Thursday, March 27

Pillowman

I am going to watch The Pillowman.

I am excited much for several reasons.

1) The first time I tried to watch it (in December), I waited too late to buy tickets and they were all sold out. (My nice friends got me tickets to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang instead, which is not a bad thing at all, but I digress)

2) It will be my first adult movie/play/entertainment in ages! I haven't seen a movie since Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (yeah, I know)and this is going to be so different - deep, analytical, full of dark symbolism and wonderful allegory (one hopes). I am also looking forward to the time after the play, when I can sit around with my friends and de-construct the whole thing. Rather they will deconstruct and I will sit and nod wisely.

3) It will be first visit to the DBS Arts Centre. I have been by it, but never in it, so this will be different.

4) It will give me yet another reason to set reality aside and live in this fanstasy world where I am this successful young woman who has everthing going for her, who is enjoying a care-free evening with her cultured and educated friends, in her perfect little world on a balmy tropical evening.

Hey, who needs a reality check? Not me, baby.

Saturday, March 22

The more things change, the more they stay the same

I know I have not blogged in a while. Its not because nothing exciting has been happening. Or because I don't have the time. Or because I am lazy.

Ok, maybe a little because I am lazy. I am too lazy to work things out in my head and put them in clear uncluttered sentences on this page. Which is probably a different kind of laziness than you were thinking.

But ya, my life is a big old Gordian knot right now, and I am not a big fan of distangling thoughts and making decisions. So far, my whole attitude to life is "leave it alone, it will sort itself out."

But it seems there are some decisions I have to make, and the time to make them was 3 years ago (typically). But I need to stop procrastinating NOW and do something.

As they say in Tamil "One cut, two pieces." Which sounds a lot more ummph in Tamil.

Its time for things to change around here. And man, do I hate it.

Saturday, March 8

Frenching

It's been a landmine of a week and am I glad that it's almost over. Murphy had a field day with his law, and yet, I can't help but feel that God's law has triumphed.

"Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart."
Ps 119:34

I understand a little bit better God's heart and the concept of being constantly refined and renewed. Next week, there will be a better me, as a result of the me last week. Yes!!

On a lighter note, I want to talk about dinner last night.

After work, I headed happily towards Adam Road Hawker Centre, looking forward to a fiery mee-beehoon goreng, washed down with icy cold, sickeningly-sweet bandung. But alas, it was not to be.

My first clue was the the dearth of cars in the parking lot. As I neared the famed establishment, i saw a plain white banner stetched across the entrance, informing me that Adam Road Hawker Centre was closed for renovation till 30 March 2008!

As loose ends for a place to have my desired repast, I head aimlessly towards Serene Centre. I surveyed the options available - Macdonalds, Some Fusion Japanese place, Island Creamery, and La Petite Cuisine - and my heart sank further. MacD's was a good last option. The people at the pseudo Jap place didn't even pause in the busy standing-at-the-counter they were doing, although I loitered outside a good 10 mins perusing the menu. Island Creamery only served ice cream, and had a 20-person queue.
That left La Petite Cuisine.

As I walked into the establisment, I was greeted by a good looking Filipina waitress and a rough-looking Filipino with a tattoo of a snake on his neck! Her warm smile and his strangeness drew me in to take a closer look. Then a huge Frenchman with a white handlebar moustache came out of nowhere and greeted me with a hearty "Bon Soir" and I knew I had to try this joint out. If not for anything but because the chef looked like Einstein's deranged brother.

To say the place was small is an understatement. The kitchen was the size of two bathroom stalls and the chef and his two assistants stood in it. A five foot counter served as the waiters' station, order counter and cash register. The rest of the place was seating, spilling over to the terrace outside. We could hear every word they said, although the chef seemed to be the only one talking. "Where is the steak?! I am waiting for the steak and I don't like to wait!"

When asked for recommedations, the waitress without hesitation said "Duck Confit with potato gratin" and I didn't argue. I am glad I didn't. The duck was flavourful although some bits were not as tender as I would have liked. The potato gratin was swimming in heavy cream and butter. In all, not the meal for a weight watcher, but since I am not one, it was great. In a posh restaurant, it may have cost $30 easily; here is was $15.

As I was putting the last deletable morsel in my mouth, a lady came in and asked if they were open in the morning, for coffee and chocolate croissants. The chef, who was idling by the counter, said, in a loud booming voice, "No. In the morning, I sleep. With my girlfriend." The lady beat a hasty retreat.

La Petite Cuisine totally lives up to its name. It's the size of a postage stamp and the food is truly cuisine. Please try it if you can. Like the French Stall in Tekka, it's unpretentious French food at its best.

Monday, March 3

Too much going on

There are too many things happening right now, and I need to pull back and take stock. Thoughts, feelings and emotions are all jostling for space in the short time-space continuum that I inhabit and I feel woefully inadequately equipped sometimes.

It's at times like this that I wish I had someone else's job. Major pay cut notwithstanding, it will perhaps be nice to, for a while, be the aunty to hands out towels at the hotel pool. Or the lady who restacks books on library shelves. Or mans the visitor's centre desk in the middle of Orchard Road, where I will be a welcome beacon of information and light to the lost millions (of tourists).

I probably couldn't do it for more than a week. But for a change, it might be nice.

Do I sound ungrateful and discontent? Yeah, I think I do, when I really have nothing to complain about.