Chinese New Year 2012

At Fandango's

This year we had a whole week off for Chinese New Year. I left on Sunday the 22nd of January and flew to Singapore. I got in and ate at one of my favorite restaurants: Hog's Breath. It is an Australian restaurant. I love their buffalo wings with blue cheese which is pretty good and close to what I have in the US. Then I got ready and went to Marina Bay Sands shops and hung out until it was time for "Wicked". I have read the book Wicked and didn't really like it, but have heard lots of great things about the musical. It was great. The costumes and the sets were incredible. It wasn't all singing which was nice and since I had read the book I still understood the story. I am glad I got to go. Afterwards I walked across the double helix bridge to the other side because they had this huge float with Chinese decorations for Chinese New Year and lots of shows going on. I didn't walk down onto the float as there were tons of people. On Monday not much was open as that was CNY day. I walked to Raffles City Center and looked at a few shops that were open there. Then I walked down to Suntec City. I went to see the movie "Jack and Jill". It was pretty funny. Then I walked back to Chijmes and had an early dinner at Fandango's which is a Wine and Tapas bar. It was pouring rain. I love Fandango's. They have great tapas. I had a mint lamb one, a bleu cheese and poached pear bruschetta, and a molten chocolate cake for dessert. Yum, yum. After that I went back to the hotel and watch movies on the TV.

On Tuesday I went to Marina Bay Sands shops and did some looking around. Then I went to the Art and Science museum that is located on the Bay behind Marina Bay Sands shops. They had a Titanic exhibit. I have been to one before on the Titanic but this was the best one. They even recreated part of the Titanic so you felt like you were really on the ship. It was very awesome. That night for dinner I went to Osteria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands, which I have eaten there before. I had almost the same dinner. I had the bufalo mozzarella for appetizer and the leg of lamb for my main dish. They didn't have the same desserts but I tried a new one. It was ok. It had burbon ice cream with it that I didn't care for even though the guy told me it wouldn't have much of a burbon flavor. The guy who waited on me is from New Mexico. He helps when they are opening up this restaurant in different cities. He has decided though that he wants to live in Singapore now. I really enjoyed visiting with him. I actually sat at the bar since they didn't have any tables open. There was a lady that ordered Chartreuse on the rocks. He said that was his kind of lady. The guy sitting next to me said he had never had the pleasure of trying it. So, the bartender gave us each a small taste. It was very strong and is made up of all these different herbs. I definitely would not have had a whole glass even if it was on the rocks.

Across from Marina Bay Sands- Float with CNY party

On Wednesday first I went to SunTec because there were a few shops I wanted to go to that had been closed both Monday and Tuesday. Then, I went down Orchard Road because I needed to find some new tops. I  accidentally found a Quizno's. I was so happy as I have been craving Quizno's for a long time. I sat at this low table for two with comfy chairs. Well, not long after I started this groups of old Chinese ladies and one young lady with a baby came over and sat at the table for two next to me. One of the old ladies sat in the chair diagonal from me and glared at me trying to get me to eat faster and leave so they could have all four chairs. There were other chairs and table there that were open. I did take my time. I thought about when I was done staying there and just glaring back at her but I didn't. I also wanted to stop at Cold Stone Creamery and have their ice cream. So, after I got done that is what I did. I think they felt triumphant thinking they had scared me away. But I usually eat pretty fast and I was super hungry and ready to go. After that I walked back to my hotel and watched more movie on the TV.

On Thursday I went to Plaza Singapura and did a little bit of looking for some tops and got a few other things I needed. I went and saw the movie "One for the Money". It was an ok movie. Then I walked down to Fandango's again for a little snack. I had the mint lamb and poached pear bruschetta again. I had told them earlier in the week how much I loved Fandango's and that I would be back. When I showed up they remembered me. The owner or a manager came out and they gave me a membership card. I love their food and can't wait to go back. After my snack I went back to my hotel to get ready for a late dinner. I was invited out for Chili Crab with some of the people I know from twitter and some people from twitter I don't know. I wore one of my new tops as last time I went to meet someone from twitter everyone was dressed super nice and I didn't feel I was dressed nice enough as I had been sightseeing that day. I went down to Raffles City center to catch a cab as out in front of the hotel I was staying in there is road construction. I stopped in to use the bathroom and came across these silk quilt covers from China that I had looked at earlier in the week and forgot I wanted to come back to get. I didn't have enough cash and the ATM machine wouldn't let me get more. I didn't want to use my credit card. I had been super early but then was late after that. When I got there it was dark and there were so many people. There were lots of tables outside. The lights were such that I couldn't really see who was at the tables. I finally spotted one of the people I had met before when I attended the Learning 2.011 conference who got me interested in joining twitter. I couldn't tell at first if they had saved a seat for me. I almost turned around and went back to the cab stand as I was later than I had planned. Finally, I got up the nerve and went over there. They were glad that I had been able to make it. I talked to a couple of them about the new school I am going to be teaching at as that is where they used to teach. Our first crab was with garlic. It was very good. The next one was in black pepper. I didn't try that one as I am not really a pepper fan. The last one was in the Chilli sauce. I tried that with the rolls that they got. In this case I was overdressed and was trying not to get crab & sauce all over my front. I had kind of drapey sleeves and was trying not to drag them in sauces when trying to reach other pieces of crab. I still enjoyed it. I still feel shy and out of places at these types of functions, but I figure the more I times I force myself to go to these things and then enjoy them the more comfortable I will get and the more I will enjoy them.

On Friday I flew to Kuala Lumpur and then two of my friends picked me up and I went with them to Seremban. It was kind of crazy getting together with them as the plans kept changing. Then when I got to KLIA they were at Subang airport. But they said it wasn't far. I had not eaten and didn't realize if I walked out the doors that the did have a couple restaurants before you get all the way outside. ( I had thought I would eat there but then there was no signage saying that they had places to eat or even get water.)  But that is ok, because they took me then and I ate a PappaRich and Tutti Frutti. That is where the wife is from. Her sister was getting married and I was invited. I will write another post about that. Then on Saturday night late we got back to Kuantan, and I had Sunday to rest.