London Expat | London Singaporean

Wimbledon Emmanuel Church's divine message for Andy Murray

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Now that the Wimbledon fever has died down and Roger Federer has claimed the top place among the tennis greats while the Britons move on to cricket (one sport that I am still struggling to understand), I look back at how Andy Murray who hailed from Scotland, for a brief moment in time, managed to grip even the English hearts, getting many to forgive him for his earlier claim that he would never support the English team in its World Cup bid.

For a brief moment, the legions of Murray supporters that packed Wimbledon's Centre Court believed that their champion will triump Andy Roddick and step into the arena against Roger Federer, the then winner of 14 Grand Slams. He don't even have to win Federer; if he had stepped into the final, he would be the only Briton to do so for the last seven decades.

Well, that, as we know, didn't quite turned out as the Murray fans hope. At least Andy Murray can take heart in Wimbledon Emmanuel Church's message to him.

London's umbrellas ain't cheap! Where to get cheap umbrellas in London

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:34:00 +0000

London's weather has been fickle of late. I was just commenting about the heat wave that hit London a week back and just a few days later grey clouds, which Londoners are more familiar with, dominate the skies with occasional light showers. That's when you leave your sunglasses at home and pack an umbrella in your briefcase.

One of the first thing that struck me when I arrived in London was how expensive London's umbrellas were. Borders and Boots are selling the foldable varieties for at least £5 - £8 whilst those with fancier designs are going for more than £20 at Selfridges.

I would have thought that for £8, it would have gotten me a sturdy umbrella but one that I got Borders failed on me during a rare heavy morning shower and it had to be when I was already running late for a meeting. The mechanism gave up on me and I had to force it open and holding it open with my bag under my arms and braved the torrential shower. Not a pretty sight.

Ridiculous as it might sound, but I was determined to stock up on affordable and durable umbrellas on my recent trip back home. Came back with a couple of NTUC umbrellas. For the uninitiated, NTUC is the 'conglomerate' in Singapore; they have a hand in every business, from insurance to groceries to plumbing services. The S$7.50 umbrella is still holding on well after three months. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

For those who are on the lookout for cheap umbrellas in London, you will be surprised that the cheapest umbrellas can be found along Oxford Street. They are currently selling for £2.99 each at any one of those tacky tourist shops liberally sprinkled along the street. These umbrellas do their job but don't expect too much from them.

The Breakfast Club Angel Islington - is there anything more than just cheeky jokes?

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Whenever I walk through the Camden Passage at Angel Islington during weekends, there is bound to be a queue outside The Breakfast Club. I am not only referring to one of those warm and sunny summer mornings that descended on London for the last two weeks - there will be a long queue snaking out from Breakfast Club regardless of weather. People will be there with their umbrellas when it is showering and in their woollen coats when it is snowing, rain or shine, The Breakfast Club is always packed.

While I am not terribly fond of queues, especially long ones, I am curious about whether it is really that good. So Wife and I decided to pop by for a dessert after dinner one evening, not exactly the best time of the day to visit a place with a name like The Breakfast Club. Perhaps.

When we walked in at 9pm during a weekday, there were only three souls in The Breakfast Club. Might as well, at least there was no need to contend with the morning crowd. We each ordered a dessert, I can't really recall exactly what but it was a brownie and an ice-cream of some kind. When dessert finally arrived, it was rather uninspiring. Fine, maybe we should really have gone there for breakfast.

However, what really surprised us was the lackluster service. The staff who took our orders looked like she rather be somewhere else. Given the uplifting messages and jokes displayed on the pop up board beside its entrance everyday, you would expect a more enthusiastic service. A quick check online for The Breakfast Club reviews showed that other customers have experienced disappointing services as well. In fact, one went so far to suggest that the long queues were due to its slow services.

With a slew of eateries and restaurants opening up in Camden Passage, these dissatisfied customers might just decide to give The Breakfast Club a miss.

Have you been to The Breakfast Club? How was your experience?

The Breakfast Club
31 Camden Passage
London N1 8EA
+44 (0) 20 7226 5454

Avenue Q review (Gielgud Theatre) - Everyone is a little bit Racist!

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:48:00 +0000

Whenever I've got friends visiting London, they would invariably ask for my recommendation for West End plays. As most of them would stop by London for at most a week, and London is much more than just the West End, they could at best catch two or three plays.

Naturally, I would recommend that they go for productions that would never be shown back home for several reasons. Think plays or musicals, a couple of names would come up for folks back home - Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Cats and Cabaret - all of which are mega production with huge casts and elaborate props. Smaller West End or Broadway names are unlikely to be staged halfway round the globe.

Also, the context and the subject matter of the production matter too. Agatha Christie The Mousetrap has never been shown in Singapore even though it has been playing in London for a couple of decades. Though Agatha Christie's novels are rather popular back home, I don't think the general populace can stomach a dialogue packed drama set in an English mansion.

With all that in mind, if you have only time enough for just one or two West End plays, let Avenue Q be one of them.

On first glance, Avenue Q, which originates from Broadway, is a mere extension of the Sesame Street with the likes of Elmo and Cookie Monster, and the title Avenue Q paralleling that of Sesame Street. That's when the similarity stops. Avenue Q is definitely one of the most politically incorrect production ever.

