London Expat | Singaporean in London

Frank Skinner's Credit Crunch Cabaret review - an evening of riotous laughter Frank Skinner's style

2009-11-24T13:00:00.009Z

Like Karinsulai, I like Michael McIntyre. You can't really fault him for his brand of clean cut humour; he picks at daily encounters (on the London Underground, at hotel buffet tables, getting spit on incidentaly when chatting) that we can easily relate to.

Michael McIntyre's "Man Drawer"

In fact, his comedy is so safe that there was this teeny bit of stunned silence among the audience when he mentioned that the first word that a Scottish baby utter is the word 'bastard' during his stand up comedy performance in Scotland. But that went well in the end.

Shappi Khorsandi is another comedian who plays it safe. Her routine is largely self deprecating and her targets invariably coincide with public opinion - British National Party, the Iranian regime (as she puts it), you get the idea.

Shappi Khorsandi - "Live at Apollo"

Enter Frank Skinner.

People love Frank Skinner because he is nothing like Michael McIntyre and Shappi Khorsandi. In his Credit Crunch Cabaret, he went all over a girl seated on the front row wearing a red cap, asking her whether she had cancer. Halfway through, he wondered why two people with Down Syndrome didn't give each other a thumbs up when they walked past each other.

He was unstoppable from then on.

When he asked a volunteer to climb over a barrier and get up the stage, he joked that he would feel real bad if that volunteer was on a wheelchair. He went on to ask if there was any Chinese in the theatre and caught sight of two who were seated near the front. "Are you Chinese Chinese or are you British Chinese? You would know if I go and say some Chinese gibberish, would you? Something along the lines of 'hee haw lei haa'. Darn.".

The audience lapped it all up. Those who were a bit hesitant initially merrily joined in the chorus during Frank's charming "Credit Crunch Cabaret" banjo (his signature instrument) number. You get a feeling that with him, anything goes and the fact that a number went back to the same show repeatedly (Frank named and spoke to them during the show) said quite a bit.

As Frank said, "My Manager nearly fainted when I told him that I'm going to do a show and sell tickets at only 10 quid". Well, I'm sure glad he did go on and do just that.

Frank Skinner's "Oh Oh Oh Oh Osama Bin Laden" in a seperate performance

But I thought that the star in Credit Crunch Cabaret on 16 Nov wasn't Frank Skinner himself but one of his guest performers who mime his way through two songs. I tried Googling for him but was not able to find any trace of him. Would definitely appreciate if anyone (anyone at all) would let me know who is the guy behind that hilarious act. Cheers!

Marmite oven baked cashew nuts - Waitrose fuels the Great Marmite Obsession

2009-11-23T21:07:00.006Z

I'm not sure whether it's just me but despite my best efforts, I've yet to acquire a taste for Marmite.

It's not like I've started late - Mum, who for some reason, thought that it was healthy and used to mix a healthy does of that with my porridge when I was a kid. Decades later, though I don't dislike it, I still find Marmite's taste a cross between soy sauce and concentrated chicken essence. In other words, a bit weird. Then again, that's coming from a durian lover.

Well, I'm obviously the minority here in London. The English do not only have Marmite on toast, they buy Marmite by the buckets. The other day, I saw Marmite coated cashew nuts in Waitrose at Brunswick Square. Am I surprised? Hardly, considering that Waitrose carries Marmite Cereal Bars as well and even market a premium brand of Marmite though I've yet to figure out the difference between that and the usual ones.

To top it all, I actually saw a advert on a Tube train that was advertising for an online shopping portal. At the top of the recommended presents for this Christmas is... yep, a tub of Marmite. There you go, no need to fret shopping for presents this festive season!

Marmite lovers, say "Aye"!

Londoners' obsession with sending cards - yep, those 'Season Greetings' cards

2009-11-19T21:36:00.004Z

Londoners' obsession with their cards never fails to fascinate me. By cards, I mean the ones that you pop into a shop when you have nothing better to get for someone on a special occasion. Could be a birthday, anniversary, wedding, retirement - there is a card for any occasion.

