Summer Flicks

In the past week I've been to three movies which is more than I would usually see in a month, let alone a week! It is nice to escape the phenomenal heat (it was 42 degrees yesterday) and life in general by going to the cinema.

Slumdog Millionaire

This is a much-hyped about movie. The lead actor Jev Patel is from Skins and is perfect as Jamal Malik, the boy from the slums, who goes onto Who Wants to Be a Millionaire to find the love of his life. His clear run on the program causes the producers to think he's cheating - but he simply knows all the answers from various incidents from his childhood. The film gives you a gritty insight of growing up in the slums - the extreme poverty, the desperation and hunger, the loss of life. Although its essentially a love story about Jamal's search for his childhood sweetheart Latika what really struck me was the relationship between Jama and his brother Salim. They are complete opposites yet Jamal proves that it is possible to overcome adversity with your morality intact. 

Yes Man

Jim Carey is old. His faced is lined and he looks rather world weary. But no matter what Jim Carey has an endearing sweetness that surpases his comedian-actor peers like Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler. In Yes Man, Carey literally says yes to everything in order to take risks to get out of the rut he's been in since his divorce. But like all new age mantras, all the "yes" saying needs a bit of moderation. Yes Man is predictable and sweet but doesn't rise to the level of Liar, Liar. 

Bride Wars

Two best friends become enemies when their wedding gets accidentally booked on the same day at the Plaza Hotel. I love Kate Hudson, I like Anne Hathaway. But although there are some good laughs along the path of bride warfare it just misses the mark. The wedding plotline is a bit similar to SATC and how impending nuptials can make or break the marriage...but less on relationships and more on pre-wedding disasters! My favourite bridal sabotage movie will always be My Best Friend's Wedding, you can't top Ms Julia Roberts and the cast singing "I Say A Little Prayer For You".

Summer Reads

I've polished off a record number of books during my 3 weeks of annual leave, which officially ends today. The two books that have most impressed me were:

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

My first McEwan read bowled me over by his lyrical language. Even descriptions of the most banal things seemed beautiful. On Chesil Beach is about a newlywed couple's wedding night. The characters in the novel win you over in their youthful naivete but its just so sad that it ends up being the same thing that dares to break them apart. I could barely put this book down, it was a short and easy read but leaves such an impression.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

This book gives you sympathy for terrorists. It makes you want to befriend them. This book won the Orange Prize in 2002. It's about a hostage situation in a diplomat's house in an unnamed Latin American country. Among the hostages are an opera singer, a Japanese CEO, a translator and a priest. Amazingly the characters seem to forget the predicament that they're in which leads to a devastating ending. I loved this book and finished it on my flight home from Singapore.

Currently reading: Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Currently listening to: Josh Pyke, Chimney's Afire

New Year, New Shades

I welcomed in 2009 in Singapore. My 3 day minibreak was spent visiting my grandmother, shopping and doing lots of walking. I've been to Singapore many times, so it perhaps doesn't induce as much excitement as a trip to Japan. However, I do have my little "routine haunts" down pat.

Favourite place to shop: Far East Plaza

Lots of little local designer boutiques at reasonable prices. When I say little, most of the stores are less than five square metres in size. I stumbled across a cute boutique called HURS where I picked up two blouses for $75.

After my first day of shopping I came up with this complete outfit:



Dress: Hula Bula, $39.90 SG
Jacket: Giordano, $47.50 SG - they were having a 40% off everything sale!
Shoes: Charles and Keith, $49.90 SG

Charles and Keith is my favourite shoe shop in the world, I never leave without at least two pairs of shoes. Plus they're all reasonably priced, I've never paid more than $50 for one pair so it makes you feel less guilty for buying multiple shoes.


Best duty free purchase - sunnies from Sunglass Hut.

My Rayban Wayfarers were $182 SG, on a day with a good exchange rate for my Aussie dollar. The regular retail price is $275.

Singapore isn't just about shopping though. The streets of Singapore smell of food. When you're bypassing hawker stalls the mixture of smells of chilli, frying garlic and curry powder seems heightened due to the humidity. Strolling through food courts and settling on a dinner choice is a difficult task. There's just too many to choose from. I do like my Yong Tau Foo though...and J Co Donuts...and kueh lapis...

Best food to bring home (and well worth waiting in the customs line for) - Bengawan Solo cakes.

Bengawan Solo is best known for their fresh, traditional kueh or cakes and a shop is conveniently located in Terminal 1 of Changi Airport. I also bought Chinese New Year cookies, this year it's my year - the year of the ox!

Some touristy shots of Marina Bay


The Singapore Flyer is not flying at the moment, but still looks much more impressive the Wheel of Perth - honestly who came up with that name?!



The Merlion spitting out water.



Some of these buoys had new year messages handwritten on them. Hello 2009.