Meeting Margie after Many Years
12th September 2008
Robson Heights Seafood Restaurant
The Girl Who Could Run
The day for meeting Margaret Rose Wong finally came round, after weeks of anticipation.
What would she be like? I hadn't seen her since her wedding dinner back when KL still had Toong Fong buses and Kum Leng was still Kum Leng and Jessy and I still held hands when we crossed the road.
I remember this little girl with the flying pigtails and her loud infectious giggles that often turned into roaring ha-ha-ha-s as our childish pranks degenerated into riotous fun.
I remember a girl who ran faster than her frame could carry her. Together with Mei Chun and Yuet Ho, we were the girls who ran for our houses and passed the baton and tried to outdo each other at high jump.
I remember a girl whose mother always wore the sarong kebaya and father was quiet whenever I went to her house. Her parents seemed pretty fierce and this girl seemed pretty docile.
Boy, did this girl run.
She ran so fast and so far. From the school by the sungai to a house on the waters of San Francisco Bay.
Yikes, Not Yankees!
When I walked into the restaurant all it took was the lady with chestnut-coloured curls to turn around and the familiar grin to bring us to back to where we had left off. We screamed and hugged and it was as if the years had never left.
You haven't changed! You still look the same! I was always wondering what happened to you and what you were doing! Yep, she still talks in the rapid-fire way that we haven't heard since some of us discarded the green pinafore with white polka dots.
Those were the days before Christian names became fashionable. When Rick was Kok Cheng, Florence was Khai Lan, Catherine was Yoke Chen, Connie was Chooi Ngor, Evelyn was Bee Li, Jessy was Siew Lee, Kellie was Mei Chun, Vickie was Yoon Ngan, Koon Yuin was Chicken Liver, Mike was Ngap Chai, Mun Fai was Mung Kai, Leong Poh Sing was Leong Sing Por, Chew Hong was Chew Hong... and Weng Choon was the quiet boy with the sharpener under the desk.
Oh how exotic it was to have a Margaret Rose Wong in the class.
Apparently Sensei and Taiko had wagered on her transforming into a typical American-size middle-aged woman, with a typical American-sized American man in tow. What a let-down. This couple didn't even have any fat to show for that bad American diet. And dang it, that girl just refused to look anywhere near her age. Life sucks.
Come to think of it, the duck who flew the coop and ended up somewhere in the boondocks called Bolton didn't pile on the pounds either. All those frogs in the batter and what-not and nothing to show for it? Life sucks bigtime.
Anyway, miffed that they were still the biggest dogs in the pound, Sensei and Taiko ordered a hot curry to even the score against those lousy Yankees. For good measure, they added bitter gourd and spicy brinjals. But Marge had done a good job Malaysianizing that mat salleh with roti canai and curry for breakfast everyday. This regular Malaysian celup didn't even sweat the stuff.
Rick, noting that Rose had said that Phil "can't drink", gleefully topped up Phil's glass. Didn't work either. He was too hard to floor.
Dinner was rounded off with some delicious moon cakes which Flo brought. I don't know if she knew how to cut them but she certainly didn't know how to place them onto the plates. In a deft move, Connie displayed her skills with the " loh mai kai upside down" stunt and voila – gave us an instant lesson on Serving Mooncakes for Dummies. (I'm only relaying this because when your cucu and cuci come along for mooncake festival in the future, you people can show off a little...)
Cinta di Cemetery
One day a woman was looking for a job. While not exactly down and out, she did have two kids to feed and put through college. Property accountant, the ad said. So she put on her running shoes and ran all the way to the place for an interview. It turned out to be an imposing looking building in a cemetery. This can't be the right place, she thought. Before she could ring the rusty bell, the door opened. C--r--e--a--k. She stiffened, feeling the rise of goose pimples. About to make the sign of the cross, she came face to face with the most killer-looking white apparition she had ever laid eyes on. At the back of her mind her mum's words echoed: Cha boh, be careful of the angmoh kui. Too late. She felt as if she was in a trance. Before she could turn on her heels, a pale hand reached out for her, its grasp strong and unyielding....
Hello, the apparition said, his hand shaking hers. You must be here for the interview? Y--e--s, she managed to blurt out. Follow me, he commanded. In a daze, she let the spirit lead her into the dark caverns, past endless rows of interred urns. Thankfully, she had the presence of mind to take a look at his feet. They were treading on the polished marble. She relaxed. As they sat face to face across the well-worn oak table, the lengchai angmoh smiled and said, "Hi, my name is Phil."
And that's how our Margie met her match.
Moral of the story: love can be found in the most unlively places.
Larry Goes Loony
Two nights before Mooncake Festival night, Larry was moonstruck. He dumped his beautiful young wife for a woman almost twice his age. Such is the power of our Empress Dowager from Hainan. Sitting pretty, Popo was clapping her hands to the music and having a great time. She rebuffed Taiko's attempts to get her to get up. Despite his assertions that he was cheated into marriage, we now know that he believes in the dictum: Make a move for the mother first before you tackle the daughter.
Back to Loony Larry. When Sensei had everyone rocking and rolling with "I saw her standing there", "Let's twist again" and the ladies sang "Tou tou mo mo" and "Cha cha ambo", Larry went berserk. He went straight to Popo and gyrated (as far down as his belly would allow) and yes, even jumped up and down, in front of her. As it was rather dark, I couldn't see whether he was also frothing at the mouth.
A full moon does strange things to certain people.Even the angmoh went amok and started jiving in front of Popo. Rick's contraband finally kicked in.
Dancing with Popo makes people happy. The sight of BB and Larry, Margie and Phil doubling over in laughter is simply prizeless. Phil, if you have video shots of crazy Larry, please share. An encore may never come our way unless we party on a full moon again.
Sensei Talks Sex and Taiko Talks Starch
Sensei before drinks:
I like women with big boobs.
While most of us sighed with relief, Taiko posted this to his buddy:
The question is do women with big boobs like you?
Sensei after drinks and holding up a banana:
My wife say my (rhymes with peanuts) is ....
(Sorry, too disgusting to repeat here, people)
I suspect he still hasn't gotten over his fixation with Miss Pillay. And the appearance of Baywatch Babe (his words, not mine) must have triggered his suppressed longings.
Taiko, endlessly pouring drinks:
You, ah, Margaret, always came to school in starched uniforms. All stiff and hard. I don't remember anything about you but I remember your baju, all white and hard.
Margaret Confesses
After 38 years, Margie came clean:
I had such a crush on Kok Cheng. He was so cute. But he was so snotty .
(His mum drove him to school but didn't give him a hankie? Not easy anyhow, with 13 snotty kids.)
This kid had a crush on a kid who had a crush on her starch.
Fear of Drowning
Yoke Chen and Margaret reminisced about how they went swimming with Mei Chun and almost drowned in the river. To this day, both are afraid to go swimming. Luckily for Margaret, Phil is a lifeguard as well for otherwise why would she dare to stay in a house on the sea?
Is It a Boat? It's the House that Phil Built!
We were taken online to check out Phil's floating home – a 3-storey house on water, which bobs up and down with the tide and with nocturnal activities. Like dancing, of course.
When not busy cooking curry, Margaret takes up the mop and does the three floors to stay in shape. For bigger muscles, she goes kayaking. As if all the sunset pak-toh walks with Phil on the 220-acre cemetery are not enough.
Besides noting our concerns about whether the house could sink if it's too heavy with stuff, Phil also assured us they do have regular toilets. So should any of you take up their standing invitation of a homestay, you can go:
1.
with your usual load of luggage and
2.
without worries about dropping into the ocean.
Friday, October 10, 2008
S(w)inging Sisters' Birthday Bash
July 11th, Hakka Restaurant
Nine Purpleians battled the grid-locked Friday traffic to the city centre for the overdue birthday dinner in honour of our two resident k-kakis/singing mamas, Yoke "My Own Mike" Chen and Taiso "Cha Cha Cha"Karen.
Maybe it was the sizzling political drama that had the loop a little bit neglected in parts. Some people were not aware of the dinner date judging by the silence. Lucky for Florence's presence of mind to resort to sms, some of us would still have been MCC about the whole thing.
Sensei was quite clueless and it took a 6- something phone call from Yoke Chen to send him scurrying from his happy hour at Sentro to Hakka. Ditto Larry, who only that morning had phoned the senseless sensei who couldn't provide him any confirmation. Sigh. If only everyone checked their email instead of reading about who backended whom and who SDed whom only to retract it the next day and disappeared from view and who owned up to advising whom when he was backended and who said who C4-ed whom...
(BTW, at the time of writing, Anwar is reported to have been arrested. So I think it might be awhile before people start reading email again. Just as well we have no gatherings of our own planned.)
Taiko was the one who decided that quality was more important than quantity even though there was a suggestion to postpone it to next week. Good thing about quality parties. They always make for intimate conversation. The type where closets get opened and skeletons aired. No lah, no one 'fessed up to being gay or anything like that. Just some juicy stories about how pretty lasses got helicoptered to Camerons just because they felt like having scones for tea. Or, the agony and harrowing processes of adopting a baby, which entailed crossing the South China Sea every weekend, meeting up with bigwigs in immigration and other pertinent departments and how at the end of it all, it was worth it. Personal stories like that kind lah.