The unsuspecting audience, thinking that Avenue Q is a family show (read my lips, Avenue Q is no Lion King), will be horrified by the opening number, "Everyone is a little bit racist!". In the catchy tune, the puppets, skilfully manipulated, dance and sing about how there's a little racist burrowed deep in everyone. At that point in time, the parents could either join in the fun or cowered in their seats for what might come next while the teenagers shriek with delight.

Someone I know was so embarrassed when her child walked out of the theatre skipping, singing out loud and declaring to the world that "Everyone is a little bit racist!".

If you think the fun ends there, you are dead wrong. The puppet masters (shall we call them that?) belted out number after number that include "If you were Gay", "The Internet is for Porn", "I'm not wearing underwear today" and "It sucks to be me". Well, you get the idea.

Other than these outrageously hilarious songs, there were some interestingly lame joke fillers in between scenes. The one that is stuck in my mind referred to how a group of knights were protecting the princess and how each of them fell until there was only one left and thus "One Knight Stand". Hmm…

All in all, Avenue Q, which is now performed in Gielgud Theatre after moving from Noel Coward Theatre on 1st June 2009, should be taken in good fun. For those of us who grew up watching Sesame Street and the Electric Company, Avenue Q is certainly a good trip down the memory lane. In a perverse way, that is.

Avenue Q

Gielgud Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue
London, W1D 6AR

Play me I'm yours - Streetpianos

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

A number of pianos (30 to be exact) have been popping up mysteriously all over London. In parks, train stations, markets and other public places, these pianos all stood silently propped against a wall, all missing the player. Is that another Banksy's statement? The graffitti artist, more at home with spray cans, is not exactly known for his musical talents.

On closer look, each of these pianos has got a message taped across them.

"Play Me, I'm Yours"

That was exactly what a boy did at Leadenhall Market when I walked pass it the other day. He was merrily running his fingers through the keyboard entertaining the customers at the nearby restaurants. To my untrained ear, he sounded pretty good. Judging at the appreciative glances from the passerbys, customers and restaurants' service staff, I wasn't the only person who thought so.

I walked past it today again. There was no one playing the piano this time round and the instrument seemed to blend inconspicuously under the ornate ceiling of Leadenhall Market.

"Play Me, I'm Yours" beckoned the piano to anyone who walked past it.

Have you seen any other Streetpianos? Email a photo of it to singaporeaninlondon@yahoo.com and have it featured below!

London Museum comedy gigs by laughterinoddplaces - an odd place indeed

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Ever been to a museum?
Duh, of course, you scoff.
Yeah? And when was that?
Erm, well, let me see… (twiddling your fingers).. There was this time I was in a museum with my parents and I was so bored and had to be pacified with an ice-cream.

Fact 1: museums aren't exactly the most exciting of places. Fact 2: London is filled with thousands of museums, big and small. So by inference, London is… oh well.

The London Museum at London Wall was brought to life by LaughterinOddPlaces yesterday with comedy gigs held throughout the museum within the confines of its exhibits. Household names like Richard Herring, Simon Munnery, Milton Jones, Hugh Huges, Gavin Osborn and many other names that I have absolutely never heard before put up a 30 min repertoire each in front of a motley crowd that include students who didn't have anything better to do during their summer holidays, bored looking housewives and househusbands who would rather watch anyone (or anything) other than their kids, hot and bothered office workers who returned from a torturous day at work, Roman mannequins, a couple of cavemen skulls, coins, bones and, well, stuff.

Some of the jokes were really lame I would say…

"Anyone of you from up North?" Milton Jones asked
"Yeah! From Glasgow!"
"Oh yeah? I've been up North once… went as far as Cambridge…"

"My Grandfather called me selfish, and I went on to be a fishmonger."

Hugh Huges pranced around the tiny space that he has been allocated and somehow got the idea that the audience would love to hear about how he and his buddy were playing with his buddy's poop (yep, you saw that right). I slipped quiet away not long thereafter. Overhead a lady who followed me saying to her friend, "He's funny but he's wieerrrd."

The show of the day, in my humble opinion, has to be Gavin Osborn's. With just a guitar and an unpolished singing voice, he wowed the audience who even shed a tear or two with his lyrics. Loved his "Sainsbury lady", which was inspired by a guy who gave him 'the look' at a local Sainsbury. Also, his 'I'm over 30' song, which for some bizarre reason, happened to struck a cord with me. Found out later that he has quite a following in MySpace and decided that I'll go get his CD after listening to a track or two.

I should really go try my hand at this. Who knows? I may be the next Lily Allen. Wait, that didn't come out right.

Oliver Twist (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) review - Atkinson's Fagin was a smashing hit

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:03:00 +0000

When Charles Dickens completed his novel Oliver Twist in 1839, little did he imagine that it would attain worldwide acclaim and remain one of the classics of all time even after more than a century after his death.

Never would he expect that it would one day be featured as a play, much less in a theatre right next to what was then the site of a flower, fruit and vegetable market. He would probably have flipped should he know that Fagin, regardless of the deficiency in character, has been brought to life by none other than the same person whom the public came to know as Mr. Bean.

