Dinner @ NEX

First time went to NEX, WyWy's 'terriority' @ Serangoon.

Dinner gathering... with good friends is always a good way to close the hectic week ~ to talk and to unwind, without the worry of having to wake up early the next morning for work.
The place seems to be quite 'central' for the 3 of us, with the Serangoon MRT station as the 'connecting' point - one lives in Serangoon (within walking distance), one at Potong Pasir (NE line) and one at Tampines (Central-EW line).


Dined at the familiar "Crystal Jade" that came with a promotion...

This was a surprise to me! Haha.. I didn't expect an entire fish on the dish! Oh! I go for finish without bones nad even without skin! It's the first time that we (as a trio) had a dish with the entire fish presented before us... er... ok...

Fresh nice prawns coated with salted egg yoke ~ nice, nice, though I know I've chalked up new heights of cholestoral!

Dried seafood hor fan - that's very smooth, with huge pieces of fresh fish (without bone) and sotong!

Stew duck that came with a few slices of yam... and interestingly, with a few pieces of ginger, too! New taste... pretty nice though the duck's a bit... er.. fatty...

Coconut red bean paste... hahah... not really red bean piece with grains of red beans.... not too sweet, with the coconut fragnance... quite nice...

Lei-Sa glutinous rice balls that came with the sesame paste... freshly made... nice, nice... a bit like mochi.. :)

Food for Work? Work for Food?

It's late Saturday morning... it was going to be a working afternoon... haha... this time, not alone, but meeting up with another... hm... how should I describe leh? Ex-colleague, friend, Project team-mate and cross-organisation fellow worker? hahah... the relationship sounds sooooo... complicated... maybe, Jean would be able to give me a much 'sharper' description of our relationship! Hahaha...

It's a pretty interesting yet very complicated relationship? Hahaha... but I must say, I enjoy this relationship! Haha... of course, it doesn't mean that having such complex relationship will definitely be enjoyable! It really depends on the PEOPLE, as well as the alignment in target, and definitely, the right attitude!

In fact, I'm grateful to this 错综复杂的relationship! I'm grateful to having this fellow ex-colleague who accompanies me in this exciting yet energy-sapping journey!What I'm grateful most is the kind of support - which is really support that brings about a win-win situation, to bring about progress for both organisations! (It's definite, both organisations have a stake in this project)

Haha... what am I uttering? Citing from past experiences in other contexts, "support" could come in the form of "Tell me what you have done", "Have you done this, have you done that?"  ~ which was a string of questions and demands that did not contribute to the progress of work (despite the fact that both parties had a stake in it). That explains what I highlighted in the earlier paragraph, "It really depends on the PEOPLE, as well as the alignment in target, and definitely, the right attitude!"


Though some said, "Leave me out in the weekend, I need to recharge." It sounded that those who work during the weekends must be workaholics. Well, when a piece of job needs to be done, it has to be done. What I'm grateful is, I'm not alone to handle it all on my own :)

I like food, and certainly enjoy good food... have a good relationship likens immersing myself in good food... that the line between work and joy has blurrrrr......ed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
@Tampines 1: Wrapped grilled mushroom dish... nice nice... something light... after the main course (Ramen!)

Green seafood laksa that end my day at Tampines 1 before heading home after a long day :)

清明时节雨纷纷

清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂；
借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。
《 杜牧 《清明》 》

At Bishan 碧山亭:
This is always the first stop at Bishan. Well, like any other years, we drove in to RJC and entered via the back gate. Today's not so crowded. We managed to get a table which is facing where our 'ancestors' were placed. 

At BrightHill 光明山:
Here's another place that I'm familiar with... Those turtles... I see them every year... since the days they were in that pond filled with lotus flowers dated back more than 30 years!

Eating @ School Canteen

It's quite rare that I would eat at the Canteen... Well, many would think that it's because the canteen offers very little choices. True, the canteen's choices are limited; however, it isn't the reason.

Talking about choices, I am quite easily contended with food (though I love good food). As long as it is good enough to 'feed', food is not a key consideration. Probably because I was used to having simple food and I think I could return to that mode any time :) Still could recall very clearly the 'lunch' I had when I was in Paro! Haha... Boiled egg and Boiled Potato, and that tin of biscuits for lunch for those months. Haha... think about it... probably because I was quick picky on food? Hm... OK, being lazy to walk out of the campus was another reason, except on days when I was invited to my fellow lecturers' home for lunch :)

One key reason that I seldom eat at the canteen was because comfort creatures like me prefer to stay in comfortable places like the air-conditioned areas. I would not mind eat in front of my computer (though there's limited desk surface). Well, I am contended over that.