Plus not so personal stories like which prominent tycoon had mistresses even though he publicly made himself out to be a saint, and other lascivious tales. And we thought gossip was the domain of women, tsk, tsk.
Our Little Bowl Cake got in last but everyone was happy to see him since he went under the radar after the dinner for Pui Lin.
Great conversation. Great food. Authentic Hakka cuisine which we thoroughly enjoyed. Except for the yong tau foo which lost out a tad to the famous Salak South "My Mum"s Yong Tau Foo", every dish was yummy. I especially liked the hakka noodles and the crab beehoon.
Dinner ended circa 11pm and while sensei had to tapau supper for his home minister before fulfilling his conjugal duties and heading to KK (I think) and I had to head home, the rest of the dogs - Florence, Larry & Bee Bee, Yoke Chen and the innkeeping couple headed for Hotel California with SV making his maiden foray into that fortress. From what I heard, he enjoyed it so much he broke his own "10 to bed and 5 to rise" rule. Well done, SV! Does that mean we'd be seeing (and hearing) more of you?
PS: With the fuel hike now burning a hole in our pockets, I hope the bill didn't set your pants on fire, Rick. Thanks again.
PPS: Once again, you people will have to wait for the insurance man to upload the (two) pictures he took.
Nine Purpleians battled the grid-locked Friday traffic to the city centre for the overdue birthday dinner in honour of our two resident k-kakis/singing mamas, Yoke "My Own Mike" Chen and Taiso "Cha Cha Cha"Karen.
Maybe it was the sizzling political drama that had the loop a little bit neglected in parts. Some people were not aware of the dinner date judging by the silence. Lucky for Florence's presence of mind to resort to sms, some of us would still have been MCC about the whole thing.
Sensei was quite clueless and it took a 6- something phone call from Yoke Chen to send him scurrying from his happy hour at Sentro to Hakka. Ditto Larry, who only that morning had phoned the senseless sensei who couldn't provide him any confirmation. Sigh. If only everyone checked their email instead of reading about who backended whom and who SDed whom only to retract it the next day and disappeared from view and who owned up to advising whom when he was backended and who said who C4-ed whom...
(BTW, at the time of writing, Anwar is reported to have been arrested. So I think it might be awhile before people start reading email again. Just as well we have no gatherings of our own planned.)
Taiko was the one who decided that quality was more important than quantity even though there was a suggestion to postpone it to next week. Good thing about quality parties. They always make for intimate conversation. The type where closets get opened and skeletons aired. No lah, no one 'fessed up to being gay or anything like that. Just some juicy stories about how pretty lasses got helicoptered to Camerons just because they felt like having scones for tea. Or, the agony and harrowing processes of adopting a baby, which entailed crossing the South China Sea every weekend, meeting up with bigwigs in immigration and other pertinent departments and how at the end of it all, it was worth it. Personal stories like that kind lah.
Plus not so personal stories like which prominent tycoon had mistresses even though he publicly made himself out to be a saint, and other lascivious tales. And we thought gossip was the domain of women, tsk, tsk.
Our Little Bowl Cake got in last but everyone was happy to see him since he went under the radar after the dinner for Pui Lin.
Great conversation. Great food. Authentic Hakka cuisine which we thoroughly enjoyed. Except for the yong tau foo which lost out a tad to the famous Salak South "My Mum"s Yong Tau Foo", every dish was yummy. I especially liked the hakka noodles and the crab beehoon.
Dinner ended circa 11pm and while sensei had to tapau supper for his home minister before fulfilling his conjugal duties and heading to KK (I think) and I had to head home, the rest of the dogs - Florence, Larry & Bee Bee, Yoke Chen and the innkeeping couple headed for Hotel California with SV making his maiden foray into that fortress. From what I heard, he enjoyed it so much he broke his own "10 to bed and 5 to rise" rule. Well done, SV! Does that mean we'd be seeing (and hearing) more of you?
PS: With the fuel hike now burning a hole in our pockets, I hope the bill didn't set your pants on fire, Rick. Thanks again.
PPS: Once again, you people will have to wait for the insurance man to upload the (two) pictures he took.
The Detox Dinner
Goh Tong Jaya
Because we all needed to get rid of the toxins we've accumulated from all the makan, minum and some toxic episodes, Sensei said we should all try a cleansing dinner at Goh Tong Jaya.
So, that Saturday after his big do, we met up at Restaurant 33 or 30 or 18 (please confirm, Sensei, in case other people want to head there) at the foothills of Genting.
A regular of the place, Sensei ordered us an array of green, red, purple and other funny coloured vegetables. Plus prawns in glass noodle with wine. I don't know how the detox regime work in his scheme of things, but prawns, for me have never been a cleansing agent. Wine maybe. Anyway, he went against his own advice and brought us red wine, so we had to drink.
The turnout was good enough for two tables.
Siew Lee, back from Singapore, came with Mun Fai and Karen. MF claimed that he was held ransom by Siew Lee and, fearing repercussions by the other dawgs, said it was a case of NCL (No Choice Lor). But by the looks on his face, I suspect he liked that kind of ransom.
Choon Kit gave Tuck Weng, Florence and I a pleasant ride to the rendezvous. Chew Hong came with whole family in tow. His two girls easily made friends with Sensei's son.
After dinner, we took a short stroll down the row of shops to the dessert shop. The night was getting cooler and the prospects of tong sui seemed inviting even though we had stuffed ourselves.
During dessert, Sensei whipped out his Blood Sugar Measurement Kit. He insisted that to round off our detox program, we each got tested for our blood sugar. This was his ultimate treat for us. A free test. Or maybe he gets a masochistic kick from pricking people's fingers and drawing blood.
Anyway, his own measurement was 8 +. An unbeaten record as far as the night went 'cos the rest was somewhere in the 5 to 7 range. He said that after an hour, or, after he had gone for a walk, it would go down to 6+, which is normal range.
First we play the glutton then we play the health nut. What irony.
But what is a party without food? So henceforth, Sensei please bring your Kit along so that we can all jaga our makan.
Sorry for digressing.
Tuck Weng hadn't been to Genting since he was still battling raging hormones. So we thought we could nip up there to give him a quick look. Chew Hong, having his girls as the best excuse, wisely went home.
It was nearly 11. But what a crowd.
We wanted a cup of coffee. Sensei knew the place in and out. He took us from parking to lobby to food court. Kopitiam was closed. We backtracked to the lobby of First World where there was a Star Bucks. Full. Up again, navigating the labyrinth that leads people round and round the indoor theme park, to search for a table space. Luckily, Coffee Bean was half empty.
Our gentlemen played waiters. Not exactly very skilled at the job judging by a couple of messed up orders. But who could fault them? Try spelling mocha, macchiato and whatnot. Or balancing a heavy tray while minding that arthritic knee. We ladies just sat on our behinds and enjoyed being waited upon.
Before we could savour our java, there was a phone exchange with Hotel California, whose owners couldn't join us for the detox although they needed it more than some of us. It seemed Purple Box was open and waiting. Even noodles had been tapau-ed.
Back to KL. But the retinue that headed down the winding slopes didn't all end up at the destination.
Midway down, Siew Lee called to say she had to go home as she had to take her parents yamcha in the morning. It was almost 1 am. Saved by the ransom, MF and Karen got off as well.
It must have been the vanilla. By the time we reached Choon Kit's condo to collect our cars, my stomach was acting up. I couldn't step into Hotel California without risking imprisonment. To sing would be nice but to sing alone on the porcelain throne was hardly an exciting prospect. It had to be a quick hi and bye thing. (Sorry Rick & Karen, I didn't mean to be kurang ajar in not stepping beyond your front gates.)
In the meantime, Sensei, who was supposed to drop off wife and kid and join the rest at Hotel California, also fong fei kei. Case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak…
Hats off to our ever-energetic hosts, Rick and Karen, Florence, Tuck Weng and Choon Kit.
As for the rest of us, recharging is in order before the next bash, dawgs.
Because we all needed to get rid of the toxins we've accumulated from all the makan, minum and some toxic episodes, Sensei said we should all try a cleansing dinner at Goh Tong Jaya.
So, that Saturday after his big do, we met up at Restaurant 33 or 30 or 18 (please confirm, Sensei, in case other people want to head there) at the foothills of Genting.
A regular of the place, Sensei ordered us an array of green, red, purple and other funny coloured vegetables. Plus prawns in glass noodle with wine. I don't know how the detox regime work in his scheme of things, but prawns, for me have never been a cleansing agent. Wine maybe. Anyway, he went against his own advice and brought us red wine, so we had to drink.
The turnout was good enough for two tables.
Siew Lee, back from Singapore, came with Mun Fai and Karen. MF claimed that he was held ransom by Siew Lee and, fearing repercussions by the other dawgs, said it was a case of NCL (No Choice Lor). But by the looks on his face, I suspect he liked that kind of ransom.
Choon Kit gave Tuck Weng, Florence and I a pleasant ride to the rendezvous. Chew Hong came with whole family in tow. His two girls easily made friends with Sensei's son.
After dinner, we took a short stroll down the row of shops to the dessert shop. The night was getting cooler and the prospects of tong sui seemed inviting even though we had stuffed ourselves.
