Doing what Singaporeans do best when they meet. EAT! great big servings of the best home made local fare.
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
The Grand Canyon
So this is the vacation part of the trip. The weekend right after CES, I felt I had better make it up to Weeguan for dragging her around on my business and convention trip, so I dragged her on a long road trip out thru the desert to the Grand Canyon. Two speeding tickets later, we found ourselves in the pitch dark and very cold South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.
Decided to check into the nicest log cabin place we found and settled in for dinner...and lo and behold bumped into Sim Wong Hoo (Chairman, Creative Technologies) and his team. He was holding court, briefing them on the hike they would undertake the next morning...sounded like an Army field camp.
Anyways, beautiful and breathtaking scenery with a touch of snow and without the summer crowds. During the 2 days there, we bumped into family of deers, and a wolf by the road, watching us, as we watched it. Enjoy!
Las Vegas - Nobu
So here I am again in Las Vegas. This time, Weeguan is able to join me, since its gonna be a month long trip (and I owe her a year end vacation...which was supposed to be in Mexico to continue here Spanish education...).
Some notable changes this year: The infamous Porn Show this year is no longer at the Venetian...intead the awards night is at the MGM, and it no longer coincides with CES, where silicon and silicone valley mix and mingle. I still remember 2006 when we had our booth at the Venetian and you see each day, very lost looking blondes with oversized mamaries stumbling (literally, since they are so top heavy) into the zoo that is CES, and for once, they are not the exhibit. Ok, I stop here, please don't flag me for adult content!
LV has been collecting a bunch of Michelin blessed restaurants that I have been meaning to try, but it would be a very loser situation if I went with my copy of Newsweek and ate alone.
But alas, I was too busy to organize any gourmet meal, but we managed to try out Nobu (this is the Las Vegas branch of the famous New York one owned by Robert de Niro, helmed by Nobu Matsuhisa and Weeguan did try a sandwich from 'Wichcraft. (by Tom Colicchio of Top Chef reality TV fame)
The verdict on Nobu?
Sushi: overpriced for the amount of protein you get on rice. I have had bigger and fresher stuff in Tokyo (ok, so I was eating at the source; on top of the Tsukiji Wholesale market, whereas the maguro in Vegas had to take a long flight out to the desert...)
Tempura: Sloppy, compared to the Tenshin, at Regent Singapore. We tried the Uni Tempura (USD$16 a piece!). I must say the SGD$25 one at Tenshin is about 5 times better.
Their signature dishes are what you should go for. They indeed do have the gourmet touch.
(pix coming up.)
Fell in love with everything ponzu. The Sake collection is of course, very elaborate.
Some notable changes this year: The infamous Porn Show this year is no longer at the Venetian...intead the awards night is at the MGM, and it no longer coincides with CES, where silicon and silicone valley mix and mingle. I still remember 2006 when we had our booth at the Venetian and you see each day, very lost looking blondes with oversized mamaries stumbling (literally, since they are so top heavy) into the zoo that is CES, and for once, they are not the exhibit. Ok, I stop here, please don't flag me for adult content!
LV has been collecting a bunch of Michelin blessed restaurants that I have been meaning to try, but it would be a very loser situation if I went with my copy of Newsweek and ate alone.
But alas, I was too busy to organize any gourmet meal, but we managed to try out Nobu (this is the Las Vegas branch of the famous New York one owned by Robert de Niro, helmed by Nobu Matsuhisa and Weeguan did try a sandwich from 'Wichcraft. (by Tom Colicchio of Top Chef reality TV fame)
The verdict on Nobu?
Sushi: overpriced for the amount of protein you get on rice. I have had bigger and fresher stuff in Tokyo (ok, so I was eating at the source; on top of the Tsukiji Wholesale market, whereas the maguro in Vegas had to take a long flight out to the desert...)
Tempura: Sloppy, compared to the Tenshin, at Regent Singapore. We tried the Uni Tempura (USD$16 a piece!). I must say the SGD$25 one at Tenshin is about 5 times better.
Their signature dishes are what you should go for. They indeed do have the gourmet touch.
(pix coming up.)
Fell in love with everything ponzu. The Sake collection is of course, very elaborate.
Chris Botti at Yoshi's San Francisco
Ok, its the lst night of my 1mth US trip. Decided to treat ourselves to some good jazz.
Scored tix to watch Botti's Italia tour at the famous Yoshi's. Decided to be groupies and got him to sign our CD and take a picture. Maybe one day Botti can sell that pix when i become famous :-p
The next picture here is me with Chris' drummer, Billy Kilson. (http://www.billykilson.com/).
Watch this guy, he is going to be big. His control, dexterity and showmanship is astounding, and I have seen quite many drummers live in my time. He is (of course) a Berklee Alum.
Scored tix to watch Botti's Italia tour at the famous Yoshi's. Decided to be groupies and got him to sign our CD and take a picture. Maybe one day Botti can sell that pix when i become famous :-p
The next picture here is me with Chris' drummer, Billy Kilson. (http://www.billykilson.com/).
