A valentines day with the lovely girls of Clapham

How?

Looking at Dran always makes me smile. These few days are difficult ones, good trouble, as some might say. So I have just started a contract job for 6 month at a firm in the city, the people are lovely, but this position is likely to be for a fixed term. Who knows.

In January, when I took a short preparatory trip  back, I also met with a APAC MNC for a permanent position, and they have now offered me the role. Good trouble I say, as I don't know whether I should take it. On one hand, it is a decent and stable organisation, the boss I will work for seems insanely nice, one of my exclassmates who is a really lovely girl has been with them for a while (though based overseas), package is ok-ish. What's the problem right?

For a start, they were late, both times we met. 45 minutes late each time. The first time, I thought, fine, they are really busy. But the second time?? That's really poor planning from whoever who planned the guy's diary! Either that, or they just don't really care about frittering away the time of others. We had difficulty arranging the second meeting because they had really inflexible timing. After much hassle, we agreed on a time which was not great for me because that required quite abit of rescheduling of the day (appointments were not for pleasure!!!) and at the end of it all, they were 45 mins late from the time they insisted I turned up!

The other thing that got my goat was that I was really grilled on my personal life - my family and personal circumstances which I felt were really invasive - and is, to me somewhat an unfair representation of what i can or cannot do professionally. What bearing does my father's occupation have, on my application?? Why does it matter to you how old my sister is?

And they rang me. 5 times in a span of 15 minutes. By the third missed call, I would have thought it would have been clear that I could not come to the phone.10 points for persistance. I can't decide if this is a plus point or a minus.

Lastly, and this is purely a secondary and not a really a puncture point but the receptionists - (all 4 of them, but 2 at each time) were incredulously impolite and dismissive. Yes incredulously - because clearly they were smiley and beaming when they thought I walked in as a client, and when I said I was there to see HR, one of them simply jabbed her finger pointing at her colleague and barked 'Ask her.' Both of them promptly went on to ignore me. That, as an intial impression really threw me off. With the 45 minute wait, it got me really annoyed. The second time, the person i enquired with didn't even say a word, she just pointed at her colleague and glared at me so accusingly as though I'd murdered her cat.

People ask me 'what's your issue, you team will be nice right?' True, I won't be reporting to HR or the receptionists who are in dire need of some etiquette lessons, but I find it incredibly difficult to shake off my first impressions.

So my question is, do first impressions count for that much? Should I then let this opportunity pass me by?

Strange odds

What are the odds that my wee sister gets this permutation on her scrabble game on the 7th day of my arrival??? Nearly naught!!!

The truth about vegetables

7 days into our new life, we're still trying desperately to bat off jet lag, and acclimatize to the weather. The walk, however short, to the office, is a sweltering one. Heat. It really wraps around you like a blanket the minute you step into the open air.

Food. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss the food in London, very much. The food here, quick, excellent, readily available, cheap - but how is it that we can walk into a mall that has more eateries than all the rest of the shops combined together, comb the building and walk out, lamenting that 'there is nothing to eat!'  We morosely chewed on chicken rice from across the road (as good, and fat as it was) and nodded in agreement that we needed our kitchen really soon.

Earthy roots and bulbs ...

Colours of nature...

Maltby street - how i've missed you!!!

I hadn't realised what it was that was missing from my diet but at the team lunch today, my eyes turned their attention to a list that is otherwise ALWAYS disregarded - the salad. Trying not to be poncy, my mind tried to say 'burger and chips, burger and chips' but my moment of joy came as I chomped happily on my raw greens and blue cheese. Did I think I'd find so much satisfaction in a plate of leaves? I never thought I'd live to see this day.

PS: The Bank, please stop marinating your avocados in whatever you are steeping them in, it tastes awful.

-::-

A trip to the wet market is on the cards very soon. And although this photo was taken in the Barcelona market in Summer of 2011, I reminisce little of this market other than the abundance of jamon and cheese. As for Fruit - the tropics kicks backside, lah.

29.02.2012 - the day everything changed

As many of would know, life has been abit of a whirlwind since the beginning of 2012. 2012, a remarkable year thus far, with an abundance of events and anecdotes in life (both large and small), to be very thankful for.

After struggling to manage a long distance relationship for 6 long years, commuting first 10,000km twice a year, then 500km once a month for the last 5 years, I am happy to announce that we are finally pressing the pause button on this commute. This also means that we have had to make a move from cities that we both love, to begin, what I hope will be a new life together.

So just before I get too comfortable in my new passenger's seat, I decided to dig up some fond memories of farewells and endearing moments of this place that's helped me grow up, and of the city I've grown to love.

The final 7 days

Ba Shan in Soho - just about my favourite place for Chinese, when I arrived for my 'last supper', the serving lady asked me for the first time if  I had been to Ba Shan before. I laughed and joked with her about how i've been frequenting the joint for the last few years but I'm being asked this question ironically, on my last night in London. There is never a dull moment in this place.

And if anyone can tell me why the flags and banners with slogans from Maos have arabic inscriptions and what they say, your next dinner at Ba Shan is on me.

"C" for Coven and City Caphe

A 24 hour trip to Haarlam to witness a beautiful ceremony in a glasshouse by the lake.

Two failed attempts on a work day, but finally, a little peak into the eccentric Lucien Freud at the National Portrait Gallery.

The Big Easter Egg Hunt in Covent Garden this year, happily toppling over outside Kate Spade.

The beautiful Osseau region of the Pyrenees - of Osseau Iraty fame (to me at least).

Gourette - Skiing and beautiful huskies snoozing about after a morning of dog sledding duties.

Chinese New Year is always good fun with friends in London but nothing beats the smell of burning incense in the humid air, the sound of crickets and the whirring fan, the familiar sounds of metal spoons clinking against thickly scratched glass mugs, why hello, Singapore.

Into the future

Sometimes when you look out of the sky, you marvel at the beauty of nature-- big strokes of rich and princely colors cross the skies on an evening like this, teasing and beckoning me to my love in the castles of the kings. I drag a heavy suitcase of worldly possessions hurriedly down the stairs of montparnasse and skip onto the bullet train to a new beginning. On Friday 27 Jan 2012, we got pacsed.

Autumn in Kensington Palace, an evening of fashion and fairy tales

WHAT DO PRINCESSES DREAM OF?

The Candle's burnt out long before the legend ever will.

 

Kensington Gardens November 2011

The last two months have been a bit of a whirlwind and there are lots of bits bubbling here and there, and having had to move out of my flat, relying on the kindness of friends who are putting me up in their lovely home in Clapham, I really couldn't ask for me - and thus the lack of updates. I digress.

Last autumn we visited the Kensington Palace for the 'Enchanted Palace' installation. 

A beautifully crafted view of the royal residence, bringing to life the history of royals who have inhabited Kensington Palace.

Each room was themed, each representing a princess who lived, and died, often of a tragic death. It was a quest and a little adventure to guess which princess the room was designed for.

 Brilliant lighting by Chris Levine

A dress for a rebellious princess 

 The room of lost children

Peter, the Wild Boy 

the room of dancing princesses

Magical. Exquisite. Whimsical. Mysterious.