Movie: Life Of Pi

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Gerard Depardieu, Rafe Spall

Director: Ang Lee

Genre: Adventure/Drama

Language: English

Release Date: 29 November 2012

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Official Site: Life Of PI

Life Of Pi is an incredible story about Piscine Patel, a boy who lived in Pondicherry, India.

His mother is a botanist while his father owns a zoo. Due to political unrest in the country, his father made the decision to emigrate the family (and some of their animals) to Canada.

While en-route to Canada, a terrible storm hit Tsimtsum, the Japanese cargo ship that they were travelling on and the ship sank, bringing along with it everyone on board.

Nick Pitera: Tribute To Disney's The Lion King On Broadway

The Lion King celebrates it's 15th year on Broadway this year and this is Nick Pitera's tribute.

Other than Nick himself, he has the main cast of the show making a cameo in his video!

In case you are wondering who's Nick Pitera, I have blogged about this talented youtube sensation, here before.

合艾2012：美食篇之甘英饭店

今天想向大家介绍的是在网上口碑深获好评的甘英饭店（Kan Eng Restaurant）。

我心理非常纳闷为何到过合艾那么多次却从未听说过有这么一家店？

据我所收集到的资料显示，甘英是一间小有名气的餐厅。它不但深受当地人欢迎，就连许多游客都会慕名而来。

这次的合艾行，我就特地找上门看看它是否真的有如网友所评价的那么好？

店内虽然只有一些简单基本的陈设，它胜在于地方够宽敞也很通风。但对我来说，最重要的还是这里的环境很干净。在这儿用餐非常的舒服。

一翻开menu就察觉到店家很用心地把里面的每一道菜都拍成了照片。就算是语言不通的我们只需用手指点给服务员看就行了。

甘英的营业时间是从早上10.30至晚上9.30（2点至5点休息）。每当到了繁忙时段，就会产生座无虚席的情况！

为了避免久等，最好是提早一点到。

合艾2012：美食篇之Shabushi

位于蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）1楼的Shabushi是结合了旋转生锅和自助寿司的概念。

简单的说，师傅会把生锅的配料放在盘子后再摆到运输带上而运输带将会围绕着餐厅的吧台而行，方便食客随意地拿。

寿司则是以自助的方式呈现。

以345泰铢（13.80新币）就能吃上两种日式料理实在是物超所值！

但有趣的是，此店规定顾客必须在75分钟（即1小时15分钟）内吃完否则每超时10分钟将会有额外20泰铢（0.80新币）的收费！

合艾2012：美食篇之Hachiban Ramen

这家Hachiban Ramen位于蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）的1楼。打从入住这家酒店那天起，我就一直想试试这里的拉面了。

但由于两老比较向往吃道地的街边泰国料理，我就没向他们提出此要求。

然而，父母见我每次经过此店都会放慢脚步因此就问了一句：“是不是要吃拉面啊？”

真不愧是我爹娘也！那么了解我！

就这样，我们终于走进去啦！

合艾2012：美食篇之蠡園酒店33楼Sky Buffet

之前提到，我们入住了全合艾（Hatyai）最高的酒店 - 蠡園酒店（Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel）而在它第33层的顶楼有个非常廉价，叫Sky Buffet的自助餐。

成人只须区区的169泰铢（6.70新币），就能够享用丰盛的一餐。乐龄还享有50%！

听说这已经是起过价的了 - 之前是149泰铢（5.90新币）呢！

既然有这么划算的自助餐，我们又岂能错过？

合艾2012：酒店篇

大家好，我刚结束了5天4夜的合艾（Hatyai）之旅。

合艾处于泰国南部宋卡府，靠近马来西亚的边界。是许多马来西亚于新加坡人爱到的旅游地点。

我家几乎年年都会到那放松一下，所以今年也不例外。

只是，我们这次决定不安排任何的行程；我们不去拜佛，不逛水上市场，不光赏人妖秀也不去看美人鱼。

这些都是往年去过，看过，玩过的因此没必要再花钱去多一次。

因为纯粹是staycation，所以大部分的时间除了在酒店附近买东西，吃东西和按摩外，就是呆在房里补眠。

这次的旅行有爽到 ～

Seventh Death Anniversary

宝贝

今天翻出你的遗物，

才惊觉你已離開了那么多年。

每逢想起你的点点滴滴，

心里就会不由自主地揪了一下。

在开始写这篇时才赫然发现，
原来我已没有任何你的照片可用了。

往年都是反复地使用那几张仅有却已发了黄的照片。

非常纳闷为何当初没能为你留下多些回忆呢？

自从你离开以后，
我都尽量避免经过我们曾一起散步的街道。

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Penang

Penang is a melting pot of cultures with east-west influences. Apart from its exotic food, what piques me the most would be their heritage.

The Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi (龙山堂邱公司), or simply, Khoo Kongsi for short, is a clan association in Penang that was built by the immigrants from Sin Kang village in the Hokkien province of China for the purpose of looking after the welfare of their fellow clansmen.

Before my visit, I wonder why many have commented on the elusiveness of its location? It was only when I was there in person that I truly understood what they meant.

The main entrance at Cannon Street bears no clue as to what might be inside as it looked just like any of its neighbors along the entire row of pre-war building.

Happy 14th Barkday!

Some people suffer difficulties

Making friends for life

But when it come to you, my Pal

You're better than a wife!

You're always pleased to see me

You hang onto my every word

You will follow me to the ends of the earth

completely undeterred!

