Lekker!

After Dinner Conversation

2010-03-08T14:31:00.005+01:00

The three of us had just concluded a very satisfying raclette grill dinner in our patio and started to chat. Just before summoning up the energy to clear the dishes.

I can't remember how it came to be but Sonny-boy suddenly wanted to know why there wasn't a Burger King in the middle of the desert. So mum, in all her infinite wisdom and knowledge replied:

"That's because they only serve sandwiches..."

Geddit?

*****

In other news, we are going away for a quick getaway come Easter weekend. I 'd been under severe stress lately and needed retail therapy. Any sort of retail therapy. Even if it was just window shopping over the internet. And I got it alright - I made an impulse purchase that evening; a three day two night stay at the Nirwana Gardens Bintan Resort. Now to go tell the Hubby we'll be going away the first week of April.

Whoa.

2010-02-28T15:20:00.002+01:00

I just realised the whole of February came and went and not one entry was made. Will try and do better next month.

Bredemeijer Cosy® Teapot

2010-01-08T17:19:00.004+01:00

Bredemeijer Cosy® range of teapots and accessories. Love. Want.

Still Here

2010-01-06T11:11:00.004+01:00

Happy New Year, dear reader!

It's been almost a month since my last entry. It wasn't for loss of words, topics or recipes - I just couldn't scrounge the time! Instead of writing about life and food, I've been living it. And it wasn't half bad.

Will return when things have calmed down a bit.

For petite fleur, I've got another champagne brunch review just for you!

Christmas Wish List

2009-12-08T11:43:00.007+01:00

For Christmas, Sonny-boy would like, in no particular order, the following gifts:

lava lamp
toilet plunger (don't ask - your guess is as good as mine)
chair with features (mummy, I could live in it forever!)

We were stumped over the "chair with features". After some prodding, it turned out to be this.

How apt that it should be called uDream.

So what's on your kids' wish list this year?

Of Foodie Blogroll And Buffets

2009-12-05T00:31:00.006+01:00

Today's a red letter day for Lekker! as it's one of five random daily featured blogs on The Foodie Blogroll! With a membership of 5981, it feels like I've won the lottery. I've been staring at my Foodie side bar for a good couple of minutes now and I'm sure I'll be doing that some more throughout the day.

Last night's dinner was great. I wore my spaghetti strapped, knee-length, black chiffon dress. It's empire waisted with a bodice of interwoven strips of fabric that hang down from under the bust line. Extremely forgiving on the pear-shaped figure and hides all evidence of a buffet table raid.

Speaking of buffets, the dinner at Oscar's had oysters. Not one, not two, not even three but ten, mind you, TEN varieties! Who knew there were so many types to be had? I stopped at five before waving the proverbial white flag. My tummy - even if the way I eat contradicts the fact - is not a bottomless pit. There were other goodies to be sampled and I had to make room for them. The buffet selection was not mind boggling but the fare was very good. Also excellent were the waiters and waitresses. They were johnny-on-the-spot and very friendly. As we were waiting for our bill, one of the waiters informed us of their Sunday Amazing Graze Champagne Brunch. For some reason, I began to envision cows milling around the restaurant, chewing their cud.

Oi.

And, speaking of champagne brunches, we did one of those last Sunday. At the Raffles Hotel, no less. That was seriously posh nosh. Maybe the person who buys the ingredients (I'm sure there's a proper name for it, I just don't know what) is in with the local lobster supplier because a good part of the buffet had lobster in one form or the other. There was a seafood bisque, lobster ravioli, lobster tartare salad thingamajig and my personal favourite, steamed Maine lobster in all its shelled and clawed glory.

Then there was the foie gras station. I went twice. So did Hubs. The guy at the next table had six, two each trip. I don't blame him. It was pan fried upon request and served with sauteed apple and passion fruit.

Dessert was fantastic. They've revamped the selection and as luck would have it, the patisserie chef was there fussing over his exquisite little creations. After complimenting him on the spread, I picked his brains on how certain confections were made. One could see he was passionate about his work. He was not the only chef I harassed that morning. There was Chef Foie Gras (I must try and see if I can recreate the sauteed apple and passion fruit) and Chef Smoked Salmon Atop Buckwheat Pancake with Lobster Bisque. Eagle-eyed Big Boss Chef was there too, overseeing everything like a general. Every time he approached a station, one could almost see the chef in charge quiver. Not unlike the way I felt when Mrs. Aw, my primary school principal, walked imperiously towards my direction. Or one of the nuns for that matter. I was educated in a convent you see, and up to now, a sighting of one still strikes terror to the heart.