Oliver Twist, which opens in Jan 2009 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a mere 50m away from Covent Garden, features Rowan Atkinson as Fagin, and fresh faced Harry Scott as Oliver and Jodie Prenger as Nancy. Both Scott and Prenger landed on their respective roles after coming out tops in BBC1 casting competition "I'll do anything".

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where the Oliver Twist musical is hosted is not exactly near Shaftesbury Avenue where the main West End shows are. However, Oliver Twist found a selling point in casting Rowan Atkinson as Fagin and it went all out to promote that.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with its large seating capacity can easily rival that of Queen's Theatre (Les Miserables) and Apollo Victoria Theatre (Wicked the Musical). Its wide and deep stage was used to utmost effect by the extensive stage props. The one thing that really impressed me was the creative use of 'moving skyline' to mimic the narrow streets of London. There was a scene when Oliver was chased through the streets after a failed pickpocket attempt where that effect made it looked as if he was actually running along the passageways..

Also, there was much emphasis on details in the props. Take special note of the silhouette of a ship moving in the background at a pier side pub in a scene between Bill, Nancy and Fagin. Blink and you might just miss it.

Atkinson's Fagin was… well, what can I say? He was absolutely delightful. Fagin was literally a 19th century Mr. Bean with a deep singing voice. His antics and mannerism was unmistakably that of the comic character that we are so familiar with. There was a scene where he introduced a newly acquired ring (oh yes) to a his string of pearls…

"Ring, meet Pearls… Pearls, meet Ring." And he proceeded to mimic a conversation between the two. There you go. A classic Mr. Bean's scene. Oh, did I also mention that there was a teddy bear involve in another scene?

Although Oliver Twist thrived on a number of large scenes that involve more than 20-30 casts (total cast of around 60) at once with colourful costumes and carefully choreographed steps designed to thrill the audience, I felt a bit overwhelmed and the thrill effect wore of pretty soon after that. Also, the musical tried to keep true to Charles Dickens's original work by including scenes such as the mortuary house, which didn't make much of an impact other than prolonging the musical.

Well, if you are a fan of Atkinson, go get a ticket fast as his last performance will be on 18th July. Whoever replaces him thereafter would have huge shoes to fill.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatre
Catherine St
London, WC2B 5JF
Tube: Covent Garden
Box Office: 0870 890 6002

Why I hate the BBC

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:51:00 +0000

I detest the BBC. In fact, BBC has the dubious honour of making to the top of my hate list of late.

Being the sole beneficiary of the TV licensing fees paid yearly by UK residents, BBC has been producing high quality epic dramas like Casualty 1909 (essentially ER in 1909), documentaries on how the influence of Islam and Christianity affect the world that we know today, to hilarious comedy talk shows like QI and Mock the Week and outlandish variety show like Top Gear. All that without any advertisement.

I just can't take my eyes off the TV screen for even a minute the moment I step into my home. I should be spending my time in more worthwhile pursuits, such as doing crossword puzzles and perhaps staring out of the window and count the number of cars driving down the road.

They should take away BBC's funding and force it to produce some lower quality shows and pepper its shows with advertisement so that I can get on with my life. In fact, if I were to suffer a nervous breakdown today, it'll be BBC's fault. Darn, got to rush home tonight for Murray's match at Wimbledon's Centre Court on BBC2 this afternoon.

Heatwave swept across London - bathing in sweat, not just my own

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:08:00 +0000

A couple of months ago, a blanket of snow descended upon London and it brought the capital to a standstill. Buses couldn't leave their depots due to icing on the roads. London Underground and other essential services ground to a halt when key workers were not able to report for work. London is not built for cold weather.

I found out today that the London isn't built for hot weather either.

Donning my sunglasses, I stepped out of my house this morning to a blast of warm air. Despite wearing my thinnest possible shirt (any thinner would be translucent), I started sweating just halfway to the Tube station. To put things in context, coming from a sunny isle which temperature averages 30 degrees Celsius, I should be well adapted for the kind of temperature London is having now. But after growing accustomed to the more agreeable temperature of sub 20 degree Celsius, I almost didn't survive the Tube ride to work this morning.

Did eventually managed to crawl into the office bathed in my own sweat, which I suspect was mixed with the burly guy squashed into me on the train earlier. No way I am going take the Tube back later. Will take a short hike back instead.

If I wanted sunny and warm weather, I would have stayed put in Singapore where sandy beaches are within easy access.

I should probably turn up for work in singlet, bermudas and sandals tomorrow. I'll go dunk my head in the office fridge in the meantime.

Image source

Wimbledon Centre Court - Andy Murray in action, three games and all done in straight sets

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Those who are with me on Twitter would know that I was there when Andy Murray thrashed Ernests Gulbis at the Wimbledon's Centre Court. Don't ask me how I managed to get the tickets to Centre Court, I just did. In fact, the person who got me the tickets threatened me with unimaginable consequences should I let the cat out of the bag, so...

Anyway, it was quite an experience to be at Wimbledon itself never mind the Centre Court witnessing Britain's only hope to beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon in action. I was basically behaving like when I first step into London…

Southfields Tube Station, not Wimbledon Station, is the closest to the Tennis Lawns

"Hey, that's the road sign that points towards Wimbledon Tennis Lawn, where's my camera?" Snap!