Maybe because you can't talk back

that helps the situation.

But I'll do anything for you, my friend

Without any hesitation.

Gurney Drive, Penang

Gurney Drive

Mention Penang and what comes to mind?

For me, it's the iconic Penang Laksa and Char Kway Teow (Penangites spell it as Char Koay Teow). And where better to enjoy Penang hawker fare than Gurney Drive - home to Penang's most popular street food?

Well, just think of it as Penang's equivalent of our very own Newton Circus.

Flamingo Hotel By The Beach, Penang

[via]

After visiting Kek Lok Si Temple, it was time to check-in to our hotel.

It was already early evening when we arrived. The hotel was situated atop a steep slope but for some reasons, the coach was unable to drive us in and we had to walk in, lugging our own luggage behind us. 

With the horrible experience of our previous hotel at Hat Yai still fresh in my mind, I am wary of what is to come at this hotel.

Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang

In my previous post, we visited the Padi Muzium in Kedah. After that, we are headed for Kek Lok Si Temple (极乐寺) located at Air Itam, Penang.

Kek Lok Si Temple, or Temple of Supreme Bliss, was founded more than a century ago by the benevolent Beow Lean, a devout Buddhist from Fujian province. 

Do you know, the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Guangxu, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras?

Muzium Padi, Kedah

This is a long overdue post!

Remember my previous trip to Hat Yai where I complained about the lousy hotel with cockroach-infested bathroom and being served the same breakfast every morning?

I will be going to Hat Yai again next month and I still have not completed blogging about that trip from 11 months ago!

I gotta stop procrastinating and pick up where I left off to complete this trip!

Check out my last night at Hat Yai here where we visited the Transvestite Show.

So, the next morning, we boarded the coach to the Thailand - Malaysia border where we exited Songkhla to re-enter Malaysia.

Video: The Magic Castle By Dong Woo Baek

Recently, I have fallen in love with this song "The Magic Castle" by Dong Woo Baek.

I got to know about this song while watching Qualifications of Men on KBS Channel when one of the participants they are auditioning for their choir sang this song.

Yes, Qualifications of Men is coming up with their third choir and the theme this time is "Family".

More on that later in another post, but first, let us enjoy this song "The Magic Castle" by Dong Woo Baek.

The Amy Cheong Incident...

The repercussion from Amy Cheong's incident has set me thinking.  

Sometimes, words that come out of our mouth may inadvertently hurt someone without us realising even though the malice wasn't intended in the first place. 

While it is understandable to feel indignant by her offensive remarks (especially if you're a Malay), let's not get too personal over this. Retaliating with name-callings doesn't make us any holier than her.

There's no denying what she has done was indeed wrong, but I wonder have we Singaporeans over-reacted? I mean, is it really necessary to fire her from her job? Would a community work service have suffice?

Whatever the case, she has received her due punishment so let's be magnanimous and move on. 

The lingering shame and ridicule that she is going to live with should be punishment enough, yes?

Cheng Ji - Steamed 'Song' Fish Head In Hot Sauce @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

I first had this steamed 'Song' fish head at the temporary market near the MRT station when Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre was undergoing renovations a few years ago.

I haven't had another after the hawkers have shifted back to the newly renovated complex. That is, until last weekend when Mum had a last minute errand to do at Chinatown and Dad suggested having this as we did not have it for a while.

There were a couple of stalls tucked away at a corner of Chinatown Complex all selling this same dish but from what I observed, only two stalls were doing a roaring business.

One of it was Cheng Ji, featured on Sizzling Woks (煮炒来咯) season 2 hosted by Li Teng and Pornsak while the other stall next to it (separated by a drinks stall) have gone on a cooking segment on Channel 8's Golden Age (黄金年华).

Krispy Kreme Is Coming To Town

Haven't you heard?

The doughnut company has awarded the franchise development rights to Star360 Group, a premier lifestyle leader in Southeast Asia.

And you know what that means? 

Krispy Kreme is finally coming to Singapore and they are opening 15 stores here within the next five years!

REJOICE, Krispy Kreme fans!

Say goodbye to the days of lugging boxes of Krispy Kreme back from Batam or Malaysia!

Video: Oppan Gangnam Style - Red Army Version

Totally wicked!

This Oppan Gangnam Style has really taken the world by storm. Not only is everyone making parodies of it, even Britney Spears tweets about it.

I am LOVING this video - so fun! Thinking that I should possibly learn the choreography. Anybody wanna teach me?! haha britspears.me/159zje
— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) August 28, 2012

My favorite parody so far has got to be this Red Army version!

Heng Ji Chicken Rice @ Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre

The queue at Heng Ji

Heng Ji Chicken Rice has been around Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre for decades and my family has been patronising them ever since I was a little boy.

Other than Tiong Shian Porriage at the main road (opposite CK Department Store), Heng Ji Chicken Rice seems to be the only other thing we eat whenever we visit Chinatown.

The thing about Heng Ji is that they only sell poached chickens and there is always a perpetual queue for it's chicken rice.

I remembered their rice used to be served in tiny blue colored bowls and because the bowls were really small, we always had to order extras.

Heng Ji's rice is fragrant and slightly oily which is fine with me but they uses broken rice which crumbles easily in the mouth.

We continued to patronise Heng Kee for many more years until the opening of the Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle stall (#02-127) a few doors away. 

The chickens hanging off the hooks gleamed under the lights and looked so much more tantalising than the pale looking ones from Heng Ji.

We decided to give the new stall a try and we are glad we did for we have never looked back since.