Paper, Where Art Thou?

An update.

 So paper continues to be on the way out in our daily lives. Or so it seems, perhaps reinforced by the need to be more contactless, surfaceless and storageless in this Age of Technological Revolution.

It can be interesting we are not always offered the paper receipt or invoice at cafes, newsagents, produce outlets and eating places, as the transaction is already captured online.  If you want a copy of the receipt, you have to give an email address - and such email addresses can be further possibly be spamned or hacked.

Paper based products are still gooxld to blow a nose, absorb the excess oil after a deep fry and in demand for our delicate bums after answering Nature's call.  Yet the wheels of contemporary commerce discourage paper trails with their consumers, embedding the writing in the wall for printers and the use of the still pervasive suburban post box.

Paper shredders can go the way of the extinct Dodo bird.  People may still enjoy the feel of the ever shrinking daily newspaper and love their grilled fish served on printed paper.  The disposable virus protector face mask is essentially crafted from paper layering.  Magazines are no longer the companions on rainy days, long train rides and at afternoon tea sessions at home that they once were.  Are trees being saved with a reduced usage of paper, or trees are depleted anyway for other stronger reasons?

Electronic screens are increasingly held more than paper pages.  Libraries and street bookshops are still significant custodians of knowledge on paper despite it all.  The vulnerabilities of holding knowledge and information on paper are highlighted by the storage of things and data on virtual clouds and internet files, but the latter has other risks inherent and subject to hacking, contamination and identity theft.

Butcher paper, art materials and Origami still retain an elegance and usefulness about paper.  The historical transformation of paper originating from papyrus reeds to its important role in spreading knowledge and equity, as accessible printed items can never be underestimated. 

Contemporary technology has led us to increasingly abandon paper as a medium, but perhaps paper will still be utilised for other but more niche purposes.  The role of paper as money in currency circulation has also been questioned, as governments moved to plastic at the close of the 20th century and then to digital monies in the 21st.

Paper has served to facilitate the societal arrangements and needs of humankind for a long time.   Their creation, destruction and disposal has meant various things in different cultures and religions.  Paper has been laminated, bound and preserved.   We used to put down our innermost thoughts, write our qualifying exams and declare our economic transactions mostly on paper.

Stationery still comes in countless forms on paper despite the advent of the digital age.  Our writing instruments still require paper instead of non paper materials.  It may be still too early to witness the demise of paper use.

#yongkevthoughts

What to buy in Penang Malaysia

What do I at times try to get in Penang to bring back to Oz?

1.  Kaya - egg based and  coconut spread for toasts at breakfast time.  You can have the choice of commercially made jars or vacuum sealed packets - or home made can be best or organic, but not allowed into Aus.

2.   Iconic biscuits baked in the Fujian and Cantonese traditions, a carry over of immigrants to Penang.  These range from Hiong Pnieh (aromatic ones utilising caramel inside and textured outside layers) to Beh Tau Saw and Loh Por Peng (literally meaning wife's biscuits).

3.   Nutmeg  or Mace seed oil is known for application on the body to relieve various ailments. Myristica Fragans is the Latin name for this captivating tropical fruit.

Penang has a plethora of nutmeg plantations first cultivated under the British colonial period. The inside of a freshly plucked nutmeg reveals a seed with bright red coverings at the centre.  

The bite on a fresh nutmeg can be stimulating on the palate. It is used to enhance ice creams and is one of the several spices in making Masala.

Nutmeg slices are marinated and preserved for snacks, but the most useful by product is its extracted seed oil, utilised for mitigating against indigestion, promoting anti inflammation, improving blood circulation and helping reduce stress 

4.   Sesame seed oil, practically better in little sachets or in glass bottles.  Only use such oil over a steamed chicken when you are ready to eat.

5.   Craft work reflecting the Straits Chinese lifestyles.  They can be dainty carry snack trays, beaded shoes, wardrobes or as accesorries - but such items are getting costly, rare and becoming precious.

6.   Dried salted fish packed clean under a commercial label - the kiam hoo, used in small portions cleverly to give a kick of a flavour in various culinary cooking styles including Malay, Straits Chinese, Indian and Eurasian.

7.   Samahan Herbal Tea packets for an Ayurvedic solution to stop cold afflictions.

8.   Durian cakes or Dodol, packed with flavour from the thorny green football sized fruit

- but it can be an acquired taste

popular in south east Asia.

9.   Grounded spices used to make curry powder sealed in commercial label packets - vital in seafood and meat dishes.

10.  Bottled sauce specifically to use in stir frying the famous Penang Char Koay Teow.

11.  Selangor Pewter creations, the value of which has spiked tremendously since the 1980s.

12.   Dried shrimps with a commercial label.

#yongkevthoughts

Comparing Between Two Nations

 

What a contrast, or more of the same?

Nation I left behind: Malaysia with a population of around 33 million, turns 65 on 31 August 2022, given independence by Britain that long ago.

