The tickles & tumbles, trials & tribulations of a 30-something on a quest to conquer the stove & scale iron-pile mountain while tending to a pet monkey, a guinness-guzzling buffalo, and an impossible derriere that no longer defies gravity. But THAT, is a different story...
Cheeks striking an awkward pose with her newly sheared fringe - courtesy of barber Papa.
Ha.
In a bid to inject a worthwhile activity to her otherwise humdrum termbreak, I whisked Cheeks to my favourite London museum, National Portrait Gallery, to participate in their 90-min family art workshop.
Completely gratis. Did I mention how much I love museums here?!!!
It was, as always, brilliantly conducted. Using one of its current exhibitions, 'Brilliant Women', as a backdrop for today's activities, the workshop began with a short introduction to portrait painter, Angelica Kauffmann - who she was and the painting styles she favoured. Next, the 16-or-so children (number of, not age group. But you knew that already, didn't you?) were asked to try their hand at silhouette drawing, similar to the one featured on the exhibition poster (see below) .
Children - heads bent over their drawing pads
Cheeks' 1st 'silhouette' pix.
The final activity, which lasted an hour, took place in the basement of the museum in a fairly large room frequently used for their family activities. The children were given step-by-step instructions on how to make a journal using felt fabric and paper. The task involved:
* Sewing paper onto the felt fabric (I had to poke the needle through the fabric/paper for Cheeks while she helped pull the thread through) * Designing a booktag (drawing, cutting, pasting a design then sewing it to the end of the journal) * Drawing a silhouette of a person, an animal, or whatever the children wished to include on the cover of their journal * Cutting and pasting a label onto the 1st page of the journal.
Here's Cheeks, to demonstrate:
And voilà!
Cheeks' 'silhouette' of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Methinks it resembles a wriggly spaghetti strand making a slow descent into water. Ha!
While we were busy getting arty crafty in London, what of my sis? Why, the intrepid mother of 3 is currently flying solo in Rome, exploring the ruins of the Palatino, sticking fingers into every orifice at the v holey Colosseum, and more importantly, checking out the suave and dangerously irresistible Italian men! (Now we know the real reason why she chose to travel alone! Hohoho!) After Rome, she's off to the epicentre of Italian Renaissance, Florence, followed by the Chianti region. Her final port of call will see her ensconced in the shell of her gondola as it plies through Venice's famous waterways.
And that's where we'll join her.
With any luck, we'll be cruising down the Grand Canal together - a glass of bubbly Prosecco in hand, listening to a soothing serenade, a warm breeze through our hair. With the breathtaking Venetian skyline as a backdrop, our brawny gondolier will push the oar through the quiet waters and sail us towards the golden sunset...
Somewhere between snores, snorts and scratching his man bits (did I say 'bits'? I mean BIGORMOUS, POWERFUL *quiver!*, MANLY *oh my!* ORBS OF STEEL!!!!), my man turned 33.
Despite the lack of brouhaha surrounding his bday celebration (I say this because I always believe birthdays ought to be spent in boisterous revelry. The bigger and louder, the better. But that's just me.), I believe we still managed to make it special for him.
'Twas a simple dinner. Simple, but intimate.
I roasted a chicken (with lemon butter and thyme) and a joint of pork (honey roasted with a sage and onion stuffing). I madeInsalata Caprese, roasted parsnips and potatoes, and for dessert, I tried out that molten chocolate cake recipe.
Party decor was the usual - the over recycled 'Happy Birthday' sign saved from numerous birthdays before. Cheeks made Papa a really nice 'Monster Family' card. I liked it so much I gave it a place of prominence - smack in the middle of the under-decorated wall.
(* Cheeks has progressed from drawing stick fingers. Them fingers? They be resemblin' flowers now. See example below.)
A bouquet of red and pink flowers vased in a cookie jar with a white satin ribbon tied round its waist, Rob Stewart crooning old standards in the background, and my dinner setting was complete.
We ate. We drank. We swirled round the kitchenfloor (we seem to do that alot. Think it may be a 'Chan family' trait). There were chuckles, kisses and cuddles throughout dinner.
The great part about big birthday bashes is the element of excitement, fun. But small, intimate ones - especially those celebrated with the ones you love - they are truly... some kind of wonderful.
I am decided. I AM TRASHING THE 5 REMAINING UNFINISHED, UNINSPIRED, UNSPEAKABLY BAD ENTRIES related to 'The 12 days of termbreak'. Gah! Good riddance!
