(engaged tone)

That hurts.

Honestly I don’t know why I do it. Each time it happens, I know I have to. The outcome in my mind is lofty and for the better. Many would disagree.

I grew up with parents who deal with customers and grapple with service standards. I am used to the complaints, praises and often a simple frustration – what do you want?

The feedback channel, in my opinion, is rather misunderstood. It is not a waste of time if you truly want to help them make the right changes for their next client. It won’t be ignored if you are calm and remain factual. It is not abuse if you do not want anything in return.

It delights me when I return to an establishment and I notice the ever so slight adjustments. Maybe it is all selfish¹. Even so, each time it makes me believe even more in providing observations and suggestions that everyone seems to think is common sense. When you are knee-deep in daily operations, it is often not so obvious.

“They are most delighted and happy and want to thank you for taking the time to write to us. These positive remarks provide the strongest incentive for us to keep motivating ourselves and refining our services.”

I don’t just criticise. Really. Compliment when it is due. You will feel good too.

1. Recall when Phoebe in Friends found that there is no such thing as a selfless good deed?

23rd Nov, Tuesday – work day and the flagship outlet was overwhelmed with well-planned chaos. Started at 0800, colour bracelets were distributed to early birds for a 10-mins grabbing stint. Just 10-mins. For folks who arrived after 1000, like myself, the advice from the loud hailer was – Please join the queue outside the store. Please note that by queuing does not guarantee that you will be able to buy anything. Read: Stock is low.

At 1215, a bunch of well-dressed&groomed persons (perhaps from Lanvin?) started to take apart the pale-skinned mannequins. By 1400, there was no sign of the designer’s footprint in the store. Outside the store, the brave and patient proudly showcased the white lavish paper bags.

Maybe next time, I will be more motivated to join the madness.

Turning things around, in hand a Diana

Lined beneath the flooring, every day, we stand on our history.

Reading from right to left, a refreshing change for the eyes.

In those days, the advertisements were not as fancy. Few photographs, mainly of line art and hand drawn faces. The play with font-type remains unchanged till today.

Wonder how they are now... Maggie and the runner-up.

Forty Hands and The Plain, quaint¹ coffee houses with very different vibes, serve solid beverages and one with a touch of Australian yeast extract. Just based on the coffee quality, they are both revisit-worthy. I like mine creamy and pungent. The guys at 40hands accomplished this perfectly. Though I must admit that I am more drawn to Plain’s seating sensibility and lighting. Shallow, as I am.

Forty Hands - Strong refined latte. Potentially addictive.

The Plain - Though I don't use the sweet, soft brown sugar is a nice touch. Latte is as good as most good coffee places.

The Plain - Soft boiled eggs with vegemite breadsticks. Insane amount of saltiness.

The Plain - Not sure why it's called Dean's breakfast; poached eggs were nicely done but the toast was rather cold.

Then, there was a slight detour to the dairyland of goodness at Once Upon a Milkshake.

Once Upon a Milkshake - Lychee and Mocha gooeyness. Much too goey for me.

1. read: small establishments with limited seating

It was mighty sunny last weekend but we were thoroughly child-ified at Universal Studios Singapore. Colours and music and smiles. There were alot of smiles! The park is extremely disabled- and senior-friendly. We were very impressed and encouraged (except for one guy whose ankle is made of precious gold).

Captivated @ Universal Studios Singapore

Instead of a regular party, the celebration took place in a bowling alley. I am very amazed by the ‘bumpers’ for children. For uninitiated, the bumpers will prevent gutter rolls. It was a special day, especially for the birthday boy who is obsessed with the sport.

Celebration with Bowling

This is what weekends are for. Truly.

In the cold hotel room, I stumbled across the recorded interview. Immobilised from neck down, his use of the English language of such deep textures had me prematurely assumed that he was another elite, possibly a bigot. Yet, I couldn’t stop watching the telecast. The raspy voice resonated strength, loftiness, and at the same time, a deep sense of reflection. I was so lost in his strings of words, I could not keep up with the content and context. It was very frustrating. As the initial disorientation started to dissipate, it dawned on me – this is what being inspired feels like.