1.  Political leadership encouraging
looking inwards.
2.   Society becoming more divisive over plural and religious diversity.
3.    Getting less competitive than its neighbours.
4.     Falling ranking significantly in corruption management and occurence, according to Transparency International.
5.     Rewriting and recognising history according to the view of the powers that are.
6.     De-emphasising the language of her past colonisers.
7. A federation that is showing cracks on its structure, although still with strong central control based on a sort of Westminster system.
8.   Rampant misuse of public monies, third party commissions from projects and socio-political enrichment of a few kleptocratic individuals.
9.    Increased empowerment of royalty in the governance, economic and cultural landscape.
10.  Reduced social cohesion, due to long term strong discrimination practices in official government policies and mainstream media manipulation.
11.  Unceasing exploitation of her natural resources, high need for foreign investment levels and belittling of its Indigenous population.
12.   Joyous diversity and heritage in culinary offerings.
13.   One of the highest vehicle accident rates on her public roads and highways.
14.   Increasing commercialisation of personal health care.
15.   Aging society risks are not that high, due to larger family sizes in her majority population.
16.   Nothing like understanding the Malaysian, of whatever racial background, on the street like in a coffee shop.
17.   Heavily reliant on migrant labour, while at least 2 million of its citizens have emigrated and settled overseas in past 10 years. Largest group of immigrants are from Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Phillippines.
18.   Many of her students are studying in universities overseas.
19.    Equatorial climate assures almost the same timing of sunrise and sunset, with only monsoon and dry seasons.
20.   Strategic location in terms of geopolitics, shipping and air flight routes, natural resources and possible manipulation by powerful nations.

Nation I embraced: Australia marked its 234 years since it was colonised and 122 years as a Federation in 2022. Population of around 26 million in its Great Southern Land.

1. Political leadership unduly follows the Government of the USA and the political landscape is divided strongly on labels and party thinking.
2.   Society getting more divisive due to less equality in incomes, social interaction, less shared cultural values, mainstream media
manipulation, political structures and more emphasis on disagreement than on common values.
3.   Getting less competitive than its OECD nations.
4.   Greater incidence of public and commercial rorts, corruption and misuse of public monies, especially relating to infrastructure projects, bringing down Australia's Transparency International ranking to below the top ten in the world.
5.  Greater recognition and acknowledgent of the history of the peoples and Country before 1788.
6.  Aussie speak continues to evolve and grow, despite the presence of minorities who came from around 200 nations and a growing cohort who cannot speak
English well.
7.  The Federation is relatively still strong, although the wider independent powers of the separate States were highlighted during Covid management in 2020 and 2021.   The shrinked actions, role and responsibilities of the Federal Government in  Canberra also came to the fore.
8.    Increasing divide between consumers, workers and the public on one hand and the well funded, strongly networked with strong political connections on the other.
9.     The love affair with British royalty continues, the Republican movement gets some attention every few years and Australia participates in the annual landmark Eurovision singing contest.
10.    High level of political correctness demands exist in official government policies, but there can be a different reality at ground level.
11.    Continued exploitation of its natural resources with little value add, a wider extent of foreign ownership and increasing awakening for more recognition of its Indigenous First Nations.
12.   Joyous diversity and heritage in culinary offerings.
13.   Vehicle and driver safety has dropped with more aggressive behaviour on the roads, laden with more and larger vehicles, less civility and more traffic in capital city areas.
14.   Increasing commercialisation of personal health care, although the Medicare public health system is still better than in the UK or USA, though behind Canada's.
15.   An aging society, with birth rates higher amongst immigrant demographics.  Refer to Point 17.
16.    Nothing like understanding the Aussie on the street like in a footy or cricket game, a cafe, a private exclusive club or a RSL joint.
17.    Heavily reliant on migrant labour for many services - and also on permanent migration to ensure economic growth. The current biggest contributors to immigration are Brits, New Zealanders and Indians.
18.    Many young people still make the trek overseas for work, fun and adventure, even if for a short while.
19.   A unique range of climate zones from monsoonal to temperate, with daylight savings practised in the more populous states and a transposition of the British seasons over a rather different climate pattern in Australia.
20.   Location of the Antipodes, which should be safely tucked away with clean environments, umcontaminated produce and far away from the troubles of the rest of the world.

#yongkevthoughts

Sydney Today

 

So almost 30 months since the Covid pandemic began, downtown Sydney shows the intensity of lacking meaningful infrastructure, as it always has been.

The attention seeking Crown Casino skyscraper at Barangaroo can be admired from road, ferry, train, yacht and more.  Its building height  can highlight the excesses of a city I once fell in love with and was proud of.  A city's pulse and reputation is not in having a questionable gambling centre, or new highways usable only by dishing out expensive tolls, but by the joy and purpose in the hearts and minds if its denizens.

Sydney now is not a practical or user friendly place.  Its over commercial emphasis has superseded most other priorities.  It is not the quality of friendships, sense of security and ease of commute that defines Sydney, but the density of dwellings, making enough money to sustain livelihoods and self preoccupation that overwhelm a Sydneysider.

Greater Sydney residents can be as totally varied and so different, depending on where they reside and work.  There is no stereotyped Sydneysider, just like yum cha at Yummys in the heart of Cabramatta can be not just the same as in corporatised Rocks area of the city ( the former option is more tasty).  It is a hassle for a Westie to try to get to the beach, while the northern beachers can find it confronting to visit the suburbs condensed with specific migrant backgrounds.

It is impossible to find a space in a downtown public car park at certain hours on certain days.   One has to prebook car spaces as if they are dinner tables.  After hours parking can be as high as Aud 30 per vehicle entry.