So yes, that was a pleasant Sunday with Hubs drinking champagne for two and me eating for the three of us. Sonny-boy is hopeless when it comes to buffets. Ice-cream and chocolate fountains notwithstanding, he eats like a rat. But we love him to bits anyway.

Friday Date Night

2009-12-04T05:47:00.008+01:00

Text message from wife to husband:

7pm tonight Oscar's at Conrad Hotel. International buffet. Bring appetite and handsome good looks :D

Now I've got to go find something nice to wear. Maybe that little black chiffon confection I bought last month ...

Tuesday Night's Dinner

2009-11-25T02:36:00.002+01:00

The monsoon season is upon us and it's been raining buckets on and off for the last two weeks. While the rain does bring relief to the sweltering heat, it means eating our meals in the patio was a no-go.

But last night was different. It had been dry all day and before you could say, "Monsoon", I'd laid out the table for dinner. Hubs was late, not from work for once but from collecting his birthday clubs and we didn't eat until almost 8pm.

Dinner was simple, just some ABC spaghetti I invented off the top of my head while at the supermarket earlier on. In case you were wondering, the ABC stands for Asparagus, Bacon and Courgette. The three ingredients were first stir-fried with some garlic (no oil because the bacon is already fatty) and finished off in cream before mixing in the pasta. This was accompanied by a no-frills Caesar Salad, some bruschetta and family time.

Birthday Presents For The Husband

2009-11-24T06:51:00.013+01:00

A Cookalot family tradition: Birthday boy or girl wears this hat throughout the day. At home of course. We are fun-loving people, not crazy.

Now that Sonny-boy is a manly nine going on ten year old, he, with some gentle prodding from me, decided he would buy Dad a birthday present. After some brainstorming, it was off to the nearest Build-A-Bear Workshop. Presenting our latest family member:

Rocky

How cool is that?

Hubs is a Harley Davidson fan (wants the bike someday) so Sonny-boy decked the chosen bear with all things Harley. From the t-shirt, leather jacket, chaps and bandanna right down to the shades. He even picked a pair of jeans similar to one of Dad's. And then there are the lace up shoes! It's got spikes at the bottom of the soles. Too cute! But cuteness comes at a price so Mum had to chip in half and even then, Sonny-boy felt the pinch. Which is good, because he had to forgo a toy he had been saving up for to buy Dad his present. And he got christening rights to the bear, too.

As for me, I bought Hubs a set of Ping Rapture irons for his birthday. It has to be custom-fitted in the US and takes about four weeks to arrive so with any luck, he should get it either this week or the next. While waiting for them, Hubs has gone and bought himself a putter, driver, hybrid something or other and a pitching wedge.

I think someone had a good birthday this year.

Birthday Brunch At The Lighthouse

2009-11-24T03:28:00.003+01:00

As the stars would have it, the Husband's birthday fell on a Sunday (8 November) which meant we had a wide enough choice of hotel champagne brunches to choose from.

I did some checking (don't you just love the internet?) and finally decided on The Lighthouse at The Fullerton Hotel for its ambience and culinary fare. With a seating capacity of 52, the restaurant is about the size of our living room and has a great view of Marina Bay and the city skyline. Atmosphere is chic, exclusive without being stuffy. The food is Italian fine-dining so do not expect huge portions. For parents with young children, it would also be wise to note that a meal there would take at least two hours so unless your child has been trained or you've brought along superglue to hold Junior in place throughout the period, a better choice would be the Town Restaurant. The chef will also do special orders for kids, something we pleasantly found out when we asked if Sonny-boy could have a plate of tossed pasta in garlic and herbs.

Amusé: Herbed marscapone cheese on slice of toast

Hubs' appetiser: What 24 month old parma ham looks like decked out with parmigiano cheese and shaved celery.

My appetiser: Fancy pants beef carpaccio. I swear the chef used a set square to get the perfect angle.

Hubs' main course: Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with all the trimmings. There was a long chic name for the dish but it eludes me now. The taste was unforgettable though (Hubs cut me a small piece to try).

