Etiquetas: daily, some guy, wtf

I was so mad and sad and scared today I sat on the train holding tears and writing hate letter to no one and everyone, just to make time went faster. Walked slowly, sat on the bus, I got home, cried in the cubicle and cooked and felt better. Maybe I was just hungry. I need to bounce back from this rock bottom. For goodness’ sake all of this shit is beyond funny. Not even funny AT ALL. Maybe it’s karma.

Etiquetas: contemplative, karma, wtf

Berlina is cooking.

No it wasn’t typo. I am really planning to cook for this whole week (and weeks to come probably). As to prove my persistence, I’ve bought this recipe book, ‘The Credit Crunch Cookbook’, which I bought because I thought:

1. The cover was so cute (see above), I just couldn’t resist.
2. The title corresponded very well to my current financial condition.
3. Recipes were written as if the dishes were ‘really’ easy to make (while after better reading, they actually not really are, and some spices and herbs don’t ring my bell).
4. I was in a good mood.

This whole shit is actually really scary. In my whole life I had never thought that I would be doing the stuffs below altogether:

1. Thinking and planning to cook. As in serious ‘cook’. Instant noodles and pastas and Campbell soups don’t count.
2. Buying a cookbook for myself to cook.
3. Sitting down, religiously googling names of spices, herbs and foods on the net.
4. Planning menus for next week and actually noting down the ingredients and cooking suggestions for all of those recipes.
5. Frugally budgeting and amending the menus to cater to the tight budget; noting down prices of different labels of each ingredient in order to make it easy to pick the cheapest ones. Using calculator. At 4am in the morning.
6. And above all, enjoying the whole process.

But matter-of-factly what I did was:

1. Thinking and planning to cook. As in serious ‘cook’. Instant noodles and pastas and Campbell soups don’t count.
2. Buying a cookbook for myself to cook.
3. Sitting down, religiously googling names of spices, herbs and foods on the net.
4. Planning menus for next week and actually noting down the ingredients and cooking suggestions for all of those recipes.
5. Frugally budgeting and amending the menus to cater to the tight budget, noting down prices of different labels of each ingredient in order to make it easy to pick the cheapest ones. Using calculator. At 4am in the morning.
6. And above all, enjoying the whole process.

FML.

It’s amazing what poverty could have done to you, yes? I’ve been surviving these 20-days of poverty (days went so fast, God’s mercy) by sandwich (wholegrain bread, ham, cheese, mayo, tons of lettuce) mostly, and pasta bolognese. They were tasty and healthy –and filling, but seriously, I couldn’t stand eating those forever until the day when money drops onto my head. Hence all the cooking stuff.

It’s actually pretty funny because I don’t even have proper cooking utensils. I don’t even have a knife, nevermind the saucepan and all others. At this time, I must be really grateful to have a housewife-y roommate who has provided me access to all her cooking utensils without which I couldn’t survive.

So for next week, the menus would mostly consist of rice, pasta, tuna, potato, and egg, and vegetables. You’d be surprised by how creative I am in giving posh names to foods. You’ll hear later, tee hee.

PS:

Isn’t it strange that suddenly a guy popped up in front of you and blablabla asked for your telephone number? I mean in US and Europe, it’s a very common thing; but in Asia?? This was just the second time for me so I still thought it was quite strange. I was in pageone. He was quite cute, though. But sure I didn’t give him mine. Because when someone did that (asking for a stranger's telephone number, in Asia, talk about conservative eastern culture blablabla), I couldn’t help but to think that he:

1. was trying to sell something later on, and insurance agent maybe,
2. was a pimp, omgoodness,
3. was desperate to get laid, or
4. was a porn movie producer who spotted a talent (read: me, fml)!

But in fact, if he genuinely wanted to make a friend, he’s sure got guts; and it was a very positive and ‘gentleman’ thing to do. However to be conservative, I’d prefer to believe the fourth option. It, actually, is quite a compliment to consider me as a talent.

