Cull Culture

Cats get on car's roof - cull the cats.
Chicken got bird flu - cull the chicken
Pigs got swine flu - cull the pigs
Birds disrupt air flights - cull the birds

What's next?

Children made too much noise in library - cull the children?
Old people cost too much to maintain - cull the old folks?

One shithead of a Guy

Was at the Thasevi roti prata on Sunday morning when I witnessed something incredible.

This guy was with his family including old lady, children and maid. After emptying 2 bottles of soft drinks, he turned round and put the 2 empty bottles on the next table. The only problem - the next table wasn't an empty table. There was a lady occupying it. Can see her face changed. In shock but she didn't do anything.

After some time, the inconsiderate shithead of a guy did the same thing again - this time he placed some soiled utensils on her table! Now we can see the lady boiled. She took her water bottle and slammed it on her table making the shithead guy and his wife jumped But unfortunately that was as far as all she did.

Now if I were her, I couldn't have tolerate the 1st time. I would have politely returned the 2 bottles to him and if he had protested or attempted another stunt like that on me, I would have empty my cup of tea all over his table!

I wondered what type of kids will be bring up with his type of behavior!

Hungry Ghosts

Every year I attend the AGM and every year I am shocked and awed at the behaviour of the shareholders and this year was no different. In fact, I think the shareholders have now reached a higher level of kaisuism.

Right at the very beginning of the AGM at just the 1st resolution, when a shareholder was asking some questions, another shareholder stood up and very rudely interrupted the proceedings to proclaim that he was hungry and to speed things up! What did the rest of the floor do? They clapped!

And from the word go when the AGM finally ended, the shareholders charged to the buffet table. These are what I saw:

1) 1 person piled her plate so high that when she finally put down the plate on her chair, half the items dropped off.

2) Another lady with another fully stacked up plate went back to her seat and took out plastic bags and poured the food in before going for another round.

3) Another lady went one better. She took 3 plates at one go and put them all into her carrier bag before going back for another round. A colleague commented that she went 4 times. And towards the end, she also took the bottle of chilli sauce and the hot coffee! Yes coffee! Each time she will take 2 cups filled it up and go back to her seat and took out a bottle and poured the coffee inside before going for more!

I know shareholders have nothing much to look forward to at AGM other than the food but such kiasu behaviour. The least they could do is to let other people take the food first before taopaoing! And of course ask for permission from the host but fat chance. I think the ghosts during the 7th month are better behaved!

No wonder hotels all over the world have heard about the Singaporean travellers!

Aroma River Spa

This was supposed to be the sole purpose of our visit to Bintan Island - a spa cum massage session at the Aroma River Spa. What we didn't bargain for was the almost 1 hour trip from our hotel to the spa located in another corner of Bintan Island at Trikora Beach. The road there was long and winding and left M with a giddy spell. Fortunately we did not had lunch yet otherwise she probably would have thrown up part of it.

Our first impression when our driver announced that we had arrived was shock and disbelief. OMG, the place looks like a run down kampung. Lots of coconut tree and a small outhouse. From the web, we had vision of a beautiful Balinese cottage but this was like.But all doubts was dispelled when we stepped behind the hedges and saw this small cluster of attap houses It looks so quaint - a sort of mini kelong and kampung huts on stilts sitting on a mangrove river. There was a small broadwalk and our treatment room although basic looks clean and neat.
The changing room was a small curtain off area much like the curtain changing rooms in some of our department stores.
Likewise, the 'bathroom' was also inside the treatment room with just a curtain and a jug of water to bath. There are no electricity and running water there and best of all, no irritating elevator music that keeps repeating. All we had was the light sea breeze and as we laid there being kneaded and rubbed upon by the young therapists, all the stress and tension in our body seemingly just seeped away into the water below. It was so soothing, calm and peaceful.

Included in the package was lunch which was a stone away away at the Mutiara Beach Resort
where we were served with a huge coconut and a plate of delicious nasi lemak. Incidentally, the spa receptionist and our driver were also the waiter and I think maybe cook?

Unfortunately, after our meal, the sky opened up and we had to forgo our mangrove tour on the sampan.However, a Ma-Chik there taught us how to make a ketupat casing while we waited for the rain to stop.

This has gonna be one of the best most relaxing spa/massage treatment that I received. Despite the lack of amenities and facilities, it was really like what the ad promised - traditional Javanese massage. Although not cheap by their standard $88.00 per pax for the Aroma Half Day package, I think it was definitely worth the money and I would highly recommend this to those who want to relax.