I know people say that one should always ‘put it simply’. What is really wrong with expressing yourself in an unnecessarily elaborated manner? In an email to a journalist about his Jewish identity, he wrote, beautifully –

More than I sometimes understand, I think, I am both writing in and about the tradition and spirit of Jewish cosmopolitanism: caught somewhere between Marx’s ‘ruthless criticism of everything existing’; pil-pul; zahor!; bearing critical witness; social responsibility; and perhaps a certain davka. I’ve never written about this directly, but I think it informs the tone – and probably the subject matter – of much of my work. It also makes me smile when American ultras accuse me of being ‘un-Jewish’ in my criticism of Israel, etc. It seems to me that, for good and ill, I am decidedly Jewish and in a long and worthy tradition.

In our pursuit of a good/better grasp of English, many people forget the power of the language. They forget that we can morph the metaphorical into reality. They forget that there is no limit to the imagination when words meet the mind.

Putting aside his political views and links, I am so glad that he reminded me of the philosophy of the written words. Like reading Jane Austen, the enigma reigns.

Anyway.

While I am still very pleased with the X1, I have been itching to get hold of an Android set. Since I am too lazy to use the XDA-way to boot Froyo on my current handset, I am very excited with the launch of HTC Desire HD. A quick search on Google and you will find loads of first looks, swoons, and most importantly, support.

Indeed, it is beautiful. Now I just need to work on my mental roadblock and get over the (frustratingly) lack of video-conferencing capability.

This site may harm your computer. And it is all because of this little statement.

If your WordPress-powered site happens to be inflicted with malware and you are feeling any of the above, I understand. The past week has been long for me too. Few things you can do to help relieve the pain.

1. Log a support request with your service provider to scan and clean all instances.
2. When that’s done, logon to phpMyAdmin to edit the admin password (look for wp_users). If you wish, you can use other methods to change the password.
3. Secure your wp files (see Hardening WordPress)
4. Resubmit your site to Google via Google Webmaster Tools

References and tools:
http://scan.sucuri.net/
http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=45449
http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress
http://codex.wordpress.org/Resetting_Your_Password
http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/

Perhaps it is that nostalgia that got me so emotional during the opening of the Inaugural Summer Youth Olympics, proudly hosted by Singapore. Granted, we have a tradition of going over the top, sometimes, with the recount of our history. I do believe that some were truly entertained and inspired by the theatrical display of colourful fabric, water splashes, and pyrotechnics. And not to forget the angelic choir who sang the National Anthem.

I may not agree with all the accommodations we have to make for the guests, but I am glad that they are here.

Link to video via @lucian

Get out of here and move forward. This never happened. It will shock you how much it never happened.

You’re not good at relationships because you don’t value them.

When I am done soaking up the quiet, I like to venture into the crowds and listen to the conversations of the local. It is my little way to taste the life of what it can be. Of what it might have been, perhaps. Then when I get lost in the massive underground train system or be rejected by cab drivers who do not like reading maps, I will just pretend to be a contestant in the amazing race.

Of sensing and relaxing; busy night street / sedated lounge

Stuff from random shopping in Seoul and Taipei; lego pendants / earphone winder / pencil case

The promise of automatic, login-less access to wifi hotspots could have been the solution to my quiet resent for my 20MB data plan. Alas, it is not meant to be.

Opera in the (Botanic) Park

The turnout for Opera in the Park was so much bigger than that seen for Fall in love with Warsaw last July. Well, most were there for the free entertainment for their picnic and/or social networking. For the few, we held back rising to our feet when the emotions were elevated high on the B note.

I don’t know if I like Opera. I know I am in love with the emotions conveyed. I love how my goosebumps and breath foretell my reactions before I can sense it. I love the way I gaze at the performer with such detailed imagery in my head when I don’t know what he is singing about.

Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All’alba vincero!

It was a splendid evening. It was even greeted with our dear SAF pilots (i.e. NDP rehearsals).

Anyway.

A friend has embarked on a great project for the youth. In the field of psychological practice, I cannot be prouder. Though secretly wished she had worked on this project few years ago, a friend could have used the assistance.

CHAT (Community Health Assessment Team) aims to promote awareness of mental health and to destigmatise mental illness. It is about providing “professional help when [one has] difficulty coping” with the daily stresses. So if you know of someone who can use some support (note: it is about the support and not just medical treatments) or you want to volunteer for the cause, visit Chat @ Facebook or YouthInMind.sg for more information.

They are having a launch event at the new and beautiful *SCAPE on 26th June 2010. Bet there will much chattering! Heh corny, I know.

Apparently, such sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface is limestone, carbonate rock, salt beds or rocks that can naturally be dissolved by ground water circulating through them (source: U.S. Geological Survey). The pictures of such ‘formation‘ on Wiki are pretty in the natural setting but absolutely devastating when it happens in the middle of downtown.

The storm did not do this to Guatemala. It simply tightened the dead knot, fastened by some people.

I don’t know about the bed of Singapore. I really won’t want to see a HDB flat disappearing into the earth. There must be more accountability in the parties who are responsible for construction and drainage. Don’t forget what happened in Qinghai and Sichuan, China. Painful lessons (for the people) are everywhere.

This year, the trailer for the sequel confirmed my fears. The show seems to have taken the unfortunate trek away from the original roots – 4 women with 4 perspectives, 4 varied strings of related-able problems, and 4 sets of fashion sense. Now, except for the hair colour, they dress and walk the same.

I adore the series for the writing. Character development is deliberated crafted. Dialogue and chemistry came first. Skirts and background furniture are secondary. Perhaps it is the nature of a feature film – distract the audience with glitz and a sad lack of realism for 146 minutes. Afterall, that’s all you have. 146 minutes opposed to six seasons.

Granted, I have not watched the sequel¹. I do not have the the urge to run to the theaters because all the PR ra-ra is focused on the exotic set, trendsetting fashion, and brief appearance of Aiden. I wish they haven’t.

One can’t help but wonder – are they trying to recapture the magic or their youth?

1. waiting for KrisWorld to screen

Today I visited one person whom I wish to develop such a long term relationship with. In the past 12 months, I have visited him three times. We don’t really talk. I will sit still while he works the scissors. Few questions and answers will be exchanged and sometimes, we laugh. He blends into my system very well. Think his assistant likes me too. Good sign. All these despite my innate dislike for salons. I am proud of myself.

This is tough work and I have many more to engage and enroll into my life. I admire everyone who works it so effortlessly.

Anyway if you have not seen Ellen’s parody of the phone functionality, watch it soon. Who knows when the “cease and desist” thingy may appear.

On a similar note, I enjoyed the Apple vs Blackberry ads. Of course, since it was formed in the rooms of highly paid ad men (and not from a comedian), it was just simple facts.

Very pleased with the May’s stash from Amazon. Don’t be surprised but I have never seen the topmost movie and I am super psyched to relax with Wong Kar Wai once again.

Another stack for the collection

The Lost Room may be lame to some. I like it. It reminds me of the boggling escape from the Crimson / Viridian / White rooms.

The convenient location is ideal for transit travellers or those who need to stay close to the airport. You can reach the JR and local train stations in 5 minutes on foot, and the trains will bring you to Osaka downtown in 40 minutes. Oh from the guests I saw in the lobby, it is also a hit with tourists who wish to visit the Rinku Premium Factory Outlet. The free shuttle (with a gorgeous seaview on-route) helps!

Back to the accommodation.