Watch this guy, he is going to be big. His control, dexterity and showmanship is astounding, and I have seen quite many drummers live in my time. He is (of course) a Berklee Alum.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Amsterdam...
So here I am again in Amsterdam. What can I say, Nokia really knows how to pamper their people. The food was excellent as usual, and the program very informative.
I thought the talk by Chris Anderson was interesting...free. Harks back to the days of the first dotcom...everything free, figure out how to monetize later. But this time, the message is, 99% free, just monetize 1%. Easier said than done. Chris consults and did not have to run a company and feed a hundred hungry engineers! :-) But I think I get it... I think.
Enjoy some pictures of the famed city. I read somewhere that they were going to outlaw the "coffee shops" but they are still everywhere. No magic mushrooms for me! I am Singaporean!
Singapore International Marathon
So finally, the once a year marathon event in Singapore.
I have missed this race the last few years as it usually coincides with Nokia World in Amsterdam, and last year, I had the privilege to be invited on one of the panels.
So this year, I managed to sign up and actually race.
However, I did not get to train at all, so decided I will just do the half marathon instead of the full. I will only do the full marathon if I get to train and better my timing, or else, I really have nothing to prove to myself...I have completed quite a few marathons and my legs aren't gonna appreciate it if I wasted it on just completion.
As my life would have it, I shifted home the week prior and had to fly off to Amsterdam the day after the race, so as usual, did not get to prepare for this race.
Every night the week before, I had some official function to attend (read: alcohol and good food) and then had to unpack those 60boxes till 2am every night...
so come Saturday, I slept at 2am, woke up at 5:45 am and drove to Marina Square. I thought the race flag off was 6:30, but instead its 6:15...so I was pretty late. I started running from the Marina Mall carpark and did not have time to eat, drink or stretch...but I thought, oh hell, its gonna be 21K, my legs will have loads of time to "warm up". At one point at 2km, I thought I should just go home and sleep...I am so tired, having had 4hrs sleep most nights and only 3 the night before. but ACE paid for my race, so I should at least turn up and finish what I started...so I plodded along, still holding my car keys in my palms...
As I started from behind, I had to fight the 21K crowd of sunday joggers and break through the mass of sweaty bodies. At some point the route was so narrow I had to walk!
But lo and behold, I am surprised that I did 2:09...my new personal best. Damn, I should have just pushed ahead and break the 2hr limit. Ok, next year's goal.
I am not proud that I am so ill prepared for the race. I think having done the Half Ironman earlier in Sept helped...my legs must have still remembered the experience. Its dangerous, I could have snapped a ligament as my legs were cold and tight and have not ran for perhaps 3-4wks before the 21K endeavour. But am happy to report that I got on the plane the next day to Amsterdam, had extremely full schedules and legs were ay-okay. In fact, I went over to Niven to paint the study room right after the race and was in the new flat drilling, knocking and packing the rest of the day.
I have missed this race the last few years as it usually coincides with Nokia World in Amsterdam, and last year, I had the privilege to be invited on one of the panels.
So this year, I managed to sign up and actually race.
However, I did not get to train at all, so decided I will just do the half marathon instead of the full. I will only do the full marathon if I get to train and better my timing, or else, I really have nothing to prove to myself...I have completed quite a few marathons and my legs aren't gonna appreciate it if I wasted it on just completion.
As my life would have it, I shifted home the week prior and had to fly off to Amsterdam the day after the race, so as usual, did not get to prepare for this race.
Every night the week before, I had some official function to attend (read: alcohol and good food) and then had to unpack those 60boxes till 2am every night...
so come Saturday, I slept at 2am, woke up at 5:45 am and drove to Marina Square. I thought the race flag off was 6:30, but instead its 6:15...so I was pretty late. I started running from the Marina Mall carpark and did not have time to eat, drink or stretch...but I thought, oh hell, its gonna be 21K, my legs will have loads of time to "warm up". At one point at 2km, I thought I should just go home and sleep...I am so tired, having had 4hrs sleep most nights and only 3 the night before. but ACE paid for my race, so I should at least turn up and finish what I started...so I plodded along, still holding my car keys in my palms...
As I started from behind, I had to fight the 21K crowd of sunday joggers and break through the mass of sweaty bodies. At some point the route was so narrow I had to walk!
But lo and behold, I am surprised that I did 2:09...my new personal best. Damn, I should have just pushed ahead and break the 2hr limit. Ok, next year's goal.
I am not proud that I am so ill prepared for the race. I think having done the Half Ironman earlier in Sept helped...my legs must have still remembered the experience. Its dangerous, I could have snapped a ligament as my legs were cold and tight and have not ran for perhaps 3-4wks before the 21K endeavour. But am happy to report that I got on the plane the next day to Amsterdam, had extremely full schedules and legs were ay-okay. In fact, I went over to Niven to paint the study room right after the race and was in the new flat drilling, knocking and packing the rest of the day.
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