Happy Mid Autumn

I am not usually a mooncake person but I guess its just because I have not met the right mooncake.

Thank you Matthew for posting over the good stuff and yes, they were wonderful. Everybody loved them. Me included.

Same time, same box next year?
A crate will be welcomed as well and I believe that the HongKong postal service would be equally thrilled for the postage.

Thanks!

Keihls, Heels and Automobiles

My schedule has been insane! My team just finished organising a buka puasa do and I am so grateful to have been spared. Mainly because my other deadlines are murder. 15 hour work days do great damage to the immune system. I can certainly go on and on with my afflictions but suffice to say that i still feel that i am growing a sock in my throat and my sudden craving for cheese and mac is distracting.

Oh and The Pavillion is open! Posh with lots of luxury brands. Its like walking in Singapore. Tangs will open its doors there soon and not to be outdones,Robinsons is opening at The Garden's Mid-Valley. Shopping anyone?

Freedom Film Festival 2007

Over the weekend, I just managed to catch the Freedom Film Festival held at the Central Market Annex. Activism is alive and well and surprisingly, unbanned.
For now.

It gladdens my heart that our young people are still at it, pushing the proverbial envelope. Me and Sean were conspicuously quiet, fully aware of our affiliation with the Establishment. I bet they kill lawyers too.

In any case, it was courageous film making, honest and sometimes humorous, non-mainstream offerings that may not go down too well with the powers that be. I mean extra-judicial killings and governments demolishing places of worship, they are not really popcorn fare.

And after watching the clip on a Singaporean protest, I think that nation has the most "baik" policemen. Compared to the "pelt with tear gas"- then-"bawak balik balai"-dengan "free black eye sebab 'terhantuk" modus operandi of our everyday heroes.

I wish i could have attended the night screenings but not having a car or a chaperone sucks. I was looking forward to watching the films on transgender issues but the screening was at night la. Damn. Anyway - thanks Sean for the heads up and sirap limau and thanks Bwada for the transport.

Deliciously Heady

Oh and I received flowers!

THANK YOU!

Hi -Jinks

My condo building is being painted and we have workers riding the outdoor lifts up and down our window. And good God, these people really don't think much of safety.

They are all indonesians and gheez they have nerves of steel. And I don't see them wearing any harness and they actually climb up the ledges to do the cleaning and scraping and painting. I mean don't fall and lower the price of my real estate please.

After painting the walls, they climbed up on the roof. And I live at the penthouse level of a 15 storey building. So selamba . One of the dudes even managed to give me a come hither smile.
I was like " no fucking way!' Anyway, some pics.

WTF!

First watched this from a friend's blog and truly, I am speechless.

Don't try this at home

I love ads. Especially those with punchlines that you don't see coming.
I was laughing like a banshee in the office. Warning: Don't be drinking anything when you see this.

An Enchanted Evening

One benefit of being on the High Commission's mailing list is that every time English royalty (both the blue bloods and the VIPs) comes to town, I get to be part of the mob of invited well wishers that usually welcomes the said dignitary.

The Duke of York is in KL as the Queen's representative for our nation's 50th Independence celebrations. I was invited to a reception on Wednesday at the Convention Centre. I worked too close by to give any plausible excuse not to attend. I do not relish going to these formal dos because I am always the among the youngest there while all the others are established professionals and industry players. And I carry as much fame and glory as a plastic wall fixture.

Anyway one thing has to be said about the European embassies. Their food may suck, but by Jove, the wine is always good. So it was to my utter disappointment that there was no alcohol at the reception. Of course old friends were there too, so the evening turned out lovely. It was a nice opportunity to network as well although I met so many other lawyers, it could pass as a Bar Council meeting.

In any case, Prince Andrew looked affable enough but there is a snootiness attached to the English aristocracy that can't quite be dismissed. No, let me retract that statement. Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex had none of the airs. Well, I am biased anyway. He made time to talk to me once and boy I was chuffed. Of course I in turn blabbered like a bumbling idiot.

Well my friends were excited at the prospect of meeting the Duke of York. I didn't understand what the fuss was about until one of them explained that Andrew was to their generation what William is to mine. Then it all clicked into place. Of course the ladies that were with me that night were all well into their 40s and hence they could not fathom why I rather chew on breadsticks than to make an attempt to shake HRH's hand.

I am such a peasant. But in any case, it was lovely to get out and socialise again and be among long lost friends.

Tapai

Weekends are too damned short. That speaks volumes of course about my time management skill. Or rather, my total lack of one.

The highlight of the week was of course Lin's wedding. On Monday I also attended her akad nikah (solemnisation ceremony) and she looked so prim, sweet and proper. We were like, what have you done with the real Lin, imposter? Can the monster really be tamed by brocade and lace?

Although totally rejecting our overtures to make her wedding one to remember, (our plans were to mess up her fiance's lafaz nikah (vows), they did make their night memorable because right as we were burping our last burp at the feast, the lights went out in the tent. After we deliberately made a big fuss, the lights went out at the wedded couple's dais too. Despite the fact that the lights flickered on within minutes, the pair have claimed the dubious honour of being called the Pasangan Pengantin yang Tak Bayar Bil Api. Apt I thought.

In any case, the wedding reception was gorgeous. Lilies and jasmine were strewn everywhere. There were royalty, politicians and of course us. VVIPs all. Very very Incorrigible Persons. It was held at the beautiful Dewan Perdana Felda.

When the Chinese have weddings at the Chinese restaurants, they will almost always have the silly do-da where for the first course, the banquet hall will go dark and the waiters will bring our the cold entree to the corny tune of Kitaro or Drunken Master. Very embarrassing.

For most Malay sit down dinners, all the lauk-pauk dishes will already be on the table as guests take their seats. But this has not stopped the inventive caterers from injecting the dramatic into the meal. As the lights dimmed and the familiar tune of Putri Gunung Ledang filled the air, my alarm bells went off. Oh oh. And true enough, from the corners of the hall, a procession of waiters carrying tea lights emerged. And in their hands, they carried.. the pots of nasi!

And of all the traditions the Malays have to adopt from the Chinese, my question is this.. Tim Kai??? Maybe this has been going on for ages, I don't know but if the Indians catch on to this, I know then that there truly is a bangsa Malaysia.

Silly definitions

Poyo: Posmen yang kerja di kilang yoyo