Anna Abisheganaden 1930 - 2011 Happy Mother's Day !

                                    Anna, age 24 years (1954). She was the eldest of 4 sisters and 2
                                                                younger brothers
                        

         My beautiful and beloved Mother, Anna Abisheganaden nee Wen passed away 2 over years ago in 2011, but it still feels like yesterday when we were young and she was the strong minded ,determined, clever and giving mother every child could hope to have. I am blessed that during the 49 years she was my mother when alive, she gave me and my brother much love, discipline and wisdom in study and career options, opportunities to travel far and wide, when we were young. She was for over 40 years with the Ministry of Health, and was the PA Personal Assistant to the Permanent Secretary for Health, and her last boss being Dr. Kwa Soon Bee.

                My Mum and Dad Geoffrey outside the Club Tropicana beside Scotts Road,
                                                                      circa    1973


        I recall making my first International trip to Europe before I turned 12, it was with my father Geoffrey, and it was to London and Greece. There were many regional trips to South East Asia, in the mid 1970s with our  Singapore Swimming Club, of which my brother and I were representing as club swimmers. Later, I was nominated to be the Boys Swimming Captain for the Club.

       My mother followed us through all these memorable trips as chaperon, to Bangkok  in 1975 and 1978, (by road then), Chiangmai, Thailand. We sat through the most bumpy of roads to go into the Golden Triangle Region (I believe it was North Eastern Thailand) and saw the villagers on opium fuelled highs. We sat on elephants and crossed rivers. We flew in 1976 to Manila, Philippines to compete in the Sanya Sammaki Inter Club Series against the Royal Manila Polo Club, went to Penang and competed against the Penang Swimming Club,then called the Ikan Bilis, in 1975. In 1977 we went to Jakarta also to compete.  Those were what I fondly remember as the good old 'Swimming Club Days'. I was the Boys Swim Captain for the 1977 and 1978  for my Swimming Club. A true honour for me.

     One memorable trip was to Bangkok in 1974, our team had to take the coach up by the old road north (no North South HIghway those days), and after something like 16 hours, stopped at Hat Yai at a local hotel to rest for the night. I remember, we had a sumptuous dinner, and we were all in our room playing cards when we heard something like a metal cabinet falling. "Bang, Bang", and then realised that someone was shooting a gun downstairs !   We all huddled in the room before my Mum plucked up the courage to go downstairs to check out what had happened. Apparently some businessman had a tiff with someone and pulled out his gun and let off a few rounds.  The next day, we all all dared to go down and saw the aftermath of the shooting, apparently no one was hurt, but I remember the gunshots very clearly. 


     In 1979, we had our Inter Team (within the Club) competition and I as the Swim Captain 

Mum and I circa 1963. I was 1 year old then.

managed to guide my team the Barracudas to the Championship that year 1979. This was the first InterTeam event which was organised, and I believe is still in competition today, some 34 years on. It was my last year of swimming at the Singapore Swimming Club of which i still am a member, and go there for the occasional lunch, gym or run outside at the East Coast Park.  
   
     Anna, the investor, was really an excellent role model. She kept a tight rein on house finances, dabbled in stocks succesfully, property and was able to help a number of people who were in dire financial straits then.  As a property investor, she was particularly outstanding, and imparted upon me the need for strong fiscal discipline.

My mother being introduced to Prince Philp as head of the Girl Guides, circa 1953,

at the Padang during Queen Elizabeth's first visit to Singapore

      She had many friends outside her medical circle, many top administrators, who are now CEOs, Political Ministers, and experts in their field became her firm friends. She had the common touch and every year, without fail since the early 1980s, our house would be open house for all her family and close friends.

     I remember fondly we had Prof. Chau Sze Ching, and his son Dr. Alex Chau and family visiting us every year. Dr. Teo Hoon Chau (paediatrician) and Dr. Teo (former CEO of Woodbridge) as amongst her closest friends. So every Chrisrmas and Chinese New Year period, since the mid 1980s, we would be hosts to 50 odd people family friends, and business associates.

     Those were the days of my Mum, whom I will remember fondly and with much love. 

     Happy Mother's Day Mum 2013 !!   Much love from your son, Mark. 
    