The number of vehicles and dwellings have exploded, yet the related supporting infrastructure has not changed much.  Trams offered around the city centre are replacements for discontinued bus services.   Thank goodness the ferries still run around the Harbour and nearby coastal suburbs.  The variety of culinary choice is still generally there post Covid lockdowns but Sydney in my opinion still is behind Melbourne in that respect.

Office workers have mostly not got out from WFH arrangements.   Small businesses in outer suburbs have prospered better than downtown Sydney as Covid infections continue.  The tourism sector and handful of universities around Central station have been impacted by international politics and border interruptions.

Sydney downtown lacks the extent of  hotel accommodation befitting of an international city.   The annual events for a city of this size remain muted in number - is it due to a stagnating number of venues and facilities?  Its potential growth as a world class financial centre can be stunted by the duopoly of the banking sector, telecommunications choices and unrigourous taxation inflexibility compared to its traditional rival cities.

Sydney's continuing lack lustre can be underlined by its lack of village communities.   A great city does not just depend on gatherings around its barista cafe hubs.  It is what local councils do more with the hipster and night gathering spots that diffeterentiate large from great cities.  If authorities do not work on a more embracing sense of belonging to the daily routine, individuals are less likely to mix and get to know each other.

Maybe the history of Sydney has left too much to a free market evolution, rather than through an enlightened guidance.  Even the roads of its city centre just developed in a rather rough fashion, compared to the grid planning in Adelaide and Melbourne.

Parts of greater Sydney can be favourites in treatment by ruling politicians.  The contemporary Metro trains and their accompanying huge sized car parks plus deep underground stations in the North-west contrast with  outdated outlets of the same Sydney Rail elsewhere with non-ergonomic stair cases.  Most outer suburb residents have to put up with long distance driving, compared to the walk around truly urban lifestyles of inner city 20 somethings.

Attending a concert or sports event involves a logistical exercise that has not changed in as many years.  Sydney truly is a federation of several towns, so many different migrant cultures and yet no truly shared embrace of collective sociality.

#yongkevthoughts

Pause for Thought

 

Oh, the habits of the past and what was a comforting routine is no more.

Many years ago, it was a casual relaxing pleasure to do something easy and different from weekdays, on a Saturday morning.  Simple regimes like going through the newspapers. Or catching up with people in a cafe. And driving like crazy just to try eating some hyped up dish, even before Instagrammable culinary.

On a small island, it was doable, until the escalating traffic jams made me think twice.

The pleasure and reward were to catch up with fellow human beings. The underlying pace was that it was unstructured, flexible and had delightful changes in store - surprise me!

Across the plains of Greater Sydney, I had to plan arrival and appointment times, for distances were greater to transverse and traffic jams even more congested at particular hours.

Now the newsagent is a sad shade of its past activity and future possibilities.  The dominance and ease of online publications have decimated the presence of print in magazines and newspapers.

I recall the high pleasure of reading subscribed weekly columns in print, to make sense of an ever changing world and events beyond my control.  Now, that is only but a distant memory. The advent of round the clock news and hijacked agendas in communication these days has made me turn off much of the media in whatever form.

I love visiting various suburbs, for many have a distinct character of their own in various layers of impression and experience.

I reckon each of us have cut down roaming the suburbs - and the big world - due to movement restrictions over the past two years.  We have inadvertently turned to nearby localities in our footprint - and this may not necessarily be a negative change.

Still there is the inherent instinct of the wanderer in each of us.  However, we no longer assume the right and convenience of greater mobility.  Our mindsets have inevitably transformed in rhe process.

Our eating habits may also have changed.  First there was a shift to more cook-ins and takeaways, when dining-in had or still have density limits and mindful physical distancing. 

The constant barage of almost daily telecast addresses by the powers that be has made me watch such institutionalised sessions to almost zilch.

We are increasingly told to comply and not question many important things.  The liberating joy of opening my mindset in reading books and magazines many years ago is no more. 

We cannot sneak out in the middle of the night to experience a secret pleasure.  Each of us are becoming more traceable through online devices and communication.

Yes, we still have the opportunity to embrace Nature in our own free time - and to physically sustain and manage our health with the wind blowing in our faces.  However, we must be ever conscious to build our mental resilience, more than ever in a changing world.