In my world, this would be me doing 'a Mel'. It's a private joke. I'm not elaborating.
Speaking of Mel, I received a lovely surprise and letter from her today. Reading sentence after sentence of her squiggly handwriting brought back many fond memories and made me grin from ear to ear. I sure do miss her. Thanks so much for the woolly socks, ma parrot. Mornings are still rather chilly so I'll be able to wear these for a couple more days/weeks?
Anyway, here's the low-down:
It's Dee's bday this Wed. And I've just decided (like half a minute ago) that I'm going to throw him an 'intimate' dinner party at home. Just him, Cheeks and me. It's going to be a simple home-cooked meal but I'm eager to try out some new recipes. One of which, this.
We visited Fenny's on Sunday and had a feast of ayam kuning and mee siam. I made key lime pie for the first time. It was goooooood.
A new cafe is opening in the neighbourhood. Exactly when, I do not know. I just hope I get to relax there and have a cuppa before THE MOVE...
...speaking of which, we've written to the estate agents informing them of our tenancy termination. *GULP*
My darling chichi is coming to London this Wednesday!!! Oh boy, I'm bubbling over with excitement here!
I popped down to Leicester Sq today to get Dee a last minute 2nd birthday gift. I got Gift 1 from New York, but thought what the heck! he deserves another.
Last Wed (14/5), Val and I committed parental kamikaze by going to an Orla Kiely sample sale on its opening day with kids in tow. We had to queue. It was crowded. The kids almost died of boredom. Val managed to bag quite a number of items despite the uncooperative kids. I didn't buy anything on Day 1 but went back the very next day for a second browse. That's when I finally caved in and got myself a bag. Why I need so many bags, I'll never know. Anyway, this one's brown with green handles and has O.K's signature stem prints plastered all over.
And finally...
I'm prone to 'phasing out' these days. I walked home from the Tube station today with a million and a half things on my mind. Cheeks has to repeat herself three times to get herself heard. I feel awful. I'm trying to be more focused. But it's hard when you've got a gazillion and a half things...
There's something vastly comforting about slurping a hot, steaming bowl of instant noodles in the middle of the night. I huddled over a pot with Dee last night, each of us taking turns to pick up mouthfuls of curly noodles, and depositing them into our eagerly waiting mouths.
I have been feeling very peckish of late. In case you're even half suspecting - no, I am NOT pregnant. In fact the only 'bump' I'll be sporting will be a result of my late-night rendezvous with food.
Last night, as I stand over the hob - chopsticks poised in one hand, waiting for the noodles to cook - Dee saunters in. And in what can only be put down as a 'my-wife's-making-supper-for me-oh-I'm-so-happy-tee-hee-hee!' moment (never mind that it was only instant noodles), he leads me to the middle of our kitchen dancefloor and there, on the cold white tiles, we sway silently to a tune in our heads. What are you dancing to? I'm curious to find out. I begin to belt out the first words to my song.
'That.'
I received this video montage of Ian and Geri yesterday. As I watched it over YouTube, I couldn't stop blubbering.
The reason for my waterworks? The music accompaniment for 'The Bear Family' segment (about 1:40 mins into the montage) that was composed, worded, and sung by Geri herself.
Those lyrics, they get to me every single time.
Geri's heart-felt profession of love to my brother through this song resonates my own feelings towards Dee.
I think of how different my life would be without him.
With the exception of my sister, I can't think of anyone else who's touched my life as much as he has. A life filled with immeasurable joy, laughter, comfort, warmth, and most of all, Love.
So yes, if I could live my life from the start, I'd spend it with Dee again...
*Verse* You light up my life, With your smile Your laughing eyes Whisper I love you
Safe and secure, In your arms You help me endure All that was meant to harm When I am near you
*Bridge* Unreserved is the love you offer to me Undeserved is that love A much treasured gift You are the Sun that shines through grey clouds My umbrella in the rain
*Chorus*
You are the melody that plays in my heart Endless with no refrains even if we were to start again
You are the melody that plays in my heart Endless with no refrains even if I could live life from the start I'd spend it with you again
*Verse* You melt the dark, With your warmth And when you laugh You paint sunshine in my heart And a rainbow
Now that we're one, Everyday I can awake To see your precious smile I'm so blessed
*Bridge* Unreserved is the love you offer to me Undeserved is that love A much treasured gift You are the Song that I hum in the shower A kiss from God to take away the pain
*Chorus*
You are the melody that plays in my heart Endless with no refrains Even if we were to start again
You are the melody that plays in my heart Endless with no refrains Even if I could live life from the start I'd spend it with you again
*Chorus* You are the melody that plays in my heart Endless with no refrains Even if I could live life from the start I'd spend it with you again
Today is Mother's Day. Not in the UK it isn't, but in the rest of the world.
