Scenery of the Day



Sunset in the CBD.

F13, 1/250s, 32mm.



Notice the difference between the two photos? They are actually both from the same file! I dunno why the upper one posted using blogger and the bottom one posted using flickr has different contrasts. The upper one is the one which I intended. So that means all the while my flickr has been showing the wrong colors.  F-ed by me at 8:24 AM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day



A Tree.


F14, 1/50s, 35mm.


Somehow this photo looks pretty ordinary but there's something about it...  F-ed by me at 7:58 PM | 0 comments

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Cafe Rosso

FINALLY! I've stepped into this place which I've heard so much about. Was there around 8pm yesterday to buy a slice of dessert home with CY. Place was empty and seems like they are closing already. Only got a coupla cakes at the counter so I chose the tiramisu ($5.50). Imagine my surprise when they put it in a nice box and even a paper bag which is like something from a designer boutique! Hell... when we got back we found out that they are so meticulous! Inside a box was taped a ice pack and even the cake was taped down to the box to prevent it from moving around.






Service was impeccable as well, with lotsa thank yous and even greetings in Jap from the Jap manager (?). $5.50 is ex for a tiny tiramisu, but with this kind of service, I've no heart pain. Oh yeah and of coz it was Delicious with a capital D. Very distinct taste as it tasted creamy and milky. Perhaps the only nit-picking is that they should be more heavy-handed with the liquor. But no complains!



Cafe Rosso

17D Lorong Liput,

Holland Village,

Singapore 277731.  F-ed by me at 12:29 PM | 2 comments

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Da Vinci Code


Ok, by a stroke of luck I finally got round to reading this hugely popular book. Well, what can I say other than it really is very engaging and makes you want to flip page after page. Lots of twists, red herrrings and what-have-you-nots. At the end I felt kinda empty because come to think of it, there really isn't that much substance. This is a case of the journey is more exciting than the end. But well, it does pique my interest in the paintings mentioned in there, as well as all the arty locations. So I guess I did learn something at the end. It would be better to have read the illustrated version though. Many times I had to search the net for the respective photos of the paintings and locations mentioned in the book.  F-ed by me at 5:21 AM | 0 comments

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YERs... Time for Year End Rankings. First up are the Top 12 Films! They include those showing in cinemas as well as on dvd and other mediums; as long as I've watched them in 2005. In random order:

Kungfu Hustle - The unexpected hit of the year.

Little did I imagine how good this is. After Stephen Chow's reputation as producing corny kungfu movies, my expectations weren't too high. In fact I think I watched this because it's the only movie at that time which could fit into my free time slot. But the comedy, homages and production values make this one of the most memorable HK movie of all time.

Million Dollar Baby - Set in depression.

Regardless of what people may say about this being a boxing movie, for me this film will always be remembered as one with a big heart yet does not hesitate to bring in the full one-two punch. Life is cruel.

Sideways - Roadtrip comedy of the year.

Roadtrip with lotsa wine and humour. What's there not to like?

Samaritan Girl - No heart to watch it again.

Yet another film which portrays the cruelty of life. I don't think I can bear to sit through this again. It is that heart-wrenching and left me morally torn.

Cafe Lumiere - Simple yet touching.

No other movie this year is as slow and silent as Hou's homage to Ozu. No other movie this year is as touching and survives multiple viewings. Another great supporting role by Asano Tadanobu. Watch out for his subtle facial expressions and gestures.

Perhaps Love - Unexpected love movie of the year.

Perhaps the saddest love film for me this year. Perhaps the only film which makes me weep this year. Mistaken by many to be an half-hearted attempt at producing a musical, in reality it uses the premise of a musical to hint that life is but a stage.

King Kong - Blockbuster hit of the year.

No one does big blockbuster hits like Peter Jackson. His legacy is cemented. The inclusion of Naomi Watts makes this a masterpiece. CGI might be a tad shoddy, but this film is all about love and how humans (and beasts) express it.

A History of Violence - Meditative action of the year.

There's no need to justify the inclusion of this. It appeared in numerous lists of the year. In mine too.

Closer - Sex without action.

This movie is solely about sex. Not the physical action of it but the intricate power play and psychology behind it. Although the plot is bleak, the ending left a grin on my face.

Memories of Murder - Crime saga.

This is actually quite an old movie. The delicate fusion between fiction and reality escalates it to the ranks of the best detective films around. The focus is on a deep understanding of how two opposite police minds work.

A Bittersweet Life - Korean mafia extravaganza.

If you love gangster films, this is the one for you. Many scenes stand out and provide a fresh breath for this genre. I must admit I've a soft spot for gangster films.

Blind Shaft - The mining depths of China revealed.

A probe into the mining industry in China. The gritty documentary style is engaging and truly believable.

  F-ed by me at 11:01 AM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day

Urbanization. The Padang, Singapore.

F5, 1/3s, 18mm.  F-ed by me at 4:50 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day




Overhead bridge, Scotts Rd.

