The Room

Another dreary day out so Simian and I watched the best/worst movie in the history of the Universe today. He read about it, and it's apparently a cult hit with monthly screenings in some cities. The acting by actor/writer/producer Tommy Wiseau is amazing - watch the clip. There are other gems too - including the fact that they recycled the SAME traumatising sex scene twice (Simian kept yelling "naked mole rat!") There are sub-plots that are introduced than are never mentioned again. Also, instead of the old adage, "show, don't tell", this movie shows, THEN tells! Watch it - but you might want to put it on fast forward at parts.

I just found this article with highlights!

Baked goods

Baked goods
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Simian's doing breakfast duty at his lab this week. Everyone in his lab takes turns to buy breakfast on the lab account. Two people asked if I was baking this week - so I decided to bake something simple : banana walnut bread, cream cheese brownies and jam filled muffins :)

Mourning doves

Mourning doves
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Two doves enjoying Simian's bench!

Fall colours

 

Finally, after a lot of rain, we got some very welcome sun today - and a chance to appreciate the fall colours. I had to go down to the social security office to apply for my number today. I got lost yesterday and didn't get it to the office till just after they closed.

Projects

 

Simian was busy while I was away - he put covering on the floor, built some massive shelves (I couldn't even take the whole thing!) and got me an ECG machine!

He also took very good care of the birds - so the fact that he didn't clean the house as often as I do is easily overlooked :)

Tree in Autumn

Tree in Autumn
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

The trees are all showing their fall colours now - beautiful. Once it stops raining, I'll take some nicer shots.

Curry and Pie

 

Simian made curry when I got back on Friday night with curry powder Mom and Dad sent. Since then, we've been adding stuff to the base - and today I added baby carrots, brussel sprouts (slightly charred of course!), peanuts, edamame, potato, water chestnuts and tofu. Add in some A1 fish curry sauce, milk, and some of the water I had used to parboil my veggies and we had a gigantic bowl of curry!

Simian called to say he'd be working late so I also made this yummy pie! It's interesting because it has a crumble top instead of pie crust. It was just the thing to round off dinner.

Our bed has been acting up in the last two days. In the morning right when we get up, the bed slats start sinking, so Simian is fixing it now - and planning the new bed he's going to build.

Food

 

Simian and I went grocery shopping today - we hit three different places since there was no food left in the house. I bought some lady apples which are small little apples. They are pretty sweet and delicate. We also got a vegetarian sausage Simian swears by from Trader Joe's and had vegetarian sausage with mustard for dinner. The sausage was excellent!

Hamfest

Hamfest
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Simian and I went for the Hamfest this morning - early! He was so excited, he was rushing me out the door :) The funny thing is that I ended up being the first one to buy anything. He did pick up some really good buys so we're all happy! It was pretty cold when we headed out but it was pretty crowded - and there must have been half a dozen women!

Fruity Bunnies

Fruity Bunnies
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Back in Maryland after a good flight, except for the fact I somehow must have eaten something that didn't agree with me before I got on the plane. I ended up having a tummy ache and cramps. I did however finish a book, and watch two movies - Wong Kar Wai's Ashes of Time Redux (one of his movies I haven't yet seen). Trust him to make a swordfighting drama that mediates on love lost and the passing of time :)

Also watched Til Schweiger's new movie, Phantom Pain - I have to say that if not for all these flights, I probably never would have discovered Schweiger's films. The music is always perfect in his movies too.

Weather has been dismal so far. It's supposed to clear up tomorrow. Simian and I woke up very late today - and then I (guess what??) cleaned the house. Will do a more through clean today (Simian's look of disbelief that this was a 'superficial clean' was priceless).

While I was away, Simian had house guests and little M bought the Fruity Bunny cereal you see above. I ate it and was completely hooked! It tastes like Fruit Loops but is actually healthy!!! I need to go get half a dozen boxes.

Bye!

 

It's always hard to say goodbye - no matter where I'm going to/coming from because I'm leaving people I love behind. In Singapore though, I also have to say goodbye to these cute little faces too - whom I really miss when I'm gone.

We got hardly any sun yesterday - but it was still extremely hot. Had been hoping to at least get some sunshine if we had to have the heat - but oh well!

Now excuse me while I go cuddle my babies - and see you at Christmas!

Dhaal

Dhaal
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

I had Planetofsound's dhaal for lunch and it was fantastic as usual. Thanks dearie - your dhaal is always to die for.

Queequeg and her new bed

 

Mom and I went to a warehouse sale today and we bought Queequeg a mosquito net cum bed. She seems to love it!

Also went to Seven Sensations for lunch with Mom and D.

Pie and friends

 

Imp and Planetofsound came by this evening. Planetofsound made me his fantastic dhaal and in return, I made an apple tart. It turned out pretty yummy!

They also brought Bowie, the new Ninja bear!

Drinks and cake

 

I had drinks with a friend Monday night. I hadn't seen J in years - and he has lost a lot of weight, apparently because he's been eating less and working out.

I made a dense chocolate fudge cake because his birthday is on Thursday.

Dinner

 

Dad took the newly-weds and myself to dinner at Jiang-Nan Chun. I was still stuffed from lunch but I had a lovely soup, spicy eggplant and tofu. The restaurant had some lovely dolls in the room we were in.

It was nice to see Planetofsound getting comfy with his ring already - it really looked like it had been on his finger forever :)

Thank you guys for the lovely wedding favours!

Wedding!

 

Two of my favourite people - Imp and Planetofsound - got married today!!!! It was a very sudden decision - they announced it on the day I got back to Singapore!

It was a cozy, intimate ceremony at Domv's with just twelve people. Of course, being foodies, the food was excellent. Imp's friend M also made a beautiful five layer chocolate cake which also tasted amazing.