Below was captured in one of the rare occasions that I ate in the canteen. There's only one reason. Because it's soupy! Anyway, it tasted pretty good :)

While sometimes it's "boring", I disagree to saying the food is no good.
Well, the vendors are also willing to 'customise' the dishes for us. So, what else are we going to ask for more?
Just keep up with the effort :)

Surpassing the Limit.... of Others(?)

Was reading the book "The Influencer", there's a chapter on "Surpassing Your Limits", which is on "Personal Ability". It talks about managing one's will and emotion... and about "preparing for setbacks, resilience, building emotional skills, etc".

Just thinking aloud: Some human beings are just strange beings...
Some human beings like to challenge themselves, but also like to challenge others. There are always lots of questions to seek clarity to the level they feel comfortable; which however, sometimes is not necessary to reach such microlevel level (though different people of different yardsticks for clarity). Well, that's an attempt to "surpass one's limit", I guess. To strive to go beyond the current status of mindset & thinking.

For such human beings, the assumption is, others also think alike, "like to challenge themselves" and hence unaware that at the 'wrong targets', they are seen as provoking others, testing others to hit their limit and sending others 'to the rooftop', before these human beings start to reflect upon their action and approach that cause the damage.

So, does that mean: Surpassing one's limit sometimes might lend to challenge others to 'surpass their limits', too? Then what's the impact and implication... Hm...

How do we account for such mindsets? Ignorance to others? or Simply as a devil advocate?

Hm... what's the point for going through this "journey" when you know that you have to manage the damage subsequently? Strange, isn't it? I couldn't understand.

Saying "no one appreciate such courage to challenge" is definitely a sweeping statement.

On the other hand, I guess such strange beings probably need to exercise their "sensitivity" to the environment and their 'targets' as it's not nice to test patience (and endurance!?) of others till they start to get flare-up or upset over the situation.

An important learning point: 

• Be Sensitive. 
• Hold one's Points of View first. 
• Position it (there are many ways to present a point yet without loosing its key message). 
• Think before Act.

Dinner with YL & GC

Had dinner with Ying Leng & Gek Chew this evening... at Raffles City, our usual hangout place to meet & makan. Today, we tried a new outlet, some Hongkong Noodle stall.

There's this value meal that goes with a dessert as well as a snack. Wow! A pretty good serving, too!
Can you tell the difference between the first and the second picture? Hm... They are 2 different types of noodles. Of course, the third one is obviously different :P

Amongst these 3 glasses, they were all 3 different types of drinks; however, there's one thing that linked one to the other :P

Here's the snack and dessert that came with the set :)

Overall, the food's not bad :)
It's B1-79 (right opposite Thai Express).

Art pieces by Michelangelo...

The Pieta
Interpretations from Wikipedia

Sistine Chapel, where the famous painting is...

A menu in "The Angel Inside"

Came across this 'order' by Michelangelo ... Some Italian dishes that I'm curious to find out what they are...
(googled the stuff and there are my 'findings')

1. Carafe of the house red

2. Risotto

3. formaggio gnocchi 

4. Halibut with aspargus

5. Lamb with Parmesan

Lunch on a Saturday afternoon...

Have not eaten Lamb for a loooooong time...
Hopped into Swensen yesterday afternoon for lunch.
It's not that hot and nice... but I like the mint sauce... that's a bit soury :)
The best part was the macademia nut ice cream :)

I think one of the best de-stressing agent is definitely good food :)

Cheers!

Treats to myself to celebrate a milestone :)

2nd Day of the MOE ExCEL Fest 2011:

Had lunch on my own... it was at around 3 pm... not so crowded...
We were given the $5 food coupon... topped up with a few more dollars to try this 'signature' dish at the corner of "Food Republic". Presentation looked good... hm... ok... one is good enough...

Dinner at Raffles City... again, on my own... wanted to have some quiet time ~ to rest my mind and the body... after standing for the whole day (hm... to be correct, 2 days... and talked quite a bit for the day).
It's a good treat... a simple treat of ramen and fried sotong. Really, food treated in a restaurant tasted different :)