We will never see today again

My son Andrew's class in Sec 1, 2010 

          We live in an ever unpredictable world, gone are the days of old, when we would be happy just to have a small flat and a mode of transport like the bus. Then came the MRT,car,  then came the low cost airlines, then came the strengthening of our country's currency, and we suddenly find ourselves to be urbanites, travelling to many once considered far flung and expensive places like Greenland, Norway, Alaska, Uganda, and Namibia for work and play.

          Lest we forget where we have come from, we are reminded by the regular social studies lessons and history lessons which our chilidren learn, and we once again are reminded of our humble past.

         Like the bombings of Boston, or the latest earthquake in Sichuan China, or even the latest death tolls of the H7N9 bird flu. I am constantly reminded of the transience of life, that nothing ever stays the same for long. We need to constantly adapt to the new age, else we slip into job and technology obsolescence. 

        It is always heartening to pull out the old photos of my family and friends, and reminisce the 'good old times'. For they will always be that, happy memories which we will never see or experience anything quite like them.

       So seize the day. 

Boston Marathon April 14th 2013 - a black day for sport

     I read with shock, disbelief and sadness that the iconic and most established of all marathons in the world, the Boston Marathon held just 2 days ago was subject to a terrorist attack, when 2 bombs went off at the finish line killing 2 people and injuring more than a hundred.

    Sport has always been a unifying spectacle and bringing people from all walks on a stage where the best and the brightest will prevail. Of course participating in an event is already an achievement in itself, and to borrow a phrase from John (the Penguin) Bingham, (below) and there are many sporting events worldwide ranging from the Olympics, World Cup, Wimbledon, French Open, Augusta Grand, F1 races around the world, the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliesia. For the runners there are literally hundreds of marathons each year, covering practically every weekend and in many cities both major and minor.

         " Its not that I had the ability to finish well but I had the courage to start" 

So it was with great sadness that the most established and admired marathon in the world, the Boston Marathon was subject to an act of wanton violence.  2 people have been confirmed dead, and over a hundred people injured.

       I myself have dreamed of running Boston, the Holy Grail of all marathoners the world over, but my times have not been good enough. For the 50 to 54 category, you probably need to finish it before 3 hours 30 minutes, something which to me is a 'superhuman time',  a time which I have never done. 

       The people who are behind this act are sensless, despicable individuals with evil intent. 

But then again, the world is getting more and more dangerous with each passing year. I only hope and pray that the people injured will be able to recover speedily.

       We must never let the evil overpower the good intent of humankind. Never.

Australian Fusion Fine Dining - OSIA at Resorts World Sentosa

                               The Iberico Ham with Burata Cheese (airflown specially from Italy)

        Last Saturday, our family celebrated my wife's birthday at Osia, the fine dining restaurant at Resorts World, Sentosa. We tried several of their recommended dishes such as the stone fired bread, iberico ham with burata cheese, grilled squid and the seafood iced sensation for starters. The ham and burata cheese (above picture in white), specially flown in from Italy on the same day, were quite unitque. Grilled octopus or squid was warm, soft and tasteful.The seafood surprise was really surprising, the chef's creation of scallops, prawns, other seafood mixed in a fine puree of fruits such as peach, tomato, longan and beetroot. 

        The location is Osia is at Crockford Tower Level 2, next to the Lake of Dreams outside the Universal Studios. It would be recommended to make a reservation beforehand to avoid disappointment.   

                                        The 2 teenage boys enjoying the fusion food 
 
       For the main course,  we had braised and grilled neck of lamb. It was utterly delicious, very tender (medium rare), with the gravy as well as the mint sauce finely offsetting the heavy strong taste of the lamb. I would say, the strong lamb taste was not overpowering. My wife had the seabream which was grilled and covered with cream.   

       The overall price was about S$ 120 (US$ 100) per person, which included s glass of Australian cabernet sauvingon (Penfold's), quite decently affordable for such high quality dining.  
Singapore is indeed a foodie's paradise, for both food connoiseurs and people with less refined tastebuds (like me)  and we should take the opportunity to sample all the offerings right at our doorstep. 

                                    The grilled and braised neck of lamb was perfecr

Tiong Bahru makeover Part 2

       Located in the street directly off Tiong Bahru called Eng Hoon Street, lies several avant garde bakeries, one is the Tiong Bahru Bakery, next to it is the  Orange Thimble and further down the road is the cake shop called Drips. These represent the 'neuveau cuisine' which is muscling in the TB area, and adding new flavours, smells, sounds, and a whole new category of people, the Western expatriates, the yuppies (young urban professionals) and the jet setters who now descend in droves every weekday and weekend. 