#yongkevthoughts

Australia - Give It A Fair Go

How many club memberships, living in Australia, have you chalked up over the years? I am not referring to exclusive country or city clubs where you network with the rich, politically connected and inner sanctum of useful contacts. The prevalence of these other clubs I am talking about here, across the many suburbs of this Great Land, often depend on turnover, a huge but cheap membership base, gaming machines, a bistro of varying quality and some measure of community activities. Increasingly significant is the local barista. Over many years, so many blends of coffee beans have come out of Australia, establishing Aussie brands in this space with a strong reputation beyond its shores. The routine of having brunch or breakky has contributed to the new styled cafes mushrooming with new fangled food recipes accompanying the beverage. Tea has nevertheless not lost its embedded loyalty, together with other penchants for avocado smash, sourdough toasts, Granola mixes and sauteed mushrooms. Beer craft and wine appreciation communions now express themselves in watering holes not just in the cities, but also in populated regional hubs. The accompanying pizzas, burgers and randomly performing local musician adds extra zest and layers of attraction to visit such venues. The traditional Aussie pub though still stands tall, but can face challenges without the tribes gathering pre and post footy games, the family gathering for a wholesome Aussie roast and its truly vital role in the fabric of its local community. And then in capital cities, Asian run bistros seem to be a contemporary cornerstone of those RSLs and comparable clubs. Vietnamese and Chinese operators provide alternative menus to pasta, Wellingtons, schnitzels and salads. Migrant food has also been hipsterised and hybridised with fusion offerings, contemporary presentations and more use of alternative ingredients. Outlets offering such experiences are evolving a unique trend in the development of what foreigners increasingly acknowledge as uniquely Australian. Drop by a new styled bakery run by Koreans, French and Japanese here - while we still have access to traditional stuff from the Italians, Lebanese and our grandmother's Aussie cookbooks. The roadhouse is so important for many remote communities, truckers and tourists out in the Woop-Woop. It is a petrol station, sandwich bar, souvenir shop, grocery outlet, cafe, toilet stop, rest area and contact point for many both enduring and enjoying the vast, seemingly empty land that is Australia. Our borders with other countries has been closed for so many months, but we still enjoy the Long Drive within our own state or when varying governments permit, across to other states on this continental island. Straight roads for many kilometres delightfully surprise our visitors - and also coastal scenic drives, sojourns across farmlands, adventures across deserts or Alpine country. What most of us agree upon is to avoid traffic jammed scenarios in our capital cities during the so called rush hour - or the increasing high tolls on roads labelled as Connex. The water source, whether it is a constructed indoor or outdoor pool in suburban hubs, lake or a rock pool along one of our countless beaches, beckons many and perpetuates the influence of water in the life of many Aussies. Most Aussies still reside within 100 km of its magnificient coasts. Swimming and surfing are anchor sports, whether competitive, recreational or for exercise, in the fabric of this Great Southern Land. Not many activities are as physically wholesome, mentally refreshing and rewarding as interacting with water. Expressing one's self, taking part in public protests and telling a yarn also run through the veins of Aussie history. At times, the giving of opinions, as overly encouraged by social media channels, politics and so called democratic freedoms, can lead to no action and just talk. The contemporary disease of mixing of facts with diverse views, manipulation of selective truth and aggressive marketing agendas by strong vested interests, has however thrown more than a spanner in this unrelenting confusing cauldron. The unique spirit of being a larrakin still is very much alive in the Australian character. However, this can be challenged by some aspects of a rising trend of political correctness which can at times lose this essential quality of humour and humaneness in negotiations, dealings and various transactions of society. Australia has always thought itself as the Land of the Fair Go. Building upon layers of viable cultures, philosophies and traditions, we and our society have special routines, daily regimes and refreshing attitudes, when we zoom in on the beneficial and positive ones. In the course of a day, each of us can find opportunity to have that healthy breakky, soak in a rewarding outdoor activity, press on with that work challenge, catch up with mates and try that unusual dish down the road. #yongkevthoughts

We Will Carry On

 

How many club memberships, living in Australia, have you chalked up over the years?  I am not referring to exclusive country or city clubs where you network with the rich, politically connected and inner sanctum of useful contacts.   The prevalence of these other clubs I am talking about here, across the many suburbs of this Great Land, often depend on turnover, a huge but cheap membership base, gaming machines, a bistro of varying quality and some measure of community activities.

Increasingly significant is the local barista.  Over many years, so many blends of coffee beans have come out of Australia, establishing Aussie brands in this space with a strong reputation beyond its shores.  The routine of having brunch or breakky has contributed to the new styled cafes mushrooming with new fangled food recipes accompanying the beverage.  Tea has nevertheless not lost its embedded loyalty, together with other penchants for avocado smash, sourdough toasts, Granola mixes and sauteed mushrooms.

Beer craft and wine appreciation communions now express themselves in watering holes not just in the cities, but also in populated regional hubs.  The accompanying pizzas,  burgers and randomly performing local musician adds extra zest and layers of attraction to visit such venues.  The traditional Aussie pub though still stands tall, but can face challenges without the tribes gathering pre and post footy games, the family gathering for a wholesome Aussie roast and its truly vital role in the fabric of its local community.

And then in capital cities, Asian run bistros seem to be a  contemporary cornerstone of those RSLs and comparable clubs.  Vietnamese and Chinese operators provide alternative menus to pasta, Wellingtons, schnitzels and salads.

Migrant food has also been hipsterised and hybridised with fusion offerings, contemporary presentations and more use of alternative ingredients.  Outlets offering  such experiences are evolving a unique trend in the development of what foreigners increasingly acknowledge as uniquely Australian.  Drop by a new styled bakery run by Koreans, French and Japanese  here - while we still have access to traditional stuff from the Italians, Lebanese and our grandmother's Aussie cookbooks.

The roadhouse is so important for many remote communities, truckers and tourists out in the Woop-Woop.  It is a petrol station, sandwich bar, souvenir shop, grocery outlet, cafe, toilet stop, rest area and contact point for many both enduring and enjoying the vast, seemingly empty land that is Australia.

Our borders with other countries has been closed for so many months, but we still enjoy the Long Drive within our own state or when varying governments permit, across to other states on this continental island.  Straight roads for many kilometres delightfully surprise our visitors - and also coastal scenic drives, sojourns across farmlands, adventures across deserts or Alpine country.   What most of us agree upon is to avoid traffic jammed scenarios in our capital cities during the so called rush hour - or the increasing high tolls on roads labelled as Connex.

