Watching Jonathan Phang's Gourmet Trains on Asian Food Channel renewed and intensified the dream of living in England for the long-run. It is a dream however, due to my limited mobility and health condition. Still, I can fantasise about this dream, can't I?
If I were to live in England, I would choose to settle in Bath. It is where I wished I could have spent a longer time there, on a day trip some years back. I decided to skip the Pump Rooms during the trip as well, a decision which has made me wistful with regrets at times. If I were in Bath, I would open my own cafe to let people try some dishes and baking delights I whip up. There would be no limit too to the categories of food I share. They would depend on my spontaneity of the day and time.
At the same time, being in Bath would mean I get to participate in the Jane Austen festival. What fun it would be to wear the dresses of the Regency era and live the lifestyle of the characters in her books! I could even meet my Mr Darcy as a result, who knows! Just like in Austenland, I reckon England would have such experiential vacations too. I would embark on those too! I would be able to visit Chawton and Winchester as well, like how it is in Me and Mr Darcy. Pride and Prejudice would also come alive for me, with the visit to Longbourn and Derbyshire.
Of course, England being known for her literary world, has so many other tours associated with other writers too, Ooo, the wonders and adventures beckon!
Being in England can also mean I finally get to wear hats without feeling self-conscious and I get to start preparing for Christmas in July. All those weekend flea markets, and enticing shops especially in Notting Hill, would be a stone's throw away. All museums being free, I would visit especially the V&A Museum when new exhibits come in, and British Museum which I didn't visit the last time I went to England. I would go for the Wimbledon matches and explore the English villages with its family-friendly pubs, where there would be games and grub worthy of positive critique.
The dream is so sweet that I feel so satisfied and fulfilled just fantasising about it. Aaah.....imaginative bliss!
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Friday, January 31, 2014
CNY 2014
It was a quiet celebration but still in little ways of doing so:
1) Leaving lights on for the Eve
2) Eating Yu Sheng
3) Wearing bright red clothes
There were innovative ways of celebrating too:
1) Fast food for Reunion Dinner
2) Malay food for First Day's lunch
1) Leaving lights on for the Eve
2) Eating Yu Sheng
3) Wearing bright red clothes
There were innovative ways of celebrating too:
1) Fast food for Reunion Dinner
2) Malay food for First Day's lunch
Friday, December 6, 2013
Current diet trends
Some of these diets are absolutely ludicrous. For the price of vanity, people come up with such strange ideas which serve only to hurt their health in the long run. They then construct high-sounding terms to give names to these strange ideas, some of which are not even medically proven or recommended.
-Breatharian diet: air as the only sustenance.
-Alcorexia/Drunkorexia diet: alcohol-based; binge-drinking.
Don't they deserve to be classified as rubbish?
-Breatharian diet: air as the only sustenance.
-Alcorexia/Drunkorexia diet: alcohol-based; binge-drinking.
Don't they deserve to be classified as rubbish?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
SFX Fun Day
It has been a long time since I really mingled at leisure for my parish fun fair. Last night gave me the opportunity to do so. I was given the starting and ending shifts for the stall my choir was running. I had 3 hours in between to buy things with my coupons.
My favourite section is obviously the food. There were many ethnic dishes, snacks and local food. From Eurasian to Filipino and Indian, it really felt as if I was at a huge buffet! There were the old favourites like Fried Chicken Wings and Kueh Pie Tee, as well as new offers like Shanghainese Noodles and Chocolate Fondue. There were also healthy things like fruits and cold tea drinks. I bought the noodles, the kueh, Tuna Cutlet a chicken wing which I gave to my friend, 2 apples and 2 tea drinks.
I skipped the games section as it is not my cup of tea. I went to the articles section. I was hoping to get some old but useful things. Instead, some prices were exorbitant due to their handmade or Swarovski crystal elements. Those that fell into my prescribed category were not appealing, however. In the end, I bought a pair of baby's footprints earrings.
I got the chance to spend some time talking to both old and new friends. I talked to my god-sister, four old friends and a new friend. I also spent time talking to a parent and the seminarian attached to my parish. Those moments spent with the old friends were especially heartwarming.
My shifts gave me the opportunity to encounter food in a culinary manner. I got to place strawberries and grapes on skewers, and cut strawberries too. I also got to learn how to make chocolate fondue. Interesting! I am heartened too that I got to fulfill almost all the expectations set upon me in my role as equipment i/c and there was understanding towards my failure. I just need to learn how to take professional compliments... Thank goodness I made up for it today.