"The gate itself! Oh… hey, did you see the score display board?"

The famed Wimbledon Centre Court

It took me quite some time to go through all the other courts. Well, the fact that I was there way before the first Centre Court match helps as matches in the other courts start an hour earlier. Truth to be told, the courts look much smaller in real life as compared to that on tv and the players look… ahem, more athletic.

Ladies doubles at Court 19

Crowds built up around the lesser courts and players entered the arena to a smattering of applause as the clock struck 12. The crowds were just getting warmed up. After a couple of minutes of warming up, the players got into the game proper. Being so near to the court, I could basically hear the swishing of the rackets as they cut through the warm afternoon air. The beads of sweat that dripped down the players' arms, the frustration and agony for missing an easy ball and the determination etched on the faces were evident for all to see.

China's Yan Zi and Zheng Jie at Court 19

That's the difference between watching it live and catching the action on BBC2 while demolishing a bag of crisps on the couch.

The calm before the storm at Centre Court

A close up of the Centre Court, opened since 1922

The opening game at Wimbledon's Centre Court for the day started with thunderous applause when Hewitt and Del Porto marched onto the greens. To my surprise, there were many empty seats among the spectators. Apparently, the latecomers would only be allowed entry during the intervals between each game point. I guess most of us were really there for the game of the day between Andy Murray and Ernests Gulbris, which was appropriately scheduled towards the end of the day.

Despite being rather evenly matched to the untrained eye, Hewitt, the former 2002 Wimbledon champion, managed to clinch the game with three straight sets. Del Porto showed his frustrations more than once by smashing his racket into his bag during breaktime. There was this band of Hewitt supporters in yellow seated a mere 20m away from the players and they sure made their presence felt throughout the game. It became pretty clear towards the end of the third set that the spectators wouldn't be treated to a fourth.

I went off before the ladies single's game to stretch my legs a bit. Didn't think that I would leave my seat during the Murray vs Gulbris game.

After some strawberries and cream, and a sausage in a bun that cost way too much, I was back in my seat in time to catch the last set of the ladies single. If anything, I was very much amused by the grunting by Kirilenko and the feeble attempt at doing the same by Wozniacki. The grunter eventually crashed out just after two sets. Another no show.

Andy Murray vs Ernests Gulbris

Murray in the far left with Gulbris in the foreground psyching themselves up

The crowds were waited with abated breath for the star of the day to emerge from the dressing room. "Oh, there he is" the lady from Manchester seated behind me screeched. The cheers were deafening. One would have thought that Murray just won Wimbledon 2009. The game of the day started pretty early, perhaps I could hope to get my dinner before 8pm after all.

The toss up

The first set was wrapped up in just 25min with Murray bagging it in with a decent score of 6-2. To Gulbris, it was a matter of being outclassed, outgunned and outmaneuvered. Murray's lanky frame seemed to be all over the court returning Gulbris' smashes at impossible angles.

Murray during game warm ups, gearing for action

So far so good. Murray gave the spectators what they came for. And his fans returned in kind.

"Go Murray!"

"Come on, Andy!"

"Marry me, Andy!"

"Go England!!" The crowds broke into laughter at that. Well, the Scots are a forgiving lot.

Take care of my sweat towel will ye?

Gulbris put up a brave fight in the second set despite having the entire Centre Court standing firmly behind his opponent. Fighting Murray with tooth and nail, he succumbed to Murray's slicing rallies with a score of 7-6.

That seemed to have broke that camel's back. For he conceded the third set with just 6-3. Felt a bit sorry for him really. Throughout the entire game, there was only a single soul who cheered for him and even that was made in jest.

Here goes another of my wristband...

The ever obliging Murray...

The entire game was wrapped up in just 89 minutes. It was just another day for Murray as he strolled into the 3rd round. I made it in time for an early dinner after all.

Stony faced even after the win...

Still in the thick of action outside Centre Court

The aftermath at the Grounds with still more people streaming in...

The gap year mentality - the disparity between Singaporeans and Britons

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:15:00 +0000

I was reading an AsiaOne article on Singaporean students taking a gap year before continuing their tertiary studies in the local universities. A couple years before, the notion of gap year is almost unheard of back home; mention 'gap year' and the image of a year long shopping expedition at a certain fashion outlet comes to mind.

I guess the concept of a 'gap year' is still foreign to Singaporeans as a rule of thumb. Many Singaporean parents who put the pursue of education (and subsequently of financial gains) as a priority would be horrified if their child would prefer to take a year off school and indulge in some seemingly meaningless pursuits. Doesn't help a bit that many of these activities would not yield any immediate gains.

Even if the parents are agreeable and financially able to support their children through their gap year, this might be feasible only for non-Singaporeans and females, as all Singaporean males will have to serve a mandatory two-year National Service regardless.

For most of the Europeans and Britons in particular, the taking of a gap year seems to be the rage. Companies have been set up just to cater to this trend; organizing activities and providing suitable frameworks and liaising with relevant societies across the globe. For many, it's a chance to escape from parental restrains back home and roam the world a bit and hopefully garner enough social experience to eventually fill up the CV.