Room is modestly appointed with a good sized bed for one. View is calm. Internet connection is a breeze. BBC World is the only English channel. Bathroom is stocked and underwhelming-ly decorated with a single stalk of plastic lily. Space is tight but overall rather comfortable. If I must have one complaint, the key card is printed with the name of the hotel and room number. Not much for security.

Then the colleagues warned me about the (lack of) food. If only they know how addicted I am to Japanese cuisine. The airport has plenty of choices and the restaurant in the hotel, Hanazato, serves up decent dishes too.

Sigh, I’ve got to stop talking about food.

Yup.

Then I saw this in Osaka. It must be the norm in that part of town. Almost every child (those who wish to put their feet up) will remove their shoes without being told/asked. It is a small thing, perhaps to most people. But it certainly can be done.

Ever been shoved and literally pressed against a stranger’s back? At least in Singapore, you are not expected to go cheek-to-cheek even during peak hours. Tokyo metro is crazy as it is, the morning rush is something I can do without. I must apologise to the people who had to put up with my laptop-backpack. I never do have the chance to put it down or up!

So before anyone decides to berate Singaporeans and their ugliness while on their way to work, one should realise that such behaviour is not unique. Clustering at the doors is your best bet to getting off at the right stop, and not the one after.

Being a bore, I tend to dine in the same restaurants when I am overseas. In Shanghai, it will be Kazumi at Renaissance Yangtze.

It may not have the best of best sliced seafood or fine dining delicacies, the entire team always make it a point to make my visit most enjoyable. The staff is friendly but not intrusive. The thick sashimi is served cool and the cooked food is always hot. The head chef will replace what I don’t eat with my favourites. When I am alone, they will provide fresh reading material. Don’t be mistaken – I am not a big spender. A plate of sashimi and a piece of grilled cod do not really cover the night’s paycheck. When the folks are proud of what they do, they do it well.

Lucy, I can eat at least another portion of the below set!

Single portion of sashimi combo

One of the staff thought I should try one of the signature rolls. It was alright. Big portion but I am not a fan of fried shrimp (anymore). Too bad I don’t have a picture of the beautiful cod.

Kazumi signature shrimp roll

Looking forward to the next Japanese meal.

For more details – http://en.ocworkbench.com/mobile-news/sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-goes-on-sale-in-singapore/

While I am slightly disappointed that it is released before I can formally recontract my service, I am also glad as this will give them time to upgrade to Android 2.0 (or newer) and 16m colours when I am due for my new handset. Hurrah!

I woke up this morning to an actual dark foggy day. As soon as I began blaming the drizzle for the low visibility of the World Expo site from the Lupu bridge, we were stopped by guards along the quiet road. The grand locale is not available for commoners yet. I had been fooled by the hotel information booklet. Quite silly, now that I think about it. So the cab headed back to the hotel. He was kind to crawl on the bridge for me to peek and check out the pavillions. Through the damp window pane, they look lonely.

In the departure lounge surrounded by folks in warm lined coats with a horizonless view of the runway, one will never guess this is April in Shanghai.

Vast and grey @ Pudong International Airport

Ground handlers @ Pudong Int'l Airport

Ready to board.

I remember when I lost my copy of Girl, Interrupted. It is of a beautiful blue and grey colour. Then few years later, when the screenplay devastatingly undermined the original novel, now all you see is Ryder’s eyes. It was a sad day.

Original cover of Girl, Interrupted

Maybe I am being traditional. But I like my books without splashes of hollywood. People can buy the actual posters, no?

The idea is to visit an outlet that fits our general dining preference i.e. non-pretensious, sensible food, and reasonable prices. That way, if we do like the place, it will be a regular haunt. This round, we went for CM-PB.

Described as a trendy wining and dining at Dempsey where in the kitchen East meets West, it is a restaurant, a cafe, and also a bar with live bands. It is just too confusing for me. Almost like the owner is not sure what (else) will work in Dempsey, so why not include everything! With sino-lanterns hanging over the bar, jeans/shorts-clad staff serving delicately placed food, and a genre of music that I cannot recognize, it hurts to dine indoors. The outdoor seating area is very appealing, in that respect.

