Consequences of More Self Service

 Self servicing will reign supreme, unless you pay a fee for what we take for granted now.

When customers process their own transactions on line or in physical reality, any mistakes made, honest or not honest, will place the onus of responsibility back on to them.

The place of interaction between customer and service will be minimised with human interaction.
It can be cheaper to use Artificial Intelligence or other software to communicate with the customers. It implies a much less need to set up physical offices, shops and presence. Beware the commercial real estate industry!

Businesses earn more revenue by offering service for extra fees charged.  This can be already seen in the contemporary arrangements of having to stack up so many frequent flyer points to be eligible  to enter an airline lounge waiting for a flight.

There is no such thing as a free lunch to access the airline lounge - you already pay annual fees and in money to convert to points at a ridiculously low rate.  It may feel free to you if your business or employer pays for your annu al credit card charges, airfare and reward points.  Current frequent flyer credit cards on offer in the market require the holder to minimum spend within 3 months,  thousands of expense money to be charged to the cards, before they are eligible for the promised many points.

So this premium service I cite above, as coming from airlines and participating credit card issuers, can be compared to the masses
having to pay extra charges for normal transactions in the future.

In Australia, I notice some elderly
people can be enjoying much needed social chats at the counter in supermarkets, post offices, newsagents and when physically pay their bills.  The quality of their mental and social health can be negatively impacted if they cannot do this anymore. Would this group pay a fee to have this continued pleasure?

Even before the 21st century began, customers have sensed a deterioration of service when making complaints for poor or under performing service.  Customers are put on hold for long periods on the phone before they get any commencement of any help.
Chatbots on apps want to help you, you have to write everything as if we cannot speak and then even a resolution to our problem is not forthcoming.  In the near future, if I want to speak to a live human being to sort out problems regarding my purchase, I will have to pay an extra fee.

Will the price of goods and services be any better, when we have to self transact, self service and self manage?   I do not reckon so - underlying reasons like the lack of labour, supply chain logistics, materials in short supply, the decreasing exchange value of currency and so forth will be cited as reasons.

If true, will these predictions cause a backlash in the mindsets of customers when dealing with providers? 

Will new business oppprtunities be created to service customers who will pay brokers to help them?

Go reckon.

#yongkevthoughts

Street Food Revisited

 Street food, with whatever label you call it, is the core of cultural dynamics you encounter in any society.  They are what is daily eaten and drunk by the populace, mostly without any pretension or hype, tending to true sentiments of a lifestyle not tainted by high margins, expensive rents and temporary fads. 

Inflation has spiked - and street food preparation, labour supply, venue rentals and pricing have all been shaken to the core.  Even the record, of rather stabilised prices of hawker food in the sanitised food courts of the Republic of Singapore, has been affected.  Access to ethnically diverse food in major cities of Australia and New Zealand have put us pause in our tracks with smaller sized servings and price hikes averaging 25 per cent. 

Culinary history follows the path of socio-economic evolution in the community.  Increased mobility, facilitated by better technology and higher standards of living, encourages experimentation, cross cultural influences and changing demands from the dining consumer.

No one society increasingly can claim to be the 

exclusive owner of a specific dish.

Even the setting for us to partake street food has been changing.

Smashed is the stereotype of eating street food with us exposed to the elements, risking a dodgy level of hygiene and soaking in an exotic atmosphere.  Most of us do not have to go through the Khao San Road Bangkok vibes or sit on those ridiculous low rise stools in Saigon.

We can eat our street food in air conditioned comfort in Shanghai, London or Vancouver. 

Still there can be nothing like trying hawker food in the perceived chaos beside a busy street in Havana, Kinhasa or Napoli.  We keep our wits sharp and senses stimulated downing our coffee, watching out for much talked about bag snatchers and making sure we have not been ripped off looking as obvious tourists. 

There is nothing like having ramen seated along a rather narrow counter with salarymen, punk haired youngsters and elderly pensioners in Tokyo.  Many recommended street food outlets are literally off the street, most likely locating their exact spot only after successfully navigating the rabbit warren of lanes and cubicles. 

Street food is more freshly prepared, massages our nostrils better and does taste better when we sit not far from the cook.  The roti, teh tarik and curry has more flavour when we see them created right in front of us.  Whether it is in Marrakesh, Delhi or Kuala Lumpur, the syncophany* of the street level can be incomparable. 

On an expensive cruise ship buffet, private tour or self managed adventurous track, the basic principles of choosing and consuming street food can be simple.  Avoid raw food or cooked ones which has been sitting out exposed to sunlight, pollution and dodgy handling.  What can be handled by local stomachs does not mean they also suit us.  Try to take small portions for variety.  The ingredients used in Melbourne can be much better than those utilised in other cities. 

Authentic street food is not naturally accompanied by wine, no matter what Michelin and Tatler may pronounce.  The best modus operandi when in a produce market or local eatery is to first observe, apply choices seen to your gut inkling and speak to any friendly diners. 

