摧残。今天在家里闷得发慌，就上Friendster溜达溜达，无意中发现了一个数年没碰面的同学的照片。
哎呀，这是我认识的他吗？！看着照片中的K，不禁令我自觉欣慰，因为自己多年来体重都没有太大的改变。
当年第一次见他是在学院开课的第一天，因为K长得很高大帅气，让我留下深刻的印象。当然最重要的是他长得跟我的表叔很像，所以印象特别深刻。后来，我跟K也没有成为好友什么的，只是交情一般的同班同学。
毕业后的数年来，我们都不曾举办过同学会。虽然间中也有小聚会，可是总是猫咪三两只地出现，再加上学院时期的党派之分，不同党不同派的，毕业后都几乎不曾碰面。
不知道下一次的聚会，等待着我们的是惊吓还是惊喜呢？
近来发觉自己话越来越少了，就连写部落格时也总是不知道要写些什么。唉，不知道会不会换上自闭症呢？要真是换上了自闭症，那可有多不值得啊！
哎呀，这是我认识的他吗？！看着照片中的K，不禁令我自觉欣慰，因为自己多年来体重都没有太大的改变。
当年第一次见他是在学院开课的第一天，因为K长得很高大帅气，让我留下深刻的印象。当然最重要的是他长得跟我的表叔很像，所以印象特别深刻。后来，我跟K也没有成为好友什么的，只是交情一般的同班同学。
毕业后的数年来，我们都不曾举办过同学会。虽然间中也有小聚会，可是总是猫咪三两只地出现，再加上学院时期的党派之分，不同党不同派的，毕业后都几乎不曾碰面。
不知道下一次的聚会，等待着我们的是惊吓还是惊喜呢？
近来发觉自己话越来越少了，就连写部落格时也总是不知道要写些什么。唉，不知道会不会换上自闭症呢？要真是换上了自闭症，那可有多不值得啊！
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Surviving with Singapore food
As I was wishing my taste buds would stop working for some time till I get to cook something for myself, I found a way to swallow those yucky Singapore food without too much difficulties. What is it? Swallow without chewing? No no, I wouldn't do such thing that's harmful to my stomach. The answer is - get FAMISHED!
Room & toilet cleaning is the routine work for my weekends and I like to get everything done on Saturday mornings as soon as I get off from my bed. Usually I skip breakfast on weekends with a brunch before I spend the rest of the day at the library. So, I did the same yesterday. I did my cleaning and laundry in the morning without having my breakfast. Around noon, I had everything done and ready to go to the library. I took a train to the Central Library located at the city central. By the time I reached the Bugis stop, I was famished. I need food! I need food! That's all in my mind. I headed straight to the food court in Bugis Junction, and grabbed a seat (it's always difficult to find a seat for someone who's alone, it's pathetic). I ordered beef noodles. The noodles tasted rather yummy and I finished up that big bowl without feeling like throwing up. *p*
In the evening, I didn't feel like having any hawker food for dinner. I ended up eating at KFC in Singapore for the first time, and alone. I ordered a Continental chicken salad with lots of veg and pieces of fried crusty chicken on it. They serve it with a pack of sweet soy sauce, which doesn't taste nice. I would prefer some thousand island sauce or mayonnaise to go with that salad. I spent around an hour eating my salad while reading my novel. If I was to do my reading in a garden cafe surrounded by green grass, it would be a relaxing evening. But eating at the KFC in a HBD hub, I felt like I have to finish off my dinner ASAP.
Room & toilet cleaning is the routine work for my weekends and I like to get everything done on Saturday mornings as soon as I get off from my bed. Usually I skip breakfast on weekends with a brunch before I spend the rest of the day at the library. So, I did the same yesterday. I did my cleaning and laundry in the morning without having my breakfast. Around noon, I had everything done and ready to go to the library. I took a train to the Central Library located at the city central. By the time I reached the Bugis stop, I was famished. I need food! I need food! That's all in my mind. I headed straight to the food court in Bugis Junction, and grabbed a seat (it's always difficult to find a seat for someone who's alone, it's pathetic). I ordered beef noodles. The noodles tasted rather yummy and I finished up that big bowl without feeling like throwing up. *p*
In the evening, I didn't feel like having any hawker food for dinner. I ended up eating at KFC in Singapore for the first time, and alone. I ordered a Continental chicken salad with lots of veg and pieces of fried crusty chicken on it. They serve it with a pack of sweet soy sauce, which doesn't taste nice. I would prefer some thousand island sauce or mayonnaise to go with that salad. I spent around an hour eating my salad while reading my novel. If I was to do my reading in a garden cafe surrounded by green grass, it would be a relaxing evening. But eating at the KFC in a HBD hub, I felt like I have to finish off my dinner ASAP.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's time to get a new place
It's been more than three days I couldn't sleep well and eat well. Even when the quite-nice X'mas buffet lunch yesterday didn't open up my appetite. This is just so weird, I've never had such "gloomy" stomach before.
Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, I just don't feel like eating when I'm in front of the hawker stalls. Singapore food being not tasty is just one of the reasons, the most important part that lead to this no-appetite status is - I'm sick of dining out!!! And I miss my sisters who fight with me at the dinner table for a bigger portion of those yummy food Mum cooks. Food just taste a lot yummier when you share it with your loved ones, even though you have to bear with getting a smaller portion of them.
So, the resolution is I have to find a new place ASAP in order to be able to cook my own meals! Although my cooking is not as yummy as Mum's, it still taste a lot better than the ones served in hawker centres or highly priced restaurants because the taste is closer to Mum's cooking.
Just don't think I can survive more than a year in Singapore without "self-cooked" food. No longer home-cooked as I have to cook myself. *blek
Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, I just don't feel like eating when I'm in front of the hawker stalls. Singapore food being not tasty is just one of the reasons, the most important part that lead to this no-appetite status is - I'm sick of dining out!!! And I miss my sisters who fight with me at the dinner table for a bigger portion of those yummy food Mum cooks. Food just taste a lot yummier when you share it with your loved ones, even though you have to bear with getting a smaller portion of them.
So, the resolution is I have to find a new place ASAP in order to be able to cook my own meals! Although my cooking is not as yummy as Mum's, it still taste a lot better than the ones served in hawker centres or highly priced restaurants because the taste is closer to Mum's cooking.
Just don't think I can survive more than a year in Singapore without "self-cooked" food. No longer home-cooked as I have to cook myself. *blek
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