Back to the food. The menu was fixed for the event. Oh apparently photography¹ was not allowed.

First up – Prawn and Butternut Soup. My initial reaction was – is that bubbles?! I might have squealed a little too loud but seriously, bubbles in a creamy soup? More like a broth, the thin soup was overwhelmed by the taste of prawns. You don’t taste anything other than that of prawn shells and salt. Bread was good. Well.

Creamy prawn and butternut pumpkin soup serve with warm toast

Being named after the restaurant, I had high hopes for the Contemporary Melting-Pot and Bar Salad. Again, the dressing was way too salty. Fresh seafood and crunchy leaves, granted. The Bonito flakes was an oddity for me. If the chef is trying to infuse some Japanese sense into the salad, he does not have to. Looks pretty though.

Prawn. Fresh Salmon. Crab Meat. Salmon Roe. San Marzano Tomato. Citrus Soy Olive Oil Dressing and Bonito Flakes

Normally, I like my cod steamed. The tiny portion of battered cod did not taste too bad! Finally something that was not salty. The cod maintained the distinctive taste and the crispy chips was well-seasoned. The salad dressing was too salty (erm yes) and wet. Wasabi mayonnaise was a very nice touch. It added a surprisingly and refreshing taste to the plate of fried food.

Kronenbourg Beer battered Black Cod. Chips. Mesclun Salad. Wasabi Tobiko Mayonaise

The Wagyu beef burger was the better entrée on the menu. Of course, I don’t know anything about beef but this was moist and surprisingly less gamey than expected. Foie gras was well seasoned and very tender. Thankfully, they did caramelise those onions, unlike those served to Paul. Thoroughly savoured.

Foie Gras. Homemade Wagyu Beef Patty. Caramerlized Onions. American Straight Cut Fries and Mesculun Salad

Ahh the close of the meal was a standard cheesecake with strawberry compote. Nothing exceptional. I did appreciate that it was not too sweet. The pastry chef, I noticed, was indecisive. The plating was different for different tables. Just a side observation.

Homemade Oven Baked Cheese Cake. Grand Manier Strawberry Compote

In all. Spending slightly more than S$100 for two persons was not at all disappointing. Though I would have preferred for a more conservative use of salt², the overall dining experience was nice. The service was swift³ and always with a smile. I will return for a simple meal and relax over a pot of tea. Yes it is a bar but the frozen margarita served that night was a sham(e).

1. Sneaked photos with trusty Xperia X1
2. Dining partner thought it was fine
3. Part of me wondered if they were trying to turn the tables

The SBS Bus Guide WinMo app is based on the iPhone’s. And the UI is sweet! It is versatile – you can search by road name, bus number, and bus stop number. You can preset your favourite (or regularly used) bus stops for easy search. You can use GPS to search for nearby stops. Well et cetera. Even though it doesn’t appear to be, it fits WVGA 800×480 beautifully. It does not yet support SMRT routes.

Query & Nearby / pictures from owner

I don’t wish to enter into the debate of mobile phone platforms. Had enough of it for the weekend. I am just pleased that I can be as updated as WiFi/3G takes me.

Now that you know a random fact about me, you can understand why it would upset me when a research claims that women who drink moderately less likely to gain weight. Of course, the research is really linking alcohol intake with food consumption. People who drink more, eat less, and hence lose weight. Hmm. Misleading and convoluting statement aside, I am not pleased that I cannot make use of this piece of research as a reason to indulge in the grape-y drinks.

Cab drivers need to stop asking if I am drunk. I will stick to tap water.

You know when you get a food-related craving, you cannot stop thinking/obsessing about it until you have sliced it and consumed it whole? Last week, it was all about Churros. For that, we decided to seek out a spanish eatery. A quick search brought us to My Little Spanish Place.

Before I move on, you probably should know that the picture of the receipt is the only image I have for this food review¹. Nonsense, I know.