During dessert, Sensei whipped out his Blood Sugar Measurement Kit. He insisted that to round off our detox program, we each got tested for our blood sugar. This was his ultimate treat for us. A free test. Or maybe he gets a masochistic kick from pricking people's fingers and drawing blood.
Anyway, his own measurement was 8 +. An unbeaten record as far as the night went 'cos the rest was somewhere in the 5 to 7 range. He said that after an hour, or, after he had gone for a walk, it would go down to 6+, which is normal range.
First we play the glutton then we play the health nut. What irony.
But what is a party without food? So henceforth, Sensei please bring your Kit along so that we can all jaga our makan.
Sorry for digressing.
Tuck Weng hadn't been to Genting since he was still battling raging hormones. So we thought we could nip up there to give him a quick look. Chew Hong, having his girls as the best excuse, wisely went home.
It was nearly 11. But what a crowd.
We wanted a cup of coffee. Sensei knew the place in and out. He took us from parking to lobby to food court. Kopitiam was closed. We backtracked to the lobby of First World where there was a Star Bucks. Full. Up again, navigating the labyrinth that leads people round and round the indoor theme park, to search for a table space. Luckily, Coffee Bean was half empty.
Our gentlemen played waiters. Not exactly very skilled at the job judging by a couple of messed up orders. But who could fault them? Try spelling mocha, macchiato and whatnot. Or balancing a heavy tray while minding that arthritic knee. We ladies just sat on our behinds and enjoyed being waited upon.
Before we could savour our java, there was a phone exchange with Hotel California, whose owners couldn't join us for the detox although they needed it more than some of us. It seemed Purple Box was open and waiting. Even noodles had been tapau-ed.
Back to KL. But the retinue that headed down the winding slopes didn't all end up at the destination.
Midway down, Siew Lee called to say she had to go home as she had to take her parents yamcha in the morning. It was almost 1 am. Saved by the ransom, MF and Karen got off as well.
It must have been the vanilla. By the time we reached Choon Kit's condo to collect our cars, my stomach was acting up. I couldn't step into Hotel California without risking imprisonment. To sing would be nice but to sing alone on the porcelain throne was hardly an exciting prospect. It had to be a quick hi and bye thing. (Sorry Rick & Karen, I didn't mean to be kurang ajar in not stepping beyond your front gates.)
In the meantime, Sensei, who was supposed to drop off wife and kid and join the rest at Hotel California, also fong fei kei. Case of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak…
Hats off to our ever-energetic hosts, Rick and Karen, Florence, Tuck Weng and Choon Kit.
As for the rest of us, recharging is in order before the next bash, dawgs.
Fat Girl Stood Us Up Lunch
It was two days after Sensei's big do. In our overwhelming affection for Yuet Ho, another lunch was arranged for her. Seemed she was leaving the next day. Not that we love Tuck Weng any less. But he did say he was tied up.
It was supposed to have been Goh Tong Jaya. It was a working day. All of us had to take time off from work.
When Sensei called to say that "the Fat Girl from New York didn't even have the courtesy to inform" him earlier that she couldn't make it, he was, understandably, pissed. Mun Fai had taken the trouble to drive to her place and was waiting for her downstairs. Kononnya, she was having diarrhoea.
We all know that Sensei is a man of his words. He had arranged the lunch and he deserved due respect. Good dogs always rally together and this was one of those times.
So in a quick turn of events, we gathered at YMCA and later proceeded to Wulan where Taiko had ordered us a mood-saving superb spread. It was one of the best makan I had – especially the Ginger Honey Chicken, the Steamed Fish, the house specialty, fried Bak Koh (the first time I ever tasted this dish) and a few more. More than we could handle in fact.
This was another cosy session where lots of enlightening conversation took place. Business, politics and otherwise stuff we wouldn't have had the chance to pursue.
But Rick's story about the Chinaman who went down on his knees like a dog to his Bumi "master" in no small way reinforced my decision to vote "wisely" in the elections that followed.
Thanks to Chew Hong who took time off from his busy workload and also took out the ringgit from his wallet, our spirits were restored.
By the end of the meal, Sensei had recovered enough to plan for a dinner trip to Goh Tong Jaya on the coming Saturday. To detox. Without the Fat Girl.
It was supposed to have been Goh Tong Jaya. It was a working day. All of us had to take time off from work.
When Sensei called to say that "the Fat Girl from New York didn't even have the courtesy to inform" him earlier that she couldn't make it, he was, understandably, pissed. Mun Fai had taken the trouble to drive to her place and was waiting for her downstairs. Kononnya, she was having diarrhoea.
We all know that Sensei is a man of his words. He had arranged the lunch and he deserved due respect. Good dogs always rally together and this was one of those times.
So in a quick turn of events, we gathered at YMCA and later proceeded to Wulan where Taiko had ordered us a mood-saving superb spread. It was one of the best makan I had – especially the Ginger Honey Chicken, the Steamed Fish, the house specialty, fried Bak Koh (the first time I ever tasted this dish) and a few more. More than we could handle in fact.
This was another cosy session where lots of enlightening conversation took place. Business, politics and otherwise stuff we wouldn't have had the chance to pursue.
But Rick's story about the Chinaman who went down on his knees like a dog to his Bumi "master" in no small way reinforced my decision to vote "wisely" in the elections that followed.
Thanks to Chew Hong who took time off from his busy workload and also took out the ringgit from his wallet, our spirits were restored.
By the end of the meal, Sensei had recovered enough to plan for a dinner trip to Goh Tong Jaya on the coming Saturday. To detox. Without the Fat Girl.
Sensei's Big Bash
Sensei's Big 50 Bash
18th February 2008
It was still CNY. Yet everyone was so excited about this much awaited dinner that the days preceding had seen more than the usual flurry of phone calls and sms-es among the Purpleians.
I reminded myself to text Sensei to see what he cake wanted. Cheese cake, quickly came the reply.
Dinner was 7.30pm. Traffic would be bad. Time to leave the office. Must remember to take the cakes out of the fridge.
Stuck at the lights, Sensei called. Have you reached? Soon, I said. There will be two others from Red class, he said. Ok, a nice surprise.
Yoke Chen and Bee Li were already there, seated with the two newcomers. I recognized them but didn't know their names. One stood up and said, Hi, I'm Mosquito. It wasn't difficult to recognize this now grown-up version of that tiny kid with the fair face and light hair from long ago.
The other one looked like a distinguished academician, with his silver mane. I mentally dyed his hair colour black and recognized the face without trouble. Liew Fook Sin. As the night wore on, I remembered that I often saw him in the bus to school and he stayed near Pui Lin's house. Another Chan Sow Lin kid.
Sensei's drawing power cannot be underestimated - when the tables were filled, it was another fantastic turnout.
Bee Li.
Yoke Chen.
Loong Tung Fook alias Mosquito.
Leong Fook Sin
Myself.
Florence.
Tuck Weng.
Yuet Ho.
QiGong Master
Chew Hong
Choon Kit & Bee Bee
Taiko & Tai Sow
Mun Fai & Karen
And of course,
Birthday Boy, B K and son.
Siew Lee was in Singapore. Cinderella Connie was sick. In her call to me earlier she was rasping badly and I vaguely made out "Tell Weng Choon sorry I can't make it".She didn't call him herself because she was worried that he might hear the message to mean making something else.
Two good things about Hai Peng:
One: the food.
Two: the crowd (or lack of, that night)
Because, if it was full, we might have been evicted. With two new faces and four wives, plus an ever-ready bunny of a 6-year old kid our two tables were the most boisterous half-a-century-young people you have ever seen.
I lost count of the number of bottles. Or the number of toasts. From Siew Lee's vintage reds to Rick's Chivas, it seemed like an unending supply. In any case, no birthday boy was toasted so many times as our beloved Sensei. Mind you, my hands ached from just raising the glass each time we sang the last line of "happy birthday to you".
And no birthday boy I know had a wider smile the whole night.
I know I'm speaking for all of us when I say we had the greatest time. It was not the crabs prawns, chicken, lala, glass noodle or the dessert.
It was the camaraderie, again.
18th February 2008
It was still CNY. Yet everyone was so excited about this much awaited dinner that the days preceding had seen more than the usual flurry of phone calls and sms-es among the Purpleians.
I reminded myself to text Sensei to see what he cake wanted. Cheese cake, quickly came the reply.
Dinner was 7.30pm. Traffic would be bad. Time to leave the office. Must remember to take the cakes out of the fridge.
Stuck at the lights, Sensei called. Have you reached? Soon, I said. There will be two others from Red class, he said. Ok, a nice surprise.
Yoke Chen and Bee Li were already there, seated with the two newcomers. I recognized them but didn't know their names. One stood up and said, Hi, I'm Mosquito. It wasn't difficult to recognize this now grown-up version of that tiny kid with the fair face and light hair from long ago.
The other one looked like a distinguished academician, with his silver mane. I mentally dyed his hair colour black and recognized the face without trouble. Liew Fook Sin. As the night wore on, I remembered that I often saw him in the bus to school and he stayed near Pui Lin's house. Another Chan Sow Lin kid.
Sensei's drawing power cannot be underestimated - when the tables were filled, it was another fantastic turnout.
Bee Li.
Yoke Chen.
Loong Tung Fook alias Mosquito.
Leong Fook Sin
Myself.
Florence.
Tuck Weng.