My main course: Angel hair pasta with braised lobster. The fuzzy topping is, as described in the menu, "lobster foam". Whatever it was, the foam resembled clouds in the sky and the pasta was heavenly.

Hubs' dessert: Molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream laced in liquer. Alot of it.

Oozing chocolate lava. Yum!

My dessert: Stawberries with balsamic reduction and lavender ice-cream.

If you look carefully, you can see lavender in the ice-cream. The aroma left me swooning.

Done in under two minutes. *blush*

New Look and I Hate HTML

2009-11-22T21:45:00.006+01:00

Need I say more? Especially when I'm technically challenged.

Out of vanity and boredom, I'd been contemplating on giving Lekker! a face-lift. But try as I might, I could not seem to find the heart to get rid of the nutrition label for a side-bar - it's so apt and cheeky for a food blog, don't you think? Then I couldn't bear to give up the iconic Campbell Soup can either. Nor the blinding red background. You get the drift.

Sigh.

So instead of a complete over-haul, I made a couple of changes here and there. Most noticeably would be the header which was done on Photoshop. I had a giggle over it. Can you tell why?

I got rid of the vanilla background on which the text is written on and went for classic white instead. Also messed around with the border and line separator for a more snazzy look. This would have taken an expert under an hour to complete but I'm not that expert. I'd forgotten what was what so everything went through the good old trial and error.

I like the new look. It reflects the two most important characteristics about this blog - tongue-in-cheek humour and a sense of fun.

Oh, and I still hate HTML.

Oops!

2009-11-22T16:20:00.005+01:00

We took a stroll down Holland Village and ended up at the 3-Monkeys Cafe for dinner. The Awesome Adventure (breaded calamari rings, onions rings, thai fish cakes and chicken wings) under appetisers sounded, well, appetising.

After consolidating everyone's choices, I beckoned the waitress and began doing the honours.

"Hi, for starters, could we have the AWFUL Adventure, please?"

Oh. My. Fishcakes.

If Age Has Taught Me Anything

2009-11-16T13:10:00.012+01:00

So I was stooping, browsing through the lower shelves of the knitting section of Kinokuniya (quite a feat when you are on stilettos) when The Girlfriend comes up and asks me if I could hang on to a book for her as her arms were full from carrying Cutie-Pie who had dosed off following a huge lunch. The Girlfriend, another girlfriend and I had just dined at the Marriott and decided to work some of it off by browsing the shops. I don't know, but I always feel there is something decidedly wicked about Lunching and Shopping on a Monday. Or maybe it's just me.

Anyhow.

So I reached out for the book and being ~~female~~ curious, took a cursory glance at the title:

whereupon I did a double-take and if not for perfect balance, would have fell on my hiney too.

"Beat The Bitch? You're reading this?!"

No, no, The Girlfriend quickly protested, it's for so-and-so.

"Oh, her. Ah..."

Just so one is being clear, the so-and-so in question is in her early twenties, married and what little I know from the one and only time I met her - all is well in paradise.

*****

I can only speak for myself which is, what a difference age and life experiences can make. Fifteen years ago, I would have run out in my heels (some things don't change) and bought the very same book for Ms Stimson's tips and ammunition. Not so now. It's not because I've become complacent, far from it in fact, but I've reached the stage in my life where if my man is so easily swayed, then he's not worth keeping in the first place.

You know?

Happy Birthday

2009-11-08T14:05:00.003+01:00

To my dear husband,

Happy Birthday.

Love,

I Couldn't Have Said It Better

2009-11-06T05:11:00.003+01:00

The future's got a million roads
For you to choose
But you'll walk a little taller
In some high-heeled shoes

- Welcome to the '60s, Hairspray

Veni, Vidi, Visa

2009-11-02T16:20:00.008+01:00

I'd wanted to write an engaging piece to go with the photos of my newly acquired Gilia but try as I might, nothing flowed out. I mean, do you really want to read about how I was lusting after Ferragamo's current Fall/Winter season of burgundy shoes with the trademark Vara bow and how I asked to try on each and every single shoe (I'm shameless like that) in said colour? No, I think not.

The truth of the matter is this: I walked into the boutique yesterday (actually it wasn't even me who wanted shoes, it was Hubs, I was there along for the ride) saw the pair on display by the couch and fell in love with it. Sure I did try on the other burgundy ones just to satisfy my curiosity but my heart was set on the Gilia. Being edgier and sexier but still elegant all the same, this was Ferragamo with an attitude.

