Laundry Day and Elbow Grease

How nice it is to drop a load of laundry in the washing machine, then go back to the book or TV, relax, while the laundry is being done! In the days before washing machines were affordable and widespread, lots of elbow grease were required on laundry day. Here’s an except from my upcoming book [...]

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A Sweep of History

In a world of mass-produced goods, there is always a special place for handcrafted objects. Warren Olney is a craftsman dedicated to the art of handmade brooms, and it was a pleasure to chat and learn from him when I met him at a fair. Born and raised in Pasadena, he is now based in [...]

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Plenty of Peppers and Papaya

The summer harvest this year had a little twist. There were the yearly reliable staples like the peppers. But this time, I had a wonderful tropical surprise. It actually started off as a casual experiment. After eating a papaya, I felt like putting a few seeds in the ground and see if any would grow. [...]

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A Californian Hari Raya Tradition

One of the most popular events of the Eid season in Southern California is the Hari Raya gathering hosted by the Consul-General of Malaysia. This year, members of the Malaysian community here as well as guests from other Southeast Asian countries made their way to the Arcadia community centre in Los Angeles county for the [...]

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Hari Raya in April

When I was in Singapore earlier this year, my cousins hosted a small, informal gathering where we gathered with our aunts, uncles and members of the younger generation. One of my aunts cooked Hari Raya, or Eid, food – ketupat, sambal udang Palembang and curry, knowing that I probably would not be back for Hari [...]

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The Briyani Trail

I’m on the briyani trail again. This time in Northern California. The Sunnyvale/San Jose area has a big population of Indian expatriates working in the IT industry, and there is a big selection of Indian restaurants. I went online to see opinions about the best briyani in the area, and a couple of restaurants always [...]

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Reading Coffee Grounds

I’m ordering local coffee in a Singapore coffee shop. The black coffee, known as kopi, is thick and dark, almost as dark as the night. The woman who makes the coffee pours in sweetened condensed milk. It turns the coffee a unique brown color. The color reminds me of small rivers in Southeast Asia. It’s [...]

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On the Road to My First Book

It’s been quite a learning curve. I’ve been on the road to completing my manuscript during the last few months.  I’ve considered several options including self-publishing. Lots to learn, some challenges, but exciting and satisfying as well.  And one of the best things about the experience is the generosity of help and advice that I [...]

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Citrus Harvest

It’s been a good harvest: from my two orange trees. The California Navel orange and the Valencia orange trees yielded enough fruits to share with friends and family. The general consensus from those who sampled them is that the oranges have a right blend of sweet and sour notes. It is indeed a good feeling [...]

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Welcoming and Anticipating Hari Raya

Each of us has a special memory of a festival which we celebrate. The memory can come from any stage of our life, and like a piece of favorite jewellery, it is always bright and meaningful, at least in our eyes. Here, I would like to share my special memory of Eid or Hari Raya [...]

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