Image source

Someone I know took a year off to travel the length of Africa and brought back tales of cultural immersion with the local tribes, another worked with a humanitarian group in South East Asia, which benefited the local populace. These experiences could never be replicated in the confines of a classroom.

Hopefully, the taking of a gap year would eventually take off in Singapore. A fellow Singaporean lamented to me that she realised that she has not taken a break after attending school at the age of five. Since then, 17 years of school and subsequently 9 years of work follow. She is, however, determined that her child would get to go for a gap year in time to come.

Have you taken a gap year? If so, tell us about it. If not, why not? Cheers.

Adore Patisserie Cafe - an quiet oasis amongst the maddening crowds at London Regent Street

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:30:00 +0000

As summer sales open across London last week, Regent Street, London's main shopping belt, is filled with Londoners and tourists hoping to pick up bargains at fashion brands that line the street. You would have thought that Banana Republic, Massimo dutti, Aquascutum were giving out free stuff looking at the crowds at these stores.

While the ladies went amok along the street, I headed towards my refuge from the crowds, my sanctuary amongst the madness of the summer sales, my oasis in the barren land with nothing other than crazed mammals totting shopping bags. I headed towards the Adore Patisserie Cafe.

I came across Adore Patisserie Cafe sometime back while I was making my rounds along Regent Street while Wife was at the stores. Tucked into a passageway, which is a smaller version of the Burlington Arcade, you could easily miss Adore if not for a couple of rather discreet signs pointing towards the cafe at the passageway's opening to Regent Street.

What's interesting about Adore Patisserie Cafe is that it offers a first floor sitting (as in second storey) with windows that allow viewing onto the passageway on the ground floor. It's not something to make a huge fuss about but having those windows does help to alleviate the sense of claustrophobic.

I got a cappuccino, which is reasonably priced at just over £2 (no service charge) and settled comfortably on the first floor occasionally glancing down from the window while burying myself in my Neil Gaiman. I was the only one on the upper floor during that Saturday afternoon and remained so for the next two hours. An sms from Wife and I was on my way out.

"Oh, I have forgotten about you!" The French staff who served me earlier exclaimed while settling my bill at the till.

Business must be a bit slow these days.

Adore Patisserie Cafe
80 Regent Street
London
Tel: 020 7287 1434

"I like the photos of the food" says Puji Puji's owner

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Wife and I got this sudden craving for satay on Sunday. I must admit that it was a inconvenient craving to have over at this side of the world. It was the equivalent of hungering for mash peas in Singapore. It is not impossible to obtain satay in London (as in the case of mash peas in Singapore), just difficult. In fact, I could count with just one hand the number of satay stalls that I know of in London.

The absolute truth is that we had Puji Puji in mind when the craving for satay crept up on us. Those who are familiar with my food review site, London Chow would know that I consider Puji Puji's lamb/beef satay as the best in London. I could almost smell its aroma as we trekked for a good half an hour to get to Puji Puji.

After settling down, we proceeded to order the usual - beef and lamb satay with teh tarik. The lady boss walked up to me,

"So you have finally written the review on Puji Puji."

Seeing my puzzled look, "The review on Puji Puji on London Chow." she added.

A zillion thoughts ran through my mine at that split second. Did I mention to her that I was going to? I might have mentioned it in passing to her staff, Fiona during our first visit after the raving compliments that an acquaintance have of Puji Puji. The worse thing is that I can't even remember what I wrote in that review. Was it a good one to begin with?

"I like the pictures of the food on the review." The lady boss continued.

That's not looking good at all. She likes only the pictures? That can't be good. I took a quick glance at the door and plotted my escape route. I would need at least three full seconds to reach it and that was provided I get pass her first.

"I really like the pictures." She added.

Perhaps to placate her, I would order another mee goreng (fried noodle). Right, that's exactly what I would do. Giving her a weak grin, I beckoned to the staff and ordered a mee goreng.

The satay and teh tarik took some time to arrive but the satay was well worth the wait and the 30 minute trekking. To give Puji Puji some credit, the mee goreng was delicious as well. I found out later that evening that the review posted earlier wasn't too bad at all. The mere fact that I have been returning every other week should say much.

If you are heading towards Puji Puji, do me a favor and tell the staff that you went there after reading London Chow. Who knows? The lady boss might just throw in a satay for my next meal. When it comes to food, I am absolutely shameless.

I can't cycle and I blame it on my parents

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:32:00 +0000

Now that the cat's out of the bag, I can come out of the closet and put the blame squarely on my parents instead of attributing it to my absolute lack of muscle coordination. My terror of colliding into inanimate objects didn't help matters a single bit.

I recalled there was a fatal accident on the streets near when we stayed when I was a kid that involved a cyclist and a lorry. It wasn't a pretty sight and that was probably the reason why my parents refused to let me get a bicycle early on and even years later I just didn't get to learn. Guess I can't really blame my parents, can I?

I realise that it's a given that most Londoners can cycle. Whether they actually do it on a daily basis is another thing but most can handle a bicycle pretty decently. Imagine their surprise when told that I am hopeless at it.