And I bought them. Attitude and all.

Different touch - brass palladium coated buckle

Four inches of ecstasy or sheer terror, depending on one's sense of balance

The Gilia also comes in oyster white and camel tan but I think black packs the most punch.

Oh, and Hubs did find a pair of work shoes too. A nice dressy one with tassels that arrived the day before and he was the first customer for it. For someone who used to sniff at my long-term love affair with Ferragamo shoes, he's onto his third pair.

Sleeveless Knitted Top For Eldest Aunt

2009-10-24T15:20:00.000+02:00

I haven't posted any of my knits lately but that doesn't mean my hands have been idle. In fact, I've been knitting like a fiend (Sonny-boy has been raising my blood pressure to astronomical heights) and there are other garments waiting to make their debut on my blog but I haven't got round to editing the photos yet.

This particular sleeveless top was made with Eldest Aunt in mind. I picked a classic pattern which can be dressed up in the office or dressed down for the weekend. The main bodice is knitted while the neckline and armholes are finished with crochet work. And in keeping with the green revolution, I selected an eco-friendly organic 3 ply cotton yarn. It fits her perfectly (lucky too, since I knitted this without her measurements!) and if I dare say so, she was very pleased with her present. Here she is, Eldest Aunt sportingly posing for my camera with her new top:

Mooi, heh? (Pretty, eh?)

One-Pan Skillet Ravioli

2009-10-23T14:40:00.004+02:00

Taken from the Italian Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications, this recipe is pure comfort food with its rich warm sauce and stringy mozzarella cheese. As if the ravioli wasn't filling enough, we had thick slabs of garlic bread to mop up the leftover gravy too. What can we say, we love our bread and pasta.

One-Pan Skillet Ravioli

What You Need:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 tbsp snipped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 package of refrigerated chicken or cheese filled ravioli
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grate Asiago cheese
Fresh rosemary for garnishing

What You Do:

In an extra large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add leek and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, rosemary and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling. Stir in ravioli; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes more or until ravioli is tender. Top with cheeses. If desired, garnish with rosemary. Makes 4 servings.

Lekker!

Note: If fresh rosemary is not available, 1 tsp of the dried version is a good substitute. Just crush it first to release the flavour. As I couldn't find Asiago cheese in the shops, I replaced it with Pecorino Romano instead.

Night Safari And The Return Of Halloween Horrors

2009-10-17T04:43:00.012+02:00

At the behest of Sonny-boy, we went to the Night Safari last night. We've been many times so I didn't bring my camera along, hence the lack of photos. Besides, flash photography is prohibited as it upsets the animals. It is bad enough we gawk and point at them but to blind them as well ...

We had, quite literally, a screaming good time. We didn't know it was the Return of Halloween Horrors special all of October and the main foyer was crowded. There were long snaking queues for tickets and it was some twenty minutes before we got ours. No matter because while waiting, there was much to look at in the form of ghouls, ghosts and assorted scary fairy tale gone wrong creatures. My favourite was Cinderella who walked around sweet as can be with a bloody gown and her glass slipper embedded into her right temple. That sort of humour. My other favourite was the Tin Man (from The Wizard of Oz) whose red squishy looking heart swung about with only a thread of vein holding it all together.

Also in the main foyer was a Tribal Dance performance. and we were just in time for the fire-eating portion of it. We hovered somewhere round the corner near the front so Sonny-boy could get a good view. He was enthralled. But what really made his eyes pop was seeing Dad being led up on stage as the token guest star of the show. Hubs was very sporting, going along and even adding his own improvisations which drew laughter from the crowd. Sonny-boy was so proud of his Dad. When it was over, we both clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

So that was a good start to the evening.

We boarded our Train of Terror which took us around the various exhibits and ended up with the climatic Gate to Neverland. This was where the fun really began. All manner of scary creatures and displays were scattered along the road. Some stood there, some popped up from no where and went more than boo. Oh, never make eye contact with any of them. I made the mistake of doing that with a butcher who was hacking up a woman on a stone slab. I caught his eye and he ran from across 20m of grass lunging, hand in the air brandishing his chopper making a beeline for me! There was an empty seat next to mine and he hopped onto the tram. I screamed and leapt all over Sonny-boy and Hubs, practically climbing on top of their laps. The other passengers were just as animated and loud. The rest of the ride was just like that and it was good scary fun. For some reason, the last carriage of the tram (where we had the good fortune of sitting) was always a target and that made us a rowdy bunch.