The water source, whether it is a constructed indoor or outdoor pool in suburban hubs, lake or a rock pool along one of our countless beaches, beckons many and perpetuates the influence of water in the life of many Aussies.

Most Aussies still reside within 100 km of its magnificient coasts. Swimming and surfing are anchor sports, whether competitive, recreational or
for exercise, in the fabric of this Great Southern Land.   Not many activities are as physically wholesome, mentally refreshing and rewarding as interacting with water.

Expressing one's self, taking part in public protests and telling a yarn also run through the veins of Aussie history.   At times, the giving of opinions, as overly encouraged by social media channels, politics and so called democratic freedoms, can lead to no action and just talk. The contemporary disease of mixing of facts with diverse views, manipulation of selective truth and aggressive marketing agendas by strong vested interests, has however thrown more than a spanner in this unrelenting confusing cauldron.

The unique spirit of being a larrakin still is very much alive in the Australian character.   However, this can be challenged by some aspects of a rising trend of political correctness which can at times lose this essential quality of humour and humaneness in negotiations, dealings  and various transactions of society.

Australia has always thought itself as the Land of the Fair Go.   Building upon layers of viable cultures, philosophies and traditions, we and our society have special routines, daily regimes and refreshing attitudes, when we zoom in on the beneficial and positive ones.  In the course of a day, each of us can find opportunity to have that healthy breakky, soak in a rewarding outdoor activity, press on with that work challenge, catch up with mates and try that unusual dish down the road.

#yongkevthoughts

Berry NSW Markets 2021

 

Before 9am, the nearby roads are beginning to be full of the parked vehicles of market visitors.

The Berry markets are held monthly on the first Sunday of each month.  Closed during the Covid 19 year until October, it has bounced back with more stalls, predominated by arts and crafts, clothes and fresh produce.

Australian succulents are ground displayed in a region more of bush than urbanity than Big Smoke Sydney. around two hours away by road.   For the price of under a quality cuppa, one can take home something natural with texture and not needing much care.   Several people were observed getting big sized pots with plants that can adorn the pergola, corridor or front door.

A bird bath that looks more like a cooking Wok in a stall with unusual metal craft.   As in any outdoor market, there can be gems to enjoy looking and savouring.   Some are new, some are hard me downs but it is always a pleasurable adventure.

A captivating miniature wind wheel that responds to Nature's moods.

It reminds me of the spirit of the Australian bush and outback, with ingenuity echoed in crafting, practical usage in things installed around the farm and with a background of a blue sky as generous as the the country itself.

A rather stylish version of the coffee cart, based on the caravan lifestyle and in colours that did not escape my eye.   There was only one other barista coffee place in the markets, perhaps alluding to the several fixed venue cafes at the nearby main strip of Berry, which has attractions like crafted fabric and furniture, household gifts, hipster styled burgers and sandwiches, window shopping opportunities, a pub lunch and little malls with unusual products.

Different fresh producers and retailers do turn up at these Berry markets - and I find they can be unique in their offerings.   The standardised quality and variety of produce from supermarket duopoly players has not impressed me, so when I can, it is always a good day out checking out supplies nearer to the source, in all their different shapes, feel and freshness.  There was a hard working young man doing his chores at this veg and fruit stall  - he made sure the laid out produce was arranged properly, refusing their supply and generally keeping an eye on everything else while his colleagues collected payments from customers.

There was a couple specialising mainly in tomatoes of several varieties.   Their wares instinctively looked so much better than what we mostly get in city scares and franchised large stores.  Interesting enough, I could not locate any lemons in any stall that Sunday.   We had nice freshly made mango fruit juice at Common Ground on arrival.  There were not many cooked food outlets in these Berry markets, though there was a friendly Aussie bloke offering samples of Thai food, a couple selling Shanghai dumplings, another couple offering Dutch pancakes and profiteroles and the always there Turkish Gozleme stall. 

The doggie obviously had no interest in getting a sack of organically grown potatoes.   It was very unusual for me to come across stall selling only a single fresh produce.   Good to not come across plastic bags and also a very clean and uncluttered outdoor market, with some measure of social distancing in this Covid age.   Lots of four footed furry pets were seen enjoying a rather sunny outlook on the morning we visited.

The highway south from Wollongong to Shellharbour and Kiama - construction is being carried out to improve this busy thoroughfare leading further down the South Coast of NSW.  It is just over an hour's drive from Wollongong to Berry.

Smaller sized gourmet loaves made by the Common Ground Bakery form inland Picton NSW, near Campbelltown and the start of the Hume Highway to Melbourne and Canberra.   It is common practice for stall holders to come from various parts of Greater Sydney in these bush markets.

Illawarra Coast NSW Revisited

Illawarra Coast NSW - My Surviving Favs

 

On the Illawarra coast, we live a relatively free lifestyle devoid of
severe movement restrictions related to Covid 19.

Eating outlets have been reopened for dine in from July 2020. Fresh produce markets, cafes and supermarkets have witnessed bounce back in business.  There are no caveats on travelling north to Big Smoke Sydney and south, further north or west to regional areas.