Perhaps I should really get a cheap bicycle, grit my teeth and get on learning it. Now, if only I could stop staring at the ground when I am at it but being able to join next year's Naked Bike Ride might just provide the incentive.

Has the effect of Swine Flu (H1N1) being blown out of proportion?

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:05:00 +0000

I was chatting online yesterday with Toh, a pal from the army days. After a very brief exchange of pleasantries (we are more of the back slapping type), the subject of the conversion drifted to the swine flu (better known as H1N1 in Asia) scare back home. From what Toh was saying, it seems that the Singapore authorities is taking H1N1 quite seriously. Other than imposing quarantines in hospitals, those who came into contact with infected individuals are confined to their homes for an extended period of time.

Now, that makes me wonder whether we are in fact taking the virus a bit too seriously. No doubt, Singapore and pretty much most of East Asia were severely hit by SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2003, the effect of swine flu is nowhere near that of SARS; till date, swine flu has yet to claim a casualty in Singapore.

On the other end of the spectrum, Londoners couldn't care less about the virus. The 1000th infection went pass without fanfare though there were some slight concern when a woman who succumbed to the virus in Scotland just last week. Even that was swiftly pushed off the headlines by the mass protests in Iran and the MPs expenses censorship. The average Londoner would be more concern about the Selfridges sales and making most of the brilliant weather expected over this weekend than the swine flu, nevermind that the populace on the other end of the globe are literally panicking over the same.

So are Singaporeans overreacting or are Londoners not getting their priorities straight?

Duet for One review (Vaudeville Theatre) - an intense dialogue that will sweep you off your feet

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:47:00 +0000

I chanced upon a colleague along the corridor the other day and knowing that she has quite a good taste for plays, I took the opportunity to ask her for a recommendation.

"Well, you could certainly try Duet for One. It is pretty decent. Anyway, it played in Almeida, you can't go wrong with that."

Almeida Theatre together with Donmar Theatre has got this reputation of hosting fine plays with intimate settings performed to a high standard. I didn't need much persuasion and headed straight to the TKTS ticket booth at Leicester Square the very next day.

After a stint at Almeida Theatre earlier in the year, Duet for One has since moved to Vaudeville Theatre along The Strand, opposite the new defunct Savoy. I was pleasantly surprised to find tickets for the evening show still available at TKTS on early Saturday afternoon. I found out that the play was performed to a full theatre later that evening.

The first thing that struck me the moment I stepped into the hall is the elaborate prop. Though the set for Duet for One is not a Les Miserables, which featured a revolving stage. It is far from the Woman in Black that thrives on a simple setup.

The Duet for One opens into a study room, a psychiatrist work office to be precise. Shelves of books and stacks of CDs adorn the cosy space with the patient's comfy sofa grabbing the centre-stage. On one end lies the doctor's work desk and the 'sunlight' pours into the other end through thoughtfully placed windows. It is like a scene plucked out from a novel.

The plot is about the dynamics between a patient and her psychiatrist and is beautifully played out by the cast of two. Stephanie Abrahams (played by Juliet Stevenson) plays an outstanding violinist whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis while Dr Feldmann (played by Henry Goodman) is the ever so detached doctor who is bent on delivering Stephanie out of the shadows.

The nearly 2.5 hrs of dialogue between the two characters is peppered with emotional outbursts that give the audience a glimpse into the relationship between Stephanie and her husband, mother and father, and her constant struggle to gain acceptance. Dr Feldmann, on the other hand, more than once, tore down her attempts to put up a brave front with a simple "Are you happy?" in a light German accent.

Though the play can be tedious at times as Stephanie goes on and on about how she is coping well and visits Dr Feldmann only at the bequest of her husband, it is nevertheless a very intense piece. The powerful performance by Stevenson and Goodman manage to engage the audience throughout the entire duration. The trembling of Stephanie's hand or the idiosyncrasies of Dr Feldmann. It is as if you are in the same room as them.

Duet for One is definitely for fans of movies Before Sunset (2004) and After Sundown (2006). It's a in the process play that leave you wondering after you step out of the theatre.

Duet for One
Vaudeville Theatre
404 Strand, London, WC2R 0NH

St. Olave's Church lunchtime concert

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:08:00 +0000

I have come to look forward to my lunchtime and realise that much can be accomplish during that 60 minutes. Typically, I would gobble down my lunch within 15 minutes and quickly scanned through the daily newspaper and read about the dire predictions of the Labour's results in the upcoming election, how the economy is going to turn the corner, and President Obama's latest speech.

The remaining 30 to 45 minutes would then be dedicated to exploring the neighbourhood. With the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge a stone's throw away, one can hardly be tired of the vicinity.

This afternoon, after a colleague's recommendation, I took a stroll to St. Olave's Church for its lunchtime concert. When I was there, the duet (violinist and pianist) was already playing their final piece to a small audience but appreciative audience.

I am not too sure whether it was the sound acoustic of the church or the after-effects of a relatively heavy lunch, I was suitably impressed by the contemporary piece. Quite out of character I would say as I don't normally handle contemporary too well.

Apparently, other than lunchtime concerts, St. Olave's Church also hosts the occasional evening concerts. In fact, there is one upcoming on 1st July at 7pm. The Annual Lascelles Memorial Concert celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the City Chamber Ensemble. Admission is free.