After the ride, with noodles for legs, we went on to the walking trail of The Bridge of No Return. We thought it wouldn't be so bad after the tram ride but no, it had it's own shriek-worthy bits too. I was so high-strung towards the end of the walk that when a fellow visitor accidentally bumped me at the elbow I screamed like a alaughtered pig. Which made her scream too, the poor girl. Then we both stopped, apologized and laughed.

We lingered about the park for a while more nursing our refreshments. I had my bottled water, Sonny-boy his two big scoops of Ben & Jerry's and Hubs a can of Tiger Beer at the hair-raising price of S$12 a pop.

After that, the big people decided it was quite enough and promised the little person we'll come back and do the animal show the next time.

What Not To Say To Mum On A Saturday Afternoon

2009-09-26T09:34:00.005+02:00

My nine year old, who clearly has a death wish, came up to me minutes ago and asked "Mummy, when are you going to clean up my messy room?"

A couple of sharp words later, guess who had to clean up his own messy bedroom which incidentally looks like I have four kids instead of just one.

In other news, I'm all pins and needles now - our new sofa set arrives in thirty minutes!

A Dutchess In Her Sarong Kebaya

2009-09-16T06:26:00.003+02:00

I don't know if you, dear reader, remember a recent post I made about the Sarong Kebaya. In it I also showcased a set I bought from Singapore whilst on holiday. Who would've guessed two months down the road we'd all be here on another of Hubs' posting? Life's funny like that.

Anyway, I thought you'd like to see how I looked when I wore it to the big 75th birthday bash of both Mother and Father-In-Law. They were born within a week of each other, 5km away. Who would've thought the two babies would grow up, fall in love and get married? Life's also funny like that.

Here are the two photos:

Photo #1

Taken by Hubs in our backyard, just before leaving. For my hair, which you can't see and that's why I'm describing it to you, I made a loose knot and clipped on matching crimson fabric orchids from Accesorize. I had on my baroque pearl earrings from Beijing and carried a beaded purse bought from the Gran Canaria a few years ago. To finish the outfit, I wore a pair of Stuart Weitzman slingbacks in gold lace brocade scattered with crystals. The sarong was not a joke. It was so tight, I had to hobble the whole time. Miraculously, sitting was easy, thanks in part to the long pleat in front of the sarong.

Photo #2

Taken by J Velter, a family friend and source of funny emails and crazier photos. He is retired, hence the luxury. This was snapped on his iPhone, a newly procured toy at the time. He caught Sonny-boy and me unawares in a private moment. We were inside the function room and I was cooing all over Sonny-boy like all mothers do when their pride and joy stubbornly refuse to replenish their liquid intake. "I mean it! Finish up your juice or you can forget about going out to play again!" I believe, was the gentle line of persuasion used.

Thanks, J, for capturing this tender moment between mother and son. And above all, many heartfelt thanks for not making my posterior the size of the average Dutch cow. I am forever in your debt.

Familiar Favourites

2009-09-15T15:41:00.006+02:00

Today I decided to really test my stone-age oven that comes with the apartment. It has the impressive number of one function - supply heat from the top and bottom at various temperatures. No fan, no top grill, no bottom heat no nothing. Unlike my beloved oven I left behind in the Netherlands that did everything but place the food to be cooked inside by itself. I want to sob into my apron.

Still, it was better than nothing. At least it didn't trip the circuit breaker. Ovens not in use for an extended period of time in tropical climes tend to go wonky on account of the humidity. Therefore it is advised, even when you're not using it, to turn your oven on from time to time to get rid of any moisture trapped in there. Well no worries for us as I use my oven at least twice a week.

This evening, I made Goat's Cheese and Thyme Stuffed Chicken. I literally haven't made this in almost two years. In fact, I haven't really cooked in the past eighteen months we were in Beijing. I was a bit shaky at first but after slicing the courgette and tomatoes, I got right back in the swing of things. Everything came naturally, thank goodness.

