MGS Founder's Day Dinner
I went back to Singapore to attend the MGS Founder's Day Dinner on July 25. It's been a goody 20 years since I left MGS. The class of 1988 formed only three tables, but we certainly had a good time catching up with each other.
Bee Jade, Clarissa, me and Audrey
Bee Mei and meCatching up with Small Garoupers @Peramakan
I am happy that the dinner venue was at Keppel Club's Peramakan Restaurant. We occupied two tables, and I felt like I was the bride sitting at one table for half the dinner then at the other dinner for the other half. Caught up with Sam and Yumi who are based in Japan, and LiYen who came back from HK for the MGS Dinner. Also had the chance to see Melvin and Chiew Nee's little baby girl Melanie.
Peramakan originally started as a small restaurant at Joo Chiat Road, which also offered catering services. I was very happy each time during church functions that we catered from Peramakan. Many say that PeraMakan stayed true to the Peranakan taste even after shifting to their new premises. But hey, I don't have to be a Nonya to fully appreciate their culinary expertise and their home-style cooking.We had the Beef Rendang - soft beef shin submerged in spicy coconut gravy that simply melts in your mouth. I didn't know that the extra tender and smooth texture is achieved by simmering the meat for at least a good 3 hours. We had more dishes including the tasty hee peow soup, chap chye (I can't remember all). I think all the cholestral (quite a few laced with santan) is not good for the heart, but the occasional indulgence should be forgiven lah.
Thank goodness we were too full, otherwise I am sure Eng Lee would have ordered the Durian Pengat, smooth whipped durian served chilled over sweet potatoes and yam. Will surely reel from OD of sugar. In the end. we had some durian and kaya puffs.
With cousins at The White Rabbit
Suifang read about this new joint on Chubby Hubby's blog, and she made reservations for us on a Sun night. 
We shared the escargots, goat cheese salad. No complains from anyone. Thomas had the stew, Suifang had the crispy pork and I had my rack of lamb, which I enjoyed thoroughly. 
Izzie ordered the Pasta with truffles, and since she couldn't finish it, she passed some of it to me, which I gladly wolfed down. Poor Cat had to have her steak well done coz she is pregnant. 
Izzie ordered the Pasta with truffles, and since she couldn't finish it, she passed some of it to me, which I gladly wolfed down. Poor Cat had to have her steak well done coz she is pregnant. Rack of Lamb with vegetables
PS: Since we were there at dinner and I couldn't take nice photos of the place, the photos of the restaurant are from Chubby Hubby's blog.
Jap food at Rakuichi @ Dempsey
Indeed so many restaurants have sprung up at Dempsey, and parking can be a real pain, but I am most happy that Wendy Anne and Guan Liang introduced Rakuichi (another outlet at Far east Shopping Cnetre) to me. I let GL do the ordering so I could be surprised dish after dish.
It was my first time trying Ox's tongue and I love it. Grilled to a perfection, the meat was tender and juicy. This was served with other grilled items like veg, chicken skin, sweet potato
Warm salad 
Fresh and thick slices of Sashimi
Raw beef
Grilled items including Ox Tongue, Chicken Skin, and veg
Grilled Ox Tongue
Seared sushi - yums, some with cheese on it
Fried fish (sorry I forgot what type)
Tempura And local food
In case you think I only went to restaurants to makan, I didn't. As Simon's aunt and cousin came with me, I didn't stay at my mom's place. We stayed at Lloyd's Inn at Lloyd Road, off Killiney Road. So I got to eat my fav bar chor mee for breakfast a few mornings. 
I also introduced Amy to Kaya Toast, which we had either for breakfast or tea almost everyday. She tried from four places: Killiney, Toast Box, Ya Kun (yumms) and the one at Chinatown. As a result, she developed a cough, but still she persisted in her daily snack.
I also brought them to the Tiong Bahru market where I had my share of Chuee Kueh and carrot cake. A pity that the Hokkien mee stall was closed.
