National Gallery Singapore

Ever since the National Gallery Singapore opened on the 24th of November 2015, I have been meaning to go and have a look. Last week, five years later, I managed to make the visit. I am not a big fan of galleries. I think I can count the number of galleries I visited in my life on both hands.

I am keen to visit the National Gallery because it is special – in that, the Gallery consists of two national monuments, preserving the restored City Hall and Supreme Court buildings. That was the added attraction for me – to go and see the iconic buildings, besides seeing what was on show. I have never been in the Supreme Court building, or the City Hall before.

The restoration of both the buildings, linking it with an underpass is a work of art itself.

Located in the Downtown district of Singapore, the National Gallery Singapore is an art museum with a combined floor area of 64,000 square metres making it the largest visual arts venue and largest museum in Singapore. It oversees the world’s largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art, consisting of over 8,000 artworks. It aims to provide an understanding and appreciation of art and culture through a variety of media, focusing on Singapore's culture and heritage and its relationship with other Asian cultures and the world.

The Gallery is a big place. I, who is directionally challenged would have got very lost if not for my friend who guided me along. Still, we missed a lot of the features of the place. It was also a rushed visit because we went quite late, and it was nearing their closing hours. So, I am keen to go back again, much earlier next time so I can spend time exploring the place.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures I took on my visit. Not much because I was quite overwhelmed. My next visit will be better. I will know what I want to see and what I want to take a picture of.

A piece of history.

I guess this is where the offenders/suspects were held before they attend court to have their fate decided. A wonderful reminder to visitors what this building once was.

Georgette Chen - a self portrait. Her works were on exhibit.

There were many of pieces of her arts on show. These two were my favourites.

This was one of the art installation.

I find this interesting. The whole installation was a short 'bridge' - maybe three meters in length by half a meter high. Stepping on the bridge, looking down, I saw this bottomless looking scene. Immediately, I felt uncomfortable. I began to think that if the glass broke, I was going to fall into the abyss. But I know that in reality, I was only half a meter from the ground. 

There were five sections. I was still all right at the first section, but as I advanced, I got more and more uneasy. By the fourth section, I almost couldn't bear to look down. It was weird.

This was on a side of the wall. I have no idea what this was, or what it was supposed to represent.

A bit of history on the buildings. The old City Hall was first known as Municipal Building until 1951 when Singapore was granted city status by King George VI. The Old Supreme Court Building was the former courthouse of the Supreme Court of Singapore, before it moved out of the building. The building was the last structure in the style of classical architecture to be built in the former British Colony.

If you are interested to know more click on National Gallery Singaore

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Weekend Humour

Another weekend. The year is rapidly coming to an end, and there are not many weekends left of 2020. I am sure all will agree that 2020 is not the best of years. But hey, if you are healthy and alive, thank your lucky stars that you have escaped the wrath of the pandemic – thus far. Be vigilant and play your part in helping to curb the spread of the virus. Hopefully, by the end of 2021, we will have been rid of the Covid-19. Of course, I would wish it to be earlier, much earlier, but the way people are behaving at the moment, I don’t think the virus is going away anytime soon.

Anyway, as is my wont, my Saturdays’ post are on humour. I believe humour plays an important part in our lives – especially during these difficult and depressing times. We need to have humour, we need to see humour in our lives. We need to laugh, at live, at ourselves. Laugh whenever you can. Spread joy and laughter to all around you, to the world whenever you can, wherever you are. People who bring joy and laughter are often fondly remembered.

I hope you enjoy this week’s selection of wacky humour.

Sponges grow in the ocean. That just ‘gets’ me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn’t happen. - Stephen Wright

The condom broke. I know how stupid that sounds. It’s the reproductive version of the dog ate my homework. - Jennifer Weiner

Men are like fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it’s our job to stomp them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you’d like to have dinner with. - Kathleen Mifsud

Marriages don’t last. When I meet a guy, the first question I ask myself is: “Is this the man I want my children to spend their weekends with?” - Rita Rudner

Life – and I don’t suppose I’m the first to make this comparison – is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal. - Neil Gaiman

Without a doubt... the worst part of being a single woman was having to take care of your own car. - Lisa Kleypas

The key here, I think, is to not think of death as an end. But ... think of it more as a very effective way of cutting down on your expenses. - Boris

At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely. - W. Somerset Maugham

The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything. - Friedrich Nietzsche

There are easier things in life than trying to find a nice guy … like nailing a jelly to a tree for example. - Unknown

If you can't answer a man's argument, all is not lost; you can still call him vile names. - Elbert Hubbard

I'm trying to read a book on how to relax, but I keep falling asleep. - Jim Loy

There are only two things a child will share willingly; communicable diseases and its mother's age. - Benjamin Spock

My advice for a person who’s just fallen out of a skyscraper window is, flap your arms…faster. - Jarod Kintz

Twins are so practical … it's always so nice to have a spare! - Liza Prescott

My boyfriend and I broke up. He wanted to get married and I didn’t want him to. - Rita Rudner

May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine. - Frank Sinatra

Humour keeps us alive. Humour and food. Don’t forget food. You can go a week without laughing. - Joss Whedon

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Phalaenopsis Amabilis aka Moth Orchids

So, I was wandering along and around when I wandered into the Capitol Kempinski Hotel. There I was greeted by these gorgeous orchid flowers - beds and beds of them. They seemed to be calling out to me to take a picture of them. Of course, I had to obliged. Who can resist these beauties?