Line the casserole dish with sliced courgette and tomatoes. Give the vegetables a few splashes of olive oil. Spread sprigs of fresh thyme all over.

Slice chicken breast in half, taking care not to go all the way through. Season with a little salt and chopped thyme on the insides before placing the goat's cheese on. Fold the chicken breast in half and secure with strips of streaky bacon.

Place wrapped bundles on the vegetable lined casserole dish. Pop into oven (pre-heated to 200C) and cook until a beautiful golden brown.

Lekker!

While the chicken was getting acquainted with the goat's cheese and streaky bacon in the oven, I prepared the evening's starter - Honey Melon with Parma Ham. It's easily done in a jiffy, just a matter of slicing the melon and arranging the ham as prettily as possible.

Add a bit of salad for garnishing and voilá! looks good enough to eat.

New Reality

2009-09-05T08:00:00.000+02:00

Today I paid €6 for 150g of feta cheese. Oi.

New Home

2009-08-02T18:28:00.010+02:00

We moved into our new apartment yesterday and although it's practically empty, it feels like home already. And how do I know I'm in Singapore? Well, just this morning, upon entering the kitchen, a big fat gecko scurried right across the floor. Now I have a love-hate relationship with them. I hate them, they love to appear right in front of me. This was the first one I met in nine years and what a fright I got. I screamed and screamed and even though shaken, had the presence of mind not to drop the new bone china plate which was the reason why I had to be in the kitchen in the first place.

This happened again later. Same big, fat gecko, but across the door leading to the utilities area this time. This will not do. I cannot be terrified day in day out like that. It's not good for the heart nor my neighbours' ears. So, I've taken to naming the gecko, thus making it the unofficial mascot of the kitchen, hoping it'll take some of my fear off it.

Everyone meet Gekkie. Gekkie, meet everyone. Incidentally, gek in Dutch means crazy or insane. Never let it be said I am devoid of humour.

We are extremely happy with our new digs. All thanks to a very helpful estate agent who took the time to listen to us and knew what we were looking for. We, being Sonny-boy and I ( Hubs had to be in the office to make rent) saw this apartment on the first day of our house hunting. It was the last on the list and completely not what we had requested in terms of location and type of housing. But it sounded good and we like to keep our options open. Besides, viewing is free.

To keep a long story short, I completely fell in love with it the minute the front door opened and revealed this expanse of space. And like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, there stood this decent sized patio, complete with an assortment of potted plants, shrubbery and get this, three tall palm trees! I was sold. Those of you who have been following my blog would know we practically live in our backyard during the summer. To be able to have this again in Singapore would be perfect. The rest of the place is nice with good-sized bedrooms, two of which possessing ensuite bathrooms. The kitchen is a bit old, not as flashy as my black marble back home but usable with lots of cupboards, drawers and enough counter space. The refrigerator, washer and dryer are brand new. And best of all, a good sized European dishwasher. Dishwashers are not the norm in Singapore so having one included is quite special. Call me spoilt but after years of dishwashers, it's next to impossible to go back to washing by hand again.

What more can a girl ask for? We have to have this apartment!

With that thought in mind, I arranged for a second viewing with Hubs in tow and his face lit up like a Christmas tree when he saw the patio. We came, we saw, we made a bid. And here, we hit a snag. The landlord was extremely optimistic about rental prices in Singapore but (there's always a but isn't it?) we didn't quite share the same optimism, having made an offer lower than what was asked. I'll have to discuss with the Missus and see what she says, was the reply. It took them a week and I suspect, other potential tenants to realise we were their best bet. So here we are, in an apartment along Holland Road, near Holland Village. For obvious reasons, Parents-In-Law had a bit of a laugh at our new address. I suppose it means I can hold on to the tag of Dutchess for a while yet.

And So.

2009-07-13T11:43:00.004+02:00

Our bags are finally packed. In a few hours, we leave for Schiphol Airport to our next chapter in life.

All week I had everyone telling how nice it must be for me to go back home to Singapore. Out of politeness, I smile and agree but by the time the nth person made the same remark, I was quite ready to thump them with my new handbag. I know they mean well but in reality, I'm leaving my home, not going home. I'm leaving my spacious house, my even more spacious backyard and the nice quiet neighbourhood we've spent a good six years in.

I'm not one to be emotional in public so I better stop while I still can or I really will start crying.

Tot ziens, allemaal!