Food Republic foodcourt at Suntec Convention Centre
Of course coming back to Singapore, it was not just an affair of food, it's just how I chose to write about a week stay in Singapore mah. I met my family at home, and also went shopping with my mom. I enjoyed a lovely lunch and caught up with my niece Winnie and nephew Eason. They're both so active and are quite skinny, like my sis-in-law.
I asked Winnie what she wanted me to buy for her. After thinking, it was not toys, but paper. Has she inherited my love for paper? SInce we're at Takashimaya, I brought her to Art Friend and let her select some papers. In the end she bought a stack of matt cards and a patterned paper. Then we went to Creative Hands where she selected some stickers. She wanted to make a birthday card for her mommy. Good girl.We then went to a shop called The Better Toy Store where they sell very good quality wooden products that help in a child's development. As my luggage was overweight already, I couldn't buy the wooden toys. But I canced upon very lovely wall decals made in France and I promptly bought two sets for Jonathan: one in the study and one for our bedroom.
Who else did I meet? What else? I managed to meet Christina who also was back in Singapore from Shanghai the same week. Very happy to have met up with her coz we haven't seen each for a year. With me in Miri and having Jon, Christina who's very busy in Shanghai, the only probable way for us to meet would be for me to visit her in Shanghai.
I also visited Wendy Kwek at home where I saw her little one - Ryan. He's just turned a month old and asleep most of the time. Megan was home too and was the big jie jie.
As her new place is being renovated and her old place sold, she's staying with her parents at Normanton Park. Coming here was so nostalgic. I remembered the days in secondary school where I would come over and swim with Letitia and her, do our projects in the living room, and even having grilled cheese sandwiches made by her father (who like my father, looks like Lee Kuan Yew!).And of course, there was some retail therapy. While I brought Simon's aunt and cousin to different shopping centres everyday to shop a little from 11am to 2 or 3pm (they could only last so long before we had to go back to rest), I didn't buy much. Just a coouple of tops, a pair of Crocs slippers (noooooooo, not the big ones, but the Y-sandals). Of couse, I had to make a stop at my fave shop Made With Love at Plaza Singapura to buy some SB stuff.
The Singapore Garden Festival happened to start on the Friday while I was in Singapore. I thought enough of shopping. It was the first day of the show and the flowers were all in their prime. It was nice and cool coz of the flowers and we spent about 2 hours there. My MIL would have loved to be here, especially in the Orchid Show.
Here're a couple of my faves. Entitled Seeking Shangri-La.
Imagine the not-too-distant-future when the earth is enexorably warmed and our efforts to redress her balance comes to nought. In the world bereft of dry land where even the loftiest peaks have drowned, we seek the mystical beacon of Shangri-La, only to find it too has submerged. Designed by Peter Cheok, it was awarded the Best of Show and awarded Gold. It was implemented by Far East Flora and the set was built by a Malaysian company. At intervals, bubbles would automatically be released, like bubbles under the sea!
Simplicity: different shades of the greens of grass to form the iconic Marilyn Monroe. Enough said.Many things I miss about Singapore, and here're some of them:
- Family
- Friends (calling or emailing is different from meeting them in person)
- Efficient public transport (coming from me who got her driving license only at 36years old)
- Greenery and fresh air (the greenery really makes a lot of difference in temperature and quality of the air)
- Good and cheap local fare (bar chor mee, char siew and any roasted meats, kaya toast)
The things I miss in Miri:- Simon and Jonathan
- the slower pace of life
- big and roomy house and bedroom
A few things I am thankful for:
1. My family: healthy
2. Time: to meet so many loved ones and friends in one week
3. Simon and my in-laws: for taking care of Jonathan while I was in Singapore. Poor baby was down with cold sores and miserable
4. Going to Wesley Methodist Church and being part of God's family
5. Racial harmony and equality
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