Voyage of Discovery

Farewell, Borders

Sal — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:15:38 +0000

Time to say goodbye and I’m feeling so sad. Borders will be closing its remaining store here today, and the brand name will go into history. The store has been having storewide 20%, 50% & 70% discounts to clear all the stock. Ever since the news of the closure was out, and the Judicial Manager said the fate of the store will depend on how much they can get from all the Sales they were running, I have been visiting all the sales, trying to see what I could buy to help in some small ways, hoping my fave store will stay.

So far I have acquired about 20 books, from Roald Dahl to John Grisham to Jane Austen guide and authors I never knew. And the last book I just bought yesterday was “buried in Books”, a reader’s anthology by Julie Rugg. Ever since Borders came to Singapore, I have started buying books which I had seldom done before. It had also ignited in me the interests in reading and started me in my Bookcrossing hobby. I have a lot of books on my shelf which are acquired from Borders, now the goood memory will be with me.

In fact, I was previously still hopeful that the store could be saved, but my every visit to the store seeing the shelves from having less titles, to becoming emptier, to seeing some areas being cordoned till the whole store space becoming so empty and no longer look like a bookstore makes me feel really sad.

You may be wondering it’s just a bookstore, but I definitely won’t feel the loss if it’s Popular, Kinokuniya, MPH or Harris closing. Just find Borders more family oriented, and the way books are being displayed make reading much more fun.

All the Best to you, Borders. Hope you will come back one day, but please don’t let us wait too long.

Operation Valkyrie

Sal — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:24:13 +0000

Had Stauffenberg suceeded in his attempt of assassinating Hitler, he would have been able to reunite with his wife and children and perhaps lived to a ripe old age, like his wife till 96. In the movie, Valkyrie, he didn’t get to see them after sending them away for safety, and was executed by the firing squad. Remembered having read from somewhere on this piece of history, and make a note to get the book to read, but instead watched the film adaptation first. Glad I didn’t missed watching this Sunday movie on ch5. Was flipping through the Straits Times, and the name Stauffenberg caught my eye. The movie was exciting and filled with suspense. The part when Tom Cruise as Stauffenberg asked to be able to change his shirt in the room, and what happened in the room makes me sit on edge, esp when the guard outside suddenly opened the door and nearly saw what he was doing with the explosives. Another scene was when Stauffenberg called his comrades and asked whether to proceed with the assassination, he was put on hold, and his message was passed from one to another. I wonder why so many people involved in the operation, and worried the message might be passed wrongly. There are also some areas which I find quite funny – all the briefcases underneath the table are similar in colour and design. Overall, I have enjoyed watching the film adaptation, now I just want to get the book to read, and perhaps watched it again after. Oh yes, how come in the movie, his eyeball can be removed and put back?

Chinese Ghost Festival 31Jul to 28-Aug 2011

Sal — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:01:06 +0000

It’s the Seventh Lunar Month again, the Chinese Ghost Festival, when hell’s gates are opened to let out all the ghosts to wander the earth for a period of one month, this time it’s from 31 July to 28 August. In fact, on the 30-July, the smell of incense and burning was already in the air. There were already people burning paper money in the bin downstairs around our neighborhood. I was also quite surprised to see office girls wearing heels, standing near to the ION MRT Station, entrance near to Wisma Atria, shuffle-ring paper money preparing for praying. I have only seen aunties and uncles doing all these. The smell still lingers when you go down the escalator to the area near the Sephora store.

I asked my colleague an interesting question today – whether the gates are opened in the night or day. Does the gate closed in the day, and letting out the hungry ghosts only during the night? Was told it’s left opened for the whole month, never close. I have thought ghosts come out only during the night. How are they to survive under the sun? The colleague said they find shelter to hide. Immediately what came to mind was a pretty ghost walking under the shade of an umbrella up and down the street visiting the living, and hid inside only when the umbrella is closed.