Nestled in the prime residential district, the restaurant breathes of homely charm on the outside. As for the interior, if you ask me, it is tad overly made-up. The compact space seats about 35-40 covers. Some of the patrons were seated dangerously close to another table and some cannot move out of their seats unless 10 others move too. Speaking of seats, I like my chairs deep with arm rests. Unfortunately, the reserved table came with seats that aren’t.

Once we had established that they do serve Churros, we proceeded with the meal order. The same waiter proactively alerted that paellas will take approximately 45 minutes to prepare. Simply put – order some tapas and wait or fill up on appetizers alone. Of course, we chose the glutton way.

Tapas – Serving of bread came with olive and paprika spread. Tasty but not warm enough. Suspect it is the way it is served. Croquestas are creamy and rich. The mysterious filling is something we rather not know about. Albondigas have a good moist blend of lean and fat. Oh dear me! Good temperature too.

Drinks – San Miguel and Red Wine Sangria are pretty normal. Nothing exceptional.

Paella Mixta – It probably did take 45 minutes but we did not keep track. When it did arrive, the surprised look on our faces must be priceless. It was not moist. It was not bubbling with the warm spanish spirit. It was regular dry baked rice in a pan, topped with 4 pieces of overcooked prawns. We finished it still. It was decent for a rice dish.

Desserts – Another disappointment. Churros were very hard; sprinkled with non-existent cinnamon and granular sugar instead of powered. Chocolate sauce earned some brownie points but not enough to redeem the reputation of the chef who butchered this traditional snack. PX with ice cream should only be ventured if you like really sweet ice cream.

In all, it was a pleasant dinner spent in a pretty restaurant. It was bustling with customers and the mood was pretty nice. If you do want to visit, make a reservation and be ready to wait during service. I will only go back for a simple drink and hot snacks. Oh in all, we spent SGD101.75 inclusive.

Sidetrack. Do not watch F Word Season 5 if you have very little self restraint. Now we lust for Greek.

1. For pictures, read this review

One thing is for sure, you do know what you want.

To those who came looking for Cova @ Paragon review, I know I have disappointed you with my lack luster write-up. Well… enjoy your meal!

This is really cute. If only things can be undone quite so easily. But still, very cute. And what I really need in my life is a fully functioning ctrl f. Is someone in NASA working on this already?

Letterpress by PaperWheel

I cannot get this song out of my head. Most typical of me.

I believe that everyone has a homecity (aka the homescreen where you always return to). It is not necessary the place you grew up in or the town where you’ve worked for most of your adult life. It is the place that you know it is right to reset in.

Many people want to move out of this city. Many people talk down the policies (and politics). Many people question the intentions and doubt the future. I cannot explain why but, in all honesty, I know I want to be here in my final days. This is my New York.

The creator of the pictures has since sold/gave away the M4/3. Tsk.

Only comfort – the beautiful folks at XDA are already having plenty of fun with cooking Android ROM for X1 (albeit upside down) and 2.1 ROM for those who cannot wait for the official release.

Since the H1N1 outbreak, I have been taking special precautions whenever I travel. Despite the discomfort of surgical masks onboard the flights and the unflattering minty taste of hand sanitizer on my food, I have always refused to be vaccinated. People think I am paranoid. Well, at least I know Areya agrees with me.

Someone is offering a cash reward for anyone who can provide scientific proof that the vaccine does what it claims to do i.e. safe for all and effective in reducing death rate. The rules of validity and reliability of the research work are clearly outlined. In the spirit of supporting human triumph, I shall root for the promoters who are frantically trying to prove to the world. Can you do that in two months?

[Sidetrack] I believe I had caught the H1N1 virus in Beijing, back in October 2009. If you don’t believe me, please ask the Concierge. He can vouch for my pain and suffering from the worst flu I ever had. He was also very pleased when I checked-out of the hotel…

1. Yes, I am sick this way

It reminds me of the life I would love to spend time with.

