As obviously expected, I went to watch Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and I was definitely not disappointed at all.

My friend had said that the show didn’t give anything more than the previous two to the series. But my argument was that this is the Underworld series – are you watching it for anything else besides the action? I watched it only for the action sequences and because it is about vampires since I have this unhealthy obsession with them. Need there really be more?

I am a little surprised how much Rhonda Mitra looks like Kate Beckinsale. I still do think that Kate Beckinsale makes the better looking vampire. Rhoda’s honey gold skin turned pale looked a bit odd to say the least.

All is well and good as the action sequences did not fail to disappoint and I enjoyed every bit of it. Next vampire movie - Let The Right One In

I’ll readily admit.

Before the show opened, I had never even heard of the books. Being the worldwide phenomenon that it is, it was hard to escape the billboards, posters, walls of the Twilight movie.  But it caught my attention due to the fact that it is about vampires. (Tho now, I know loosely based on them)

Vampires have always been an enigma. So many of us are enthralled and fascinated by their folklore and it is just strangely seductive. Real or fiction, I guess we would never know.

Movies about vampires have always been a solid deal – Interview with the vampire, the Blade trilogy, Underworld – and it has its third installment on the way out. The secretiveness of their world, the thrill of being the undead, their amazing abilities and of course their constant need to be in the cloak of darkness.

Obviously I had to go and watch it, due to it’s vampire nature not really bothering that it was also a romantic show and that I wanted to see their take on vampires which I heard was different from what we are used it.

I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the show. I must also say, the music from the soundtrack is also strangely mesmerising and seductive. So much so, that I have a tale to tell of the day after.

Since I am always skeptical of book-screen translations and that books will always have a special place in my heart, I decided that I wanted to get all four books together so that I would have no issues in reading them.

So off I tropped to the bookstore near my place and they had three out of the four books but it was the first book they were missing. Obviously that would not work, so I took a trip down to Orchard to check out both Borders & Kino. The Borders staff were extremely unhelpful and unsure of what they were talking about. In any case, they only had two out of four and the first one was not the cover I wanted. Kino on the other hand had all four but for some reason, I wanted to get the other three books from the bookstore near my place. So I purchase the first book and headed back.

In the three hours that I had left the bookstore, they had sold out all their copies. I was dumbfounded! So I trooped over ot another bookstore nearby only to find they had also sold out.

Frustrated and annoyed with myself and not willing to wait, I went back to Kino to purchase the rest of my books. It felt like I had travelled all over just to get those four books. But after I had gotten them all safely tucked into my hands, I was so pleased with myself knowing that I could just enjoy reading them now.

So the insane one, me obviously, decided to watch Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist again.

I must say that the second time around gave me a lot more time to enjoy this film more and more of the underlying messages came across.

As I had previously mentioned, the storyline is extremely down to earth and straight forward, which makes it fairly believable. We are just looking for someone to notice us, to realize that we exist on this planet. Whether it is by force you drag someone off the dance floor to say hi or just sitting and dancing on the hood of someone else’s car.

We are human and as humans, the need to be acknowledge sometimes rules our existence. It’s a basic human emotion that we all crave some form of attention. Be it once in a while, or a constant need like Tris, we all need validation by the people around us.

Sometimes you just need someone to come along and show you that you are not a fish out of water, that there is a soul mate of sorts – musical or otherwise – for you. That we some how fit into this vast universe.

I’m glad I got someone else hooked on this amazing yet not very publicised show. It least there is someone else to gush about how absolutely adorable and amazing, yet at the same time, simple, this show is.

In my back-to-back movies on Saturday, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist is the first one of the night that I had caught.

While the write up about it were fairly promising, I was wondering what I was doing watching another teen rom-com. Not that I didn’t like rom-com’s but one would think teenage angst and falling in and out of love would be so clique these days.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. While the whole show takes place over the course of one night, you forget that Nick & Norah are teenagers – who are just about to go off to collage – as the night unfurls.

They drive around New York getting themselves into hilarious situations while trying to find Norah’s drunken friend, searching for the location of a publicity shy band’s gig, dealing with exs and learning about each other and falling in love – yes all packed in one laughter filled night.

With the wonderful music throughout the movie, it definitely did set the tone wonderfully. That I also ended up blipping most of the songs from the show.

At the end of the day, the simple and down to earth story line, is what sealed the deal on this movie for me. Sometimes, simplicity just says so much. this is definitely a keeper and I am already dying to watch it again. Definitely going to get the OST when I have the time as well as the DVD when it comes outs.

The official movie site can be found here.

I have always been the sort of person, who would try everything once. It has paid off handsomely, mostly.