Partaking of street food is basically one of snacking.  Several times we realise there is no place to sit down, takeaway packaging is flimsy and we have to use our hands to best relish such food.   When touring, we may not have the numbers, financial or diners, to order every thing we want.  Pocket tissues are handy, especially popular in east and south east Asia. 

There are distinctive, delightful and unique street food servings in every nation. East Canadian Poutine, Portuguese preserved cod, dried camel meat, indigenious Australian bush tomatoes or South African Biltong come to mind - life is to be lived fully, try everything untasted of yet before at least once. 

Authentic street food around the world usually requires payment in cash -  this implies crumpled notes and a heavy load of coins.  No tipping is obviously called for in such places.  You have no chance to tap your smart phone or plastic credit card - and you do not want to anyway. 

One who goes for street food anywhere also enters a world unseen from a hotel restaurant, allows you to better understand the people and it opens doors to other perspectives. 

Language can be yet a challenging but delightful interim barrier, but hey, most societies do use English, perhaps not in selected communities and even migrant enclaves in Western cities.  Some street food stall holders can cling on to conservative attitudes of not wanting them or their food to be photographed. 

Street food reproduced by migrants in their settled countries can taste different from their nations of origin.  Usually they cost more than the same dishes in their hometowns. Street food can however remain precious to immigrants, part of the pyschological comfort required when they find themselves far removed from family and the hometown. 

Street food reproduced at airports do cost more and taste less.  Several Asian airlines include their iconic street food dishes as part of the on board menu.  

For me, one of the most memorable experiences of street food was discovering Teochew styled roast goose at a popular one-person stall in the thick and thin of the morning markets at Shantou on the southern coast of Guangdong Province.   The cooked meat hung seductively, language used was Mandarin for which I am not well versed with and the serving area kept rather clean.  Using hand signals and eye contact, the seller and I developed an optimal exchange.  The latter had a good demeanour, even if he was real busy and I enjoyed a social exchange away from the plasticised environment of street food outlets elsewhere.  Every bite of the yummy roast goose was savoured with gratefulness. 

#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 

More Than A Train Ride

Yesterday afternoon, I had a most unexpected catch up with an ex colleague on the train from Sutherland.

It was positively delightful. It was encouraging. We smiled.

We eased off our own separate individual concerns for the day. It was something that money cannot buy.

Fortunately it was not a quiet carriage that we were sitting in.

Scott and I quickly got in to easy conversation, even if we have not caught up for a few years. We talked of over coming challenges that crop up inevitably in our career and personal timelines. 

I learned how Scott transformed and changed whatever recent lemons were thrown his way. He spoke of how his young family adapted and supported the things he had to do to navigate from a discouraging environment to one where now he finds he can optimally practise his professional passion with engaging work team members and bosses.

He had to make sacrifices along the way but he never wavered. On a 50 minute train ride, I was inspired, moved and became stronger myself. What positive building energy was he transferring to me...

We do unexpectedly meet angels in surprising forms. I have learnt more than ever to not take such encounters for granted. They can fly in and touch your inner heart when I was not expecting any thing uplifting.

Throughout it all, I was reminded of the personal strengths and inner attitudes that Scott always possessed, from the first day I got to know him. Life is a journey for each of us to navigate, but it is made better by people like him.

Landline, Mobile and Video Telephony

Landline is on the way out.

I am told the NBN infrastructure in Australia does not optimally support fixed line telephones as well as the previous arrangements we have had since the invention and installation of the house phone.

Retro phones are sold in decreasing prices and are destined to go the way of the compact disc, television set and analogue media. At least, however, to replace them involves paying less than buying a new smart mobile phone.

The old fashioned phone does not need to be recharged regularly in order to function. It even has a back up battery until the day the NBN contractors arrived at your abode - now you have to cough up replacing with a new battery as the NBN has disenabled the previous back up battery that was working fine.

Both landline and mobile phones are subject to nuisance calls, hacking, fraud and pesty commercial sales. Every human communication opportunity is utilised by the so called slick oily sales person, the threatener, the deranged, the opportunist and the tricky mind. They can turn up at your door, infiltrate through your electronic and digital transactions or place a pesky virus to destroy or manipulate your data. So in the perspective and attitude of such parties, the phone is only a mechanism to possibly deprive your comfort of privacy, sense of integrity and steal your money.

Everyone would recall those irritating landline telephone calls around dinner time,  after you reckon you deserve a rest and quiet time after a long day at work or business. Millennials may not feel the obligation to answer every phone call, but baby boomers on the other hand grew up in an age when one was supposed to be civillised when speaking on the phone.

Fraudsters, trouble makers and the not so pyschologically stable can take advantage of this presumption of civility on the part of people who pick up their ringing phone. However, the negative experience of being on the unpleasant end of nonsense, prank, spam and fraudster calls has made telephone owners more cautious.