I know I was given a lot of leeway in my duties due to my legs. Hence, I decided to do extra work by washing the equipment and counting our earnings too. I guess I am not the type who feels comfortable with ordering people around too much, even though I was put in charge of two interns. I decided to do some of the work on my own. Though I chose a place further away to wash it, I was blessed to get to know some fellow parishioners who were running their own stalls in the process.
My favourite section is obviously the food. There were many ethnic dishes, snacks and local food. From Eurasian to Filipino and Indian, it really felt as if I was at a huge buffet! There were the old favourites like Fried Chicken Wings and Kueh Pie Tee, as well as new offers like Shanghainese Noodles and Chocolate Fondue. There were also healthy things like fruits and cold tea drinks. I bought the noodles, the kueh, Tuna Cutlet a chicken wing which I gave to my friend, 2 apples and 2 tea drinks.
I skipped the games section as it is not my cup of tea. I went to the articles section. I was hoping to get some old but useful things. Instead, some prices were exorbitant due to their handmade or Swarovski crystal elements. Those that fell into my prescribed category were not appealing, however. In the end, I bought a pair of baby's footprints earrings.
I got the chance to spend some time talking to both old and new friends. I talked to my god-sister, four old friends and a new friend. I also spent time talking to a parent and the seminarian attached to my parish. Those moments spent with the old friends were especially heartwarming.
My shifts gave me the opportunity to encounter food in a culinary manner. I got to place strawberries and grapes on skewers, and cut strawberries too. I also got to learn how to make chocolate fondue. Interesting! I am heartened too that I got to fulfill almost all the expectations set upon me in my role as equipment i/c and there was understanding towards my failure. I just need to learn how to take professional compliments... Thank goodness I made up for it today.
I know I was given a lot of leeway in my duties due to my legs. Hence, I decided to do extra work by washing the equipment and counting our earnings too. I guess I am not the type who feels comfortable with ordering people around too much, even though I was put in charge of two interns. I decided to do some of the work on my own. Though I chose a place further away to wash it, I was blessed to get to know some fellow parishioners who were running their own stalls in the process.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Passion for everything British spilling over!
I have been exposed to British things since I was born. I moved to Serangoon Gardens, a suburb whose street names are British. I remember having learnt to bake Queen Cakes, Butterfly Cakes, Sardine Sandwiches and Victoria Sandwich Cake during Home Economics class in secondary school. These are essentially British food. I remember seeing one of the Art teachers wearing a hat to school. It made her unique from the rest of the school teachers, and she did it with such finesse. She was not conscious of being the only one to do so. Somehow it seemed to fit her hairdo too :) Since Singapore was a British colony, my first language is English, whose written version follows that of British English.
My exposure escalated as I embarked on my English Literature degree. The works I studied had British texts and where more suitable to get the degree from than the University of London? My favourite authors were Alexander Pope, Richard Sheridan, William Blake, John Keats, Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Tennyson. I also got to study the history of England, which still fascinates me even till today.
Graduating was not the end of English Literature for me. The degree only served to boost my love for the English authors. I have a nostalgic feeling for the English poets and have developed a fanaticism for Jane Austen, especially her characters of the Darcys. Agatha Christie and her detectives is also a favourite of mine. I love even more British television programmes, both in quantity and quality. My favourite accent is definitely the British accent. It sounds very cultured to me.
I have gone to England four times now but it was the most recent trip that caused my passion to overflow. I got to finally go to Bath which is associated with Austen. As a result of this trip, I have cultivated a love for English country cottage decor, my latest craze. I have also relished in the delights of English fashion and food. In my journey of appreciation, I have discovered that my exposure to the latter is far greater than I thought. I remember having eaten Quality Sweets, Butterscotch sauce and Peach Melba with ecstasy as a young girl.My second trip was a catalyst for tennis as one of my favourite sport to watch. I had been a spectator at The Queen's Club for a Stella Artois Tennis tournament. Watching it 'live' had me blown away, as I soaked in the atmosphere.
My exposure escalated as I embarked on my English Literature degree. The works I studied had British texts and where more suitable to get the degree from than the University of London? My favourite authors were Alexander Pope, Richard Sheridan, William Blake, John Keats, Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Tennyson. I also got to study the history of England, which still fascinates me even till today.
