Big Tree at Kallang Riverside Park.

Big Tree in BW, originally uploaded by darrelltanyc.

Complex network of branches reaching towards the sky.

Sunset Grill & Pub

As a farewell to one of my colleagues flight from the company, we went to have chicken wings at Sunset Grill & Pub. (pun intended yet not intended).

It’s at the Singapore Flying Club in Seletar Airbase.

They have 30 levels of spiciness, with only Levels 1 to 10 on the menu. The other levels are on special request.

They told us we should try level 3 or at most 5. We challenged each other and ordered half a dozen of Level 8.

LVL 8 - Fiery Red

 The spiciness numbed my lips and the fingers of my other colleague. Gosh.

So we reduced to ordering a dozen wings (cheaper by the dozen) Level 4 hoping that it will be half as deadly, or less.

Level 4 was easy to eat.

Proved to be an easier feat.

I walked around taking photos around the area and found some meaning in some of my photos.

Des, who is leaving his Finance role to be self-employed in sales, is just like this plane, Ready to fly.

Prepare to flyAs i said to him"Desmond, This picture was prepared and dedicated to you. As you prepare to fly off today, I wish you all the best in whatever you do. There are dark clouds as you fly off during this period.But if you are able to take off in such weather, then you will be cruising smoothly when there is fine weather. Best of luck ahead, buddy " The rest of us stuck in the office hours routine (where performance is judgemental and often, subjective) are just like these planesPLANES BEHIND BARS

Seletar Airbase – Full RAW Shooting

 

Years ago, while using my old Minolta camera, I was introduced to TIFF.

Definitely a pain to shoot TIFF (CF cards were 512MB at most) as the exposures per CF card was less than that of a roll of film. Shooting in TIFF also meant that I had to wait for the photo to be written to the card and it sure sucked a lot of battery juice from the 4 AA batteries.

RAW is much better. RAF = NEF in Nikonian language. I am not sure what other names is RAW being called in Canonland.

I did use RAW earlier on as it was difficult to open the RAW file. With Camera RAW in CS4 installed on a 4Gb RAM laptop, I am addicted to RAW noq. Forget about JPEG. That can be created after RAW post processing.

—————————

Following a map by a fellow colleague, I went to recce Sunset Grill & Pub at Seletar before we set off to that place the next week.

And it brought me to “Hor Lan” Road –  a Hokkien way of describing travelling in the wrong direction(s) and being stranded.

It’s just difficult to describe in English or even Hokkien. We just understand what it means.

The map was based on the old Seletar Airport. This place has gone through a few transformations.

Based on gut feeling and instinct,  I managed to navigate. After all, I spent a few months of my army life in Seletar.

Spotted a lonely tree. Sunset behind the tree makes for an interesting picture. Lens flare included.

An airport cannot be devoid of planes. So here are 4 propeller planes, usually used by private pilots.

At dusk, a couple spending time together.

Chinese Wedding Dinner – Lydia and Sunny

A Chinese Wedding Dinner is usually 8 or 9 courses, featuring a variety of items of seafood, poultry, noodles/rice, vegetables and other delicacies.

I attended my friend’s wedding last night and had a feast…burp. Felt so full it kept me up all night.

The pictures will start with food.

King Prawn Salad - a cold dish for a start

 

Shark's Fin Soup with Dried Scallop N Bamboo Piths - a Chinese soup delicacy

 

Steamed Seabass with Black Bean Sauce - yummy fresh fish

 The photos above are in correct White Balance. Not so for the following, my apologies as I had to stop shooting in RAW to conserve battery power.

Sauteed Fresh Scallops with.....and soft shell crab - the name of the dishes just gets more elaborate to describe ingredients and cooking methods

 

Marinated Chicken Smoked with Jasmine Tea Leaves - a unique twist

 

Sliced Abalone with Veg

 

Jap-style Fish Noodles with Prawns. Usually it is the boring Ee-fu noodles. Glad that Lydia chose this for a change

 

Cream of Mango with Pomelo and Sago - costs at least $3.50 at Chinatown for a small bowl. Lovely dessert to end the feast.

The couple selected one of the few hotel ballrooms in Singapore with a double volume ceiling.

The feeling is just so amazingly different. High ceiling gives a feeling of being high class. It certainly does.

 

 Sheraton Towers has a modern lighting system so the table was lit to a multi-coloured surprise. Cutleries alpenty.

 

 

Napkin is a must for all Chinese dinners as prawns, though cooked, can still “fly” around if caution is not exercised.

 

 

There is a lot of drinking.

Beer and red wine is common.

More than 10 years ago, it was beer and brandy. Those were the days when wine was still an ang-moh drink. Cheers was equal to gulping the whole glass of brandy down the throat. Ah…..still remember that burning feeling.

 

 

The couple is invited to cut a multi-tiered cake, pop a bottle of champage, cross elbows to drink the champagne and the crowd never fails to demand the couple to smooch.

 

 

At times, the couple smiles so much that they get muscle cramp on their cheeks.

Lots of photo-taking to capture the evening of joy the couple wants to share with their guests.

 Check out http://www.littlereddotphotography.com and littlereddotphotography.blogspot.com this photographer Alvin Foo never fails to capture the moment and present in an amazing form. See to believe.

More Baby Me

 

Until 5 years old, my nose bridge was non-existent.

Signs of China – Lost in Translation

I have not been to many places in China but just in one location, I found many English signs with meanings lost in translation.

Well, at least they tried.

Life’s Y Juncture

Compared to many, my life has been enjoyable so far. I have the opportunities to create choices for myself which after a while, becomes a necessary luxury which I seek for, at times, not knowing why but that is another story to tell at a later date. Yet when fraught with choices and  facing a situation to make a choice, there is usually analysis paralysis. Am I the culprit who dug a hole for myself?

Anyway, there will be times in your life to choose which path you want to take.

The left? Brighter but not sheltered. Winding road that brings you to lots of open space which also means you are exposed.

Right? Darker but sheltered, straight but limited.

Which will you choose?

Having no choice = resigned to fate

Having a choice = Freedom

Having few choices = Good, at least you have some freedom to choose. Just make the best decision

Having many choices = Headache, which to choose?!?!?!

Shake Leg

 

I dont agree with being lazy.

But if it’s “earned laziness” then I will truly deserve it.

If I carry on working like this, being a salaryman with no big break in life (hoping in hope to strike lottery is the only respite), when will I ever earn my laziness?

Do I have to slog till I am 65?