So in gratitude, I list the outlets that still operate and carry on the good work they have been doing even before the arrival of the Coronavirus - and which I still drop by   from time to time.

Nowra - The Deli on  Kinghorne.

Berry - Queens Cafe.

Lake Illawarra - Fish and Chips.

Warilla Mall - Baker's Delight and Mitchell's.

Warrawong Westfield - Country Grocer, Fish Feast and the Coffee Emporium.

Figtree - Coles.

Wollongong -  My Lan, Kurtosh, Kinn Thai, Da Orlando, Lagoon, Harbourside, Aqua Cafe, Utopia Cafe and Boston Espresso.

Fairy Meadow - Broken Drum Cafe, Fedora Fresh Pasta, Massimo Papa Patisserrie.

Balgownie - El Nido and Mad Cup Cafe.

Towradgi Beach - Hello Darling Cafe.

Corrimal - Sam's Crusty Bread, Haven Cafe, Manjits.

Woonona - Mountain Meats, Moon Sushi, Three Beans.

Woonona Beach -  Northbreak Cafe.

Bulli - Bulli Seafood and Meats, Timbermill Cafe.

Thirroul -  Black Market Roasters.

#yongkevthoughts

Eating Out in Covid Times

 Eating out since Covid 19 emerged has changed the related flavour, experience and satisfaction - and I am not talking  about the food.

For starters, we are not even sure if the place is open, when we want to go visit.  Many outlets no longer make it a disciplined effort to update on websites their opening hours or when they do close, due to some 24 hour given notice of lockdown authorised by people external to the hospitality industry.

If we then arrive at the venue of an open cafe, restaurant or pop up outlet, we most likely see eager customers patiently lining up outside the door.
They are not in queue to purchase tickets for a good gig (that is rare now) or a fantastic physical reality sale ( online is so convenient now, except for  possible hiccups in the  parcel collection process).

Instead we are subject to mindfulness about social distancing requirements - that ever changing rule on how many square metres we have to be from the nearest human being, or group of strangers also here to get some food.  There can be tape markers on the floor or seats to help us realise this new normal. 

To discourage us spewing our unwanted DNA or simple saliva,  we are to face mask up at any indoor venue - or in this case of munch places, only allowed to remove the contraption when we actually eat.

When we do enter the dining place, we are asked to compromise our personal privacy by using the QR scan code - and no smiling please. 
Even if we want to pull up our own buckstraps of responsibility, the powers that be operating the related phone apps have a rather patchy reputation in having stored data hacked - or just may be relishing in tracking our where abouts for their own discretionary use.

We all want to fight the Covid  - but would it not be easier to not let the Coronavirus breach our borders, not come in to circulate and inevitably not make us commoners run around like headless chickens in trying to comply with ever changing, minutely detailed rules?

The reality is that best public health management can often be superseded by political opportunism, economic priorities and other deserving or not so reasonable precedents, especially when the powers that be exceedingly remind us daily that they are following best medical and scientific advice.

Back to our eating venue - and we finally get a table, precisely placed to not let us be bothered by being too near to people we do not know in this infectious Covid strain age.

There are hand sanitisers placed at the venue - and we appreciate such thoughtfulness.  The success of any anti-Covid measure depends on the management of its weakest points in the process. Here at our table are usually menus that have been used by others, tap water bottles that are shared around and condiment containers that cannot be provided individually.  A few outstanding places are aware of such potential transmission weak points, and take extra careful steps - this is much appreciated and hey, we all have to get practical when we eat out.

Nobody has contracted Covid 19 from consuming food.  It is the environment where food and drinks are served  commercially that increases or decreases infection risks.

Small and tight indoor spaces with poor air circulation are the canaries in the Covid infection coalmine.  Where you see groups huddled together inside venues, the risks increase further.  Add a relaxed atmosphere, where customers let down their guard and understandably have Covid as the last thing on their minds, for a change.

Most Covid outbreaks identified in Australia so far have been caught through leakage from overseas arrivals. The Covid then spreads to household family clusters or in crowded social hubs like pubs and RSL clubs or to vulnerable aged care residents who live in closed up facilities.  Ah yes, infectees who show no Covid symptoms do go to dine in restaurants and Covid jumps over to other customers there.

It is essential to our mental health that we can still dine in at venues, even when some governments are not willing to exterminate Covid. It is vital to small businesses and the economy that eating outlets are allowed to operate with optimal arrangements that benefit both providers and customers. 

#yongkevthoughts

Relaunch of Blog Photos - Look Back at Some Favs

 

When.....

When one takes too long to complete, people lose interest - Brexit.

When politicians lack leadership, consistently project unreasonable and inconsiderate views and actions, without offering viable solutions, the voters switch off - I am sure one will come easily to your mind.

When something negative, random and unknown arrives too fast, our protective and aggressive instincts are provoked - bushfires.

When trivia is stumped by emerging dangers posed through things we take for granted, like airtravel, hugging and eating out - emotional episodes of celebrities.

When your government asks you to pay for rescuing you - it dilutes loyalty, or we must consider our government has run out of money, or run out of money prioritising funding to others, or pork barelling to their fav constituents in a "democracy."

When you can get charged for such a wide range of prices for basic things, you know you live in a haggler's market that makes no sense of the real value of things - electricity, gas, wi-fi, pharmaceutical and health funds.