Would you pick up calls with unknown or unshown or private numbers? What do you think of pre-recorded messages blaring at your ear when you answer a call? How would you react trying to listen and understand foreign accents on the phone when you did not initiate the call?

With smart phones, you can report, block and prevent the hassling caller from calling again. You may not be able to do that with the landline telephone. In the latter scenario, you most likely do not even know the phone number of the person who has dialled you, unless your fixed base phone supports a number identification ability.   Underlying this experience, a primary matter remains not satisfactorily answered by the Government and the telcos  - who the heck gave access to my phone number?   Even registering one's telephone number in a Government initiative of "don't call me" does not mean a prankster cannot call through.

And then there are Skype, Facetime and other easily accessible video interaction calls. They can be more intimate, revealing and effective, as one can evaluate non verbal behaviours of the participants, apart from the use of the tone of voice. People tend to be on a better countenace profile using such a combined video and voice communication channel.

The average cost of making an international phone call is often higher from a landline. There is also the reduced accessibiliry of phoning from a landline if you are not near this phone.  On the orher hand, voice over the internet protocol calls have significantly reduced call costs.

Concurrently, it is also interesting to note the relative combinations of text versus voice messages. That is why the mobile phone provides a plethora of apps other than just serving as a voice conduit and exchange. In the process, our privacy has been more invaded, compromised and degraded more than when we just held a landline telephone.

#yongkevthoughts

Comforts of Cooking and Culinary

Cooking for the week. Ya, I like my chicken on the bone and all those spices.
Yet I still relish the best apple pie I had last night at an invite.

The diversity in Australia makes access to various culinary styles so taken for granted. The overload of information from cookbooks, family and the net means one just makes time to try recipes and not excuses. The variety of ingredients available in capital cities just require passion and detail to undertake personal and community journeys in cooking.

I can ask neighbours, relatives and friends for understanding better the nuances in better cooking various styles.

One can then deeply appreciate the techniques, interplay of catefully chosen ingredients that affect the final outcome and the fun experienced in this respect.

You can choose authentic, fusion or contemporary. Dishes are created in a continuum and are never static. Usually when someone nice reveals an extra step or ingredient in making their cooking stand out, I try to reason about the cause and effect of such detail.

So when you dine out, it is not only your taste sensory you activate but also your mind and heart trying to work out how the dish turned out. 

It can be the cut of the veg or meat. It may be both pan frying and then baking in the oven. Some times, it is easier to figure out a dessert or baked item than unravelling the intricacies of a good sauce.

All the while we learn better the cooking philosophy of the chef or our home host.

Cooking at home also means you know better what you are eating. In the perspective of things, culinary creations support the bigger picture of experience - socially, business wise or with the family. 

The aroma from well placed ingredients being cooked gives each of us a sense of well being and satisfaction far removed from feeding our hunger. Good food provides an extra dimension of elegance, civility and purposeful meaning, all well above fulfiling a basic need.

When dishes prepared with passion and detail are also well presented, we should approach them with even more gratitude.

The State of the Commonwealth - Australia

It was not long ago......in the hundred years after Federation, a freshly minted nation thrived on discovery of resources, development of its unique character, defence against intrusive forces, dedication to family, disengagement from old ideas and dedication to lifestyle.

Yet at the same time, underlying dark currents persisted which continue to this day. There is the debacle of not sufficiently and positively engaging with the people of mankind's oldest surviving culture. The land and what else Nature provides has been incessantly exploited with mineral and other resource extraction, without a significant degree of human value add. Small scale farming face challenges to survive. Vast spacious interiors, mostly empty, have been cited as to why we cannot do this or that to compete or compare with more dynamic overseas initiatives. Costs remain high in labour, things get done slower and there is a distinct lack of will to achieve better. Why stress when the waters of the blue ocean bid you to slow down?

Yet music and sports leapt in talent to define Australia ahead of most other countries per capita. Dilution of Anglo culture was inevitable after World War 2 - and this is also a nation located geographically closer to Asia and the South Seas than to Europe. This denial bubble did indeed burst with the rise in economic power of Japan, India and China. Opening the country to more Asians and Middle Easterners in the 21st century has changed the character of capital cities.

Demonstration of union rights in the past has transformed into actions for political correctness, in giving a fairer go for many selective groups oppressed in the past. The devolution of the past in Australian society arrangements, structures and conventions means heading into an transitional environment which can spell discomfort and delusion for some and yet determination and distinguished opportunity for others.

Yet disdain for political behaviour and poor leadership has increased. While a whole diversity of culinary delights are made available by multi-culturism, there has been a rising debacle in the inadequacy of infrastructure and pricing to meet the rising demands of bigger populations. The myth of affordable housing has been debunked for many young couples, along with a reasonable cost of living for everyone. The deescalation of standards in consumer service, privacy protections and compliance practice can make policy and regulation seem ignored. The spectre of a widespread gambling mindset and addiction amongst the population does rear its ugly head.

