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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Singapore’s Animal World

The Singapore Zoo is a popular attraction with both tourists and the island’s residents. It’s a busy place at this time of the year when the year-end school holidays come around again in Singapore. The lines would be long, but once you get pass it, it can be a worthwhile experience. Earlier this year, I [...]

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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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Tanjong Pagar Railway Station: Memories Revisited

Singapore, May 2011: I knew that I had to visit the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. This would probably be the last visit for me before the building stop operating as the railway station that I had once known very well, during a time in my life when I made many trips on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur [...]

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Visual Discourse on Southeast Asia

Identity and politics. Two powerful themes. I’ve always been fascinated by how contemporary Southeast Asian artists contemplate these and other issues in their art. A dichotomy of East and West; how ideas and institutions from these two influences interact form much of the basis behind the art. This melding itself is reflected in the form [...]

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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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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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A Bite of Heritage

    With Hari Raya or Eid, the festival marking the end of Ramadan drawing near, baking season will soon be in full swing in many parts of the world. Here, in California, my Malaysian friends bake both modern cookies and traditional Malay goodies, from family recipes or those via the Web. I hope they [...]

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Delectable “Saucer” Dessert

When the weather gets hot, thoughts turn to light-colored, soft desserts. I often think of putu piring, a Malay cake that is so fluffy and has a melt in your mouth quality. Putu piring are round steamed cakes made from rice flour and gula Melaka (palm sugar), and best eaten when they are still warm. [...]

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