Today should feel like any other but it doesn't. The sun, gloriously refulgent, hovers above us like a giant golden discoball. Is it me or does it seem particularly radiant today?
I wake up to excited hollers from Hubs and Cheeks wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. They look eager to be on their best behaviour. I stifle a chortle as Dee announces (rather imperiously) he will dress Cheeks and get her ready ALL BY HIMSELF as is MY day. I pretend to be blasé by this declaration but quickly pick up my dislocated jaw from off the floor when he's not looking.
I watch them as they brush their teeth together in the bathroom. I try not to supervise but I can't help myself. I help Cheeks with her upper row of teeth.
I glance quickly at my mobile and realise, hey! I have text messages from Mabes, Chi and Clara! They leave lovely well-wishes. Bless their sweet souls.
In an unpremeditated move, Cheeks and I both don ourselves in red. We look extremely festive - perfect hues to usher in the beautiful arrival of Spring. I'd say it's about friggin' time!?
We strike a sunny pose with our sunnies. Heh.
We mosey along to Tesco. On the way, I note how everyone seems to be clad in Primark? Maybe it's a south-west thing. Could people on this side of the river be more frugal?
We amble up and down the supermarket aisles picking up this and that as we go along. Then, as if by sheer magnetic force, the Sizeable One draws me steadily towards the Cakes/Confectionery section and wills me to pick out a chocolate cake from 'Tesco's Finest'. I am powerless against its hypnotic chants and have no choice but to submit to its demands.
Then, on a whim, I pick out a teabag holder. It has polka dots on it...
Back home, I make us 'lunner' (a cross between lunch + dinner?) - baked seafood pasta and erm, boiled frozen mixed veggies. 'Tis my weak attempt at adding some greens to the meal. Despite the short cuts, Hubs and Cheeks let out squeals of gratitude. I feel mildly like I'm distributing army rations to starving soldiers.
We sip wine and nibble on mini cornichons throughout lunner. I put on the movie soundtrack for 'Sleepless in Seattle' and get all fuzzy wuzzy. I love old standards.
After lunch, I do the ironing. I try on my new LBD from SJP's 'BITTEN' clothing line, a fantastic bargain I picked up while in New York. Cheeks pipes, 'I like your dress, Mummy.'
Before long, Sizeable One itches for cake. I'm asked to stay in our room while Hubs and Cheeks 'set up'. When they're ready, I'm led to the living room where the chocolate cake has been lighted with one, single candle. They cheer and clap enthusiastically as I blow out the flame.
Cheeks hands me her handmade 'card' (photo to be uploaded later), gives me a cuddle and a kiss and tells me I love you, Mummy. Hubs floors me with his well thought of gift.
how wonderfully appropriate...
It's Mother's Day today. But somehow it feels more like my birthday. I've been pampered. I am loved. I am on the top of the world.
All these for simply being a Mum? I could get used to it.
Out of all the weird-sounding, unintriguing, far-out blog names that swirled and sloshed inside my teeny cauldron of a brain, I chose the sanest and christened my first-ever blog 'Saggs and the City'.
It seemed a likely title. And I suppose, it still is.
'Saggs', a moniker bestowed affectionately on me by some of my oldest, closest friends was/is a shorter (cuter?!) derivation of my internet alter ego, saggingbehind, which, I lovingly named after my sizeable you-know-what. *raise an eyebrow*
'and the City'? Well, it's meant to be a tongue-in-cheek play on Candace Bushnell's successful book/drama spin-off ' Sex and the City'. Futhermore, we'd just moved to London - the bustling, cultural metropolis of the United Kingdom. A marriage of these 3 - for lack of a better term - 'rationale', and my blog name was sealed, etched forever (??) on the illusive walls of blogosphere.
The point I'm trying to drive at (yes, there is one) is that when I chose that name for my blog, little did I know that one day, I'd actually experience THE city.