Yuet Ho.
QiGong Master
Chew Hong
Choon Kit & Bee Bee
Taiko & Tai Sow
Mun Fai & Karen
And of course,
Birthday Boy, B K and son.
Siew Lee was in Singapore. Cinderella Connie was sick. In her call to me earlier she was rasping badly and I vaguely made out "Tell Weng Choon sorry I can't make it".She didn't call him herself because she was worried that he might hear the message to mean making something else.
Two good things about Hai Peng:
One: the food.
Two: the crowd (or lack of, that night)
Because, if it was full, we might have been evicted. With two new faces and four wives, plus an ever-ready bunny of a 6-year old kid our two tables were the most boisterous half-a-century-young people you have ever seen.
I lost count of the number of bottles. Or the number of toasts. From Siew Lee's vintage reds to Rick's Chivas, it seemed like an unending supply. In any case, no birthday boy was toasted so many times as our beloved Sensei. Mind you, my hands ached from just raising the glass each time we sang the last line of "happy birthday to you".
And no birthday boy I know had a wider smile the whole night.
I know I'm speaking for all of us when I say we had the greatest time. It was not the crabs prawns, chicken, lala, glass noodle or the dessert.
It was the camaraderie, again.
The Dinner After the Dinner
Installment 3:
The Dinner After The Dinner
Date: 13th February
Venue: Supposed to be Kasoh but ended up at Robson Heights Seafood again.
Present: Florence, Tuck Weng, Yuet Ho for dinner.
Later, at Hotel California: Chew Hong and missus, Choon Kit and missus
Of course, Taiko & Tai Sow and….? ? ?
By all accounts, it was a great night.
And a great morning.
…………………….
………………
…………….
…………
What did you guys expect? I was not there! Ask those who were. Sheesh…. You think I don't want to know?
At least those who took pictures can forward them?
The Dinner After The Dinner
Date: 13th February
Venue: Supposed to be Kasoh but ended up at Robson Heights Seafood again.
Present: Florence, Tuck Weng, Yuet Ho for dinner.
Later, at Hotel California: Chew Hong and missus, Choon Kit and missus
Of course, Taiko & Tai Sow and….? ? ?
By all accounts, it was a great night.
And a great morning.
…………………….
………………
…………….
…………
What did you guys expect? I was not there! Ask those who were. Sheesh…. You think I don't want to know?
At least those who took pictures can forward them?
Purpleians Meet Again, Part 2
Installment 2:
5th Day of CNY, 11th February 2008
The CNY Dinner Which Was Supposed to Happen Eventually
But Was Hastened By Pui Lin’s Coming
It was a hectic time, it being CNY and all. Just as I was settling down to business (I mean the kind of business people normally do in the morning), a call came from Yoke Chen. She sounded so excited I thought she was expecting her third child. But it was to tell me that Pui Lin was in town for a few days, so I had better organize a meeting pronto. So had to get off my buntut and did what a secretary had to do.
And you dogs responded pretty much as expected. Some said this day can. Some said this day cannot. Some wanted to eat. Some didn’t want to eat. Some just wanted to catch up. Some said anywhere also can. Old Kum Leng? Can. Hee Lai Ton? Can. Coffee Bean? Yuet Ho said she just wanted to meet up. She couldn’t wait to see us.
Aiyah, why you people want Coffee Bean? I can’t drink coffee lah said Pui Lin to Yoke Chen. As if there’s no tea or juices…sheesh. Why not some tai chau in Cheras ah, she asked. Ipoh mali punya orang manyak susah dan manyak garang. As we soon discovered.
So back to Flo’s suggestion of Robson Heights Seafood. Central enough for everyone except Bee Li, who had some problems with logistics as usual and had to fetch her girl at 9. So we decided to bring forward the meeting time to 6.
What did worry me a bit was whether we would have a good quorum. The girls all confirmed pretty fast. But of the guys, only Tuck Weng, Choon Kit and Sensei were responding. With each change of venue, the others kind of went under the radar.
Choon Kit was the perfect gentleman again, personally going to the restaurant to make the reservation ‘cos I didn’t have the number. Heck, I didn’t even know where the place was.
Chooi Ngor and I cooked up a plan to car-pool so we could go off earlier. In any case I had offered to fetch Bee Li to KL for her to pick her girl.
But plans are like Murphy’s Law.
5.50pm. Chooi Ngor and I reached the restaurant. No sooner had we settled down when we saw, grinning from ear to ear, a tiny girl walking in. Yap Poh Ling. Not Yap Pui Lin.
How come you’re here? Oh I came to see you all. Heard from Bee Li you all were meeting. So join us lah. Cannot, got another party at Marilyn’s place. You know Marilyn, 5Arts? Err, not really.
Soon, Choon Kit came, followed in no time by SV. One of these guys (sorry, help me out here: was it you, CK or SV?) shook Poh Ling’s hands while ebulliently welcoming her until we told him this wasn’t the lady of the occasion.
Table filling up faster than expected. Poh Ling had to go.
Surprise, surprise, Taiko Teh came early. From Pantai Remis some more. With a handsome young man in tow. To tapau food for mum apparently. Bee Li, Yoke Chen, Yuet Ho and THE lady came in and the noise levels hit the roof. Chew Hong had a few detours before he got the place right. And some time in between, Choon Kit’s babelicious daughter came in to ostensibly say hi to dad’s friends but looked more likely to be doing a recce for Mum.
For our sake, Sensei (who, when last contacted, was in Tapah), broke speed limits and got a flat tyre… no higher honour can a Purpleian ask for.
Flo had a meeting and arrived in time for dregs. (Actually Chooi Ngor and I did put aside some grub for you but when Sensei came, he promptly walloped it.)
So, it turned out that almost everyone was there. Except:
QiGong Master who had a date with his china doll.
Mun Fai who had a dinner date with his family.
And, Siew Lee who missed a wonderful night because of my boo-boo. (I thought she was in Singapore but she was apparently still in KL. See? This secretary job is for someone who knows how to do it well lah.)
So the cacophonous merrymaking started with low-sang, in honour of Duckie whose memory of things Chinese didn’t extend to this CNY tradition.
I think we are all in agreement that the food was great, thanks to Choon Kit who not only chose the menu but also paid the bill.
For an idea of our kind of dinner, those of you who didn’t turn up – let me ask you to recall the recent telco tv commercial. The one where the family is gathered for reunion dinner and each one is yakking away on his/her cellphone?
Our reunion dinner was like that. Everyone was yakking at the same time, turning to the left, to the right, across the table and behind backs. That kind. Where everything was said and probably nothing was heard kind. Where, try as I might, I couldn’t tell you what we talked about kind.
There was mention of garbage. Pui Lin’s fathers lorry factory. Fishing in some small town up north. Yada, yada, yada.
One thing did stand out though: Taiko Rick’s fascination with Pui Lin’s development. Physical development, that is.
The girl had grown. The quiet, timid girl in specs with the coconut hairdo of yonder years had blossomed into a bold, no-specs woman with long Maggie mee hair and (darn it!) a cleavage.
And, like a bazooka, she quickly made her mark: “Lei pei yan ta tuck siew ah!.” (Why are we not surprised that her only son is so obedient? And should we be a little concerned for the strokies under her charge? Eh, Pui Lin, man man lei lah.)
Rick conceded that he had finally met his match. Finally, a woman who can give back kow-kow one. She’s also one sporting woman as we saw during the karaoke session later.
But more about that in the next episode…
In the meantime, a gentle reminder to Catchin : please upload the pictures. We know of at least
one or two dogs, down under and elsewhere, who are dying to lay eyes on the evidence.
5th Day of CNY, 11th February 2008
The CNY Dinner Which Was Supposed to Happen Eventually
But Was Hastened By Pui Lin’s Coming
It was a hectic time, it being CNY and all. Just as I was settling down to business (I mean the kind of business people normally do in the morning), a call came from Yoke Chen. She sounded so excited I thought she was expecting her third child. But it was to tell me that Pui Lin was in town for a few days, so I had better organize a meeting pronto. So had to get off my buntut and did what a secretary had to do.
And you dogs responded pretty much as expected. Some said this day can. Some said this day cannot. Some wanted to eat. Some didn’t want to eat. Some just wanted to catch up. Some said anywhere also can. Old Kum Leng? Can. Hee Lai Ton? Can. Coffee Bean? Yuet Ho said she just wanted to meet up. She couldn’t wait to see us.
Aiyah, why you people want Coffee Bean? I can’t drink coffee lah said Pui Lin to Yoke Chen. As if there’s no tea or juices…sheesh. Why not some tai chau in Cheras ah, she asked. Ipoh mali punya orang manyak susah dan manyak garang. As we soon discovered.
So back to Flo’s suggestion of Robson Heights Seafood. Central enough for everyone except Bee Li, who had some problems with logistics as usual and had to fetch her girl at 9. So we decided to bring forward the meeting time to 6.
What did worry me a bit was whether we would have a good quorum. The girls all confirmed pretty fast. But of the guys, only Tuck Weng, Choon Kit and Sensei were responding. With each change of venue, the others kind of went under the radar.
Choon Kit was the perfect gentleman again, personally going to the restaurant to make the reservation ‘cos I didn’t have the number. Heck, I didn’t even know where the place was.