But at times like this, I wish I wasn’t so adventurous.

BZ and I decided to catch up over dinner mainly because she was dying to see my new spanking hair. I had to go down to Vivo to run some errands and I wanted to see water… Yes, water; I know am lacking at least a couple of screws. So off to Vivo I went. While walking around trying to find some place to tantalised our tastes buds, BZ saw The Mussel Guys; which is where our problems start. The menu looked inviting so we were trying to get the attention of a server. But while we were standing at the door, a couple was there and looking at the menu a staff had given to them and the said staff was just standing there looking at the couple. We obviously had decided and wanted a table, but he did not really seem to notice us. When we finally managed to get someone’s attention and asked if we could sit outside, he just looked at us and said “I’m not sure if there are seats outside” and made no attempt to do anything after his statement.

Yes, I know it was definitely a warning bell, but my friend was nicer than me and said so absolutely sweetly “Can you please help us check?” I wanted the seafood pasta that was on the menu, tho I didn’t want it in a tomato based sauce so I asked if it could be switched, with no malice whatsoever. I was willing to take something else if they couldn’t do it. But because of the server, I was almost insistent on getting it. I just couldn’t believe that the server said the following line – “I can put in the request, but I can’t guarantee that it will be cream when it comes out.” I was just dumbfounded. How do you say something like that to customers?!?

In the end, I waited forever for my pasta to come out – and my friend was almost done with hers. When she had a few bites left off her dish, mine came out but it was in a tomato sauce, so I had to send it back. Even while waiting, both of us had already guessed that my pasta would come out wrong. The best part, the cream sauce tasted like they just poured the cream over and added A LOT white wine. It was really horrid. I would have gotten better pasta at Pasta Mania at half the price.

My wonderful friend suddenly had a sweet tooth, so we had issues trying to get a server’s attention to bring us the dessert menu, to take our order, to bring us water. So finally, we were just sitting there awaiting for wonderful brownie with ice cream to arrive. We waited, and waited, and waited a while more. Then we got fed up and questioned a server on our long awaited dessert. He went in and about five minutes later, our brownie was brought out; WITHOUT the ice cream! We were so irritated! I was just so frustrated already, over all the issues before, and it was just getting worse. The server was in some world of his own I think, coz when we said that it was supposed to be a brownie with ice cream, he looked at us blankly! Did he not study his menu! He went in, and came out with a small bowl of ice cream and just handed it to us. What kind of service standard is this?

But all the preceding issues, would pale in comparison to the last problem. As we were eating our brownie with ice cream, suddenly BZ stopped eating and just stared at it. I followed her gaze and she scooped out a strand of hair from the ice cream! The two of us just stared at it in disbelieve and disgust. When we finally managed to get hold of a server, he was just staring at us not sure what he should do. We had to tell him to take it away and that we wanted the bill without the charge of the dessert. We wanted to see if the management would have the initiative to deal with the entire situation. Unfortunately, they didn’t. All they did was to remove the dessert from our bill.

This is probably the worst experience I ever had. At times like this, I worried for the state of our service standards. Coming from the service industry previously, I would have been completely embarrassed to have even provided a service where by I could not even answer my customer’s question, let alone the long, long list of wrong steps that The Mussel Guys made. To add injury to the insult, they chose to do nothing about it. That is seriously bad PR and customer service, compounding of the mistakes with more mistakes. At times like this, I cannot bring myself to defend the industry I feel so passionately about. Tho this is an exception to the rule, it really hits me deep since I had always strived to give my customers the best my restaurant could offer.

From the time I had left their restaurant, I had text nearly my entire list of phone contacts to ensure that they don’t have to go through the same horrendous experience I did.

I am sure that there were definitely more than 20 people that had received my text message, within ten minutes of my leaving the restaurant.

As they always say,
“Give great service, the customer will tell five people.
Give poor service, the customer will tell fifteen.”

The first time I went to crab shack – we were so excited and hungry the whole table forgot to take pictures. So when I finally went to enjoy another crustacean dinner, I knew I had to keep that thought above the hunger pangs and lure of wonderful food.

GR and I decided (after very long I might add because she couldn’t make up her mind) to go all out and have a crab bucket – with eight flower crabs!! It came with 2 small sides and crab croquettes; extremely worth the $22 bucks I say. Their chill is also perfect—sweet and not too spicy so it won’t overwhelm the crab.

I was happily cracking and slurping up all the wonderful crab meat and my fingers were all numb by the time we were done. We later found out, that we had finished most of their crabs and they had to turn a few late comers away.