Max Perry Handmade Chocolates from Athens, Greece

Sal — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 06:50:05 +0000

Couldn’t stop loving it – the handmade bitter chocolates in small square cubes covered with coco, and oval-shaped types with nut inside. Couldn’t stop eating though it’s making me put on weight. Recently been eating lots of chocolates, Frey Suisse with 72% Cacoa, M&Ms, Ferrero Ronduoir etc… . Looked up the website www.maxperrychocolates.com.gr trying to see whether can get here locally, but the site is all in foreign language. Don’t think we have it here. My niece also got me a SESAME NOUGAT BAR WITH MASTIHA AND NUTS and a Santorini magnet, with carvings of the stone houses in Greece. Nice.

Fairy Tale Wedding

Sal — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 05:51:20 +0000

I’m really looking forward to watching a series of the Royal Wedding live broadcast and other special features on Cable TV, which I have signed up recently – at the right time. So far have been excited with all the international programmes aired, esp those from Discovery Channels, NatGeo & BBC which I find very educational and informative.

Anyway, I do not know whether the British people are as excited in their own celebrations in the country for the forthcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton, guessed for me because my own recollections of Prince Charles & Princess Diana’s wedding are vague, so I hope I won’t miss watching this time their son’s tying the knot, even if it’s only from TV. Here’s wishing the newly wed All the Best in their Royal Matrimony.

Shiroi Kobito Chocolates & other treats from Hokkaido

Sal — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:53:04 +0000

Tastes nice though a bit sweet, with a thin slice of chocolate (like Lindt) sandwiched between 2 slices of crisp biscuits. There are 2 types I think – Milk and White Chocolate. Good to go with tea. A colleague just came back from Hokkaido, brought us some of these kawaii-wrapped treats from the local Shiroi Kobito Theme Park Chocolate Factory. So Willy Wonker. I like best the抹茶 Matcha Green Tea wafer biscuit, as well as the Firenze & Firenze Tiramisu Chocolate with a whole almond nut inside. Both of these come in green wrappers which initially I thought were candies. Hope I could get these from our local Japanese supermarkets, but it may not taste as good as given by friends.

Once upon a time, I used to like going to Liang Court as there was a Daimaru Department Store there. There were lots of eateries at the basement. Now it seems much emptier, though there are also some Japanese Restaurants, a MEIDI-YA supermarket, a Kinokuniya Bookstore and a lot of Japanese expatriates there with their children doing their shopping. During one of the weekends there at the Tampopo Restaurant which said to serve authentic Black Pig Ramen, saw a game show going on at the centre stage with the deejay talking in Japanese. So entertaining and amusing, as this was my first time watching a Japanese version game show live. It’s a cosy family-oriented shopping mall.

Then there was Yaohan. The one I visited very often during my school days was the Plaza Singapura outlet. I go there specially for my favourite Taiyaki fish-shaped cake with Japanese Red Bean paste. Now the Japanese version is still my favourite, compared to those from Mr Bean and Jollybean. Taiyaki is available at Takashimaya.

Also a Japanese Cartoon “Candy Candy” which I watched during my childhood days. It didn’t finish airing; think it has too many episodes. I remember the protagonist, Little Candy 小甜甜, who’s an orphan, and a handsome boy Anthony 安东尼, whom she loves, but died later.

So much of walking down memory lane just from the few humble Hokkaido treats.

Received: CIAK

Sal — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:37:39 +0000

So happy to receive a package with the Royal Mail stamp on it, and immediately I knew what’s inside. It was delivered on Christmas Eve and I was so excited when opened to see a shrink-wrapped orange diary inside. Though after found the design not what I expected with Italian & french wordings inside – lunedi, martedi, mercoledi, gennaio, febbraio etc… The seller was very nice to allow me to exchange, but considering the recent freak winter in Europe leading to airports shutting down and flights being cancelled or delayed, I decided I should appreciate that my order arrived in good conditon, when there were other orders not delivered on time. Anyway, I’m starting to love my CIAK diary, as long as I could understand the English words, and it’s in a colour I like.

