The hunt for the best mashed potato in Singapore, part 68

On 4 Oct 2009, I was craving for mashed potato and I found my way to Bugis Junction's area. I headed for the Fisherios Fish N Chips located at Basement One. I ordered a set meal of a beer battered Mexican Fish, if I remember the name of the dish correctly.

Anyway, this review is about the mashed potato. The mashed potato from Fisherios Fish N Chips will cost $1.90 on its own. It has a compact, fine and soft texture. Generally, the brown sauce that came with it gave the mashed potato an overall peppery taste. I have found its taste rather average. I don't think I will return to Fisherios Fish N Chips for the mashed potato. There are a few much better options for good mashed potato located nearby.

As for the beer battered fish, I realised that it wasn't a good idea for folks like myself who generally don't drink beer to order the beer battered fish. I just couldn't seem to like the tinge of beer flavour.

Whatever it is, I wish my friend to whom this series of posts is dedicated to: positive learning opportunities.

****
Fisherios Fish N Chips
200 Victoria Street #B1-k15 Bugis Junction

26 Jan 2010

I played on the double bass this evening.
It brought a moment of relief.
The heart is in need of ease,
So that it can rediscover focus
And take comfort in what music can bring.

24 Jan 2010

Thank goodness for good friends like Mystic. She provided insightful company when we went to the Singapore Art Museum yesterday.

I used to prefer to visit art galleries alone. Solitude was my preference back then. Perhaps I have evolved. I have grown to realise that it can be interesting to engage in dialogues with good friends over art pieces. Art is not just a visual form of representation of something. I suppose art can serve to be a catalyst that sparks off interesting conversations and exchanges of ideas. I didn't quite realised this subtle change in my preference for viewing artworks until yesterday when I was visiting the museum with Mystic.

After the museum visit, we had dinner at Yet Con which was known for its chicken rice and so forth. We also went for dessert in the evening.

Well, the company matters more than anything else. Many thanks to Mystic for making time to appreciate the finer beauty of art, and perhaps life itself.

22 Jan 2010

There isn't anything in particular today. It is just that I felt I should do some writing.

This evening, I borrowed Stephanie Dowrick's Creative Journal Writing. I think I am beginning to like her writings. Her writings seem to have a calming effect on me that urge me to reflect deeper on the complexities of life itself.

Somehow, reading the first few pages of the book reminded me that I could do more in terms of writing a journal. There were certain very dark periods of my life that I think journalling had helped me get in touch with some very deep emotions. Those were confusing moments filled with anguish, lots of doubts, and sadness. There were possibly glimpses of hope to find hope.

When I was doing spring cleaning about more than a year ago, I threw away two of journals in which there were very significant entries. Maybe I felt I was like the composer, Brahms, who would burn away the not-so-good works and the works that were not meant for public's eyes. I did not quite regret throwing them away. Afterall, I rarely reread those entries. It was just perhaps that only if my memory could continue to serve me well, then I would be able to access the memories of what had been written on those entries that have been thrown away. Those were the entries that bear witness to the ups-and-downs of my life, my darker sides, my failures and my triumphs.

Life is beginning to seem so complex. Yet it can be so simple if we live by certain values. What used to seem just a matter of black and white, now seems to be a gradation of greys. It's not that when we are older, that our eyes can't see well enough. It may be exactly that we are older, our evolving wisdom helps us see the finer nuances that we had not seem to see. That in the brightness of the day, there is darkness. In the times of hope, there is uncertainty underlying. In the times of confusion, there is a time to help one reflect on one's purposes.

Then here I write, with no intention to be understood. If any reader were to read this and don't understand, it is perfectly normal. Yet I hope in writing, I could lend you a glimpse of me, and how writing about journal writing got me thinking about life itself.

The hunt for the best mashed potato in Singapore, part 67

It was 22 Oct 2009. I was at Sunset Way, and headed for Sunset Tavern to try its Mash with assorted greens. This dish is one of the chef's recommendations of the pub, Sunset Tavern.

The mash with assorted greens costs $8.90 per serving with GST. It is possibly one of the most healthy combination of mashed potato dishes that I have tried by far in Singapore. The mushrooms add a scent of fragrance to the dish. The mashed potato is on the slightly dry side, and the refreshing juices from the vegetables complement the mashed potato by adding a touch of freshness to the dish. The mashed potato is well-mashed even though it has a slightly heavy texture. This mashed potato taste good because real potatoes have been used. The brown sauce on the mashed potato has a tinge of black-pepper taste.

Just please take note that patience is needed for I had waited a while before the mash with assorted green was served.

Admittedly, if Sunset Tavern had played more pleasing music, I would have considered staying a while longer to try other dishes and drinks.

Whatever it is, I wish my friend to whom this series of posts is dedicated to: the patience to play and smell the roses while waiting for dreams to come true.

***
Sunset Tavern
Blk 106 Clementi St 12 (Sunset Way)
#01-38G/H

Untie the knots

The knots and more knots
Seems to be tying inside my tummy
Are they signs and red flags
Alerting that the world needs care and order?