Depersonalisation has increased in many aspects of Aussie life. Personal drug dependency, electronic screen obsession, domestic violence at home and destabilising driver behaviour on the roads has disturbingly increased - just watch and hear the media. Fitness levels have decreased with the rise of obesity, sitting for too long and the decluttering of good nutrition habits.

Corruption has been escalated by older adults at the same time that quality learning by youngsters has not been maintained. The volume of passengers on aircraft and cruise ships descending on to Australian borders can be described as both delightful for business and disturbing for border controls. More narcotics come in with greater impunity.

Religious practices in Australia are observed in a more variety of beliefs but there is also a marked increase in the numbers belonging to the atheist denomination. There is also a widening divide between the very rich and the middle class. Getting a university degree does not differentiate a young person much anymore, as universities churn out increasing numbers of graduates whilst key innovative skills for the future have not been invested in. Baby boomers live longer with new implications for this demographic. Social support structures that are no longer viable need to be reviewed. 

There has been a lack of positive and unifying matters for Australians of various backgrounds to be passionate about. We are figuratively still paddling our national canoe perhaps a bit drifting between our actual past and potential future.

Despite the disparate variety of challenges, Australia continues to drive on. If you believe the official statistics, its economy has not stopped growing since 1992. The blue sky over this continental island is an envy for most populations in the Northern Hemisphere.

There is this opportunity to still make the most of Australia's unique position, assets and advantage in a changing world - as long as it does not continue to selll its family heirlooms, rest on its laurels and allow personal greed deemphasise its national advantage. As a society, it can stop too much distracting chatter and just carry out more actions to resolve key issues.

Australia is called to redefine, be more determined and get less distracted.

#yongkevthoughts

Australia Snapshot

In the week leading to the 2 July 2016 nation wide elections, the net debt incurred by Australia has hit the one trillion Aussie Dollars mark.

The interbank interest rate, the basis that determines the cost of borrowing and lending money, is at its historical low of 1.75 per cent per annum. In contrast, the average property prices have never before been so high, especially in the capital cities.

Australia as a nation in its history has never been so diverse in demographics, cuisine and social culture. Most of its population still live within 50 km to the sea. Its total population still pales in comparison to its Asian neighbours. 

The income divide between rich and not so rich is at its widest, eroding further the relative socio-economic equity of its past. Increasing inability is not just observed by individuals and families in buying a home, but in sustaining the cost and access to health care, quality education, child and aged care.

Traffic bottlenecks have risen in intensity at rush hour in capital cities. The pace of infrastructure renewal is slower than in China due to financial, political and environmental constraints. The average wifi delivery speed continues to lag behind most nations.

The underlying dynamics and interaction between conservatism and liberalism - and between the genders - continue to significantly play out in contentious micro issues of the day.

Domestic violence, drug and gambling addictions, selective political correctness, increasing corruption and institutional abuses committed in the past seem to dominate the news. The inability of various levels of government to balance their budgets continue to grow.

Yet sporting traditions continue to flourish, together with a high level of personal freedoms. This is against a backdrop of rising obesity, emerging threats to personal security and obsession with social media - echoing what is happening in many parts of the world.

Aussies must not take for granted the enjoyment of wide open spaces, untainted environments and a rather enviable sense of well being. Gratefulness can add to having more of that elusive factor called happiness.

Gatherings and Parties

Party time, and what to lay out to sustain, distract and amuse? Perhaps for a start, lay out bite-sized fruit slices, crispy nuts and the always appreciated cheese platter. Walnuts, apricots, chestnuts and more, even if they are not for Christmas. More healthy choices to nibble whilst holding a conversation - and a drink. Carving knives, napkins, biscuits and plates all add to the presentation (image above).

The choice of drinks depends on the crowd and purpose of event. Are they all twenty somethings, or older blokes thinking of the pub? We either settle for the optimal denominator, or attempt something special. We do not want staff members to break rules of the applicable code of conduct at end of year parties. At the same time, in this day and age, we may not want to be stiff upper lips at informal house gatherings. If we want some people to impress others, that has to be handled sensitively. Maybe Italian bottled mineral water is best, with less health issues. a bit of elegance and more common sense. Are we encouraging the party goers to help themselves, or is there someone to serve and mix the drinks?

Provide one stand-out serving item - with youngsters, sausage rolls from a reputable bakery (image below) ; with Gen X, vodka and seafood platter; with baby boomers, caviar and champagne. That will set the tone, the rest are to grace the table, the occasion and the conversation. We must be conscious not to detract from the purpose of the occasion, whether it is a reunion of family or good mates, a networking possibility or a business function, a birthday or an anniversary.