Thanks guys for letting me share in your day - I am very honoured that you even picked a date when I was around. Love you both and congratulations again!!

Monkey head mushroom

Monkey head mushroom
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

I had dinner at Lingzhi last night with two ex-classmates whom I haven't seen in two years. It was great catching up - you know we're all getting old when someone commented it was getting late at 11 pm :)

Singapore

Did you hear? Singapore is the best - again. Must be those scorpions we serve.

Makes you want to sing along to the Singapore Symphony - which I just realised has lyrics!

Toilet cleaner

Toilet cleaner
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

In case of an H1N1 epidemic, drink this. Also if you're worried about HIV and Hep A. It's a fail safe cure :)

Lemon baked pasta

Lemon baked pasta
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

N had to go back to Indonesia for a week because of a family emergency. Her flight got delayed and she ended up waiting almost 8 hours at Changi Airport!

As N is away, I made lemon baked pasta for dinner - yes those are prawns you see mixed in there and they were for Mom.

Sticker shock

Sticker shock
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Dolly had to go to the vet today because she was ripping her hair out. The vet thinks it may be an allergy - but the question is to what. She got a shot and is much better now.

Mom and I went to pick up some stuff, and I went to get some paper towels. Simian - that's the same Bounty we use - and that's the price for ONE roll.

Crutches

Crutches
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Big drama this evening. Mom and I were out running errands, and Dad called to say Ug and River had a fight. Ug was injured - he couldn't fight back because of his Elizabethan collar!

Ug was dripping blood and couldn't quite put his weight on his back paw. So off to the vet we went, and got Ug patched up. He cheered up considerably by the end of the visit and could even walk back to the car.

While we were waiting outside, I saw this pair of crutches, which makes you wonder where the person USING the crutches might be.

Lunch at Relish

 

D had her birthday lunch at Relish today - D bought lunch. As per our usual tradition, the birthday girl bought lunch :) Unfortunately, D is busy studying and J had to rush off to work, but it was still good to see everyone again. M and I went grocery shopping afterwards.

Dinner and concert

 

Had dinner with Planetofsound (sans Impy - who refused to join us even under threat of harm to her bears). We went to Raj, which was good as always, then went to the Prince of Wales, which I have never been to. The pub's logo has a cute dog on it, and said cute dog popped up a few minutes later!

We went to this concert - N, who I don't think I have seen since my wedding was playing. Within a few minutes we were having the strangest conversation about the porn industry :)

I didn't much care for the first band but the rest of the concert was pretty fun! It was also great getting a chance to hang out with planetofsound and to see N, and hiw wife, S again.

Medicine Hall

Medicine Hall
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Mom and I went to Toa Payoh today to pick up some stuff and we walked by this medicine hall. You have to wonder how long shops like this will continue to exist - or maybe they'll just get replaced by the new spiffy, modern traditional Chinese Medicine shops.

Night Safari

 

Mom and I took some neighbours from France to the Night Safari. Point to note - it is very difficult to focus a lens when you can't really see what you're aiming at. They had raccoons in the animal show - a fact Simian would love!

Ion

 

Mom and I went to Ion Orchard - huge new shopping mall. I wanted to check out Prologue, the new bookstore, which was smaller than I expected. I did manage to get a book on birds in Singapore though I really wanted more of a field guide. The rest of the mall was basically a mall :)

Gourmet!!!!

I just saw this off Imp's twitter page - NOOOOOOOOO! Where will I now get all those awesome recipes?

Bmore

B-more feels the love! D sent me this. I still haven't gone to Woodberry Kitchen which Gourmet magazine just named as a Must-eat place, but that's one of the only places on the list I haven't been to! That's why B-more is also known as Smalltimore :)

A lot of these places are favourites of mine - I can't believe they mentioned Minas which is a fantastic store run by a lovely couple!

Lunch

 

I met J and R for lunch today at the Green Room. Bishan Park is much more swanky than it used to be. The food was pretty good though the cafe is a little on the pricey side. J bought lunch which was very sweet of her and I even got pressies - a pen from J and a box of biscuits from R.

M, doesn't the statue look like a Peep???

Buona

 

Mom and I had dinner at Buona - it's not the cheapest but the food is pretty good. I had the minestrone soup and the grilled vegetables. Mom had the seafood soup and seafood pasta and they didn't stinge on the seafood either.

Books

Books
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Few things make me happier than books - except cheap books! It seems that the Books warehouse sale is now an all year affair - there are really good finds too though you may have to dig. I even found some books I had been wanting to get. Today's haul came to $52 - including a $12 present for someone else.

Amber and Mom cuddling

Amber and Mom cuddling
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Isn't this the cutest thing ever? Mom and Amber are even matching.

Cheddar Apple Pie

 

Because someone was craving pie, I made a pie for her and for myself. This is a new recipe - so we'll see how it turns out.

The lesson of the day is : always buy the best blender/food processor you can afford. Do not buy a small one and then have the blades basically not move at all. Suntaneye got me a great one back in Maryland - but I was cheap and got a not so great one here. Do not do that. You will find that you will be pulsing forever with the butter melting and then you will give up and end up rubbing in by hand.

Verdict : Mom and I had the pie at dinner. I had used less cheddar than called for (as I had sticker shock at the supermarket). It was an unusual combination was the crust was really savory and Mom thought it was a little heavy.

Pi Pa Mi

Pi Pa Mi
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

Look Simian - YUM! Your favourite cough syrup made into a convenient drink to love and lug around with you, and all for $0.70.

Duke NUS

Duke NUS
Originally uploaded by ariel1511976

The newly opened Duke NUS is HUGE - thought Simian might like to take a look.