There are even cards for lesser occasions - "thinking of you" (sent only when you are anything but), "missing you" (ditto), "I'm sorry" (if it comes to that, I seriously doubt a card will help), “Congratulations on your promotion!” (that should have been mine), “Get well soon” (I can’t be doing two persons’ work all the time), “Welcome back!” (now get on with it). I could go on and on. But let's face it. You bought a card only because you have absolutely no idea what else to give and you deem the receiver only worthy of a recycled paper folded into halves with some stuff printed on it.

I was in the lift when I noticed that a colleague was carrying a Scribbler paper carrier.

"Someone's birthday coming?" I took a stab.

"Yep, I only realised my husband's birthday is tomorrow and I thought I'll just grab a card first." There you have it.

"I supposed you told him that you have a surprise for him…".

"But of course! Now I just have to think about what that'll be". But hey, at least he's getting a card.

If you have to get a card, you can either get one of those cards filled with words and just sign off at the bottom (why reinvent the wheel?) or a blank card and go on to write an 500 word essay. Either way, please, for gawdsake, do not get a blank card and just sign it off. It reminds me of the faceless PR people sending off tons of Seasons Greetings cards to the unfortunate souls who bought something from the company a decade ago.

Anyway, the season of card sending is here again. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief in London when Royal Mail called off the impending strike (for now). Let the cards sending begin. What joy!

Get your charity Christmas cards for National Autistic Society here.

Japan Centre's new location at London's Lower Regent Street - bigger, spankier and more fanciful

2009-11-17T21:53:00.004Z

Those who have a soft spot for anything Japanese would be glad to find out that the Japan Centre at London Piccadilly has moved to a location with a larger shop at Lower Regent Street, which is a mere 5 minute stroll from its former site along Piccadilly.

The new Japan Centre, beside Mitsukoshi (and Mitsukoshi Restaurant ), stocks the regular Japanese groceries that we are familiar with and much more. With its additional floor space, there is now a seafood counter, a full size bakery and an extended eating area for its sushi counter that has proven to be a hit.

Pre-packed sashimi at the fish and meat counter

It seemed that the staff are still in the process of stocking up the shop's shelves when we were there two weeks back as the display was quite rather sparse as compared to the Piccadilly shop. Probably I was just addicted to the joy of finding something that I was looking for in the crammed displays in the old shop; the new Japan Centre does reminds me a bit of Mugen with its cleaner layout.

Some great gifts to be had here

Tempura at the sushi counter

We were tempted by the tempura don (rice) shrink wrapped in clear plastic in its red plastic bowls. After paying at the till, we took it to the sushi counter to be heated up. The staff popped it into the microwave for exactly 45 seconds and we tucked into it at the tables without much fanfare. I must say that at £6 per serving, it was a bit on the costly side.

Japanese styled cockery

However, that didn't prevent me from getting some shabu shabu for our steamboat and packets of instant noodles.

Oh, do consider heading to Mitsukoshi Restaurant next door for lunch if you are heading to Japan Centre for your groceries.

Japan Centre

14-16 Regent Street

London SW1Y 4PH

Camden Market - the quirky and bohemian side of London

2009-11-15T00:29:00.003Z

London's Camden Market is perhaps one of those markets that has always been overlooked by tourists who favoured the more famous Portobello Market at Notting Hill. A pity considering how much Camden Market has to offer. Someone should really commission a movie with Keira Knightley as a Camden Town girl making it good singing at its pubs (think Amy Winehouse without drugs and less booze).

Tuck into a snack on the back of a scooter facing the canal and give those legs a rest

I mean, which other markets in London actually open all day for seven days a week? I have this affinity for the market as it really reminds me of the Bugis Market back home, only larger, cleaner and more bustling. Quirky accessories, tattoos, nose rings, cheap jeans, handmade crafts and a multitude of souvenirs for folks back home can be obtained at a fare price at Camden Market.

Camden Market is best known for its quirky and bohemian wares

Hungry? Fear not. For some reason, the Chinese noodles stall love to offer you a morsel of their sweet and sour chicken (always that and nothing else) to 'try'. If you are running on a budget, you could pretty well fill your stomach with sweet and sour chicken. Else, I would advise that you give all those £3.50 stalls a miss and head towards Yum Cha for a lazy afternoon dim sum session.