Allow an exotic element to the menu, not just as variety, but to make guests get out of any comfort zone. Celebrate the story behind the preferred item, be it be an unusual birthday cake, moon cakes from East Asia (image below) or Vegemite from Australia. Allow party goers to get out of their comfort zone in a positve way, when their minds and spirits are already loosened up.

It can break the ice in conversation between prior strangers, meeting up for the first time. Most important of all, enjoy the pace and party mood!

Gathering at Pennant Hills NSW

The event was hosted by Jana and Slyvia Teoh, together with other members of the extended Teoh family in Sydney, NSW.

Tastes of Shanghai and Jogjakarta

"Dan dan noodles" I read, and that menu item caught my eye. I was initially wary of such noodles; in the past, my experience of them had been bland. Then I recalled that they can be freshly made, as an alternative to the packaged versions you find in Asian groceries all around the world. My group of six went for it. When the noodles arrived at our table in a piping hot bowl, the noodles proved al dente and the accompanying soup, ala Shanghai, was chili hot enough to refresh ,but not overwhelmingly so.

We were in A Taste of Shanghai, which has outlets in both Eastwood and Chatswood, northern suburbs of the greater Sydney area. The Eastwood joint was a busy place that evening, but poor engagement with customers by its staff members, who were not very well trained in handling queues of waiting and hungry diners, did not help. Nevertheless the food made up for this initial teething matter. I was satisfied with the key dishes chosen -
twice cooked pork belly; man tou buns served with a relish; and the deep fried barramundi, done in sweet and sour gravy. The place was, as expected, noisy, but not reflective of mainstream Australian society, in that most diners were of Chinese origin.

South of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Hui's Mum, Mu Lan, had just arrived at the domestic airport, from Melbourne. I could not resist taking the opportunity for the three of us to try out Ayam Goreng 99, located along Anzac Parade in Kingsford, about fifteen minutes drive from the airport. Run by Indonesian Chinese from Java, its signature dishes are both grilled and roasted chicken (wings, breasts, thighs and so forth). I singled out the satay to taste, but the skewers came served with a peanut butter concoction, and not with the lemon grass flavoured peanuty sauce available in Malaysia. Also disappointing were the ice durian and coconut juice flavoured drinks, a far cry from what is served at the joints along Liang Seah Street in the Bugis precinct of Singapore.

The belacan kangkong is recommended. The spinach was sweet and lightly stir fried, with the chili and dried shrimp condiment not overpowering. I was eyeing the bakmie, equivalent to the egg noodles of south China garnished with meat slices and aromatic ingredients. Instead we ordered the fried rice special (nasi goreng in Indonesian), which was thoroughly made with the right amount of wok heat, intense sauce and a topping of an egg omelette.

The Art Of Transiting

This month, a few good mates made the decisive move in jobs, notching up another step in their career, and once that was decided and done, that act infused and determined lifestyles, environments and people in their wake. Whether they moved from region to city, region to region, or one primary skill to another, each one of these mates shall have a different choice of breakfast, commuting style, working culture, networking and social opportunities, choice of the Friday pub, money at hand and subtle but sure influences downstream.

We are often told that one of the certain things in life is change. Things may transform, people come and go, or business, weather and economy undergo dynamic changes in cyclic patterns. What is reassuring personally are more reliable and constant principles that underpin the movements in time, age and experience.

Hot things shall cool down and vice-versa.
Reflect on Nature, weather patterns and the share market. What is significant is how we respond and react, or do nothing, to each of such events. Most of them are beyond our personal control. It is also what we make of it, preferably in a positive way.

There is depravity behind a rude stare.
Appearances can create perceptions, perceptions can mean reality. The literal "rude stare" from specific individuals can be a mask, to uncover shortcomings, misunderstandings and diversions. They can be a cry for help, or maybe not. My approach is not to embrace rude stares or behaviour, and allow such things to just remain with the rude person. Reaffirm your own ethics, strengths and principles in the face of such behaviour from others.

It’s a supply chain - people who make use of you will one day be used by others.
It is simply the nature of karma or what Justin Timberlake snappily puts it in the lyrics of one of his tracks - what goes around comes around. Maybe it can all be due to one significant variable - timing.

Always have a back up plan.
Life can be a smorgasbord - the essential freedom is to have more choices and to liberate your self from the realities of that supply chain. It's all very handy to know you are continually building up options, have access to reserves (not just money) and do enjoy a variety of things to do.

Donate something of yourself.
It need not be big, just regular and sincere - but make sure you enjoy giving that. It need not be material. Go plant a seed for some one's future, some cause and some community. Plant many seeds, and when you get going, never look back.

Position yourself at the right time in whatever you do.
Time is what we use and can never have back. Timing is what we anticipate and wisely identify, and can springboard to a good return - not just physically, but in terms of the heart, soul and smile.