That is, New York City - the city that never sleeps.
We've never been particularly inclined towards visiting the United States. Flights there were too daunting, too arduous (20-odd hours from Singapore?), the rate for USD always too high, too strong. But I suppose all that changed, somewhat, when we moved to the UK. Suddenly, the 8 hour flight duration seemed...manageable. And the rate of sterling, despite the economic downturn, remains strong against the Dollar.
I came home to London still high on the surreality of our trip to NYC. I foraged my DVD collection for movies filmed on location in New York - Prime, You've Got Mail, Serendipity, When Harry met Sally (surprisingly, all are my perennial favourites). It wasn't so much that I missed the city that made me re-watch those movies. I simply wanted the thrill of the holiday to continue to intoxicate me. And linger that bit longer.
I can think of one phrase that best describes how fleeting our 10-day holiday in the Big Apple was. It's one borrowed from 'The Bucket List' (a fab in-flight movie I was lucky enough to catch on our Virgin Atlantic flight back to London.Great recommendation, Jo!) -- '... like smoke through a keyhole.'
Sitting here, blogging our adventures, going through the 1,200-odd photos taken over the course of the trip, I feel displaced - didn't we recently leave Heathrow for JFK? Weren't we just at Central Park, posing infront of the Wollman Rink? And what, we're back? Already?!
our 3rd visit to Central Park (and we still couldn't finish seeing all of it!) Our last stop -- the Wollman Rink
Every overseas holiday leaves me in awe of modern technology - how we can be in one country one minute, and another the next?
I don't think I'll ever watch a New York-based film the same way again. Streets, buildings and landmarks - they will look/sound, familiar. And yet, not. I'll wonder 'did I walk those streets?', or smile contentedly when I spot something I recognise . Yes, I was there. I did that, I'll muse.
Fifth Ave
These last 10 days we ate, breathed, slept the City.
If the buzz of London is able to spike one's heart rate, then the racy, pulsating beat of inner city New York will surely send one into cardiac arrest.
the bright lights @ Times Square
But the uneasy truth about NYC is - that despite the glitz and glamour we're frequently exposed to on screen, think 'Friends', 'Sex and the City' - it is a gritty, grotty city. Exciting and edgy, yes. But it's a filthy city tainted by garbage bags that clutter the city streets, Subway stations and trains marred by graffiti or worse, defecated on in corners and reeking of urine. It is a city where poverty is so apparent it's hard to ignore - by both sight and smell.
freedom of speech expressed through defacing a Subway wall?
Despite the startling blemishes, we did enjoy the City. There were SO many places to see, visit, explore. The distances we covered on foot could easily earn us the title 'NewYorkathon-ers'. (Our Top 3 walking achievements: 1) Walking from West 89th Street to West 48th, 2) West 4th Street to West 37th Street, and 3) Over Brooklyn Bridge in the sweltering heat. WLE!)
We borrowed the excellent 'DK Eyewitness Travel - New York' guide from our local library, took suggestions of noteworthy attractions off it, topped those up with pointers from Ed, Jo, Mabes and Dot (who visited NYC sometime in 2007?) and drew up an itinerary on an excel spreadsheet. Oh yeah, we were VERY prepared to explore every inch of the City!
From the West side to the East, Downtown and Uptown, we brisk walked from one avenue to the next with fierce determination. We explored Greenwich Village, East Village, Little Italy, K-town, the VERY extensive Chinatown, bits of Harlem, the Financial District, the Fashion Avenue, 2 museums, Central Park, Times Sq, Union Sq, Macy's, Woodbury Common, Century 21, Daffy's, Steve and Barry's, Madison Square Garden, UN Building, Ground Zero, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Centre, Liberty Island, Lincoln Centre, South Street Seaport, and in between, refuelled by eating at great places (some of which were featured in movies)! Phew!
We covered A LOT.
Cafe Lalo, made popular by the movie 'You've Got Mail'
And while we're on the topic of food, our NY food trail was truly unbelievable. We behaved (according to a very appalled Jo) like a bunch of hungry caterpillars eating our way through the Big Apple (think Eric Carle). NYC is a foodie's paradise - from Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, H&H Bagels, Doughnut Planet, crabcakes at Sardi's, frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3, ikura sushi (with quails egg) at Sushi Mambo, milky korean soup Su Lung Tang, roast meats in Chinatown, tea at Petrossian the russian tearoom, to good ol' Macca burgers - we relished each and every bite*.