You can never go wrong looking for that souvenirs for folks back home at Camden Market

Take a walk down the Regent Canal that cuts through Camden Market

Even if you are not looking for anything in particular, what better way to wallow away the entire afternoon milling through the stalls with a handy camera? As the sun sets over Camden Market and its golden rays get reflected off the water along the canal that cuts through the Market, this is when Camden Market is at its best.

Get your Time Art Camden Market prints here.

Shappi Khorsandi The Distracted Activist review - the stand up comedy act to look out for

2009-11-12T20:28:00.002Z

Most notable stand up comedians are men. Don't ask me why but it seems that there is this thing about stand up comedians and celebrity chefs. For some reason, there is a lack of funny women on stage so when one comes along, people take note. Let's be honest, where else would you find a female stand up comedian who fled to London from Iran as a kid and whose father was the target of (at least one) assassination attempt?

Shappi Khorsandi - the Distracted Activist indeed

From the cosy confines of the Soho Theatre's Auditorium, Shappi Khorsandi thrilled the audience with her light-hearted banter, and anecdotes on her struggle with her Iranian identity and her English upbringing, the joys and angst of having a child, and dangers of racism and nationalism.

Shappi joked about how Nick Griffin was portrayed as a victim on that infamous episode of Question Time so much so that she, like all Britons, was actually rooting for the underdog. Unlike most of the stand up comedians, she started the show by chatting the crowds, a huge gamble indeed. Fortunately for her (and the audience), she managed to sidestep most minefields though there was this couple (apparently not quite an item yet) was asked whether they were at the 'I love you' stage. The awkward silence thereafter was deafening. But Shappi did manage to bounce off in an instant with a cheeky "Help me out there, will you?" to the audience.

Right from the start, Shappi did warn us that her "memory was failing after childbirth" and she had a small notebook propped up on a stool that she referred to every now and then. There were instances that she broke off halfway lost in her train of thoughts. But she exuded that vulnerability that made the audience looked past all that and lapped it all up. All that while waving her Beginner's Guide to Acting English.

There were some mumbling that the show (less than an hour) could be a bit longer but for £15, I would rather go for a bout of Shappi Khorsandi in the cosy Soho Theatre than for being crammed up at the Apollo for Russell Howard.

London Transport Season Travelcard benefits - why you should get one in your Oyster card

2009-11-10T21:00:00.005Z

I don't know what took me so long to get a London Transport travelcard. Maybe it's the lack of information but I would attribute it to the sheer lazyness on my part really. I did some calculation some time back and was surprised at how much I have been losing out. Here's the breakdown.

An adult Oyster card loaded with an Annual Travelcard

Cost of one trip between Zone 1 and 2 on London Underground = £2.20

Cost of one trip within Zone 1 on London Underground = £1.60

Assuming two trips daily on a 5 day work week in a four week month, cost of travel to work alone per month = 4 weeks x 5 work days x 2 trips x £2.20 per trip
= £88 per month

Assuming two trips within Zone 1 every Sat and Sun, cost of weekend travels = 4 weeks x 2 weekend days x 2 trips x £1.60
= £25.60 per month

Cost of a Annual Travalcard (Zone 1-2) = £1032 per year or £86.60 per month

Savings per month = £27

Savings per year = a whopping £324

Granted that I need not travel to work during vacations and some of the trips may be done on buses (£1 per trip - free for Annual Travelcard), I could still save at least between £50 - £100 per year. If you are holding onto an Adult Oyster Card, the Annual Travelcard can be added onto the same card and remaining credit on the Oyster Card will only be deducted when you are travelling out of the zones covered by your Travelcard.

Not only that, you will be issued a 'Gold Card' upon the purchase of a Annual Travelcard and that allows a 34% discount off rail tickets if you are travelling within Network Area. This offer, which is extended to other adults and children travelling together with the Travelcard holder, is the deal clincher for those who travel extensively in Southeast England. For more information on the discounts, refer to the official website.