F16, 2s, 55mm.  F-ed by me at 7:22 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day


This one not taken by me. From Rick Bouthiette using a Nikon D70. I swear he took this in heaven.  F-ed by me at 9:04 PM | 0 comments

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Yebisu Dark Beer

Yebisu's dark beer is the most common dark beer among the rest of the Japanese beer producers. I had my first taste of it at a yakitori restaurant at Ebisu (yes, their names are the same), a small high end district in Tokyo. Of course the experience of drinking it here at home is vastly different with the exclusion of good food and company. Here in Singapore, this beer is also not so common. In fact, I bought it at Meidi-ya at Liang Court and don't recall seeing it anywhere else. As expected from a dark beer, it has a roasty/smoky taste to it. It won't replace the normal ale/lager as an everyday beer but its nice to have a different beer once in a while. In fact it does make you feel manly!

  F-ed by me at 7:36 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day




Beside Tangs, Singapore.

F13, 1/10s, 30mm.  F-ed by me at 9:25 AM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day




Outside Paragon, Singapore.

F5.6, 0.04s, 38mm.  F-ed by me at 9:18 AM | 0 comments

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Focused Hi loyal readers (and stalkers),
I've decided to stay more Focused and realign this blog into a F blog, or more specifically The F-Diaries. Namely dealing with either Food, Film or Fotography (yes I am aware of the spelling, but hey its my blog) or any linear combinations of them. Enjoy the ride and be prepared for all the F words. Cheers!

p.s. I haven't forgotten about the Quantum Blog. Quite stupid to call a blog a Quantum Blog when there's no physics in it. So now the Quantum Blog will be a real nerdy intellectual physics blog. Click here to go there.
  F-ed by me at 8:31 PM | 0 comments

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Provence Bakery

Trooped down to Provence the other day to get some bread. Been going there quite a lot lately because their bread is simply heavenly. Their selection is pretty small, maybe half of Breadtalk but their quality surpasses all the bakeries I've tried so far. For this post I wanna focus on their croissants. Mainly because I was so taken aback by how this simple and common bread can taste so divine in their hands. The humble croissant comes in two sizes there. A mini one and a normal one (pictured above). The mini one is really tiny. You can pop it into your mouth in one go. It's priced around $0.40. The normal one costs a dollar plus and is more satisfying. The main thing about it is that it tastes so buttery. Maybe it's just me, but a buttery croissant which has slightly crispy skin is just so delicious. I love butter, btw. And to eat croissants without actually having to butter it myself is really convenient. Some other places make the croissant skin either too hard or too soft. Provence makes it just right and somehow it still tastes as good hours later. I attribute it to the quality ingredients they use. Flour imported from France I believe.




Provence Bakery & Cafe



17A Lorong Liput Holland Village



Singapore 277731

  F-ed by me at 7:25 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day





Ngee Ann City

F13, 0.4s, 18mm.  F-ed by me at 7:17 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day




East Coast Road


F3.5, 1/40s, 18mm.  F-ed by me at 1:52 PM | 0 comments

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Curry Rice

Ok fine so the photo doesn't look appetizing. Curry rice bought from the "Curry Rice" stall from Telok Blangah hawker center. Well it aint that appetizing in reality either. It's way inferior to the one at Bukit Merah View. $2.50 for breaded pork chop, chup chye and rice. Besides curry rice for lunch yesterday, I also had tau hway. Want to kick myself for forgeting to take photo of it.

  F-ed by me at 4:13 PM | 0 comments

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Scenery of the Day





Kent Ridge Park

F8, 1/4s, 55mm.  F-ed by me at 12:30 PM | 0 comments

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HK Cafe Brought CY to this place over at Upper East Coast Rd after a nice supper there with SW some time ago. We went around 8pm and boy, the whole area was rather crowded. Had to park in some residential area behind the place. Brought my Dotty with me so I took some nice photos. I dunno whether it seems weird to be lugging that DSLR around to restaurants, but so far so good. At least with a companion with me I don't feel so shy whipping it out. Since we are having dinner today, we ordered more food than previously. For drinks I had iced Yin Yang, which is HK lingo for milk tea and coffee combo, while CY had iced milk tea. I realized the iced version was more worth it compared to the hot one which came in a rather small mug, even for $0.50 less. For sides we ordered the familar classics, two polo buns, one polo bun with charsiew, french toast with peanut butter and sour and spicy soup. CY felt the Crystal Jade (CJ) polos were nicer but to me I think the ones here are better. They are smaller but comes warm and just feels right. Of coz I must go to HK to verify the authentic ones. The charsiew one wasn't as nice as CJ though, I must admit. The charsiew is not as plentiful and flavorful. French toast again was wonderful though CY (as usual) thought that the one made by her sister was nicer. Finally the soup was good as well, chockful of ingredients though it wasn't too spicy for my taste, which probably means most ppl won't find it spicy at all. For the mains I had the classic instant noodle soup with luncheon meat and fried egg. The luncheon meat came in a thick disc. Kudos! Meanwhile CY had beef kway teow, which I dunno whether its authentic HK food or not. The beef was tender but the kway teow was a bit bland. Perhaps the result of assaulting our tastebuds with butter, honey, sour/spicy soup? Anyway total bill came up to $27. No complains there because I ate until I was damn bloated. Which isn't something I feel very much nowadays. On a side note, the waitresses there are really hot. There's one in her 30s (?) and has this mature look and resembles Rene Liu (CY doesn't think so). From her accent can tell she's not local and probably a Hongkie, which of course brings further authenticity to that place. CY thinks another younger waitress is prettier though, but lets not go to there.