PS: This is not a sponsored post although I wish it was:)

Rest and Relax at Nirwana Resort

We had wanted a quiet weekend escape just to rest and relax and do absolutely nothing except nuay around so we headed for Bintan Resorts - a consortium of resorts located in the north of Bintan Island. What we didn't bargain for was that things at Bintan Resort wasn't exactly cheap. The 2 days 1 night trip seemed cheap enough. S$150 for room, return ferry trip and breakfast. But when we arrived there, we found out that it was like we had never left Singapore. Every darned thing was in SGD and expensive like hell. Anyway, we were there already and had to make the best of it.

We had randomly picked the Nirwana Resort hotel to stayed in. It looks nice from the pics on the web and cheaper than Banyan Tree or Club Med and better than Bintan Lagoon. We were not disappointed in this aspect. The resort itself is actually part of Nirwana Garden which was situated on a huge sprawling piece of land and actually comprises several resorts - Nirwana Resort; Mayang Sari, Beach Club, Banyu Baru and the Indra Maya.

After checked in, we escaped from the resort and took an hour car ride to the other side of Bintan to a quaint and unique spa - the Aroma River Spa. More of that here.

Back at the Nirwana Resort, we went for dinner at the Kelong Restaurant, suppose to be one of the best on the Island. The set dinner at S$44 per person again wasn't cheap but it was a full 8 course dinner and did came with a bowl of shark fin soup, crab and prawns. There wasn't much to do for nightlife so we walked around and sat on the deck chair where I promptly fell asleep much to the annoyance of M who wanted to just sit there and do small talks and admire the stars.

The next morning after a forgetable buffet breakfast (ain't all hotel buffet breakfast), we went for a walk around the resort. There was a mini zoo with crocodiles, a soft shelled turtle, a snapping turtle, what looks like piranha, Arapiama, Alligator Gar, Giant catfish, a vulture which spread its majestic wings for us to look, a Brahminy Kite, a lot of White Cockatoo, and some Amazon macaws. That show how mini the zoo is since I can remember all the animals.

The chalets at the Beach Club looks lovely, so rustic but a bit ulu and away from the main building.

The highlight of the resort was of course the beach with its movie like scenery; coconut trees swaying gently in the wind, stretch and stretch of long white sand and beautiful clear blue water.

After checkout, we went over to the pathetic looking Resort centre but found a hidden gem when we discovered a food court selling food at very reasonable S$ as in $6 for a bowl of noodle. There was also a sports wellness centre offering a whopping 50% discount off all treatment. How to pass up such a offer? We gleefully went for another round of massage, this time a 'sport' massage at $35 for an hour before heading back to Sg.

Compared to Batam 2 weeks ago, this was heaven. Although not exactly cheap, we did achieve our objectives of resting and relaxin and to me that is money well spent.

More pictures here

Sponsorship Disclosure Law

The gahmen or more precisely, the Media Devt Authority is looking at 'sponsorship disclosure' law. What it means simply is if a blogger is paid or sponsored to write a blog post, the blogger will have to disclose this on pain of a fine. Wah I damn scared so let me state right now that I have not been sponsored by any of the food joints that I have wrote about so far.

However, that does not mean that I am against sponsorship. In fact, I promise to write nice glowing report about the food even if it taste like swine to whoever is willing to sponsor me and my partners to a meal. Or maybe 1 for 1 also can. Or just a nice desert also can. Anything as long as it is free.

Any offers?

Oiishi Durian Bread

Was coming back from Jurong when suddenly remembered somebody mentioned the durian bread at a bakery in West Coast Plaza. So promptly swung over there and cleared out the last tray - I think there were 12 or more but who's counting.

Shared it with colleagues in the office. The verdict? 10 thumbs up! The outside looks like any ordinary bun but inside it was filled with pure durian puree. And at $1.80 each for a full size bun, it is definitely more value for money than the puny little one from Puteri Mas or the expensive puff from 717 or Emicakes.

Er before any one ask why no picture - nobody could resist the heavenly smell and whacked it down in supersonic speed. And also before the bossess start going around hunting where the smell came from!

According to the lady, they are usually sold out by mid afternoon so anybody thinking of getting it - go early. But they do have another outlet at Beauty World Centre. Here's a write up and a picture.

