Kusu Trip

For the past month, on my way from work to home, I will inevitably pass by a prominent board that about the Kusu Island pilgramage.

I remembered going to Kusu Island a number of years ago. The impression is an idyllic island. Thus I recommended to my friend to try it yesterday with her date. It will be likely more interesting than always going to watch movies or eat, I reasoned.

In the end, she asked me to go together with her instead.

Wow the ferry terminal is a brand new terminal at Marina South. Ferry ticket is $16 and we managed to catch the last ferry at 5pm. After 25 minutes, we arrived at Kusu island. Is a lovely small island with the coconut trees swaying gently in the breeze.

For those who view it only as a religious place and dismiss it, I think it is a pity as it is a great place to visit for its natural environment and scenic settings too.

I thought it is really great to see a toaist temple and a mosque there. Speaks volume of religious tolerance.

Sharing Steve Jobs' Commencement Speech

Just wanted to share part of Steve Jobs' Commencement Speech at Stanford in 2005.

The quotes are all copied from the below link. Go to the link for the complete speech if you are interested.

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

The first story is about connecting the dots.

...

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

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I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

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Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Herbivore Japanese and Western Restaurant @ Bugis

Passed by this recently opened resturant at Fortune Centre a couple of times. Finally went in today to try the food together with Coolgal and Koala. Apparently I read in other blogs that the owner of this restaurant is the same one behine Zen Vegetarian. No wonder we thought the Japanese menu and the ambience have lots of similarities.

The first thing we noticed was the sign outside - "30% percent discount". I guess must be due to opening special. Checked with the waiter and he mentioned the discount is valid till end October.

The ambience is ok. The Japanese bentos are about the range of $18 to $22.

I had Gyoza Shabu Shabu $15 and olive fried rice $7. I thought the Shabu Shabu was fine and the olive fried rice was a tad too oily for me.

Koala has Curry Katsu (about $16 or $18) and Coolgal has Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set ($22).


(Shabu Shabu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)

The Curry Katsu looked delicious and the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set also tasted quite ok. The dessert menu looks appetizing but we were too full for that.


(Curry Katsu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)

I will give the food 7 out of 10 but the price may be on the high side. Given that there are a number of other organic and vegetarian eating places in the same building, the prices may not be as attractive. Though with the 30% percent discount at the moment, the discounted prices are decent. Will go again to try the others dishes, especially the western fare.

The measure of a person

What is the measure of a person? Job? Net Worth? Or the value of his/her life valued in the intangibles or impact on others?

Come on wake up to the real world!!! Can you survive on air and water only? As espoused by the voices of the world.

Guess only the braves have the courage to take the road less taken. But maybe there is a middle path that can be tread. As the path ahead looks blurry, may the passion continues to burn brightly inside! Thats what keeps people alive! Dreams are made and fulfilled! Saluting the dreamers and daredevils!

Formula One and MBS

Koala and me took our french friends who were here in Singapore for 1 day to walk the Marina Bay on Saturday night. It was the qualifying night for the F1 race. Surprised that there were not many people at the Bay. The view was great and we were treated to fireworks and light shows. In addition, we could hear the cars clearly. They were zipping through the race-course. Cool! :) (Photo is courtesy of Koala)

Orphan Elephants

The National Geographic magazine featured orphan elephants in its issue this month.

Photo is from National Geographic.

I really admire the love the keepers have for the baby elephants. Apparently elephants are very family oriented and cohesive animals. In order to emulate their natural setting, the keepers sleep together with the baby elephants at night. But in order not to create too strong a bond that will be bad for the animal and keepers, the keepers will sleep with different baby elephants every day. The baby elephants drink milk every three hours and they will wake their keepers at night for the milk.

Ice cream making workshop

Went for a ice cream making workshop with Tweet Tickle today.

Photo: Courtesy of Tweet Tickle

I love ice cream and often eat ice cream. I know it is fattening but....only today, I realize how absolutely fattening it is. Full cream milk, sugar, whipping cream ... Wow!!! So absolutely sinful! No wonder it is so delicious for a sweet tooth lover like me.

Now that I know how to make simple ice cream, hoping I can experiment with healthier ingredients and make delicious ice cream. I am a believer that good food can still be healthy food, just need to experiment! :)