Reaffirm the true things that matter.
Like comfort and soul food, each of us have reliable mainstays and pillars in life, that nourish, nurture, enrich and protect our hearts. The true things that count propels us to look forward each morning, test our decisions made throughout and cushion our joy and satisfaction each evening. It is the source of our inner glow, makes us forget the sweat and sweetens the proverbial deal. They can include progressing gradually to realise an ambition, or just as simple as doing the daily cooking and gardening. It can be just putting the trust and loyalty behind a true mate near or far.

Ignore the self-obsessed parade.
We do come across individuals who may look grunt and are convinced that the world revolves for them only. Call them competitive, controlling or clinging. Such people engage us only to serve their selfish agendas. No one is born like that, and their previous moderate selves have been changed by delusional processes of greed, ego and excess. I minimise my encounters with or avoid them like the proverbial plague.

It will not matter beyond tomorrow.

Our emotional and thought system can be instinctively geared to want to query, articulate, analyse, react and resolve matters as soon as we can. This is so required, when as gatherers and hunters, in the early history of mankind, we were literally facing the lion up front and the lack of food beyond tomorrow. In today's sophisticated and high-tech society and interactive systems, in terms of human relations, it is useful to selectively utilise the wisdom of the sages. I stand back and consciously ask myself, will this be still important in a month's or a year's time?

Let time prove otherwise.

When asked unreasonable questions, smile and say nothing. Individuals may ask such matters out of jest, aggression or with sincerity. True friends will understand our silence or provide us the comfort of replying, but we owe no answer to people who do not care for us. The proof of anything is in patience and integrity.

A Reunion At Carlingford

A classic serving of the nasi lemak, moving clockwise, first with tamarind flavoured prawns (top foreground); kari kapitan served with deboned chicken; sweet and crunchy Lebanese cucumber slices; crackling roast pork; and half a hard boiled egg.

Stir fried glass noodles (tung hoon) provided in a hot pot with broccoli, mushrooms and more ( image below) and an ever popular snack plate of crunchy and stimulating roast pork bites (image above).

Nasi lemak, a favourite traditional breakfast item in south-east Asia, is steamed with the light filtered milk of fresh coconuts and flavoured with the fragrances of pandanus leaves. Above image, a bowled serving of the aromatic rice,served on banana leaf patch, stands ready to be savoured with a dash of chili hot curry, crunchy anchovy bites, pickled vegetables (acar), roast chicken and /or roasted peanuts.

All images on this entry were taken from the kitchen of Susan and Boo Ann Yap, Sydney.

Musings and Rumblings

The customer queues on weekends were consistently long on previous occasions when I came across this dessert joint. The operators offered an array of Taiwanese-styled concoctions in Sydney's Chinatown, obviously standing out amongst the variety of food, snacks and dining experiences. I wondered what made people wait patiently for the stuff offered inside. I do enjoy a cuppa of hot smoked tea, but not so much the tapioca filled pearls in bubble tea choices that this place seemed to thrive on.

The cafe had a series of short steps before you arrived at its sales counter and limited sitting area. On a rainy day, I chanced upon these same steps without anyone waiting on them. I walked in and with a relish, ordered a red bean based dessert with piping hot tea. I had expectations. My opinion, on actually being able to taste two representative products from this place, fell short of those built up perceptions - but they were still okay and did keep me warm, whilst watching the version of the London Eye through the cafe's rain-blury windows. I reflected, building up hype in a business may be useful in the short term, but as in any thing in life, it is necessary to follow up strongly in reality and consistent delivery.

An elderly lady, though with a walking stick, was steadily making her way to the entrance of the Bankstown Sports Club, located in Sydney's south-west. She offered me a smile when I opened the manual entrance doors to let her come in first. I noted her enthusiasm as she approached the club with an obvious intent - there was no doubt she was going to spend an enjoyable afternoon there. The thought crossed me, how we spend our precious time is up to us, with family, mates or by ourselves, for we can never get it back.

At a Chatime outlet in a busy suburb just outside Sydney's CBD, I ordered red beans with cold bubble tea, an apparent new choice from this chain. The female staff member at the counter asked me if I wanted sugar and ice with my drink, and I said no to both. It was interesting, when she asked further, if I had taken bubble tea without sugar before. It struck me for a moment that perhaps the Chatime products all had to be taken with additional sugar.
I concluded that perhaps more importantly, this reflected quality staff training in customer engagement. Surprise a client and show that you care as well.

I was struck how relatively quiet the main strip of Caringbah was on this Friday night. I already had felt the vibes of an emerging retail slowdown in Australia for several months now.
Caringbah lies at the heart of Sutherland Shire, to Sydney's south. A group of mates and I had pizza and pasta at Antonio's, which was not as packed with diners as I had hoped. We adjourned to the home of the Cronulla NRL team, the Sharkies. It was even more quiet inside.
The coffee and alcohol drinks were good, the young staff were busy removing furniture and the Dragons had lost to the West Tigers. The world's share markets had taken a significant dive that day. Life goes on, but life, fortune and sports can be in a cycle - and we must be prepared to ride the waves over not so positive times and make opportunity from it all.