Etiquetas: daily, karma, shopaholic adventures, some guy, wtf

So in the midst of assignment avalanche (in office, ECA, and school altogether) I’m posting this post. This URECA research paper really mindfucks me to the max. Tomorrow’s deadline, and it’s like, uhm, in less than 30 minutes? Ok I can push it until Friday the latest, but the sooner I get over this, the better. Franz Ferdinand and Lady Gaga on iTunes are team berlina tonight. Hopefully I can reach the finishing sentence by the dawn (yea I’ll be staying awake booo).

Meanwhile just want to spread the news that LADY GAGA’S COMING TO SINGAPORE FOR A FULL CONCERT ON 12^th AUGUST!!!!!!!!!! Pre-sales ticket will be selling at S$75, free entrance to Zouk inclusive. I’m sooooo buying the ticket once it hits SISTIC (read: have to survive by sandwich diet until August). I’m assuming Arctic Monkeys, and really anticipating Franz Ferdinand having gigs in Singapore as well. So far no hearsays about someone will be bringing them here. For goodness’ sake, Franz hit Japan and Australia, why the hell wouldn’t somebody catch their feet and drag them to Singapore?? I’m totally pissed. For Arctic, I’m think we all must wait until next year to see if they’ll be having Asia tour. Their new album will only hit music stores on mid August.

PS:

Sorry for the ‘Courtney Love’-ish post. Must. Back. To. Paper.

PPS, update @1.20am:

Woe is me. I’m not gonna stay up until dawn. This paper’s for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Friday’s the latest. If they really want the paper pronto, they’ll get one in shitty quality. Darn I don’t even know what I wrote. I need Midas touch!!

Etiquetas: craving, daily, karma, wtf

I’m brightly optimistic about this whole days-at-the-museum stuff. Even though delayed by the lazy body clock (I never wake up before 12.30 on weekends), I eventually managed to drag not only myself, but also Suryani and Lukas down along, to National Museum of Singapore for Verner Panton’s exhibition yesterday. T’was fun!

***

Honest, it was a very fantastic exhibition of Verner Panton’s works. Verner Panton was an ultra-modern Danish furniture and interior designer. I understand that he had tricked the then unspoken rules of Danish furniture-making by creating mass products, and moreover, made of plastics and steels. In this case, imagine Henry Ford and his assembly line circa 1900's; or IKEA nowadays. Along the way, Panton had successfully caved himself a comfortable niche in the worldwide pop art movement. His style is distinctive; his works are bold, colorful, experimental, and most importantly, fun!

I reckon my first encounter with Panton happened via Spice Girls. They once posed on Panton’s ‘Living Tower’ and I remember the first time I saw the photo I thought, ‘What a chair!’. That very same line was screamed many times yesterday during the exhibition.

Photos for your viewing pleasure, as they speak a thousand words:

'Collection decor, design welle'.

System furniture consists of lamps.

The famous 'fun lamp'. I believe I saw this at my grandma's house.

It actually looks pretty classic.

'Tommy Lund chair/Vilbert' in between.

The ethereal-looking 'flower pot' lamps.

Variation of 'Storz & Palmer seating', 'fun lamp', 'aluminium fun lamp', and 'VP Globe' lamp.

The cute 'VP Globe' lamp. These lamps were used in many interiors designed by Panton.

'Aluminium fun lamp', which I think is more modern than the original white 'fun lamp'.

‘Luminous Ring Wall Element’. Install this at your home entrance if you want to make a statement. Just like what Panton did at his own house.

‘Spiral lamp’, ‘wonder lamp’, and red hot ‘Living Tower’ behind. I totally saw photo of Spice Girls posing on the purple one several years ago. T’was my first encounter with Panton I suppose.

'Spiral lamp'.

'Wonder lamp'.

What a playful set of sofa! Panton had this at his own house.

Guess what it is….It’s a boombox! I didn’t realize it until Lukas pointed it out and I saw the buttons and cable. Darn, forget iPod, I want this.

‘Schoner Wohnen living unit’. I won’t mind NTU triple sharing room if they have these instead of the hideous double decker beds.

I so dig the first sentence.

The fantabulous 'flying' chairs and 'mirror sculptures' behind it. Someday I'd like to have my room looking like this.

‘Panto pop’ chair and table. Lukas and Suryani thought it was cute. I said it was cute, like a cute dog bowl.