When you ask for an anti virus mask and am emphatically given a pollution protection face cup - Dah.

When our private data are being utilised behind our backs and there is no daily market price for such data - Doh.

When we are given peanuts in exchange for our treasures, that is exploitation of the weak by the strong - Meh.

When the fortnightly recycling bin is not fully disposed by the contracted collector - try again, Laddie.

When we get an overload of information - social media.

#yongkevthoughts

A Sort of Christmas Message

CHRISTMAS 2019

My long time gardener, Glenn, has moved on to different pursuits.   I have cut down the stocks at my home food pantry  - in fact, I even managed to change my 

day-to-day nutrition, on a consistent basis, for some time now.    There seems to be more choice in contemporary society, but it has not meant a rise in in the quality of what has been offered.   The fish in my home tank are weary hardy, continuing to do their swims, both horizontal wise and vertically, providing me, still, with some measure of inspiration.

The 90 minute long commute by train to the Sydney Basin gets increasingly crowded.  Some commuters selfishly continue to prevent others from sitting next to them on three seat rows.  Those who deserve seats for a rather long commute have to stand or ask the more able to move over.   Occasionally, there are signs of human civility in public but ethical standards are lowering or people are not talking at all to each other but staring at their portable screens.

Such train rides are useful real life laboratories that showcase the best or worst of human behaviour.

I still drop by to visit specific neighbours once a week, maintaining our friendship face to face.   Mates observe that there is more gusto in my step.   There have been scandals and minor dramas in my resident village, but such is the vibe of human habitation.    Yet there is so easy communication with the world beyond my village.

Once again, I came across iced landscapes, hazy skies and little rainfall.   Bondi,Watsons Bayand North Sydney returned to my life with getaways and chill outs with good mates.   I loved walking at twilight at these places, feeling the outdoors, appreciating the changing ambiance and enjoying the company.

The persistent ageing of infrastructure in my adopted city was punctuated by the opening of a gleaming new metro line not far from my previous suburb, but it can still be disheartening to have to put up with the quality of the rest of public facilities.     Public toilets are not kept clean, a shame that Australian attitudes bear when compared to what we find in Japan, Singapore and China.  What a visitor first sees – the airport, main rail stations and roadsides with litter for example - can be embedded in their impressions no matter what the related excuse is.   

Eating out has cost more this past year, no matter what the inflation statistics issued by Canberra tell me.   What was originally street food is now charged by some at exorbitant prices. There are more barista styled cafes in the Illawarra  - does that mean there are more coffee drinkers?   

Restaurants that are not top class can still put up minimum spend requirements on customers. Specific eating outlets, churning out food that are not particularly inspiring, can still impose limits on the length of time you occupy a table, as the owners insist on having three revenue sessions per evening.   Yum charestaurant cashiers can unashamedly ask for tips when you pay the bill.   Wait staff can carry fancy laptops to take your order but may not be sufficiently well trained when interacting with customers.   The personal space between meal tables can get too close when operators pay expensive rents.   China town in Haymarket is dominated by other demographics and cuisine  - no longer Cantonese.    The food business is still pockmarked by underpayment to staff, lots of hype and high rental costs.

Commercial food in parts of the Sydney Basin became more East Asian, highlighted by such exotics like Mala Tang(spicy numbing soups) and more outlets of bubble tea and Taiwan dessert.    I seem to consume more east Asian, Greek and Italian culinary instead of my intended favourites of Spanish,  Sri Lankan and Serbian.     Oh yes, there were several occasions of savouring those Portuguese custard tarts and sashimi.

Hong Kong Palace, first Cantonese restaurant of some standard in my region closed down after several months.   There have been recent closures of my other fav restaurants  - Botolliin Burwood, Cornersmithin Marrickville, Sha Keein Woollaware, Costa Azzurain Fairy Meadow.     Yet at the same time, I rediscovered the inherent joys of crafted cheese in Sydney’s Shire, fusion at BillsBondi, contemporary styled Korean bakeries in Eastwood and home cooking.

Has the outside world become more risky and dangerous?   Every generation of Earth time has faced its peculiar set of scenarios.  Mankind may have been good at bettering technology, but has to improve in acting beyond both individual and collective selfish egos and narrow mindsets.   Every news event can be boiled down to this inherent cause.    We are not unique, we are just an animal species that got real lucky in competition with other life forms.  

The balance of power amongst nations has shifted.  Managing this optimally requires visionary leadership, sufficient time and new ideas.   Perhaps the more things change, the more remains the same.   May I wish you and family the best of this festive season.

Kindly Yours,

Kevin Yong 

If You Are Relocating

As the contemporary world offers continued mobility, physical entry across national borders also face increasing restrictions. Yet technology frees up such constrictions across the world while at the same time provides greater control within a country.

The human spirit thrives on migration - across economic, spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political and military platforms.

On the cusp of 2020, would you leave where you have grown up or stayed for so long to move to another part of the world?

Would you consider relocating to a so called remote part of Earth, seemingly far from most of humankind's problems, or still prefer to be close to world centres of activity?

We see that the apple falls near the tree, but so do lemons. Centuries of human attachment to a place of heritage, whether as an individual or community, are still challenged by the vibes, reality and consequences of invasion, discrimination, oppression and economic disadvantage.

If you had to select a different nation to move to in the next 12 months, what criteria would you utilise?