Oh, some companies actually offer interest free loan for season traval passes. Essentially, your HR will write you a cheque and the monthly repayments will be taken off your salary. No harm in that, is there? Also, there are talks that the Mayor is looking at increasing Tube fares in the near future. Why not lock in the fares right now?

Now, the only thing you'll have to worry about is how to spend the savings.

British Museum presents Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler - the Spanish perspective on the civilization that they have destroyed

2009-11-08T20:30:00.008Z

When the Spaniard Hernan Cortes arrived in the capital of Aztecs, Tenochtitlan in 1519, little did the Aztecs know that it would beckoned the demise of their 200 year old kingdom that spanned across the current day Mexico.

Ultimately, it was a combination of factors that brought the once proud people to their knees. Awed by the Spanish expedition's strange physical appearance, the Aztec king, Moctezuma II showered the Spaniards with lavish gifts and even offered them residence in his palaces.

British Museum brings to London Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler. The exhibition presented to us not only the artifacts of the Aztec people but also what eventually led to their capitulation to the Spaniards in a mere 2 years.

What's interesting here is that most, if not all, of this exhibition is presented in the Spanish perspective. According to the Spanish records, Moctezuma II died of injuries after he went out onto the palace (where he was held captive by the Spaniards) balcony to chastise his subjects but was subsequently branded as a traitor and stoned by the angry crowd. No one really know what really led to his death till this day.

Though most records of the Aztec civilization were eradicated by the Spaniards when 'New Spain' was established on the foundation of the Aztec capital, the stone monuments and artifacts of that era presented in the Mocteczuma: Aztec Ruler exhibition did offer a rare glimpse of the mystical Aztec religious order that pretty much dictate Moctezuma's world.

Look out for the stone eagle with a cavity on its back where the hearts of human sacrificial victims were offered to the gods. You could almost hear feel the terror of the victims just by looking at the eagle's eyes. Also, towards the end of the exhibition, there is a series of drawings that provide a handful summary of events.

I thought that the price of £12 adult entry ticket (£3 additional for audio guide) was a bit steep. However, British Museum did manage to present an interesting take of what might have happened immediately before and after the Spaniards set foot on Tenochtitla. Also, there is a series of activities provided for children to keep them occupied. Allow 1.5 - 2hr for this. If you're a British Museum member, you get to go in free. Find out more details on official website.

Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler

British Museum (24th Sept 2009 - 24th Jan 2010)

Great Russell Street

London WC18 3DG

Tel: 020 7323 8195

Commemorate Remembrance Day, wear a poppy

2009-11-07T00:46:00.011Z

The DLR was down again the other day. You could almost hear the collective groan of the hundreds of commuters at Bank when they trooped into the train towards London Bridge station and switch the the Jubilee Line going towards Canary Wharf.

All that while the mob was building up at London Bridge. But the Wharf people are a hardy bunch. Afterall, with DLR and Jubilee, two of the most unrealiable London Transport lines, serving Canary Wharf, you have to get used to it somehow. It was three trains later before I reached the front of the queue and when the fourth one eventually came, I was crammed in like a slab of Spam.

Ten minutes later the train finally pulled into Canary Wharf Tube station and we stumbled out of the cabins. Giving a nonchalent brush to our coats, we headed for the gantries. Then something struck me.

Standing just outside the gantry was a white hair gentleman huddled in a great thick coat. Although he was stooping with age, it was quite clear from his frame that in his youth, he was easily a six footer with broad shoulders. He was carrying a bucket with one hand and looking anxiously yet with a tinge of expectation at the people hurried past him. A strape went round the back of his neck and held a small carton filled with paper poppies to the front of his chest.

A lady stopped and walked towards him, opened up her purse and dropped some coins into his bucket. The elderly man's face crinkled as he smiled and passed her a poppy, which she promptly attached onto her coat's lapel.