Graduating was not the end of English Literature for me. The degree only served to boost my love for the English authors. I have a nostalgic feeling for the English poets and have developed a fanaticism for Jane Austen, especially her characters of the Darcys. Agatha Christie and her detectives is also a favourite of mine. I love even more British television programmes, both in quantity and quality. My favourite accent is definitely the British accent. It sounds very cultured to me.
I have gone to England four times now but it was the most recent trip that caused my passion to overflow. I got to finally go to Bath which is associated with Austen. As a result of this trip, I have cultivated a love for English country cottage decor, my latest craze. I have also relished in the delights of English fashion and food. In my journey of appreciation, I have discovered that my exposure to the latter is far greater than I thought. I remember having eaten Quality Sweets, Butterscotch sauce and Peach Melba with ecstasy as a young girl.My second trip was a catalyst for tennis as one of my favourite sport to watch. I had been a spectator at The Queen's Club for a Stella Artois Tennis tournament. Watching it 'live' had me blown away, as I soaked in the atmosphere.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Reading - convenience versus real pleasure
This is my second entry on e-books versus real books, but the former has become so dominant in people's lives that it brings a fear to my loyalist heart that beats for the latter.
Parents nowadays are already exposing their young kids to the former. Granted, the kids are still enjoying the reading and learning process. However, they don't have the opportunity to fully do so.
I agree with the article by Huang Huifen. The e-book may make it easier for parents to ensure their kids are occupied but the reader of the e-book is not the parent. As a result, there is not enough bonding between the family members. It is as if the kids are merely watching a movie. I do acknowledge the benefit of the interactive games that will help the kids better understand the story though. At the same time, there are other ways to occupy the kids. Parents can give them colouring/activity books, jigsaw puzzles or building blocks/playdough. These toys enhance the creative and mental aspects of the kids' development, far better alternatives to a technological option.
Indeed, real books spark the kids' sensory development through the accompanying features of sound and touch complementing their understanding of the world around them. This form of development is more important to their growth, since it is the most basic one. Also, it is chilling to note that older kids' imaginative skills are compromised due to e-books. The novel and poetry industries will have fewer outstanding writers to come as a result. How will traditional literature continue to survive through the ages? On a note which is closer to home, it is no wonder that the essay content of kids in school suffer. The plots they come up with are too simple, since e-books unfold the plots for them with the interactive features.
I am impressed by a parent who uses both tools to teach her kids the English language. Most parents nowadays use just the e-book. Another parent really hit the nail on its head by saying that reading real books teaches patience. To add on, it enhances the real pleasure of reading via increasing the anticipation of how the plot will proceed. For this to occur though, the power of the language used must be potent enough; the descriptions of the settings and the emotions of the characters must 'speak' so convincingly to the reader that he becomes part of the story and can't wait to live it out.
Parents nowadays are already exposing their young kids to the former. Granted, the kids are still enjoying the reading and learning process. However, they don't have the opportunity to fully do so.
I agree with the article by Huang Huifen. The e-book may make it easier for parents to ensure their kids are occupied but the reader of the e-book is not the parent. As a result, there is not enough bonding between the family members. It is as if the kids are merely watching a movie. I do acknowledge the benefit of the interactive games that will help the kids better understand the story though. At the same time, there are other ways to occupy the kids. Parents can give them colouring/activity books, jigsaw puzzles or building blocks/playdough. These toys enhance the creative and mental aspects of the kids' development, far better alternatives to a technological option.
Indeed, real books spark the kids' sensory development through the accompanying features of sound and touch complementing their understanding of the world around them. This form of development is more important to their growth, since it is the most basic one. Also, it is chilling to note that older kids' imaginative skills are compromised due to e-books. The novel and poetry industries will have fewer outstanding writers to come as a result. How will traditional literature continue to survive through the ages? On a note which is closer to home, it is no wonder that the essay content of kids in school suffer. The plots they come up with are too simple, since e-books unfold the plots for them with the interactive features.
I am impressed by a parent who uses both tools to teach her kids the English language. Most parents nowadays use just the e-book. Another parent really hit the nail on its head by saying that reading real books teaches patience. To add on, it enhances the real pleasure of reading via increasing the anticipation of how the plot will proceed. For this to occur though, the power of the language used must be potent enough; the descriptions of the settings and the emotions of the characters must 'speak' so convincingly to the reader that he becomes part of the story and can't wait to live it out.
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