Well, consider dropping by if you are in the area. Cheers!

Selfridges exhibition: Celebrating 100 years

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Selfridges, which has been gracing Oxford street for the past century, celebrates its 100th birthday this year. Started by Gordan Selfridges, an American entrepreneur who sailed across the Atlantic at the turn of the 20th century, Selfridges, as the mega shopping mall, came to be known, totally revamped the British shopping experience. Never before have shopping become a leisure activity made available to the general public.

Since its opening in 1909, Selfridges have survived the Great Depression and two World Wars, which is no small feat. Till this day, its imposing architecture continues to dominate the high street shopping belt along Oxford Street. Rumours has it that the management lobbied hard to get renamed Bond Street Underground Station to Selfridges Underground Station but the transport authorities stood their ground.

In conjunction to its 100th year celebration, Selfridges is holding an exhibition in its lower ground floor. The exhibition displayed the posters, decorations and little known historical facts on Selfridges. Also on display are window dressings (in miniature) that Selfridges is renowned for.

Just some sampler on the tidbits that I picked up from the Selfridges exhibition:

Do you know that

Selfridges exhibited the first plane that flew over water in 1909. 150,000 people caught a glimpse of Louis Bleriot's (the pilot) machine before it was removed. The tag line for the display? Calais - Dover - Selfridges

Gordan Selfridges' mantra for customer service - "If customers were treated courteously, whether they spent money or not, they would soon be back."

During the coronation of King George V in 1911, Gordan Selfridges deliberately sat the junior members of the royal family in front of Selfridges during the parade along Oxford Street. Upon seeing them, King George turned and waved. To the crowd it seemed that the King was endorsing Selfridges.

Selfridges spent £36,000 on advertisement for its grand opening. In today's currency, that would be £2.35 million, which established paid newspaper advertisement as mainstream advertising. Below are three of the entire poster series. (click on them for larger images)

* * *

Exhibition ends on 15 Aug. Hey, it's free admission. If you're in the vicinity, do pop by.

London Naked Bike Ride - Hyde Park

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Was minding my own business after having lunch at Marble Arch on last Saturday when a group of cyclists stopped at the traffic intersection. What's more interesting is that other than a smattering of body paint, they were completely naked. Now, that's something that you don't get to see every day, even in London.

Needless to say, no one crossed when the green man lit up but almost everybody whipped out their phone and cameras, and proceeded to commit the image into posterity. I suspect the same image or video clip will be up in Twitter, YouTube and Facebook in the next instant. (Warning: moderate nudity)

I did read about the Naked Bike Ride that was going to take place at Hyde Park on Metro the day before and was planning to drop by… not as a participant of course, for various reasons. Apparently, the ride was to 'demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency.' (Source: London Naked Bike Ride) , though I get the feeling that there are bound to be some who will give anything to cycle through London in the buff regardless the cause.

Well, let's say that it's one of those thing that sounds much better than it looks. To be honest, it could be rather unflattering and I would venture that the participants enjoyed it than the audience, although I suspect the tourists were having a field day with their camcorders.

Were you there as well? Will love to hear from you how it went for you!

Credit crunch staff layoffs - the pathetic and the downright bizarre

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:30:00 +0000

The credit crunch of 2008, which many were quick to drew comparison to the Great Depression in the early 20th century, had claimed a fair number of victims in the City of London. Despite talks of the UK's economy turning the corner with manufacturers leading the pack, many city firms are continuing the culling in a bid to reduce headcount.

Rumours are rife on how management go about breaking the news. To minimize the size of redundancy packages, some firms picked the oldest trick in the book of letting people go on the grounds of 'performance below expectations'. Not the performance of the firm but that of the affected staff. The remaining (or should I say more fortunate) lot could not help but notice that their colleagues are 'disappearing' one after another without formal notification of any kind.

Well, some of the more decent firms do put up a pretext of setting up 'consultation' sessions whereby departments would have to justify their headcount, failing which would simply mean further culling - although there is this lingering suspicion that the death lists are already decided even before the consultations begin.

Others, in the name of security, have sought to give the redundant staff the minimum possible notice. Be it marching them out of the premises the moment the news broke, allowing no time for revengeful sabotage or carting off of business documents, or ushering those affected into a room while clearing their desks in their absence.

But nothing, absolutely nothing beats the infamous 'fire drill layoff'...

"Dear employees - with sincere regret I have been asked to announce that for many of you it will be your last evacuation drill. Due to the recession the company is laying off almost 50% of its employees. So when this announcement finishes, I ask all of you to move back into the building and if your swipe card does not work then it means you have been laid off in which case you will not be allowed inside and all your belongings will be couriered to you by tomorrow. The management took this approach to avoid an overloading of the email system with layoff notifications and goodbye messages and also to avoid any violent outbursts inside the office. Hope you have a nice career ahead....please go ahead and swipe your card." Source: No-Name247

It might be an urban legend but given how desperate some firms are, I wouldn't be surprised if it is true.

Have you come across (and verified) any bizarre staff layoffs?