Chooi Ngor and I cooked up a plan to car-pool so we could go off earlier. In any case I had offered to fetch Bee Li to KL for her to pick her girl.
But plans are like Murphy’s Law.
5.50pm. Chooi Ngor and I reached the restaurant. No sooner had we settled down when we saw, grinning from ear to ear, a tiny girl walking in. Yap Poh Ling. Not Yap Pui Lin.
How come you’re here? Oh I came to see you all. Heard from Bee Li you all were meeting. So join us lah. Cannot, got another party at Marilyn’s place. You know Marilyn, 5Arts? Err, not really.
Soon, Choon Kit came, followed in no time by SV. One of these guys (sorry, help me out here: was it you, CK or SV?) shook Poh Ling’s hands while ebulliently welcoming her until we told him this wasn’t the lady of the occasion.
Table filling up faster than expected. Poh Ling had to go.
Surprise, surprise, Taiko Teh came early. From Pantai Remis some more. With a handsome young man in tow. To tapau food for mum apparently. Bee Li, Yoke Chen, Yuet Ho and THE lady came in and the noise levels hit the roof. Chew Hong had a few detours before he got the place right. And some time in between, Choon Kit’s babelicious daughter came in to ostensibly say hi to dad’s friends but looked more likely to be doing a recce for Mum.
For our sake, Sensei (who, when last contacted, was in Tapah), broke speed limits and got a flat tyre… no higher honour can a Purpleian ask for.
Flo had a meeting and arrived in time for dregs. (Actually Chooi Ngor and I did put aside some grub for you but when Sensei came, he promptly walloped it.)
So, it turned out that almost everyone was there. Except:
QiGong Master who had a date with his china doll.
Mun Fai who had a dinner date with his family.
And, Siew Lee who missed a wonderful night because of my boo-boo. (I thought she was in Singapore but she was apparently still in KL. See? This secretary job is for someone who knows how to do it well lah.)
So the cacophonous merrymaking started with low-sang, in honour of Duckie whose memory of things Chinese didn’t extend to this CNY tradition.
I think we are all in agreement that the food was great, thanks to Choon Kit who not only chose the menu but also paid the bill.
For an idea of our kind of dinner, those of you who didn’t turn up – let me ask you to recall the recent telco tv commercial. The one where the family is gathered for reunion dinner and each one is yakking away on his/her cellphone?
Our reunion dinner was like that. Everyone was yakking at the same time, turning to the left, to the right, across the table and behind backs. That kind. Where everything was said and probably nothing was heard kind. Where, try as I might, I couldn’t tell you what we talked about kind.
There was mention of garbage. Pui Lin’s fathers lorry factory. Fishing in some small town up north. Yada, yada, yada.
One thing did stand out though: Taiko Rick’s fascination with Pui Lin’s development. Physical development, that is.
The girl had grown. The quiet, timid girl in specs with the coconut hairdo of yonder years had blossomed into a bold, no-specs woman with long Maggie mee hair and (darn it!) a cleavage.
And, like a bazooka, she quickly made her mark: “Lei pei yan ta tuck siew ah!.” (Why are we not surprised that her only son is so obedient? And should we be a little concerned for the strokies under her charge? Eh, Pui Lin, man man lei lah.)
Rick conceded that he had finally met his match. Finally, a woman who can give back kow-kow one. She’s also one sporting woman as we saw during the karaoke session later.
But more about that in the next episode…
In the meantime, a gentle reminder to Catchin : please upload the pictures. We know of at least
one or two dogs, down under and elsewhere, who are dying to lay eyes on the evidence.
Purpleians Meet Again, Part 1
22nd Feb 2008
Purpleians Meet AgainL Installment 1
Pre and Post Poh Seng's Dinner
When did the frenzy start? Was it the excited anticipation of Sensei's BIG 50 DO that had us girls planning and scheming behind the scenes?
Was it the phone call to New York that night when we gathered for drinks after Poh Seng's birthday dinner and, amidst the din, heard the Fat Lady saying she was coming back on the 4th? (Wah, very good – TW also coming back on the 4th! )
Was it the many suggestions for the venue for the BIG BASH that had us giddy with visions of big meals and endless yam sengs?
Or was it the SMS on CNY Eve that announced "Hi all, if u req a smart, single n mature person 4 company in d next 20 days, call me. No service charge" from Poo TW?
Or maybe it was the call from Yoke Chen that Pooi Lin was in town and leaving the week after CNY that was the catalyst to the breathless rush that began…
And so, thanks to Purpleian fever, the major telcos met their annual sales target within 2 weeks of CNY.
But first, back to Poh Seng's Birthday Dinner.
Which happened on 31st January 2008 at Ka Hiong Village Restaurant, Puchong Jaya.
It was the Thursday evening before FT Day and the jams were horrendous. Everyone managed to be late, including the Birthday Boy. But not as late as Rick, who came in time to eat the last piece of cake before the meat cleavers were flung out by the kitchen crew.
As expected, everyone except the BB lost their way. Siew Lee (who had a personal chauffer with no ulterior motive) gamely brought 2 bottles of vintage red, which, since our quorum was not big enough and because Yoke Chen brought one as well, were to kept for Sensei's do. Flo brought a cheese cake. Apart from his repertoire of bawdy jokes, Weng Choon came armed with his camera.
We low-sang-ed, followed by Tau Foo Kang and some other goodies. In place of longevity mee we had udon. And lots of conversation before, in-between and while waiting for the Taiko from Siputih. And that was how so many venues were floated for our next gathering: from Teluk Gong to Gohtong Jaya to Ipoh to Penang.
Before the personal chauffer could develop any ideas, Siew Lee made off. Then doubled back to offer her share of the cost of dinner. Which was of course promptly denied. Tsk. Tsk. So mafan for the man waiting inside the car outside the makan shop. See how we miss Mun Fai so sorely?
Soon, we were the last table left. Shutters were pulled partially. Calls were made repeatedly and it seems our last dawg was on the way. The towkay said, no problem, sit till your friend comes, we won't close yet. But you could hear the knives being sharpened in the kitchen.
Finally, the man arrived. We shoved the cake down his throat and sprinted out of the restaurant before blood could spill. Towkay generously recommended another venue for us to continue our rendezvous – the Station One kopitiam two roads down.
Retinue of cars headed for the next stop. At PS' request, no karaoke. The good ones, led by PS, drank (drumroll please) honey ginger tea and (gasp, Flo had) milk with honey. The others took a bucket. Didn't know that kopitiams serve Heineken.
Yak, yak, yak. Then call to NY and Fat Lady says she's coming back. Eleven thirty perhaps. PS said he had to leave 'cos the next morning he, the Healing QiGong Instructor, had an early class for the tai tais of Subang. Hmm, indeed.
So with Qigong Master gone, the gang had a first ever birthday party where the birthday boy left before his guests.
Before my pumpkin carriage disintegrated, I bade adieu to my fellow doggies who were just getting started. And that, folks, is episode 1.
Have patience please for coming episodes and, hopefully, a pictorial record from Sensei. Meawhile, thanks to QiGong Sifu for a lovely dinner and Rick for milk, honey and fermented malt. And of course, everyone, for the enjoyable company.
Purpleians Meet AgainL Installment 1
Pre and Post Poh Seng's Dinner
When did the frenzy start? Was it the excited anticipation of Sensei's BIG 50 DO that had us girls planning and scheming behind the scenes?
Was it the phone call to New York that night when we gathered for drinks after Poh Seng's birthday dinner and, amidst the din, heard the Fat Lady saying she was coming back on the 4th? (Wah, very good – TW also coming back on the 4th! )
Was it the many suggestions for the venue for the BIG BASH that had us giddy with visions of big meals and endless yam sengs?
Or was it the SMS on CNY Eve that announced "Hi all, if u req a smart, single n mature person 4 company in d next 20 days, call me. No service charge" from Poo TW?
Or maybe it was the call from Yoke Chen that Pooi Lin was in town and leaving the week after CNY that was the catalyst to the breathless rush that began…
And so, thanks to Purpleian fever, the major telcos met their annual sales target within 2 weeks of CNY.
But first, back to Poh Seng's Birthday Dinner.
Which happened on 31st January 2008 at Ka Hiong Village Restaurant, Puchong Jaya.
It was the Thursday evening before FT Day and the jams were horrendous. Everyone managed to be late, including the Birthday Boy. But not as late as Rick, who came in time to eat the last piece of cake before the meat cleavers were flung out by the kitchen crew.
As expected, everyone except the BB lost their way. Siew Lee (who had a personal chauffer with no ulterior motive) gamely brought 2 bottles of vintage red, which, since our quorum was not big enough and because Yoke Chen brought one as well, were to kept for Sensei's do. Flo brought a cheese cake. Apart from his repertoire of bawdy jokes, Weng Choon came armed with his camera.
We low-sang-ed, followed by Tau Foo Kang and some other goodies. In place of longevity mee we had udon. And lots of conversation before, in-between and while waiting for the Taiko from Siputih. And that was how so many venues were floated for our next gathering: from Teluk Gong to Gohtong Jaya to Ipoh to Penang.
Before the personal chauffer could develop any ideas, Siew Lee made off. Then doubled back to offer her share of the cost of dinner. Which was of course promptly denied. Tsk. Tsk. So mafan for the man waiting inside the car outside the makan shop. See how we miss Mun Fai so sorely?