  F-ed by me at 11:52 AM | 0 comments

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Fiery Flava Had KFC for lunch yesterday because I wanted to try their new chicken after CY's recommendation. But apparently there's no new chicken. it's just chicken under the guise of new clothes, or rather sauce. The fiery flava [sic] KFC chicken is basically the normal crispy type but they give you this fiery flava sauce to go with it. Anyway was a good chance to try out my DSLR on foodie photos but I wanted to kick myself for forgetting to shoot the sauce as well. Darn... now its just normal KFC. Anyway here's how KFC looks like from a DSLR:

Ok on to a brief review. Basically the set for this new flavor costs the same as their chicken meals. The sauce itself reminds me of sambal initially, but after that initial moment, it tastes sweeter and more tangy. And well that's all to it. I did think about how KFC is marginally healthier than Macs though, since they include coleslaw in their meals. Oh well, marginally healthier is better than not healthier right?

  F-ed by me at 10:49 AM | 0 comments

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Fish & Co. Had dinner with CY there on Sunday. We went pretty early, so it was not full yet, but still compared to the other restaurants at the Suntec basement area, it was relatively the most packed. This was my second visit and my first one was also at the outlet in Suntec, but at different locations because they shifted to another location facing the fountain. We ordered seafood platter for one, swordfish collar, kola tonic and passionfruit soda. Drinks was pretty standard with the former being cola layerd with tonic water and the latter passionfruit syrup (?) topped with soda water. Service was good though they did kind of forget my swordfish collar which I had to remind them about when we were nearly finishing the seafood platter. Seafood platter was good as usual, though the fish was a bit soggy. I loved the grilled calamaris though. Please to note that there's no mussels in the single person version. Nonetheless the swordfish collar was fantastic. It came in two big pieces with chunky meat all over the large bones. We got some stares from the surrounding tables when it arrived. Yes, it was that huge. The deep fried fish didn't have the texture of swordfish steak but was more flaky and nicer. It did look like a huge chunk of deep fried chicken breast meat though and you have to really dig through the crevices to find the meat. It came with this sweet and sour sauce which goes real well with the fish. All in all, for $14.80 it is really worth it. Would go there again just for this. We also saw a family order this whole deep fried fish which seemed kinda out of place in a western restaurant. A caucasian pair was also drinking red wine with their seafood. Hmm... Anyway, total bill came up to $48 and nothing to complain about considering the quality and the portion. For future trips thought I would want to order the big fishy drinks. Initially I thought $6.50 was too much to pay for a normal fruity drink, but actually they were drinks big enough for 2 persons to share. I also realized they serve some cocktails as well. Interesting. Oh and there was this supervisor/captain who looked like Belinda something from local TV, but with a way oversized uniform.  F-ed by me at 10:26 AM | 0 comments

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Kit! Kat! Found! In Singapore! Limited Edition Kit Kat! From Japan! By Patissier Takagi! 3 Types Available! The Wine and Noir goes for $5.90 and the Strawberry $1.90! Wine and Noir are mini Kit Kats in a big box while Strawberry comes in 2 normal sized twin bars!

Kit Kat Wine! With all the goodness of red wine!

Kit Kat Noir! With all the goodness of dark chocolate!

Strawberry Kit Kat! Real strawberry bits in them!

BUT! Haven't seen this here yet! Maple syrup Kit Kat! Hope we can see it soon!

  F-ed by me at 4:03 PM | 0 comments

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Arthur & George
Finally finished this Booker prize shortlister. The story is based on the lives of Sir Arthur Conan Doyal (SACD) and George Edalji (GE) and how they crisscross each other. Before I read the book, I knew about SACD but not about GE. So my initial perception was that this was a piece of fiction which just happens to use SACD as is protagonist. But later when I did a search on the net. I found out that this book is a sort of pseudo-fiction. GE is a real person and the way their lives are related is indeed true. The filling up of all the gaps in between the historical events is the reason why it is a fiction. The author, Julian Barnes, clearly and charmingly weaves a yarn of detective tale right up to the standards of Sherlock Holmes. The book is really engaging and has all the ingredients of a suspenceful and clever detective story. Even though there is no twist because the story is already well known, the author brilliantly slips in many other worthy issues to ponder over. GE, is actually a second generation Indian in Britain. This fact isnt immediately obvious from the beginning of the book if you did not already know the historical story, but the author cleverly fills us in as the story progresses. So issues of race, class and proprieties are brought into the picture. As a large part of the plot revolves around the legal profession, many conundrums are posed and you learn alot about how you really can make bricks out of straw. Ultimately what left a strong impression is how prejudices are easily formed and how in the hands of too much power, reality can be fabricated.  F-ed by me at 9:52 PM | 0 comments

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