Spitalfields bicycle lockers for bicycle security

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

In a bid to boost its status as a bicycle capital of the world ahead of Olympics 2012 held in London, Mayor Boris Johnson has gone out of his way to encourage cycling as a viable mean of daily transport. He and David Cameron, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party and a likely candidate for the next Prime Minister, were often photograph by the media cycling to work. It almost seems like being able to handle a bicycle is a prerequisite for those who seek public office.

Bicycle stands have sprung up across the capital and more people have taken to cycling over travelling by buses or Tube despite concerns that the heavy vehicular traffic along narrow London roads still pose a threat to the ever so vulnerable cyclists. The recent Tube strike prompted more people to seriously consider cycling as an alternative way to get around and about.

I came across rows of huge metal lockers at Spitalfields Market yesterday. To the casual observer, they seemed to be some oversize lockers. Realised that they are in fact bicycle lockers (or if you prefer bicycle 'garage') upon closer inspection... well, there's a representation of a bicycle etched onto each of them, can't go wrong with that, can I?

Have not came across the likes of these anywhere else in the City. Have you?

London Graffiti street art

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Was on my way to Sedap for dinner the other day when I chanced upon this piece of street art along Curtain Road in the vicinity of Liverpool Street Station. I'm not too sure whether it's commissioned but it looked like much time is invested in the planning and execution. Definitely not run-of-the-mill graffiti.

Though it doesn't have the Banky's social agenda, it does make quite a bit of impact as the entire street art spans nearly three sides of the building. Curiously, there was a similar piece with a different theme done at the same place earlier but was white-washed after some time.

I wonder how long this will last before being removed again. Then again, it might be a community project to provide budding graffiti artists some space for their creativity.

Do you know of any other noteworthy pieces of street art?

RMT Tube strikes paralysed London... or did it?

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:50:00 +0000

Last two weeks was a blur with lots happening in City of London. As if the credit crunch the crippled the capital's financial industry and the swine flu, which has since infected more than 500 souls in the UK alone, are not enough, The Telegraph threw a spanner in the works by exposing the expenses excesses (and fraud) of the MPs in Westminster. With Prime Minister Gordon Brown's leadership woes, Labour's dismay showings in the European Union Parliament election and the ascension of British National Party. Life's in the Westminster is like a box of chocolates… hear hear.

If you think that was the end of the story, you are sadly mistaken. National Union of Railway, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has mandated a 48 hr strike from Tues evening till Thurs evening, which threatened to paralyse London during peak travel hours. In the face of adversity, how did Londoners hold up?

Quite well, surprisingly. Many simply put on their walking shoes and were out in full force on the streets, determined to get into the office by hook or by crook. Out came the armada of bicycles, which had to reckoned with the traffic jams not least caused by the increased bus services. One biker even offered stranded commuters a ride through his twitter account.

Though the strike was supposed to be network wide, I was pleasantly surprised to find Northern Line function normally on Wednesday morning. Curiously, there were less passengers on the train then normal. I suspected that it was because the not many people knew of the fact that that Northern Line was functioning at all.

I was right.

This morning was an absolute nightmare. Commuters packed into the Northern Line trains once they realised that some Tube workers had chosen to cross the picket line and turned up for work. Despite the trains arriving at three minutes' interval, I had to let seven trains passed before I managed to squeeze into the eighth one.

Was late by almost an hour for work as a result. I might as well walk to work instead.

Well, looking at the comments made by the commuters, there wasn't much sympathy for the Union's cause. The fact that the basic salary of a Tube driver is almost two thirds that of a Member of Parliament didn't cut any ice either.

What about you? Were you affected by the Tube strikes?

Puji Puji - best Malaysian satay in London?

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:43:00 +0000

A friend from the States came and lamented that he could not find good Singapore/Malaysian food in the city that he was staying in. I decided to be kind and brought him to Puji Puji.

Puji Puji is tucked away in a remote corner of Islington. For those of you who have been to Oriental City at Colindale, it is the reincarnation of the Satay stall in the carpark that served marvelous satay (skewered meat) grilled over charcoal fire and the most most authentic teh tarik in the whole of London.

Read more...

Peculiarities of the UK coins

noreply@blogger.com (C K) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:30:00 +0000

Admittedly, the coinage in different countries have their unique peculiarities. The coins in the UK are no exception. The first thing about UK coins that struck me when I first arrived is their obvious weight and size - especially that of the 2p and £2 coins. Besides that, the difference in size between denominations (between 2p and 5p for example) is quite apparent.

However, there is just one thing about these coins that is staring right at me all this while. Below is the picture of all the UK coins from largest denomination £2 on the left to the smallest denomination (the copper coloured 1 penny) on the right. See if you can spot the pattern.

From the left most (top row) is £2 followed by £1 (left bottom row) then 50p (second from left, top row), 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p (large copper coloured, top right) and finally 1p.

To make it more obvious, I've arranged the coins into two seperate rows. At this point, you should be able make out that the size of the coins alternate between small and large between one denomination to the next denomination; 1p (small), 2p (large), 5p (small), 10p (large) and so on.

Intriguing, isn't it? I wonder whether there is any reason why they are made this way. Any ideas? Are there any similar or other patterns that you have came across in the coins in any other countries?