A new beginning

I've moved! http://cremedelafish.wordpress.com/

While the boys are away the girls go to play

Seven minutes after I posted up these pictures, and way before Facebook posted an update on the album, I had over 20 comments. It fazes me how new media makes communication so much faster and easier.

On another note, cam-whoring is a social disease. Luckily it’s not venereal.

First Art

As a wedding gift, Patrick organized a personal tour with Sugita, who brought us around the island's cultural sites including Ubud which is Bali's art centre. And since we skipped the monkey tour because I hate feline, non-feline and actually animals of all kinds... he brought us to Semar Kuning instead.

Semar is an artist's co-op where any budding artist can crash at for years or even a week to learn and work with other residing artists. They would also have a chance to display and sell their works. I went there, thinking that I'm just gonna grab some postcards or a small painting but when I saw Suharta's piece - of birds perching on branches in gray and black monotones and pinches of colour - I liked it immediately.

I stood by there, was later joined my Ery and then, he just stood next to me. We liked it, and it's hard to find moments like these, when we both feel the same way, strongly and passionately, towards something.

Came back to Singapore as proud owners of an original art piece!

Ery inspecting as they took the painting off the wall.

Dismantling from the frame. We were told that it's painter was a 50-year man, still active in the literary scene. He was also a Barong dancer in his youth.

The co-op was peaceful, and full of verandahs where artists would draw and paint.

Finally hammered it onto our wall.

Our first art from Ubud!

Herbed bread

I bought some foul beans from Mustaffa the other day, and went on a mission to create my own version of Kacang Pool.

I made some herbed bread with delifrance back-gu-eh-tease (i can't find nicer french loaves in Singapore).

Take some butter and mix it with some dried mixed herbs. Spread it on bread cut into pieces, stuff it in the oven for a few minutes and ta-da. Ready to be served with some kacang pool, diced onions and green chillies with a side of roasted potatoes.

I also made this raita, a bit of a cooling dip since it's been so damn hot these days. Just dice some onions, cucumber and coriander and add 4-5 tablespoons of yoghurt. Iced honey lemon tea to quench the thirst.

Editor's pick

It's become my job to look at pictures all day long, pictures from the creme all around the world at that. But when it came to my deciding on a favourite one from my thousands of wedding photos... it became rather difficult.

I liked everything! I sifted through everything applying all the rules of what makes a good picture - composition, expression, value, mood, quality and other rules. They were all my favourites!

And then I realised that every picture seemed "perfect" to me, and somewhat had this invaluable i-don't-want-to-stash-you-away vibe because they simply had meaning. to me. I was looking into instead of just looking at the wedding pictures.

I decided to post this one up because of the unbelievable backdrop. It was first act, scene one in marriageville for us. Cotton candy-like clouds as we were seated on the pelamin, chiffoned beneath an illumination that gently lifted up everytime the breeze whistled through.

It felt like God was smiling down at us.

A thousand lamp posts

I used to ask myself why I was still single. I was vacillating between realms where all my friends talked (still are) about their love-making in hotels, pelamin colours and their can’t eat-can’t sleep diseases while I trawled clubs (still am) and stalked potential lovers on Friendster. Often when asked about my status, I gave people the lame excuse of being commitment-phobic which till today, I believe, played a part in my perspectives and approach on relationships. Hell, I came from a family where all my aunts are either divorced, widowed or man-less for some reason.

It was always a case of wrong man, wrong time, and I ain’t gonna be stupid enough to jump onto the wrong ship.

So, I’m glad I said “yes” when he asked. We are now a month-old as a married couple and it just feels right to talk about how it all started off.

There were no lavish surroundings or big diamonds. On that night about two years ago, there was a night bazaar near his place and he decided to surprise me with a much craved burger ramly (he knew I was feeling sick and hungry and he would score major points with a gesture like that).

A thousand lamp posts he travelled to reach the eastern coast, to be greeted with a grinning girlfriend of one month. We decided to chill at the park and talked about our dreams, hopes and future as he fended off the constant mozzies sucking on me like a lolly.