Soon, we were the last table left. Shutters were pulled partially. Calls were made repeatedly and it seems our last dawg was on the way. The towkay said, no problem, sit till your friend comes, we won't close yet. But you could hear the knives being sharpened in the kitchen.
Finally, the man arrived. We shoved the cake down his throat and sprinted out of the restaurant before blood could spill. Towkay generously recommended another venue for us to continue our rendezvous – the Station One kopitiam two roads down.
Retinue of cars headed for the next stop. At PS' request, no karaoke. The good ones, led by PS, drank (drumroll please) honey ginger tea and (gasp, Flo had) milk with honey. The others took a bucket. Didn't know that kopitiams serve Heineken.
Yak, yak, yak. Then call to NY and Fat Lady says she's coming back. Eleven thirty perhaps. PS said he had to leave 'cos the next morning he, the Healing QiGong Instructor, had an early class for the tai tais of Subang. Hmm, indeed.
So with Qigong Master gone, the gang had a first ever birthday party where the birthday boy left before his guests.
Before my pumpkin carriage disintegrated, I bade adieu to my fellow doggies who were just getting started. And that, folks, is episode 1.
Have patience please for coming episodes and, hopefully, a pictorial record from Sensei. Meawhile, thanks to QiGong Sifu for a lovely dinner and Rick for milk, honey and fermented malt. And of course, everyone, for the enjoyable company.
Bro Larry's Bash
Zen and Red Box
Weds, Dec 19, 2007
What a hectic day. The pre-holiday jams and festive happenings kept some of us from reaching the Zen Restaurant at Sunway Pyramid on time. However, attendance was good, with Bee Li making another heroic effort to come in from Nilai. Not there were Poh Sing, who was outstation; Mun Fai, who was sick (again?) and Siew Lee who had visitors from out-of-town.
So there we were, having another great-grub-and-yummy-yarns session with the guys, as usual, giving us lots to chew upon and digest. Which, as you people will see in the photos, included a magic show from Rick. As to why and what he was doing with the serviette, suffice to say it has to do (doesn't it always?) with girth and measurements - err, the long and short - of the male anatomy, vis-a-vis the belly and the birdie. Strictly, it was a comparison between his and Sensei's. Before we go further into such an intimate subject, the political climate of today makes it expedient for us not to delve too deeply into areas we shouldn't poke into. Best let it be between the two gentlemen to explore in private. So long as it is not in a certain hotel which has certain advanced recording facilities in a certain town in Johor.
Discussion also touched on medications. Seems a HP pill that Sensei takes gives him (or his little brother, no pun intended, honestly, cos except for Rick, how would I know?) a morning uplifting. As to whether this is good or bad, we girls didn't pursue. We're not the scandal-hungry press mah. But there you go, conversations are more and more centred around health issues. Expect more to come as we age, err, gracefully.
Amidst the wolfing down of sushi, octopi, edamame and unpronounceable Japanese delights, once again, the subject of bro Larry being the subject of fascination of a certain female dawg was touched upon. Again denials were issued but "how can lah, each time she calls only him and has long conversations with only him" was on the minds of everyone.
As for the food, well, for Mike and the recuperating doc down under, we append titillating images. Dinner over, we scampered next door for our karaoke session. Your reporter took video footage (hmm, training which will come in handy in case I need a second career; but first, lots of practice is necessary as you guys will no doubt see if and when I get to download it into CDs) but so sorry, I don't have the software to upload it and email it to you all. If I put it on YouTube, I might get sued for gross invasion of privacy by certain individuals.
The singing was raucous, as usual. With Bee Li as a first-timer for our yodelling sessions, things got a bit livelier and Rick had to give chance. Actually, his excuse was the key was not right for him. But that didn't stop him from giving us an entertaining Hokkien number called Ti O O (sky black black?). No complaints about the mike from Yoke Chen even though she didn't bring her own. Sensei gave us his signature tune of I saw her standing there again, ably backed by our birthday boy, SV and Chew Hong. I don't know if it was the jugs or sashimi that did it but inhibitions were somehow gone by the time the morning crept in and we had the birthday boy doing some rocking with Rick (to the music lah).
Yoke Chen's birthday cake for Larry was a sugarless chocolate chiffon cake. The birthday boy in his excitement and temporarily weakened state (overwhelmed no doubt by all the fawning and the palpable caring from those present) found it difficult to cut the cake with the plastic knife, which snapped. The discovery that a sugarless cake (brought with such caring concern for the health of our brothers whose conditions are now the subject of every meeting) could be such a hard thing to cut didn't dampen our birthday song, though, which we sang with great gusto in English and cantonese. Enough to bring the house down and not bad for the "oldest" patrons there that night. (Don't pretend lah, brothers, those frequent trips to the loo and the song selections betrayed us even if our appearance didn't.)
The only thing missing was our wine, which couldn't be drunk, because the Red Box people wanted to charge us RM70 corkage for each bottle. How absurd. We're keeping them for the next do of course.
Sir Gallant (aka Larry) again escorted Flo and Connie to their cars, somewhere in the great labyrinthes of the enlarged complex. SV, who was late, had just abandoned his car near the complex entrance and was leaving it to chance that it wouldn't be towed away. I hope you found your car intact, brother.
It was another long session and poor Connie's many earlier attempts to leave had always been thwarted. Like me, I guess she took some time to recover from the sleep deficit. Anyway, what she and I didn't tell you people was that the day had earlier given both of us a bit of shaking up. I heard that my lawyer had serious colon cancer and she heard that her sis-in-law had lymphoma. So both of us had this disturbing news tucked in the back of our minds even while we were having a good time. By Saturday, she called me to say her SIL had passed away.
Things couldn't get more dramatic when Sensei, ever the gentleman, sent Bee Li home and she entertained him with her personal story of being disturbed by spirits and such. Of course, you all know by now, how he kept checking his rear mirror on the way home, at 3am.
Weds, Dec 19, 2007
What a hectic day. The pre-holiday jams and festive happenings kept some of us from reaching the Zen Restaurant at Sunway Pyramid on time. However, attendance was good, with Bee Li making another heroic effort to come in from Nilai. Not there were Poh Sing, who was outstation; Mun Fai, who was sick (again?) and Siew Lee who had visitors from out-of-town.
So there we were, having another great-grub-and-yummy-yarns session with the guys, as usual, giving us lots to chew upon and digest. Which, as you people will see in the photos, included a magic show from Rick. As to why and what he was doing with the serviette, suffice to say it has to do (doesn't it always?) with girth and measurements - err, the long and short - of the male anatomy, vis-a-vis the belly and the birdie. Strictly, it was a comparison between his and Sensei's. Before we go further into such an intimate subject, the political climate of today makes it expedient for us not to delve too deeply into areas we shouldn't poke into. Best let it be between the two gentlemen to explore in private. So long as it is not in a certain hotel which has certain advanced recording facilities in a certain town in Johor.
Discussion also touched on medications. Seems a HP pill that Sensei takes gives him (or his little brother, no pun intended, honestly, cos except for Rick, how would I know?) a morning uplifting. As to whether this is good or bad, we girls didn't pursue. We're not the scandal-hungry press mah. But there you go, conversations are more and more centred around health issues. Expect more to come as we age, err, gracefully.
Amidst the wolfing down of sushi, octopi, edamame and unpronounceable Japanese delights, once again, the subject of bro Larry being the subject of fascination of a certain female dawg was touched upon. Again denials were issued but "how can lah, each time she calls only him and has long conversations with only him" was on the minds of everyone.
As for the food, well, for Mike and the recuperating doc down under, we append titillating images. Dinner over, we scampered next door for our karaoke session. Your reporter took video footage (hmm, training which will come in handy in case I need a second career; but first, lots of practice is necessary as you guys will no doubt see if and when I get to download it into CDs) but so sorry, I don't have the software to upload it and email it to you all. If I put it on YouTube, I might get sued for gross invasion of privacy by certain individuals.
The singing was raucous, as usual. With Bee Li as a first-timer for our yodelling sessions, things got a bit livelier and Rick had to give chance. Actually, his excuse was the key was not right for him. But that didn't stop him from giving us an entertaining Hokkien number called Ti O O (sky black black?). No complaints about the mike from Yoke Chen even though she didn't bring her own. Sensei gave us his signature tune of I saw her standing there again, ably backed by our birthday boy, SV and Chew Hong. I don't know if it was the jugs or sashimi that did it but inhibitions were somehow gone by the time the morning crept in and we had the birthday boy doing some rocking with Rick (to the music lah).
Yoke Chen's birthday cake for Larry was a sugarless chocolate chiffon cake. The birthday boy in his excitement and temporarily weakened state (overwhelmed no doubt by all the fawning and the palpable caring from those present) found it difficult to cut the cake with the plastic knife, which snapped. The discovery that a sugarless cake (brought with such caring concern for the health of our brothers whose conditions are now the subject of every meeting) could be such a hard thing to cut didn't dampen our birthday song, though, which we sang with great gusto in English and cantonese. Enough to bring the house down and not bad for the "oldest" patrons there that night. (Don't pretend lah, brothers, those frequent trips to the loo and the song selections betrayed us even if our appearance didn't.)