Now when comparing my previous diaries and the new CIAK, I realised the differences. At the back of my new CIAK, there’s the wordings “Handmade in Italy”, while my old ones were imprinted “Paperchase”. And the front cover of CIAK is blank, while Paperchase version had the year 2010 on it. I have all along been getting it from Borders, but they no longer bring in this year. Other than these differences, overall both designs look very similar with also an elastic band in the centre.

Texas Chicken is Back

Sal — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:22:15 +0000

Wow, Texas Chicken is back in Singapore after 30 over years, remembering those times when I frequented the Wisma Atria & Robinson Road outlets regularly with my mom during my young girl days. Even before we stepped into the shopping mall, the aroma was already there welcoming us. Ever since then I have always preferred Texas to KFC, then suddenly it disappeared from our local scene for whatever reasons I do not know. When Wendy reopens recently, there was an article written in The Straits Times, I even dropped an email to the journalist telling her about Texas Chicken. In fact, before that, I have also put a note in the Texas website asking them to come back, haha. And now, I didn’t even know there were already 5 outlets here, only when I happened on the Tampines Mall outlet during my lunch time at Kopitiam. I was so astonished and glad at the same time. For so many years, I have always wondered whether I’ll still get to taste it.

I have forgotten how it tasted like so many years ago other than that aroma, but definitely good enough for me to want them back. Now I like the spicy version, which you can really taste its spiciness. Skin is crispy and not as oily and fat as the KFC version where you can see a yellow layer beneath. The standard 2-pc set comes with 1 cup of mashed potato, a piece of rock bun kind of biscuit which is soft to the bite; plus one soft drink. Though the price is higher than KFC, I still like this combination better, as I do not like eating coleslaw.

This time it will be me bringing my mom, reminiscing old times and walking memory lane, instead of her bringing me. Though Wisma Atria is still around at Orchard Road, we will now go explore the new outlets.

Ciak Diary

Sal — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:28:47 +0000

Time really flies; it’s coming to end of an old year, and stepping into a new one. Time to go get a new 2011 diary, the same design I had since 2008 – the Paperchase CIAK range, which I always get from Borders. But this year they are no longer carrying it, instead other ring and hard cover types with butterflies and prints are being displayed; as well as the moleskin type. So decided to order from Amazon online, and now am waiting for its delivery. I just like the feel of my small diary about 9 by 13cm in size that comes bound with an elastic band in the centre. I like also its day per page diary layout, which I could use for writing notes as well. It comes in different colours too – red, orange, purple, black, blue and more. My 2008 one was a pink, 2009 think I had missed getting it, 2010 only the black was left; and now I ordered an orange, so it will brighten up my day and from within my bag. Now I’ll just have to wait patiently for my order to be delivered from Glueballs.

Mango Pomelo Sago Dessert

Sal — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:09:15 +0000

This is a must-try for all dessert lovers if you visit Hong Kong – Mango Ice Cream dessert with Pomelo & Sago. I didn’t know there’s actually ice cream inside. I had mine at the popular Hui Lau San Healthy Dessert stall located at 西洋菜街#58-60, near to Women’s Street. It’s HK$29 a bowl. The generous portion of the pomelo and its slight bitter taste makes the dessert all the more yummy and special.

There used to be an outlet in Singapore Orchard Road near to Palais Renaissance, but it’s closed down even befor I had a chance to visit. This was the dessert I have heard about so much and got so excited when I finally tried it. It has become so popular that there are some restaurants here selling too. And surprisingly after a search on the internet found that the dessert was in fact originated from my own country, created by a Hong Kong-born chef here in 1987, and brought over to Hong Kong. And yet I got to taste it in Hong Kong, haha. Since now I know we have it here, I can enjoy it more often.