I can’t remember how the convo eventually led to the idea of marriage but it did and he casually popped the question. I didn’t cry, yelp or react with multiple aw-my-gawds and just said yes. A resolute yes. I knew he was the one I wanted to eat burgers with the rest of my life and I knew he was the just the man I was waiting for. Nothing else really mattered. I remembered him saying, “People traditionally propose with a ring but look at me, you just said yes to man who brought you a burger.”

I guess this time, it was a case of right man, right time and I ain’t no blind woman not recognizing love when it’s staring in my face.

The burger was damn good too.

No German in the House

I see a pattern - an urge to go tapping the keyboards right after we have sex, and while he is sound asleep or playing his bass on the couch. Maybe it’s because after every orgasm, my mind is so fucking clear, rid of evils and what nots, that I finally know where to start writing.

So here I am.

Sir Patrick, our tenant, is gone. He left us for Germany last Sunday and it feels different to have the house to ourselves. Four months have passed like the wind at the 12 Apostles (damn man they had winds that blew my sister off) but he’s been an awesome friend and a great friend to all our great friends.

More than anything else, he was an omnipresence welcomed – bearing witness to the momentous “cat fight” (the one where we really fought about cats) , my accidental tit flash one sleepy morning, our dinner parties, drinking nights out, our hens and bachelor night and days and nights we can never forget enroute to the knot-tying ceremony. Even our family and relatives kinda miss him because he was such a kindred spirit, always open to learn and understand about our culture and traditions.

I don’t know why everything has been past tensed, haha, and it feels like I’m an aspiring b-grade obit writer.

Pat, you are missed!

We threw him a farewell dinner at Samy's on Dempsey. For pictures click here and here!

The gang on Dempsey road, about to hop onto Jepp's van to Home club.

Waiting for fish head curry!

Always have time for the passe toilet shots.

The German we grew fond of! Hail fuhrer!

A Stunning Confection

I've always had a sweet tooth and so I knew that the dessert buffet had to impress me and the guests! An afternoon flow of mini fruit tarts, chocolate eclairs, cream puffs with custard, oreo and mint and chocolate cheesecakes and mango and strawberry pudding in shot glasses was the perfect answer whilst sugar-high guests grinning away made the big day an even more unforgettable occasion.

I would show you pictures but the caterer's photographer (who was there just to take pictures of the products of her "sweat and blood") still hasn't given me the pictures. But I guess you'd have to settle with THE cake - a revised replica of a cake first crafted by renowned baker Ron Ben-Israel.

A three-tiered vanilla cake with blueberries, decorated with dainty lilies of the valley and fluttering butterflies made of sugar and piped royal icing.

It looked so pretty, and certainly in my eyes, better than the original. A great knock-off! So many people even thought it looked too unreal to be real and edible that they had gone knocking against just it to check if it was hollow. Silly poohs!

It was a real and judging from the crumbs strewn all over the lawn afters, it was a real treat for everyone!

Oh, and I am now happily married!

Lead up

Mum trying out her outfit at the boutique, she fell in love with a long kebaya that fitted her perfectly. She glowed in the pale lavender. We just knew it was the outfit.

Siblings waiting for mum as she tried out different kebayas.

Me getting hair extensions - real hair hopefully not from a dead person.

Hair trial at Lulu's.

Make-up trial where I quinced every now and then.

Our first wedding present!

Bridesmaids' Preview

A Vera Wang replica

Lulu, my mak andam, scanning for imperfections

There is no excuse for ugly bridesmaid dresses these days unless it's a sabotage by the bride herself so that she will be a guaranteed stand out. Come on, it's hard for your beloved girls to smile if they're garbed in garish bright apricots with sashes so big you can tie around coffins. Life, like mine, is easier when you have happy maids with dresses that don't remind them of their mothers' prom nights.

Some of the dresses were exact replicas of Vera Wangs, like in the first picture, complete with classy matching purple buttons that line the spine. And an absolute Grecian look with a low neckline for the other bridesmaid. Thanks to Lulu's skills and input!

I'm not supposed tho give these previews but the dresses are so gorgeous!