The only thing missing was our wine, which couldn't be drunk, because the Red Box people wanted to charge us RM70 corkage for each bottle. How absurd. We're keeping them for the next do of course.
Sir Gallant (aka Larry) again escorted Flo and Connie to their cars, somewhere in the great labyrinthes of the enlarged complex. SV, who was late, had just abandoned his car near the complex entrance and was leaving it to chance that it wouldn't be towed away. I hope you found your car intact, brother.
It was another long session and poor Connie's many earlier attempts to leave had always been thwarted. Like me, I guess she took some time to recover from the sleep deficit. Anyway, what she and I didn't tell you people was that the day had earlier given both of us a bit of shaking up. I heard that my lawyer had serious colon cancer and she heard that her sis-in-law had lymphoma. So both of us had this disturbing news tucked in the back of our minds even while we were having a good time. By Saturday, she called me to say her SIL had passed away.
Things couldn't get more dramatic when Sensei, ever the gentleman, sent Bee Li home and she entertained him with her personal story of being disturbed by spirits and such. Of course, you all know by now, how he kept checking his rear mirror on the way home, at 3am.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Round 2 - Ming Room/La Bodega
Sleep deficit is making it difficult for me to write a complete contact report. But I would like to give a prelim rundown with some proposed awards:
To Weng Choon - Most Honest Sharing Award
"Vitamin B complex for erectile dysfunction"
To Mun Fai - Most Touching Declaration of Love Award
"If not for my wife, I would not have anything to live for when I lost everything in the fire"
To Chooi Ngor - Most Coveted Wife Award
"What you don't know don't hurt you"
To Choon Kit - Most Doting Dad Award
"My daughter knows how to get to me through the mother and I'll give her everything"
To Bee Li - Most Steadfast Mum Award
"If we give our kids this today, next time they will ask for a car. How then?"
To Yoke Chen - Most Effective Libido Raising Award
"I call him (Weng Choon) lah and he will come!"
Ok folks, enjoy the photos and let's come together for another rip-roaring dinner tomorrow!
To Weng Choon - Most Honest Sharing Award
"Vitamin B complex for erectile dysfunction"
To Mun Fai - Most Touching Declaration of Love Award
"If not for my wife, I would not have anything to live for when I lost everything in the fire"
To Chooi Ngor - Most Coveted Wife Award
"What you don't know don't hurt you"
To Choon Kit - Most Doting Dad Award
"My daughter knows how to get to me through the mother and I'll give her everything"
To Bee Li - Most Steadfast Mum Award
"If we give our kids this today, next time they will ask for a car. How then?"
To Yoke Chen - Most Effective Libido Raising Award
"I call him (Weng Choon) lah and he will come!"
Ok folks, enjoy the photos and let's come together for another rip-roaring dinner tomorrow!
Come One, Come All to Old Kum Leng
Your Hon Secretary is frankly, still bleary-eyed. So I can only give a rudimentary round-up of last night's and the other night's events. After I get back into rhythmn and have my feet planted on the ground again, I'll upload the pictures of last night and perhaps, give a more complete account of our great dinners in our blog.
First things first:
For last Saturday night's dinner at The Ming Room, let me say thanks to Choon Kit (correct me if I'm wrong and I apologize for attributing the "b.........d" quote to you - it was Weng Choon who said it). Then, thanks for drinks at La Bodega, to Seong Voon (you left too soon for us to thank you and also where were you last night?).
For last night's "thanksgiving" dinner at the Golden Palace where we had really good SUCCULENT tur(n)key, escargo, babi again and lots more, Weng Choon deserves our undying thanks. Not only did he outdo himself by procuring a huge turkey in the middle of October, he actually got almost everyone to come again without resorting to threats but by ahem, a gentle reminder ("I went to great length to get the turkey. Don't disappoint me!").
We hope you had a great time with Bee Li....
Oh yes, thanks to the ladies who contributed the wine. Let it be noted that Siew Lee has offered her two bottles to be carried forward to our next gathering, which will either be when Dr Wong comes back or for Weng Choon's birthday, whichever comes first.
The feasts were sumptuous. But you will all agree with me that the company was far, far more delectable. For a while, we were all kids again and everything (well, for the girls at least) was innocent and fun. Until Weng Choon got into his third glass of wine...
(On Sat night, In Kok Cheng's absence, Weng Choon had held centre court and regaled us with stories real or otherwise. We were so touched we almost cried. Good Kisah Benar material.)
Last night was memorable for the buses story of course. Weng Choon got on the bus without the 'stop' bell, Chew Hong jumped off the first bus and hopped onto a second. Yoke Chen got onto a first-class bus, sigh.... while some of us had rickety old buses that kind of started and stopped and stalled and sputtered on. But Yuet Ho was better - she jumped plane.
Last night even had a short session ala "Sg Besi Idol", with Kok Cheng showing us his repertoire of dirty ditties in Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese. Yoke Chen, for the finale, gave us a commendable but brief version of Chin Tian Pu Hwei Chia.
But all good things must come to an end and we had to Hwei Chia. For the newcomers Poh Sing and Swee Sim, we hope you enjoyed yourselves; it was wonderful having you guys.
Eating her heart out is Chooi Ngor who called to say she should have come last night and go in late to work today and tell the the gwei(lo)s in her office to meet later instead. Too good, too innocent, too obedient... never change la, Chooi Ngor. The good thing is, she has found Ng Lai Keng, so the next time, one more girl's coming.
Siew Lee sms-ed to say she's still vomitting and pooh-pooh-ing. Jaga kebersihan ok, you men.
Oh, yes, thanks to Weng Choon for burning the CDs for everyone. Can you also forward to those who weren't present and also upload your photos for sharing. If not, we boycott your birthday.
So guys, keep February 18th open.
First things first:
For last Saturday night's dinner at The Ming Room, let me say thanks to Choon Kit (correct me if I'm wrong and I apologize for attributing the "b.........d" quote to you - it was Weng Choon who said it). Then, thanks for drinks at La Bodega, to Seong Voon (you left too soon for us to thank you and also where were you last night?).
For last night's "thanksgiving" dinner at the Golden Palace where we had really good SUCCULENT tur(n)key, escargo, babi again and lots more, Weng Choon deserves our undying thanks. Not only did he outdo himself by procuring a huge turkey in the middle of October, he actually got almost everyone to come again without resorting to threats but by ahem, a gentle reminder ("I went to great length to get the turkey. Don't disappoint me!").
We hope you had a great time with Bee Li....
Oh yes, thanks to the ladies who contributed the wine. Let it be noted that Siew Lee has offered her two bottles to be carried forward to our next gathering, which will either be when Dr Wong comes back or for Weng Choon's birthday, whichever comes first.
The feasts were sumptuous. But you will all agree with me that the company was far, far more delectable. For a while, we were all kids again and everything (well, for the girls at least) was innocent and fun. Until Weng Choon got into his third glass of wine...
(On Sat night, In Kok Cheng's absence, Weng Choon had held centre court and regaled us with stories real or otherwise. We were so touched we almost cried. Good Kisah Benar material.)
Last night was memorable for the buses story of course. Weng Choon got on the bus without the 'stop' bell, Chew Hong jumped off the first bus and hopped onto a second. Yoke Chen got onto a first-class bus, sigh.... while some of us had rickety old buses that kind of started and stopped and stalled and sputtered on. But Yuet Ho was better - she jumped plane.
Last night even had a short session ala "Sg Besi Idol", with Kok Cheng showing us his repertoire of dirty ditties in Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese. Yoke Chen, for the finale, gave us a commendable but brief version of Chin Tian Pu Hwei Chia.
But all good things must come to an end and we had to Hwei Chia. For the newcomers Poh Sing and Swee Sim, we hope you enjoyed yourselves; it was wonderful having you guys.
Eating her heart out is Chooi Ngor who called to say she should have come last night and go in late to work today and tell the the gwei(lo)s in her office to meet later instead. Too good, too innocent, too obedient... never change la, Chooi Ngor. The good thing is, she has found Ng Lai Keng, so the next time, one more girl's coming.
Siew Lee sms-ed to say she's still vomitting and pooh-pooh-ing. Jaga kebersihan ok, you men.
Oh, yes, thanks to Weng Choon for burning the CDs for everyone. Can you also forward to those who weren't present and also upload your photos for sharing. If not, we boycott your birthday.
So guys, keep February 18th open.
Garbage Out, Dogs In
One Wednesday night, circa 10.30pm on 26th September 2007, Weng Choon took the lift from his 11th floor apartment down to the garbage disposal to throw what his wife had, apparently repeatedly, "requested" him to do. Instead of being the dutiful husband and doing it immediately, he dillied dallied until his wife threatened to throw him out along with the garbage. So he wore his flip flops (ok, Japanese slippers lah) and sullenly went downstairs, towing the bag along, with what was some 6 months worth of rubbish. (Which accounts for wife's nagging lah)
Cut to next scene. Yuet Ho, after feasting and enjoying some debauchery with her friends, was heaving herself (after all, she had spent two hours stuffing lobsters, sharksfin and a whole year's supply of Malaysian food to last her when she goes back to New York) to the lift lobby. She punched the up button. The sound of flip flops - the distinct sound that could only be made by someone dragging his feet in reluctance - made her turn. (Ah, only mothers know this kind of sound lah) She saw this man, sullen faced and downcast. She instantly recognised him (beyond me, cos the last time we met, we girls just walked past him until he had to yell : "Ouy, I am Weng Choon lah" ), pointed her slender finger at his face and said very s-l-o-w-ly: C H O Y W E N G C H O O N
The rest, as they say, is history.