       Started by the smart businesswoman Cynthia Chua and helmed by the famous sous chef, Gontran Cherrier, the place is buzzing everyday with the young and happening crowd.The bakery is known for its classic croissants, quiches and other types of pastries. Everyday easily 1000 croissants are sold. You would be lucky to get a table if you come on the weekends which are choc a bloc with expatriates and locals who come riding, driving, taking the bus or MRT to this 'chi chi' place

      Further down the street is a small cafe called Drips, it serves great pastries together with some mean coffee. There are also bookstores serving drinks, modelling agencies, architect firms, law firms and myriad of small antique shops dotting the area. It makes a walking tour of the district quite interesting.

      So these are the many offerings for Tiong Bahru which is evolving into the better, more eclectic type of small suburb.

Tiong Bahru Market 2013 - a makeover Part 1

Tiong Bahru market, an institution where even the top world renowned chefs and critics like Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson have paid a visit.   

            
        Tiong Bahru market in Telok Blangah is almost as world famous as Newton Circus. Started in 1965 in Kim Tian road, it was a messy mish- mash of hawker stalls in dilapidated single story building with a zinc roof and where the canvas toppings shielded patrons from the harsh sun and rain. It was a fire hazard and very hot, humid and dark just to manouvre between the rows of densely packed stalls. 

          In 2000, the Government decided to upgrade the market and a temporary market was set up in Kim Tian road, for 2 years. In 2003, this spanking new 3 story building was ready for occupation. (See picture above top)

          On the ground floor is the wet market housing everything from fish, poultry, pork, mutton beef, organic or otherwise, vegetables, fruits, and on the outside there are general clothing, jewelry, hardware, mini- supermarket, herbalife, healthcare and even afterlife products (yes hell money and trinkets), acquarium fish, you name it, they have it !  

         On the 2nd floor houses the food centre, where several well known Singapore hawker delicacies can been purchased for about S$ 3 to $5 per bowl or plate. This would be the chee quay, yam cake, chee cheong fun (rice noodle). For noodles, one is spoilt for choice, they have the wanton noodles, fish ball noodles, big prawn (with or without pork ribs) noodles, Malay mee goreng among the 50 odd food stalls. Rice dishes span chicken, roast or braised duck, char siew (pork belly), siew yoke (roast pork), vegetarian rice, Malay nasi lemak and economy rice. Buns, there are several top well known stalls serving char siew pao (bun), Da pao (big bun with minced pork inside), siew mai (pork dumpling), har gao,curry puffs, the range boggles the mind.   

        I dare say you could find every conceivable local hawker delight in Tiong Bahru. 

                    
                Very very good Bak Kut Teh or Pork Rib Pepper Soup at the Coffeeshop nearby                  
               Just beside the TB market lies the Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh. This is a very famous Pork Rib soup where the Pork Ribs are boiled in a specai garlic pepper soup. For about S$ 5, you get a bowl of 3 ribs, add $2 - 4 and you get some small bowls of 'yue tiao' or deep fried flour, groundnuts and salted giam chye. Top that off with a bowl of rice and you are in Singapore hawker heaven !     (See below)

Kuching Laksa, really unique in taste.

        Located in the heart of the business and financial district of Kuching, Sarawak,East Malaysia is this gem of a coffee shop. My colleague Sean and I headed for it this morning on the recommendation of our customer and we were very pleasantly surprised to get a taste of home made, traditional Sarawakian food.

        The Laksa is made using vermicelli,  (thicker than our mee hoon as we Singaporeans know it) fresh caught prawns and the stock which has no coconut milk in it or curry sauce, but in fact is made from five spices, and the famous black pepper of Sarawak. I give this dish a 10 upon 10. So perfect in flavour and texture. 

        It was a very memorable dining experience for me. Additionally, we had fried carrot cake (less the black sauce which is too sweet anyway) and another famous Sarawak dish, the Koh Loh (or long and thin) Mee. Oh, this noodle is 'to die for !'.  Or as they say in Singapore, 'die die must try'. Springy, succulent, and with a hint of fish sauce and other condiments, the noodles come with the char siew, wanton dumplings and some chopped onions. Another fine example of culinary excellence from the small city of Kuching (or Cat) in the Eastern State of Sarawak, of Malaysia.

        Seize the day. Eat Kuching Laksa.