Jasmine Chia: Family

Family - Wednesday, August 25, 2010

traipsing Singapore

Got up 5AM this morning to watch Up in the Air (and it’s a weekday). Not exactly something I have plan but due to some unforeseen circumstan...

Family - Thursday, November 05, 2009

how my brother thrills the world

Last Friday, I was surfing online as usual in the office, clicking on links available on my social network. Then I saw this familiar face on...

Family - Thursday, July 02, 2009

Road trip to Penang - Day 1

The weather today is awfully hot but that doesn’t stop me from making my way to Penang. The land of my favourite CKT, after my last trip her...

Taken during Mother's Day 2007

I’m back in Singapore today. I just want to take this moment of silent that I’m experiencing now to put down my thoughts and hope that this will be a personal reminder to myself of this important person in my life.

Last Wednesday, I experienced a death in my family. Something that shook me from my daily life telling me that I should start to care and think about the people around me. My grandmother passed away at the age of 80, quite unexpectedly. It all happened too fast and she slipped away from us while we are all still busy with our life. She spent the last few years of her life on the bed. There are many regrets in my life and not being there during those last few hours is one of them.

Thinking back, I remembered I used to stay over with po po over the weekends. She used to bring me along with her to places where she used to help to do housekeeping. After coming back from doing housekeeping work, that will normally be afternoon already, we will have teatime at home. That’s when I learnt that dipping cookies into my tea makes it tastier to eat. She always kept her cookies at the top of her shelf and I always know where to find my favorite cookies.

Grandmother is a woman that abides to all customary rules. She always taught me that a girl should never lift their legs on the chair and their hair should always be in place, she frowns at people with messy hairstyle. I remember once I forgot to comb my hair after bathing, she scolded me “teng nga yu”, I laughed at it because I thought it was funny at that time thinking it back now, it only bring tears to my eyes.

I also remember how she used to mark on those huge Chinese calendar, the birthdays of all her children and grandchildren. One of the presents I received from her is this little pink egg basket with 2 little white chicks in it and when you shake it the little chickens will make some sound. Now, I don’t even know whether I will still be able to find the toy again.

Walking behind her coffin to send her off through the last part of her life, I cried the hardest. All those memories of her I have accumulated during my childhood days came flooding my memories during that time. The walk we used to walk together came to my mind so vividly. I won’t be able to see the person that used to care for me anymore, the person that taught me to dip cookies into my tea.

I miss you so much, po po…

Events - Tuesday, April 28, 2009

22.04.2009

Taken during Mother's Day 2007 I’m back in Singapore today. I just want to take this moment of silent that I’m experiencing now to put d...

During my birthday, one of the things I had is dim sum. People close to me will know that I love dim sum a lot. I don’t go great length for it because dim sum in Singapore can be pricey but Ron will go the great deal to find me the best dim sum for me to enjoy. His recent trip in Singapore, he has brought me to this authentic Cantonese restaurant called Cherry Garden at Mandarin Oriental. I felt that though it’s a Cantonese restaurant, but the setting within the place feels Shanghainese, not sure if the Chinese Jazz songs they played that morning had a role in making me feel that way.

My brother, who happened to be in town as well, joined us for the breakfast too. I think 3 people going for the dim sum buffet feels just nice because most of the dishes that arrive are in the portion of 3.

Although it’s a buffet but there is no huge crowd at the restaurant or overcrowded tables. The dishes are made upon order, so you can avoid food-fighting scene with unruly people, if any. Because of this we were able to get ourselves soaked into the seductive voices from the Shanghai Jazz album, which after that I too went and bought the album.

If you’re ever going to try out the buffet there, some of the must try dishes are the wasabi prawn and the avocado dessert. The wasabi prawn is because all freaking reviews I read said must try but personally I prefer the avocado dessert, maybe because I was easily amused by the presentation of the dish. When it arrives, it arrives in style with lots of smoke coming out due to the dry ice underneath the bowl. The avocado is nice too, my only complain about it is the portion maybe too a little small for my liking, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE YOU KNOW!!! But again, I was also rather stuffed by dessert time, so I didn’t order my 2nd helping.

The rest of the dim sum was good too. Ingredients were fresh and also of good quality stuff. I shall let the pictures tell the story. Ron and myself won’t mind going back again for the food, in fact we are planning to go there again on his next trip down because we really love the dim sum there. Now, I’m waiting and hoping that it will be soon ~ can’t want.