Well, not quite.
The previous couple of weeks, Khai Lan and I had been meeting on and off. She told me how she had met up with some lady with the Poo surname. And guess what? Ms Poo turned out to be Tuck Weng's cousin. Khai Lan called me and I said, how nice it would be if we could meet up with him. And she said, guess what, he's coming back to KL in the next few days. Before we could sing NegaraKuKuKu, Rick called Khai Lan and said we were meeting on Saturday 'cos Yuet Ho was back from NY. HaH? When did she go ah? How come we all donno one? Aiya, so many questions, so must meet lor.
Like that, lah the story. So everyone tried to get hold of everyone fast fast. But some couldn't make it, as usual.
So we all met. Hug-hugged, laughed, teased, talked, laughed, squinted at the photos time and again, etc, etc.
You would think that after yakking for 6 hours, we'd have had enough. No, after we said goodbye and I had just dropped Chooi Ngor, Yuet Ho called to say we're meeting again. So, story continues :
Another serendipitous thing had happened. Weng Choon called Mun Fai to see if he was back from Kuantan (he wasn't) and somehow, that very morning, Mun Fai had bumped into Chew Hong. See? Fate again. So the phone calls flurry started all over and everyone came again. And Chew Hong came. So Yuet Ho got everyone there the second time around - wah, we all so give face to her. Me and Chooi Ngor, good decent ladies who never go out at night, made an exception and despite almost being threatened to be disowned by respective families, came out again.
End of story. For now. I'll try to make a blog for us. So this part is starters.
Just for the record, I would like to thank Rick for lunch and coffee and the jokes. He's never short of them. And he takes them as well as he dishes them. Each time. Wish Bee Li was there though, cos the sparring between them is always something to watch.
Also, thanks to Choon Kit for drinks second time around. And thanks to everyone for taking the time to meet.
Bon voyage to Yuet Hoe and Tuck Wing.
To friendship and taking out the thrash...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May Day, May Day... Not
May Day, May Day... Not
On 18th May, Bee Li, Siew Lee and Khai Lan were feted to a birthday bash at Hotel California. The usual suspects turned up except for those overseas, MF and PS.
Just happened that it was Siew Lee's maiden visit to the fortress and also the dogs' maiden pot-luck party. And it wasn't half bad, judging by the spread. Even sans rendang, we had way too much to eat and once again, ended up tapau-ing some home. Some say it was better than Hai Peng, Ming Room and even La Bodega. Don't play play.
Sow Pau from Bee Li.
Roast duck and chicken from Jessy.
Yam cake and jelly from Yoke Chen.
Fried beehoon, salad and fruits from Connie.
Tomyam beehoon (the house specialty), fried taufu and sausages from Karen.
"My mum's famous yong tau foo" from Salak South, from Florence.
Tapioca cake from BB.
Cheese cake from me.
A bottle of hard stuff from Mosquito.
Candles and a huge grin from Sensei.
Absentees note: home cooked food does wonders for you. Loaded with unadulterated goodness, it gives you more power to enjoy life than energy bars. Of course antioxidants from the vineyard help in great doses too. And Taiko, our resident bar tender, was liberal in dishing them out.
Turning 50? No way. Not going by the way your birthday girls (ok, two girls and you know who's the quiet one, wink, wink, the one who reads her email at midnight and giggles to herself) sang their hearts out, sashayed, twisted and rock-and-rolled. Taiso even jumped onto a chair and enthralled us with her best moves. And she is a year older than us. Age, what age? Who's aging?
Taiso had so much vitality that when she wasn't cha-cha-ing with Taiko, she was flitting from karaoke room to kitchen to bar to toilet... and even found time to baptize the queen of Chew Hong's heart. Henceforth, people, take note that Goy is now "Queenie". By order of the Top Dog's permaisuri who reigns in Hotel California.
We did miss the presence of our Malay ballads crooner and joget/qigong master. No one else can match him in belting out these sweet sentimentals. Big fine awaits he who didn't answer his calls.
Was it the badminton that kept some of you home? Hey, some of us watched the finals between China and Korea, too. Until the game lost its lustre, that is. For a while, the shouts at the sitting room matched the singing in the karaoke room. But they never drowned out the "happy birthday to you" refrains and the "yam seng". Quite a loooooooong yam seng it was.
No need ginseng lah, this gang.
If it weren't for the fact that our de-facto chauffeur didn't want to risk being locked out at sunrise after returning from Nilai, the party wouldn't have ended at two. Only Cinderella Connie kept to her curfew. Taiso's mum (does that make her the Queen Mother? or Tai Tai So?) outlasted you. This 82 years young hot chick retired only at 12.45. At makan time, she revealed to us her Seven Secrets of Longevity and Happiness:
1. Marry a Hainan
2. Get out of Hainan
3. Eat anything and everything
4. Laugh a lot
5. Talk a lot, especially with dogs.
Street dogs, midnight dogs, gallivanting dogs, sleeping dogs.
And dogs who rock, rattle and roll on their birthdays.
6. Be born in the year of the snake. Not any snake - poisonous snake.
7. Not sure you have eaten? Eat again.
Caveat: some words of wisdom may have got lost in translation. My hainanese is not up to the mark.
But seriously, MaMa was such a sporting lady. She did make us laugh. And helped to clear up a bit of the grub.
So another happy occasion came to pass. With anticipation and, thankfully, a couple of months' rest, we await the next shindig.
Thanks, dogs, for the wild time once again; kudos especially to our generous hosts, Rick and Karen.
On 18th May, Bee Li, Siew Lee and Khai Lan were feted to a birthday bash at Hotel California. The usual suspects turned up except for those overseas, MF and PS.
Just happened that it was Siew Lee's maiden visit to the fortress and also the dogs' maiden pot-luck party. And it wasn't half bad, judging by the spread. Even sans rendang, we had way too much to eat and once again, ended up tapau-ing some home. Some say it was better than Hai Peng, Ming Room and even La Bodega. Don't play play.
Sow Pau from Bee Li.
Roast duck and chicken from Jessy.
Yam cake and jelly from Yoke Chen.
Fried beehoon, salad and fruits from Connie.
Tomyam beehoon (the house specialty), fried taufu and sausages from Karen.
"My mum's famous yong tau foo" from Salak South, from Florence.
Tapioca cake from BB.
Cheese cake from me.
A bottle of hard stuff from Mosquito.
Candles and a huge grin from Sensei.
Absentees note: home cooked food does wonders for you. Loaded with unadulterated goodness, it gives you more power to enjoy life than energy bars. Of course antioxidants from the vineyard help in great doses too. And Taiko, our resident bar tender, was liberal in dishing them out.
Turning 50? No way. Not going by the way your birthday girls (ok, two girls and you know who's the quiet one, wink, wink, the one who reads her email at midnight and giggles to herself) sang their hearts out, sashayed, twisted and rock-and-rolled. Taiso even jumped onto a chair and enthralled us with her best moves. And she is a year older than us. Age, what age? Who's aging?
Taiso had so much vitality that when she wasn't cha-cha-ing with Taiko, she was flitting from karaoke room to kitchen to bar to toilet... and even found time to baptize the queen of Chew Hong's heart. Henceforth, people, take note that Goy is now "Queenie". By order of the Top Dog's permaisuri who reigns in Hotel California.
We did miss the presence of our Malay ballads crooner and joget/qigong master. No one else can match him in belting out these sweet sentimentals. Big fine awaits he who didn't answer his calls.
Was it the badminton that kept some of you home? Hey, some of us watched the finals between China and Korea, too. Until the game lost its lustre, that is. For a while, the shouts at the sitting room matched the singing in the karaoke room. But they never drowned out the "happy birthday to you" refrains and the "yam seng". Quite a loooooooong yam seng it was.
No need ginseng lah, this gang.
If it weren't for the fact that our de-facto chauffeur didn't want to risk being locked out at sunrise after returning from Nilai, the party wouldn't have ended at two. Only Cinderella Connie kept to her curfew. Taiso's mum (does that make her the Queen Mother? or Tai Tai So?) outlasted you. This 82 years young hot chick retired only at 12.45. At makan time, she revealed to us her Seven Secrets of Longevity and Happiness:
1. Marry a Hainan
2. Get out of Hainan
3. Eat anything and everything
4. Laugh a lot
5. Talk a lot, especially with dogs.
Street dogs, midnight dogs, gallivanting dogs, sleeping dogs.
And dogs who rock, rattle and roll on their birthdays.
6. Be born in the year of the snake. Not any snake - poisonous snake.
7. Not sure you have eaten? Eat again.
Caveat: some words of wisdom may have got lost in translation. My hainanese is not up to the mark.
But seriously, MaMa was such a sporting lady. She did make us laugh. And helped to clear up a bit of the grub.
So another happy occasion came to pass. With anticipation and, thankfully, a couple of months' rest, we await the next shindig.
Thanks, dogs, for the wild time once again; kudos especially to our generous hosts, Rick and Karen.
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