(If anyone's interested in our food trail itinerary, let me know. I'll email our list to you.)
And the museums. You gotta LOVE 'em. We were fortunate to catch an amazing exhibition by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim Museum (pity the museum facade was under renovation tho'. Bah!). Even Cheeks enjoyed his installations. My favourite was the 'Rent Collection Courtyard'. The expressions captured on clay were remarkable. The Metropolitan Museum of Art didn't disappoint either. I was thrilled to be able to see so many Impressionists' works up close and personal. My favourites were all there - Monet, Seurat, Degas, Matisse, van Gogh...And I loved the fact that photography was allowed. Whoopee! Cheeks, on the other hand, enjoyed the Egyptian exhibit. She was thrilled to see a real sarcophagus.
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - by Georges Seurat
So yes, there were happy times aplenty. But there were down bits as well.
New York is NOT a great place for kids. (Did I mention the number of caged-up, concrete playgrounds that utterly depressed me? But let's leave that for now.)
As Hubs and I sped from one landmark to another, Cheeks was imprisoned in the pushchair, all strapped up. New York is better explored on foot and she simply could not keep up with the pace. So, we had no choice but to stick her in the pushchair on most days. When we chose unwisely NOT to place her on wheels, it ended up being arm and shoulder burn-outs for poor 'beast of burden' Papa.
I cannot begin to count, or recollect the number of times she whined for snacks in the pushchair because she was bored silly; the number of times we nudged her forward to make her hasten her pace, our irritated tones telling her to Stop dawdling! because we were always rushing from one place to the next. The countless times we denied her playtime at a playground, how we shushed her to stop interrupting our conversations with our adult friends. She protested going into stores, dragged her feet at bathtimes, and while dressing to go out. All she wanted to do (it seemed) was to stay in Jo's house, and play. Instead we whizzed her about on dusty roads, meandering between avenues, we shot disapproving looks at her when something she wanted to do didn't fall into our travel plans. And we utterly screwed up her sleep routine by keeping her out waaaaay past her bedtime.
Exhausted Cheeks. The constant whizzing hither and thither took a toll on her
Looking back, I wonder how much of New York Cheeks actually enjoyed? She must've felt constantly frazzled and ignored - like her opinions and needs didn't matter.
In our unflagging quest to uncover NYC, we marginalised the needs of our child.
Despite our parental foibles, I'd like to think she was happy just being with us. Because that's how I felt. Even though it was challenging at times, I was happy zipping around the City because I was with the 2 people I love most in life. And I'm glad we got to experience NYC together.
So thank you, God. For this trip. For everything.
Cheeks and me at Bethesda Fountain, Central Park
Us, on the viewing deck at Rockefeller Centre. Behind us is the Empire State Bldg
jo & me (w Cheeks) slurping bubbletea in Chinatown, toting our identical Marc Jacob bags which we got at a crazy warehouse sale in Greenwich!
Maison de Planel - where we put up for the duration of our holiday! Merci beaucoup, Planels!
Cheeks first musical and she loved it! (jet-lagged, she slept through the last 20 min of the show tho')
our 'never-ending' walk across Brooklyn Bridge that culminated in a creamy sweet treat at Brooklyn's finest ice-cream factory
Now we know why Meg Ryan was in the throes of passion at this Deli! The beef pastrami sandwich was Oh oh OOoooh....Yes!
The obligatory visit to Macy's. But we were so 'shopped out' by Woodbury Common we couldn't shop any more, anywhere!
amazing exhibition by Cai Guo Qiang at the Guggenheim Museum at Upper East side
Cheeks, bursting with excitement, waiting to enter F.A.O Schwarz (along 5th Ave). We caught StoryTime while there.
whispering into walls at Grand Central Terminal (very 'In the Mood for Love')
when tackling a raging bull, better to grab it by its ho...no, balls. Ha!
pondering the pointless loss of life at Ground Zero
friends we met up with in NYC : Ed, Yider and her hubby Chou Kai We're so glad we got to hang out with them!
Priceless tips I've taken away with me (in relation to our lovely friends, the Planels):
Cheeks striking an awkward pose with her
Children - heads bent over their drawing pads
Cheeks' 1st 'silhouette' pix.
And voilà!
Cheeks' 'silhouette' of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.