Energies that need to be unblocked
Knots that need to be untied
How to start?
Where to start?
What is needed?
I ask for guidance to lead to the answers.

What to write about?

I do need an outlet for expression (and perhaps listening ears). Yet, I wonder what I could write about that would be worthwhile to share with the world. Maybe it is not for me to judge what would be worthwhile?

I have been feeling as if I am at a stage of hibernation. There seems not much growth. If this phase of my life right now is to be described using the four seasons, I would be right in the middle of winter. The leaves had shed and fallen during autumn. The animals are in hibernation. Outdoor activities are minimal. It's too cold so there is not much reason to do anything much.

On the positive side, perhaps winter provides the space to rest and to reflect. While it is over, spring will soon come again. So, I shall prepare for the spring to come.

The hunt for the best mashed potato in Singapore, part 66

It was 15 Oct 2009, I found out that The Grinning Gecko located within National University of Singapore (NUS) Kent Ridge campus (near Central Library area) serves mashed potato. The natural thing for me to do was to order a serving of it. On its own, the mashed potato would cost $1.50 per serving. Otherwise, one could purchase any of the sandwiches and add an extra $1.20 for a serving of the mashed potato.

The mashed potato comes with a spicy black pepper sauce that can wake one's senses yet not make one scream from the fiery spices. The mashed potato is compact, and soft in texture.

Compared with the mashed potato from NUS Arts Canteen and MEGAbites cafe, The Grinning Gecko serves much better mashed potato.

The buns used for the sandwiches and the vegetables used for the salad are fresh, and worth trying too. A Garden salad costs only $1.50 per serving. The Spicy Mayo Chicken sandwich that I had ordered cost $2.50 each. This place deserves better business. It serves value-for-money food!

With this post, I send wishes to my friend to whom this series of post is dedicated to: lots of magical moments of joy!

***
The Grinning Gecko
12 Kent Ridge Crescent Singapore 119275,
Singapore, 119275
Phone: 62731300

Also read the review here:
http://www.wat2eat.com/resto.php?rid=5881

(This place serves halal food and has vegetarian items)

The hunt for the best mashed potato in Singapore, part 65

I was having a craving for mashed potato on 8 Oct 2009. Remembering that Tierney's Gourmet at Serene Centre serves mashed potato, I headed there. I ordered the chicken and vegetable stew with mashed potato. This costs $4.50.

I don't seem to see mashed potato being sold on its own at Tierney's Gourmet. The mashed potato there has a soft, smooth and creamy texture. I like its not-salty taste. The mashed potato went quite well with the stew. At the very least, while the mashed potato is not the best in Singapore, it is better in taste than the mashed potato from Mad Jack's Cafe that is located nearby.

With this post, I wish my friend to whom this series of post is dedicated to: wonderful opportunities to travel to various parts of the world.

***
Tierney's Gourmet
Serene Centre
10 Jalan Serene #02-01,
Singapore 258748

Week 51 and 52 of year 2009 on the double bass

I have been taking three weeks of break from the double bass. I may have miscalculated the weeks of the year. Somehow, I seem to have unknowingly an extra week. Anyway, for the last week of the year 2009, I decided to take some time to practise the following:

27 Dec 2009, Sun: I practised Eccles' Sonata in g minor. I was pleasantly surprised that after two full weeks of break from practising, my fingers could still recognise where to place themselves on. I also worked on few studies from Bottesini's Method for Double Bass, Part One (Yorke Edition). Perhaps a break did help one to recharge?

Anyway, I am contemplating whether to continue or to stop this double bass practice log in the year 2010. I may just have a private practice log instead? The goal of practising regular remains.

Read: When God Winks

This is the book that I have read recently:

When God Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life
Squire Rushnell
Atria Books

This is quite a heart-warming and thought-provoking book to read. Squire Rushnell's writing style is accessible, and I enjoy his story-telling style of writing.

What is a God Wink?

According to the answer given by Squire Rushnell on http://www.whengodwinks.com is that a god wink "is what some people would call a coincidence, an answered prayer, or simply an experience where you'd say, 'Wow, what are the odds of that!'"

In some ways, I am still thinking about some situations that have occured in my life in the year 2008 and 2009. I wonder if these were God Winks?

Looking forward to 2010

Here is to wish everyone a meaningful year of 2010 that is blesed with good health, hope and joy.



In this post, I would especially like to thank my dearest friend, Mystic, for making time to spend New Year's Day today with me to reflect upon the year 2009 and to look forward to 2010. She has been extremely patient to lend me her ears as I articulated and tried to reflect upon how the year 2009 had been for me.

Before I have written this public post, I wrote a private post to reflect upon how the year 2009 has been for me, and to look forward to the year 2010.

The year 2009 has been a year with lots of challenges and learnings. At the same time, it provided room for growth and progress. I am thankful for the wonderful favours, support and encouragement that the people in my lives have generously given me in the year of 2009.

Looking forward to 2010, I wish I can be patient to wait when it is necessary to wait. I wish I can be more aware to see the signs that could point me to my destiny. I pray for good health for myself and my loved ones. I wish for strength to deal with the challenges that are to come. May I maintain a sense of hope that will see me through even when times should seem dark.