I was enjoying my summery dish of black mussels with bread on a rather amazing blue-sky day in the middle of the so-called Wollongong winter. My Sydney guest could not believe what a lifestyle the lunch place was located in. We could hear the roar of the waves, see the deep blue of the ocean and sense the buzz of laid back enjoyment. Not as much money could be made here, and people who made money elsewhere spent them here. Choices are important - make them and we are offered different pathways of experience, preserverance and reward.

Dinner at St Ives, Sydney

A gathering, a birthday and a feast. It was the middle of winter in the Sydney region. The food served was eclectic, inspired by traditions from southern China to Penang to Australia. There was relaxed conversation, it was winding down after a working day. Singapore styled pepper chili crab was appetising, whilst the closer of flourless chocolate cake was topped up by brewed Campos coffee. In between, one went through laughter, thoughtful chatter, change of plates, munching of rather sweet mandarins from an Eastwood outlet, delightful smoked tea and the serving of traditional Straits Chinese braised birthday noodles (lam mee).

The mussels moray stood out as an appetiser (above image) followed by the carving of the Beijing roast duck (below), served on paper thin pancake slices, garnished with hoi sin sauce, shallot strips and cucumber bites.

Captivating red syrup flavoured jelly (below) provided a contrast to the heavier items on the menu. Uncle Jimmy also brought his home made kuay chap, a Chiuchow concoction not easily found in Australia but a hit with many southern Chinese immigrants around the world, especially in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. It essentially is a dark coloured broth that blends flavour with bite, as it contains cooked innards of pig or cattle, but treated as comfort food from the past.

Three Cities, Many Hearts

Note: Due to some unresolved technical issues, the following blog posting, from a past year, has suddenly decided to re-park itself as a 16 March 2011 entry.

It was a truly happy greeting me from Happy coming for me, my nephew Chet and Karen at the pool area in a Yishun condominium. The not quite four year old had a most delighted surprise on her face, as if to recall that I promised to see her in person in Singapore, if I could at the next opportunity. Then she settled into a demeanour that she would enjoy my visit to her parents' home and to see her younger brother Stuart as well.  She naturally chatted away, played with every one of us and even sat at the dining table joining me to partake in the Lunar New Year treats.  Stuart sat on my lap, and even if only a year old, sent me strong communicative vibes through his expressive eyes.

Karen later that evening got us my fav Katong laksa and otak otak (that heavenly combination of steamed egg, fish fillet and aromatic leaves of the daun gaduh) that only the Straits Chinese can conjure up. I was in the heartland of the baba and nyonya in Singapore.  My associations with this island state go back many years, with memories of well done Mandarin commercials and subtitles on television, well organised and super clean food courts, hostel stays at the Nanyang University, long and enjoyable shopping excursions, drop bys at cousin Eu Lan's residence and much more.  How this island state has changed from my very first encounter on a university sports exchange trip - as I stood recently in front of the Zegna lcd display at ION shopping centre along the still vibrant Orchard Road, I sub-consciously acknowledged the effort, forward thinking and grassroots support to continually propel Singapore as more than a viable entity.

Kishore and I had found ourselves in the rather unusual quiet of Changi Airport, Singapore in the wee hours between the arrival and departure of most flights. In any of the expansive surrounds of the three component terminals, despite the rather late closing of some outlets at 1am, we seemed to have an exclusive walking around of the facility, and enjoyed the Belgian chocolate coffee cafe before turning in. Kishore's mates in trendy jackets and blokey motor cycle helmets sent him off earlier at Sydney's Kingsford-Smith. Just like Sean Tan, whom I caught up later at the Canberra Centre on a crispy moderate early autumn day a few weeks later, Kishore was doing a post-grad degree in one of the many Australian universities. Both Kishore and Sean are at the cusp of new possible beginnings, possibilties and frontiers, a consequence of a series of apparently unremarkable decisions and steps, but these have now led

The waiters at this seemingly tucked away corner of Transfer Road in Georgetown, Penang Island, were amazingly too fair-skinned for the tropical heat and sunny aspect of the place, but I concluded it must have been the Fujian genes of their immigrant forefathers.  They worked at a fast and focussed pace, taking orders diligently and bringing out the dishes as soon as they were ready. The spinach were stir-fried with belachan chilli condiment and readily accompanied the fish head curry inspired from Chennai.  It was a family business called Tai Kong Hooi, had unpretentious coffee shop styled tables and chairs but the food served was good and tasty.  Bob always had the knack of taking me to these gems of foodie congregation in  my hometown.