Snapped with X1 and almost missed the bus.

P.S. Did I mention that I love the GeoTag on my X1 R3 camera!?

Ok. So I cannot write like the guys of Fight Club.

[Ahem]

Since the less than eventful trip to the Coronary Care Unit, I have a new sense of moving forth. No more the obsession, no less the curiosity. No more the status-ing, no less the updating. No more the dramatics, no less the polishing. No more the reel, no less real.

Inspired by Julie&Julia, I plan to do 52 things, things which I have not done for at least 5 years. All in 52 weeks. Each week I will try to recapture the light of the yester brilliance. Makes me smile just thinking about it. 1st week’s assignment was simple, relaxing and quite frankly, came as a surprise. I need to catch up on Week 2 and Week 3 soon before I get derailed again. Flight schedule is not playing well with this hobby. Plus, website is not near ready. Why, lazy me.

Before this entry begins to feel more suited for closure, I shall end with my exhilaration for Michael C. Hall’s win at the Globes. I cannot wait for season 4 to return to FX.

When I first started online journalling, it was my way of escaping the pen. I hate writing. Partly because I have really nasty handwriting. I hate the fact that I cannot read/understand my handwritten entries. But the funny thing is, I still have handwritten versions lying in the drawers.

But I digress. Online journalling is probably the best binary thing that I have ever ventured into.

In my search for the anniversary date of DL, came across this guy who thought that DL and ICQ should be among the pioneers of social networking sites. There. I don’t get it. Perhaps I am dense and not moving with the times. As far as terminology goes, Social networking really creeps under my skin. Why does everything on the web has to do with that? Still, I love the little timeline in the article. Not sure if he is the author of that chart, it brings a slight grin. Don’t know why.

º º º

All these talk about past, present, and the potential reminds me of the streets of yesterday streaming within the modern days.

1. account created on 2005-12-26, 2 entries in grand total

Beijing cleaned up for the Olympics. Singapore put up prettier Christmas lights for APEC. If Bangkok has changed because of some event, I am very happy that whatever-that-is has taken place here.

I commented one night that this city is full of Manhattan-like lights. Then I was reminded that this is really the city of smiles. Yes indeed. It has even rubbed off on the usually stoic customs officers. Not just in the official airport where they are probably contractually binded to smile at tourists, even the tireless ones in the free trade zones are surprisingly nice.

I may actually be ready to return for a touristy visit soon. But right now, I just want a confirmed flight home.

Decided to resync my Tungsten T and use it for the rest of 2009. It is well-deserved, after all, I couldn’t live without it between 2003 – 2006.

What are you hanging onto?

Anyway if you are rocking the iPhone (soon to have larger SG fan base by end of 2009) and simply adore the quirky designs of Threadless, now you can have both. Well two designs at the moment, I’m sure more will come. With the collaboration between Threadless and Griffin, you can be totally coordinated with matching tee and iPhone cover.

It can be a little weird, considering the cover looks like a mini-me.

First look available at Engadget – quick review with pictures and videos.

Of course, it is based on Android. So for anyone who is a iPhone or WM fan, this announcement has no meaning. Then again, who knows. Tech-toys have grown to a state where nothing is truly irreplaceable or will last forever. The saying is so applicable in the digital movement – if you live long enough, you will see (insert some tech evolution that is not presently unimaginable). But I digress.

Back in Feb 2008, SE announced Xperia X1 with bells and whistles that dazzled everyone. Then as the year rolled on, HTC and Apple saturated the market and X1 began to feel like soggy old news. I am now fearing the same for X10. With Android 1.6, it has already fallen behind Motorola Droid which is on 2.0. SE will need to pick up speed or risk disappointing the public once again.

Except for the lack of a hardware keyboard, X10 has what I enjoy in a phone. I am a little concerned with the availability of user support e.g. XDA like. Hopefully, the community will sprout soon and fast. And one more thing, I don’t get the fascination of social-media-in-a-phone. It is not chicken biscuit, you know.