'Visiona rocking chair'. I bet it would make you feel as if sitting on a purple moon. Awfully romantic.

And finally, LET'S WE ALL GO AND WATCH THESE!!!!!!!!

***

This was then followed by visiting IT Fair, dinner at Aston Specialties, and the usual stomach-aching jokes all the way back to hostel, before we called it a night.

PS:

I watched the Oscar winning ‘Milk’ today: a totally great movie, maybe the best I've watched in the year so far. I shall write about this movie soon. I watched ‘Kambing Jantan’ too. It was boring, and didn’t make me laugh/cry/shed any emotion at all. Blah, the book’s farrrrrrrrrrrr better.

Etiquetas: daily, opinion, photos

Okay, so I’ve officially been a fan of National Museum of Singapore. I was first caught in an affair last week at Lacroix’s exhibition. Now I find myself planning to go there again tomorrow. Tomorrow’s for Verner Panton’s exhibition (the iconic Panton chair, ring a bell?). Free admission for students, no damage; this is really a benefit I must enjoy to the max especially now that I’m in final year. At this point, I must have completely abandoned the fact that I have to wrap up the draft of my URECA research paper due this Sunday (which of course by now is nowhere near finishing except for introduction part; come on you know me). That doesn’t matter, though.

The thing that matters is that I mistakenly bought two tickets for Gimme Shelter, a documentary about Rolling Stone’s tragic concert at Altamont Speedway on 6 December 1969. The documentary is a part of four documentaries on show during National Museum’s ‘All Yesterday Parties: Rockers, Mods and other Oddities’ cinematheque event, 27-28 June.

I’d contemplated for days before I finally decided to purchase the ticket and go alone; since the possibility that any of my friends would like to watch this (especially that it’s not free) is nearing zero. No, it actually IS really zero. Exception is for Naldo whose ass, unfortunately, will be in Jakarta by then.

Nevertheless the prospect of meeting some cute/hot guys with same interest in rock culture made me think no longer. I’ve impulsively also purchased a ticket for another documentary Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London, which is described as compilation of rare footages of concerts by The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett. What appeals me most is the preceding Peter Whitehead’s music promo for Rolling Stones.

Unfamiliar names on the descriptions of these documentaries (that I don’t mention here because I don’t know them) remind me to the fact that my knowledge about 60’s/70’s music culture and its whatnots is dwarf in comparison to whatever the rest that I don’t know. Yet I’m still so thrilled to watch these musicians pulling out their 60’s/70’s rockers at best on stages.

Actually, only second to the roaring twenties, sixties to seventies are the years that I yearn the most to have lived in. I mean, which young’ns wouldn’t be fascinated by the whole love generation movement? By rock n roll, bands, and their groupies? By their mod, pop culture and fashion? By the hippie bohemian style (which made a comeback and was very catwalk hip back then in early 2000’s)? Come on, your subconscious minds can’t lie; I know you still have those infamous bell bottom pants somewhere hidden in your closet! And those flower print shirts, too!

So anyway, all this days-at-the-museum stuff is in fact a way for me to force myself to go out and ‘soak up the sun’ more often, instead of gluing myself in chair watching endless series and turning into a lazy couch potato; though in the midst of personal financial crisis. But right now I’m torn up between going out and have fun versus staying at room, savoring my last days staying here. Yes I’m homeless again next semester, fml. Fate hath no mercy.

PS:

Below are the documentaries on show and their respective brief descriptions that I've managed to sum up from the official site and imdb. All will be at National Museum of Singapore’s Gallery Theatre. Ticket can be purchased at 8 bucks, but only 6.4 for students; booking fee exclusive.

Monterey Pop (1968)
Dir: D.A. Pennebaker
Saturday, 27 June, 2pm
California met the Summer of Love! Predecessor of Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding were on the lineup!

Gimme Shelter (1970)
Dir: Albert & David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Saturday, 27 June, 4pm
Rolling Stones free concert at Altamont Speedway on 6 December 1969 ended tragically. See the non-loving side of the Love Generation.

Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London (1967) preceded by The Rolling Stones Music Promo
Dir: Peter Whitehead
Sunday, 28 June, 2pm
London’s Mod scene, revisited by appearances of Who’s Who, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd among many others.

Wonderwall (1968)
Dir: Joe Massot
Sunday, 28 June, 4pm
One rare chance to witness the acting of the actress whose name is immortalized in the most expensive bag on earth, the Birkin bag. Yes, the legendary la boheme Jane Birkin’s here!

Let me know if any of you are going (MEH, I know no one of you will be going, am just asking for courtesy).

PPS:

But seriously if any of you guys are going, I have one spare ticket for ‘Gimme Shelter’. Stupidly placed two tickets in my Sistic shopping cart and didn’t realize it until they’ve deducted my debit card. I am broke and have been trying to survive 5 days by only 20 bucks while one ticket costs me 7.5. FML

Etiquetas: craving, daily, opinion, wtf

Sunday was a great day. I finally managed to drag myself down from the bed, got dressed, and killed the plan. So Sunday happened to be the last day of ‘Christian Lacroix – The Costumier’ exhibition at National Museum of Singapore. I had already planned to squeeze it in my agenda since looong time ago; but then the plan rotted and all went pete tong until a colleague in office blast a mass email to remind us that free entrance would be granted during last three days (I could always get free admission thought, bonus privilege of being student in Singapore).

***

Imagine how magical it is to have one, two, three, no, more than that, colorful tutus flying above your head; swinging, twirling, dancing gallantly as in reviving the poise of invisible ballet dancers. And I didn’t even try to belittle the word ‘colorful’ here. There were fushcias, greens, tangerines, yellows, goldens, and motifs in the air! Transparent wires played dancers.

That really how magical Christian Lacroix – The Costumier was. The exhibition set as the commemoration of Lacroix’s works as a costumier of some famous operas like C’est la vie, Carmen, Eliogabalo, Cosi fan tutte, Othello, Les Arts Florissants, and Romeo et Juliette, among many others. Lacroix has set a foot on fashion industry so well, he’s ready to be crowned legendary. His prêt a porter collections are not among the trendiest, but remain sought after; his haute couture creations stand strong through the roughest of times.

I wasn’t particularly a fan of Lacroix, and you and I are just as blind about operas. Lacroix’s haute couture collections have remained my least favorite for seasons, even though fashion editorials worldwide would have applauded his couture and they would never lack of being wanted. There was something about his signature style of exotic mix of rich colors and materials that spare me from his fans.

His couture creations would always be too costume-ish: bold color palettes and dyes, patterns including his favorite black and white vertical stripes (I can never forget the image of Becca Cason Thrash wearing Lacroix’s bolero jacket and ballgown skirt in this dashingly comical black and white vertical stripe, topped with red satin belt). Or if not colors, it would be the texture; always elaborate with mix of exotic materials like ostrich, fur, tulle, and lace to texturize. In short, always whimsical, even though many times I couldn’t resist that some picks were really to die for.

This characteristic of style then came as Lacroix’s and operas’ advantage, as in stage the more the merrier. Costume-ish is good because that basically what all the clothes are. It makes quite a good sense then if Lacroix is considered as a grand costumier. He has practically broken the back of opera costumes. Imagine those colorful tutus on stage, or the maid’s costume, the flower girl’s, Carmen’s, or everyone else’s that he has created for. Knowing that textures were too aloof to be seen from stage, he then played with shapes. Who wouldn’t admire those awe-inducing crisp pleats in Carmen’s? Or that extravagantly blown-up silver ballgown?

All of those color feast and eye-shocking constructions are enough to drop every audience’s jaw and give a totally different visual experience, as all the while we’ve just been familiar with the classic white or soft-hued ballet costumes, earth colored gowns and coats, rotten laced ball gowns, or whatever that associates the opera-blinds with the plays on stage.

NB:

Forgive the shitty quality of photos. I’m clearly not anywhere near good at photography.

Me and partner-in-crime of the day, Suryani, at the entrance.

Arrays of amazing sketches.

Make this in white, and I'll call it my wedding dress.

Etiquetas: fashion, opinion, photos, review