It was tremendous to have this opportunity earlier this year as well of re-meeting Kean Guan, a classmate of mine from our mutual primary school of Francis Light.  Here he was, at a small gathering of school mates and people I grew up with, in a restaurant in what was once Georgetown's premier urban development. The years past had seen each of us take different paths. Guan is now the head of inspectors of schools whilst I had moved to another country and another profession. Our eyes looked at each other, perhaps reflecting on forgotten episodes and memories with the freshness of being in class together, while we chatted.  He shouted the lunch, I was fascinated with how he held an audience and how the whole group of mates were apparently back at school.

Some weeks out of my South-east Asian sojourn,  I bumped intoWendy with the purple hair and had an al fresco dinner with Marta, who loves steamed fish Chinese style more than she expected. This was in Wollongong, a far cry and many moons removed from the diversity and energy of Singapore and the family comfort of Penang. Still, with long time friendships with Wendy and Marta, there was spontaneous laughter, easy discourse of conversation and a lightness in our exchange - not very different from the many hearts I came across in the other two cities.

Another Weekend Too

Mee rebus in Chatswood (above)

Note: Due to some unresolved technical issues, the following blog posting, from a past year, has suddenly decided to re-park itself as a 16 March 2011 entry.




Fresh bean sprouts are mixed with other crunchy and sweet vegetables. These are next poured on to a plate and mixed with a zesty sauce that provides savoury touches of chilli, lime drops and potato smoothness. The key ingredients are the shrimp fritters, small enough to bite into and optimally crispy to provide a contrast from the vegetable bites. This South Indian inspired mix, often referred to as rojak, appears in different forms throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Thai vermicelli salad,also dished up by Susan and Boo Ann,was lighter in outlook, with mint leaves, pineapple cuts and the compulsory chili bits. Here the overall effect can be more outrageous, as the sourness combines with the peppery heat - and there are hidden landmines in those small but powerful chillies hidden in the mixture. Asian food preparation is often preceded by lots of detailed ingredients, fine chopping and clever blending of flavours and different sensations.

More than an hour passed before we received our food at the Oscars in Towradgi, not far from my home. The kitchen staff looked over worked and time-pressured. The food was tasty but one had to be patient. Was this a problem of success, where capacity and capability did not match demand on a more timely basis? It can be a hard call of balancing the vagaries and volatility in the seesaw of balancing demand with supply. It was not even summer - I cannot imagine when it is a January Friday night!

My prawn and pea risotto was delightful nevertheless. Shane and Danielle, together with Dave and Jo, had brought their kids - fortunately for me as well, for I was taken off my mind on waiting time. Charlotte and Max could interact well with Nieve and Bridget,and vice-versa, and in fact provided a party atmosphere at our dining table.

Hand-made chocolate from Ju was exquisite - my first bite made me realise the ingredient quality and care that went into her creations. The flavour was intense, and the texture just right. Dark chocolate was finely set with a nutty after thought.

I was not too thrilled with the the version of mee rebus (braised noodles with a spicy twist and gravy) from a Malaysian outlet in Sydney's Chatswood Chase. It can not compare with what Mum makes back in Penang, and the presence of certain ingredients reduced its authenticity. The gravy had a more peanut emphasis than it should be. The Hokkien noodles were not soft enough.

Sucker catfish prices in the Illawarra area, pardon the pun, are shockingly and suckingly expensive. On another day, I had been attracted to such delightful miniature creatures that require no additional feed apart from the algae and moss that thrive naturally in most aquarium environments.At 14 Australian dollars per creature, I baulked at buying them in Hurstville in Sydney's south. Nearer my home, the asking price was much more.

In Wollongong CBD, John called me when I was engrossed texting and checking my sms messages on my I Phone.He and Carla had finished their meal, but were gracious to stay on to drink tea, sip wine and be merry at the table.Carla had her hair done in a new way. No appointments were necessary for us to meet up. We relished in our carefree weekend revelry. John and Carla kindly introduced me to various people in the cafe - and John is a true Wollongong boy.

Yum cha in Hurstville's Mr Chao's Chinese Restaurant on a mid-Saturday in April was refreshingly tasty. I had not been to the venue since the incumbent owners closed it down, when it operated under another name - Forest Court. Nae and Tom had taken me to Mr Chao's for a lazy brunch of a fav Cantonese cuisine- and I was like a kid at a candy shop, partaking with vigour, amongst other things, the tau foo fa ( soy bean curd dessert, mixed with your choice amount of syrup); the char siew so (baked pastry pork buns); the standard siew mai (prawn and pork dumplings); the fong chau (phoenix claws , a re-labelling of braised chicken legs); and the healthy plate of oyster-flavoured steamed kailan vegetables. (All dish names are in Cantonese). We later retreated from the burgeoning surrounding restaurant chatter to Nae and Tom's new apartment, where I enjoyed viewing two fish tank environments that Nae had set up, and tasting some of Tom's dessert wine.