1. Have been so caught up with Lumix GF-1

A Little Good News by Anne Murray

I must have been in primary school then. I don’t quite recall how I came to know about it but bits of the song have been floating in my head for years. And today, I actually remember the full song!

There’s a local paper rolled up in a rubber band
One more sad story’s one more than I can stand
Just once how I’d like to see the headline say
“Not much to print today, can’t find nothin’ bad to say”, because
Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD’ed, nobody burned a single buildin’ down
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today

Very true.

*

White Dog Cafe @ Vivocity has always failed to interest me. Maybe because of the name¹, maybe because I am tired of another Fish’n'Chips. Anyway, out of options, we decided to try the only place that does not have a snaking queue. Says alot huh.

Staff is adequately friendly, carrying out standard protocol throughout the dining experience. Restaurant has a good view of Sentosa, or rather the construction on the island. The seats are comfortable enough to have a sit-down dinner for 3 hours.

If you are a lover of lobster bisque, you would be disappointed. Thin and somewhat fishy. Good portion and decent warm garlic bread. The leading soup, sadly, lacks the luscious creamy body.

Calamari cannot fail, right? The squid fritter is crunchy on both the inside and out. The crumbs made it taste like fish sticks, probably similar batter. No complaints really. Just a personal observation.

Not my dish but the batter is way too thick. Generous portions with limp salad. Ignoring the odd cabbage strips and thick coating, the fish is pretty well prepared. Good sized chips too.

The Margarita pizza is succulent! My all-time favourite pizza topped with smoked chicken. Yes I cheated. Just the right amount of bubbling cheese and herbs, with a tomato base that does not overwhelm the white meat. Inspired!

I will go back just for the oven-baked slice again, and for that Berry Banana Bonanza smoothie too.

1. why do they call themselves that, I don’t get.

We were getting tired on a friday night. KPO was overwhelmed with Lexus, Bimmers and frankly slack-looking valets. So we turned around and went back to Orchard Central. As Garuda has not a single floor tile in place, we decided to dine in The Mussels Guys. Best of all, there is a 1-for-1 promotion on their mussel dishes.

Decor is decent. Servers are flexible and sensitive to needs, though the slip into Mandarin kinda threw us off.

Their signature dish, Spicy Mussels, does impress (top picture). Served hot with just the right amount of spiciness. Gratifying with a zing that keeps you going at it. The seafood is fresh and deserves to be highly recommended.

Now onto the second mussel dish, Baked half-Mussels. It was lukewarm when served. Not ideal and hence must be eaten immediately. Let it sit for 20mins and you don’t want to taste the cold cheese anymore. And oh, you won’t be able to tell that there is a spicy sambal chilli in it, as the menu states.

Well, since it is the “Mussels Guys”, don’t expect too much on the non-mussels stuff. The spicy seafood raised the bar way high for the other mains and sides. Mushroom soup has chunky mushrooms but something tells me it is from the can. Chicken with wild mushroom sauce is referred to as chicken rice. For chicken rice, it is decent but not with wild mushrooms, for sure.

At ~S$60 for two persons, it will have me as a returning customer. Just for the mussels this time.

Widgets are not my thing¹. SPB shell has always been decent in usability. This time, it gives a lifestyle spin to the UI using the widget concept in the main screens. The carousel view looks like HTC TouchFlo. If you are a fan of that famous UI, you should enjoy SPB’s latest too. On first launch, it is tad slow (~9s) but subsequently launches are smooth as butter.

Oh I finally loaded the growing panel. Cool application/panel but not useful. Excellent for showing what X1 can do but definitely not for daily use.

1. I cannot even bring myself to load widgets on my new MBP

Though it has been years in the making, the transition is not what I have imagined it to be. I am still paranoid about ruining it with coffee or flying bugs. Ah well that’s me.

Back to customising the new tech baby – Apple MacBook Pro. Yeah.