Not only do they have good food, they have amazing service. The first time when I ate there – I had a short chitchat with the boss about the food and how I had heard of them. With the number of people that seem to eat there, I was genuinely stunned as he remembered me when I was placing my order. I guess it shows that they two brothers (I think they are brothers) care so much for their venture, that even as they slave at the stove to produce the wonderful meals – they also ensure that their customers are well taken care off.

I’m hoping that they will open somewhere else soon – maybe their own restaurant or café instead of being inside a coffee shop.

Anyone else want to go have a satisfying meal of crab? I know I’m looking forward eagerly to my next trip.

Perfect Ending

You can find these wonderful people at 227 Upper Thomson Road. Tel: 9451 9040

After hearing so many people wax lyrical over Popeye’s chicken, I decided that I should have a taste for myself. But the location put me off. Really, how many people is going to travel all the way to Changi Airport just to have a try.

It just so happened that I had to pick my friend up from the airport, so I decided I’ll use the opportunity to see what all the fuss was about.

Oh was I pleased! The chicken was amazing. So nice and crispy, without the dripping oil of some other chicken place. I loved the seasoning to the chicken – must be those nice Cajun spices giving it such a nice punch!

Also, honorable mention goes towards their mash potato! I’m such a mash potato fan, this one tastes so good; The gravy was their winning formula I bet. Also, their scone-like bun was not bad, tho I wish it was bigger, it just was finished too soon.

The fries on the other hand, are nothing to shout about. They had that taste, a bit like A&W curly fries, but something was sorely lacking. It just felt stale—oh well, it was a good meal in any case and I was not disappointed at all. Now to make more friends go out of town so I have an excuse.

Sorry for the odd looking photos, was in a hurry!

I’ve always loved the movie The Sound of Music. It’s one of those things that i grew up with. I just happened to watch it again today, and a lot of what I used to like, wish, admire of this film came flooding back.

As a little girl, I always wished to have a huge family like that. I also learned pretty quickly that it was a ridiculous idea. What was I thinking right? It just seemed like so much fun if there were so many kids in the house; one could huddle together and get into all sorts of mischief - strength in numbers. Also, the whole singing family idea is amazing

As I grew up, I felt the pain of separation – when Reverend Mother closed the gate behind Maria just about she was to walk down the aisle. The look on Maria’s face, and later the Reverend Mother’s moved me. It was a happy occasion, they were both delighted at this outcome, a look of understanding passed between them, yet there was definitely a pang of sadness from the parting.

I was also truly inspired by the Reverend Mother. No, not to be a nun, but by her words of encouragement – or lyrics of encouragement. The song Climb Every Mountain resonated deep within me. A lot of the songs in this musical hold a special place with me, some just more than others.

As a teenager, I found the pure courage and tenacity so apparent, that I wondered why I never realised it before. The Captain impressed me greatly with his love for his country that he was willing to stand strong against anything; his immediate decision to leave his home and country in the uncertain times they were facing (with 7 children and a new bride no less!), him singing Edelwiss, with such sadness and emotion – it would probably warm a cold heart, in a way to spite the officer. You just can’t help but feel for him and the family.

Something else besides the above touched me today. Something that I would not have guessed. When Captain asked for Maria’s hand in marriage, or rather the implication of it, he asked her if there is some one he would need to ask permission from. Normally in that kind of scenario that would mean that he is asking if he needs to get her father’s permission. I wonder what I would say to a question like that coz obviously the man asking me would never have to seek my parents’ approval… but its something so grounded in tradition it’s just suddenly got me thinking.

This one movie that brings back many memories – not all I wish to remember, but it was a good few hours spent nonetheless.

Musicals will always have more power to touch the soul, heart and person.

Yours truly has never been a fan of Japanese food, for various legit reasons. One of them being raw fish.

Fairly recently I’ve been introduced to Udon noodles and boy am I hooked. It’s even become a craving once or twice – which is a big thing to be on my craving list.

Even after finishing a whole bowl, it’s sometimes just seems too little.

So far - the one at Cineleisure is one of the best I’ve tried. Any recommendations?

I’ve always been a great fan of Johnny Depp; he manages to always take a character to amazing heights.

Now he is going to be Willy Wonka – I really can’t imagine anyone else playing that role and I just can’t wait for it to open here! When he did Finding Neverland; he was so impressed with Freddie Highmore that he recommended and got Burton to cast Highmore as Charlie! I think Highmore must have been over the moon. Johnny Depp likes my work. I would have!!
I found this interesting article with 25 reasons why Johnny’s so cool – and I’m so thrilled that he volunteers for the Make A Wish foundation (this is the SG chapter’s website)