1. Economic opportunity and improvement at the personal and family level.

2. A more innovative mindset in business, education and social order.

3. Less chance of personal involvement in warfare.

4. Less risks of experiencing violence in the community, whether through better social relationships, less access to weapons or due to better cultural bonds.

5. Better quality of health care.

6. Relevance to the preferred cultural and religious environment.

7. Higher emphasis on kindness, shared values and pastoral care in society.

8. Lifestyle requirements, for example, in choice of climate, more urbanised environments, countryside access, eco friendly regimes or commuting arrangements.

9. The level of personal expression and rights as allowed by authorities.

10. The pace of social infrastructure developments and responsiveness in community affairs.

11. Continuing relationship with and access to original country.

12. The quality of technological facilities and enablers.

#yongkevthoughts

That Hand Held Device

Do we change smart phone, computer and electronic screen models and pads more often than our smartest wardrobe?

At the end of each calendar year, the major electronic screen device makers launch new models, new shows, new buzz.    Software and App providers add more fancy and content to ensure we require more operating power and capacity to run them.   Screen devices have become more useful to capture, send and store images rather than be used for oral communication. 

Don't we text or image more than talk to other people in our daily lives?  Each of us listens more attentively to the ting from a software App than from a telephone ring. 

We cannot help to check our electronic devices several times a day, as we store and rely more on that hand held gadget more than on a physical folder, the desktop or our bag.   We can access daily used information on that small device that increasingly costs more than the rate of inflation each year.   When we travel, we only need a passport and a mobile phone  - the travel ticket, money wallets and any other documentation are electronically stored on that hand held screen.

When we cross barriers, whether they are airport checks or transport fares, increasingly all we need to do is tap with our smart phone.  So called Millennials do not pack much when they roam, around the world on business or leisure  - and demand more enabling screen devices.   Commercial businesses do not ask for paper copies, only screen versions.

Human kind loves to adopt the fusion of our flesh, blood and mind to artificial intelligent machines, not just for health, but for all aspects of the life cycle - buying, selling, entertainment, communication, mobility, hired help, financial transactions and more.

We do rely more on the energy needed to run Apps, bluetooth, Wi-Fi and linking the internet of things.   

Do we pause to think about the resources utilised to make new models, new equipment and new features?

What happens to the increasing mountain of discarded models, some as new as only two years old?

It is more captivating and fun to check the contents of your hand held device than to go through a file of papers. 

#yongkevthoughts

Lurking Dangers In Over Using Cyberspace

There is nothing free for convenient access to Apps and information from the Web.

Something is taken by us inevitably for something else seemingly so amazingly without cost.

How much of yourself are you willing to give up, and how much of this can come back to bite you?    It is not just privacy, integrity, dependency, addiction and vulnerability that we are at risk of. There are health risks with over use of eyes and slack posture when dealing with mobile and desktop devices.

Human invented tech and devices have shown a long track record of being abused and misused, apart from bringing benefits.    The inter-connectivity of various smart devices can amplify the risks arising from just using one. 

On the other hand, it is not a zero sum game between us individuals and the powers that rule us in cyberspace.   The latter obviously make use of us, but how can we make use of them as well?   As with any danger, the first step is to realise and acknowledge. 

Then comes the greatest risk of all, to do nothing on our part. I observe users and the media continue to wallow in known risks, but carry on irregardless of the progress of the dangers posed. 

We continue to add more Apps, get reminders to update systems, rely on data tracking websites in our daily lives and get distracted by fancy gadgets which can work on the basis that they did not fully tell us the truth.

Our individual relaxation, commercial and usage patterns begin to be controlled by forces we normally do not want to be acquainted with.  Just like news of drug busts by authorities, the frequency of data hacking on a massive scale shows that reported incidents are really just the tip of the iceberg of events.   

Don't you want back a world which does not know so much of your identity, inner thoughts, activities and joy? 

Don't you want a world where aggressive, greedy and fraudulent intentions cannot continue so much to exploit you?

I have read unrequited, unnecessary, sensational and divisive comments, information and feedback on social media.   

A good first step in responding to this dangerous world is to moderate use of the mechanisms by which we are being exploited.

Use less Apps, less internet search engines, less storage mechanisms that deliver convenience but can disappear in the Cloud.   Always back up critical and significantly important data elsewhere in non-digital form.

Diversify your usage, storage, identity and communication activity across all fronts and do not put all your proverbial eggs in one basket. Over dependence can lead to obsession and higher risks.

Balance your lifestyle away from over interactions with machines, artificial intelligence and robots to deal more with humans and Nature.

Increase the use of your own brain, thinking and intelligence in various aspects of your own life.

Increase your self realisation and recognition of hype in the promotion of more products, newer models and temporary fun on a regular basis.

Where possible, go direct to the source of information and assistance. Be wary of middle parties and brokers lurking in cyberspace.

Get more healthy sensations elsewhere instead of overly depending on wi-fi. 

Feel the love of your pet, look up to the sky, just talk with family and friends face to face or learn a craft, instead of constantly just pressing our thumbs on electronic devices.

Plant something natural, watch it grow and enjoy its harvests. 

I assure you the experience can be better than keeping track of the number of likes on an App.

Always be mindful that cyberspace tech is a tool to be utilised by us - and not the other way around.


#yongkevthoughts