Pepper Lunch

We were going to have dinner at Mos Burger before wandering around Kinokuniya, but on arriving, discovered a new place had opened, taking over another Japanese restaurant. And that is how we accidentally stumbled upon Pepper Lunch, a new Japanese fast-food joint that offers sizzling steak and other yummy beefy eats on a hot plate. We stepped into the place and immediately, screams of "Irrashaimasssssse!" assailed our ears. I ordered the hamburger plate (hum-baagaa), while my two other friends tried the loin steak (the server called it 'lion steak' hurhur) and a combination plate of steak and hamburger from the counter.

The staff were all super-friendly and smiley, and as soon as our dishes arrived, helpfully pointed out the condiments we could add to our steak, like the garlic soy and honey mustard sauce. They also reminded us to mix everything on the plate thoroughly to enjoy the full flavour of the dish, even offering to mix it for us if we couldn't manage on our own. Err thanks, I think I can figure out how to eat my dish.

My humbaagaa came sizzling delightfully on the 'patented' hot plate system, with a sunny-side-up egg and some bean sprouts and carrots on the side. The beef was really tender and juicy, and oh-so-flavoursome. And you could tell they used real beef, not the fake overprocessed stuff you get at the evil golden arches of a fast-food joint that shall remain nameless.

We left the place with screams of "Arigato gozaimasssssssu" ringing in our ears and very contented bellies. I'm so coming back here again.

ShooStories: Slipping away

#16

The Shoo: Ice Blue
Circa: April 2003
Where: X:odus, Holland Village

The Story: I bought this pair mainly because it was on offer at X:odus - 2 pairs for the price of 1. I was with a friend, who had found a pair of shoos she liked so we split the deal, so in essence I paid half price for it. I wore this pair on a few occasions, but the one which sticks out the most is the time I wore this pair to watch Finding Nemo.

Up to now, I'm wondering whether it was a date or whether it was just a 'friends' thing. He had already seen the movie, but on hearing that I really wanted to watch it, said he wouldn't mind watching it again. After the movie, which we thoroughly enjoyed, we had dessert at Big O Cafe (he paid). It was the first time I was with him on a one-on-one basis, previously we were always in group situations so I never had the chance to speak to him for a prolonged period of time. So this session at Big O was a good chance to get to know him better. It was very enjoyable.

My memory is very hazy at this point, but I seem to remember we watched another movie and we went roller-blading at East Coast. But it never progressed beyond that and the feeling I got was always friendly, but never romantic. Shortly after that, he announced to our group that he was going out seriously with a girl, whom he introduced to us and later married.

We're still good friends and I get along really well with his wife. I'm not upset or jealous or anything, but sometimes I do wonder...before he started going out with this girl, was I on his list of prospects?

Bonus!

fake mother-of-pearl

I'm a slave for you

6 years of no shopping. Sigh. The things I will have to give up...

ShooStories: Beaded baba (or alternatively titled, The Lengths a Girl Goes to Get Shoos)

#15

The Shoo: Perenakan Beads
Circa: Ordered Jan/Feb 1998, picked up 2000
Where: Little shop in Malacca, Malaysia

The Story: As a possible throwback to my Perenakan roots, I'd always wanted to get the full Perenakan outfit. I've always liked the whole baju-getup: the translucent lacy blouse, the batik skirt, the elaborate kerongsang and gold chain belt, and of course the beaded shoos. But all the places I knew of in Singapore charged incredibly high prices (I think around $400) for a decent pair. So when I heard there was an authentic little shop in Malacca which custom-made these kinds of shoos at an affordable price, I inviegled my father to drive me to Malacca to check out the shop.

I don't remember much about the drive there, where the shop is or even what it looks like, but I do remember it was on a narrow street in a little shophouse. Very old school, y'know. We discovered, to my horror, that the wait for a pair of shoos was 2 years. Yes, not two weeks or two months, two years; the waiting list was that long and I soon discovered the reason why. The only person who could make the shoos (ie sew all the beads on) was this little old man in a pair of thick-rimmed glasses which took up half his face. There was another option of buying ready-made pairs where you could pick out pre-sewn beaded panels and wait about two weeks while it was attached to the heel. But the beads used in these were too big and coarse, and didn't come in closed-toe versions, which was what I wanted.

I decided to do the two year wait, and set about picking a design from a fat folder of photos. There were phoenixes, various flowers in a myriad of different coloured backgrounds, but I eventually settled on a design of butterflies and roses against a black background, 'cos black goes with everything, y'know.

And then came the long wait. While my mother was more concerned that we wouldn't get the shoos after having paid for them, I was more worried that the little old man would just keel over before he got round to making mine. Yes, he looked that old. But happily, as you can very obviously see by the pictures, I got my shoos just fine. When I went to collect them two years later, the place looked exactly the same and the little old man was still in his corner on his bench making more beaded slippers. Oh, and I think this story also illustrates how rabid I am about shoos.

Bonus!

I am starting to realise I own a lot of things with butterflies on them

This July, I am into...

(top L): metallic pink and dangly, (top R): itsy-bitsy teeny little yellow polka-dot...(bottom L): boombox retro, (bottom R): fresh apples

...preparing for my work trip to Hawaii in Aug, birthdays birthdays birthdays (and all not mine), managing my finances better, my batik sequinned skirt, toying with straightening my hair, car loans and new cars, playing catch-up with friends, 1 Peter course in church, dao huey (how do you spell this?) for breakfast, experimenting more with baking, deciding on a baggie to hold the ipod.

How about you?

Good things from the weekend

Tuna burger with fat fries, C&F - carbs be dam ned

• Scalp treatment, complete with head massage
  
• Being told I look like a student by nerdy-cute hairdresser (I still look young, wahaha!)
• Getting eyebrows done for free
• New lippie from Paul & Joe
  
• Gold nail polish
• Lunch at Corduroy & Finch
• Surprise birthday parties
  
• Making my own lychee martinis (extra lychees!)
• Dim sum at Crystal Jade, Holland Village
  
• 10 year anniversary get-togethers at Wala (cue old-timer reminiscing)
  
• Being asked for my ID by Wala bouncers (wahaha!)

On another note, HELLO to my lurker friends, you know who you are, all 4 of you! Now you have to start your own blog and tell me your address so I can blog-stalk you.