Google tells me that they are Phalaenopsis Amabilis, commonly known as the moth orchid. They are a species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae, native to the East Indies and Australia, and widely cultivated as a decorative houseplant.

It is an epiphytic or lithophytic herb with long, thick roots, between two and eight millimetres thick, fleshy leaves with their bases hiding the stem and nearly flat, long-lasting flowers on a branching flowering stem with up to ten flowers on each branch.

The flower fades that is not looked upon. - Edward Counsel

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Today

Today is a very important day. What you do today decides your tomorrow, your future. And it is commonly known that the future belongs to those who prepare for it today.

Today is a new day! What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows. Many will seize this day. Many will live it to the fullest. Why not you?

Starting today, learn to live your day to the fullest. What that means, differs from person to person. That is not important. What is important is that you feel you have made the most of the day.

Personally, if you have done your best, that is good enough. Where possible, and it's always possible learn something new, something you hadn't know before.

Let there be some humour. Have a good laugh, or at least smile. Humour softens the harsh reality we have to deal with everyday. When we are smiling and in a good mood, we won't be so easily agitated. Whereas, when and if we were in a bad mood, the slightest irritation will set us off.

Wherever possible, spend a few minutes with nature. You will feel your stress dissipating after a while. Or keep pots of plants in the house. Any plant that is easy to maintain, if you find that you do not have a lot of time to spare. Some little pots or specks of green will make a difference. You won't necessary notice it, but they do make some difference, little it may be. Try it and see for yourself.

I don't know what these flowers are. There are a few of these plants along my walk route. They seem like like hardy perennials.

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A Walk Around Town

A friend suggested going out for a walk. So, off I go a wandering about town. I took the opportunity to snap some pictures for my posts. Here are some of them.

This is the South Beach offices and residences.

This is the St Andrew Cathedral

A view of the Marina Sands Casino in the distance.

My friend said to take a picture of the fire hydrant because it looked cute. So, I did. A picture of the front view and one of the back view for good measure.

The business centre district.

This is a cluster of building. It supposedly, resembled the thumb and the four fingers. I am not sure whether it was designed with that intention in mind, or that it turned up this way upon completion. Anyway, I guess from this view, the said image is lost because of the distance and angle it is photographed.

Singapore is a garden city transforming into a city in a garden. So, there are plants and flowers everywhere. Here are just a couple of shots of the commonly seen plant which I know not the name of. These stood out because the bracts - they are bracts, not flowers, are pink in colour which is very rare. They are usually red, bright red or white.

A view of the Marina Bay Sands again. This time from inside a building.

Came upon this scene. It stood out, so I have to snap a picture.

After the walking, we stopped for a rest, and a beer - a German pilsner. I forgot the name of the beer. It has quite a long name.

Spotted this tent on the way. Dinner for two. An initiative by a F&B establishment to entice diners to dine in a different setting during this time of the pandemic. Apparently, all sessions for the weekends are fully booked. I guess it has a novelty value. This is the festive month of December after all, and people like to do something different.

Final shot from the walk. The Capitol theatre. It has been there forever. It was renovated some time ago, and they were able to preserve the building. A part of Singapore's history. Unfortunately, this wasn't a very good shot.

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Rain

As John Ruskin put it, "Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."

It is only bad weather when you are caught in it, or when it interrupts with your plans. But hey....

If the rain spoils our picnic, but saves a farmer’s crop, who are we to say it shouldn’t rain? - Tom Barrett

A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener. - Henry David Thoreau

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. - Gilbert K. Chesterton

Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain. - Vivian Greene

I’m singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. What a wonderful feeling, I’m happy again. - Arthur Freed

The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Without rain, there is no life. - Jerry Yang

Give thanks for the rain in your life which waters the flowers of your soul. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Here are some images of stormy weather - images of the sky ready to open up. The good thing about rain in the tropics is that it is quite refreshing to walk in the rain, provided it is not thundering.

Some rain themed songs for your listening pleasure.

Rain – Madonna

Rhythm of the Falling Rain – Cascades

Laughter in the rain – Neil Sedeka

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Poulet Bistro

Poulet is a contemporary bistro that offers decent French dishes at reasonable prices. They are famous for their French roast chicken, which comes with a choice of their three special sauces – their Diane sauce, mushroom cream sauce and cranberry sauce.

According to their website, their chickens are brine in a secret blend of citrus and herbs overnight, then slowly cook on a flame roasting horizontal spit to ensure maximum flavour and juiciness.

Since the chicken is their signature dish and what they are famous, I ordered the Chicken set. It is half a chicken with a choice of two side dishes. My sides dishes were mushrooms and a salad. The other side dishes, mostly pasta and potato looked a bit heavy.

My friend had the chicken with wedges and pasta for sides.

The chicken was as good as they promised. Really tender and juicy. I chose the mushroom cream sauce and I was not disappointed. The half chicken was a little more than my usual intake. So I was glad I went for the salad and the mushrooms. If they have been wedges or pasta, I wouldn’t have been able to finish them.

The meal was very nice. I was sure it would have been better with a glass or two of wine. Unfortunately, when I tried to order one, they said the restaurant don’t sell alcohol. They are halal certified. That was disappointing.

The other dishes on the menu looks good but that set meal was already almost too much for me. So, I had to forgo the other dishes. So, a note to self – go for smaller portions, so that I can taste other dishes on the menu.

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