Seafood and Durian

This evening a group of us went to ulu Yio Chu Kang to a small little eatery known as Crab Party. There was no crab partying there. In fact if I am a crab, I wouldn't be partying there cos crabs get eaten there big time.

After reading about how this place was supposed to be a spin off from the Still Road crab place, had decided for quite some time to try it out but never actually got round to it until today.

What did we had? Naturally, crabs - 1 black and 1 red plus some other stuff.

The black pepper crab was much better than the chili crab which was a tad to sourish for most of us. The crab was of medium size and cost around $45 each which was a pleasant surprise as I had expected the prices to be on the high side.

The other items we had was the garlic prawn, coffee pork rib, cuttlefish kangkong and the sinfully fried pork knuckle.

It was a mistake to order this as it left most of us pretty full with not much space for the highlight of the evening.

Durian. Cos 717 durian was just a stone throw away and we couldn't pass it up so we trooped there after the rather heavy meal and forced ourselves to gorge down $10 worth of mangosteen and 3 D24 durian.

How was the food? Let's just say the price is reasonable but I really don't think there is any compelling reasons to go back there again. Don't get me wrong. The food isn't half bad but I can think of many many places with much better seafood and crab. In fact we were already discussing over dinner to go to a certain place in AMK or go for lunch on a little island even more ulu than YCK.

As for the durians, we didn't get to try any of the more exotic brand and since we were already pretty stuff, I think most of us was thankful we only ordered 3. Still the standard of durian at 717 is always pretty consistent and certainly we have no complains.

Excuse me while I go to burb.

Toby is 1

Times really flies. Toby turns 1 yesterday.

Within that short time that he has been with us, he has melted everybody's heart with the way he looks at us; the way he runs up whenever he sees us going out; and his antics especially his humping. Ha ha ha.

New Dog

Nice Dog

Thirsty Dog

Dirty Dog

Dancing Dog

Botak Dog

Happy birthday little boy boy.

Mooncake Index

Okay the moon cake eating spree is over and this year definitely the economy is doing very very well never mind what the gahmen is trying to tell us. No need to look at the ridiculous prices of properties or the rise of the stock market. The best indicator is the my moon cake index. Last year was not that bad but this year the number of moon cakes I got is mind boggling. Either I have been giving them a lot of business which I swear I did not since budget has been cut or these people are so desperate for business they give hoping for something in return?

This one from Shangri-La and everybody in the office agreed it was the worst of the whole lot

From the worst to the best - the famous Raffles Hotel Champange Truffles Mooncake

This wasn't too bad either - from Li Bai Restaurant at Sheraton

This one from Bread Talk - not too bad despite its more humble roots

Then there is this colorful one from Sze Chuan Court at Fairmont Hotel. Very nice with truffles, champange, rum and hazelnut
Last one in the office is the one with the most grand box from Royal China, Raffles Hotel. By now everybody wants the box and not the mooncake!
Back home this is from Peony Jade supposedly made by the former Chef from Crown Prince, courtesy of Sis,

Then this one from Tung Lok (haven't try yet)

What is mooncake without the traditional Teochew mooncake? From Thye Moh

And last but not least, this cute little one given by a classmate of the Princess

More Morons

Was at a traffic light at a x-junction and saw this old guy cycling across the road. He stopped 3/4 away from the pavement and waited in the middle of the road presumably for the light to change so that he can cycle across to the other road (to save cycling time?)

Back home was reversing and this idiotic guy was running up and down across 3 car lots. Doing what?

Again turning back into the carpark later, 3 jokers were chatting in the middle of the drive way.

And there was this other lady waiting for a car /cab? and she was also standing in the middle of the road!

Do these people think they are made of some sort of super material and impervious to cars?

Morons

You are sitting at your desk at 6pm rushing to wrap up work for the day. Suddenly, you feel a movement, the water in your cup is sloshing, a book dropped down and your head start to spin. What is going on? Earthquake! You grab your phone, purse maybe laptop and rush down and out of the building.

Safe at last. You stand with hundred of other like minded people in front of the building and looked up mouth wide open gaping at the building and waiting for it to collapse.

Hello friends.....this is not a cartoon. When a building collapse, it doesn't collapse inward. Debris will be flying down and it is not going to come straight down but will be flung left right centre and you lot standing 2 metres in front of the building is going to be the first to get this 'shower of blessing'.

Don't be a moron. Either you stay put in the office and go down with the building if it really collapse but if you choose to run out, stay a safe distant from any buildings that might come down on you. Otherwise what is the point?