Poppies, which bloomed over Flanders - a devastated First World War battlefield, was chosen as the Commonwealth symbol in memory of war dead. Regardless of their causes, all wars, when stripped of their rhetoric, are in fact mindless slaughter. However, on Remembrance Day that falls on 11th of November, let's put aside our cynism or the need for justification - wear a poppy to commemorate the ones who paid the ultimate price.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Wagamama Chicken Katsu Curry Rice - Wagamama's most popular dish!

2009-11-04T20:00:00.008Z

I generally try to stay away from restaurants with long communal tables. By long communal tables, I am referring to the furniture, which are really elongated tables and benches with no demarcation whatsoever. Other than the sole purpose of removing the last shred of privacy in the hope to reduce turnaround time.

If you have not guessed already, I am talking about Wagamama (yes, the one I recommended in One Day in London). The widely popular London food chain serves a smattering of Asian cuisine that includes a variety of soup noodles and fried noodles (thick egg noodles tossed in soy sauce). But nothing is as popular as its Chicken Curry Katsu Rice (just under £9).

Wagamama's most popular dish - "number 71" of the menu (image source)

This dish is so popular that people will go queue up during lunch time and order the same dish by the table. In fact, after awhile, some didn't even bother looking at Wagamama's menu and ordered "number 71" (Curry Katsu's item number on the menu) right at the onset.

Before you rush off to get number 71 on Wagamama's menu, I'll like to set the record straight. Wagamama's Chicken Katsu Curry Rice tastes far from the original and it can't even compare with those sold in Tokyo's subway that go for 600 yen (£4) each. Its curry gravy is too powdery, the fried chicken slices too thin and often fried to a crisp, and the accompanying rice is often too soggy.

What is keeping Londoners returning for more again and again then? Perhaps its Londoners' penchant for thick curry sauce and for those who can't handle spicy will find Japanese curry a good compromise. Is it mere convenience due to locations of Wagamama's branches? Or is it because you can't really find a decent Japanese curry katsu rice in London other than the mix mesh served at Japanese Canteen (a smaller chain outfit in central London)?

Regardless of the reason, be sure to ask for your free cup of green tea (refillable) on your next visit. Few people realise that as the offer is printed in really tiny words right at the bottom of the menu.

British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair - how they compare

2009-11-03T21:36:00.008Z

Did a bit of travelling last week (that explains the lack of posts) and like most flying out of the UK, I opted for EasyJet rather than British Airways. A colleague of mine lamented that British Airways used to be an institution to be reckoned with and it was certainly the airline to travel in. Well, I supposed that was before British Airways was hit by escalating costs and union strikes.

EasyJet - no frills airline with friendly service but not without its flaws

After an earlier experience with British Airways Executive Class, which essentially is economy class with access to the British Airways Executive Lounge at Heathrow airport. The lounge does have lovely sandwiches (ham, shrimps, cheese, the whole works) served with gallons of tea, coffee and alcohol, and nice armchairs to boot.

From that point on, the word Executive becomes meaningless. I couldn't help but noticed that the seats used in the Executive Economy is identical as that of the Economy. In fact, the back of the seat in front of me had came off and the underlying sponge was hanging out rather conspicuously. Did I mention about the croissant that was served? It was one of those blackened crescents that threatened to break a tooth for those who bothered taking a bite into it. It's small wonder why travellers are switching to EasyJet for jetting between European cities.

Granted, EasyJet is a budget airline - no seat allocation, payment required for check-in luggage, you got to pay for in-flight food, boarding gates are located further away from customs, no in-flight entertainment. Then again, what you see is what you get and there are no hidden charges. Other than regular 30min delays, the occasional strolls across tarmac, disconcerting glimpses of tired pilots staring into empty space, EasyJet triumphs on no-frills flying.

Someone booked me on a Ryanair flight to Dublin and emailed me thereafter. The same day return flight costs a princely sum of 20p. Truth to be told, I'm a bit apprehensive after hearing and reading about experiences on Ryanair (read 20 reasons not to fly Ryanair). But then again, I should at least give it a try, shouldn’t I? Will post about my Ryanair experience if I managed to get on to the flight.

Meanwhile, I would love to hear your experiences on British Airway, EasyJet and Ryanair!

Korean restaurants in London reviews - recommended by a Korean to be truly authentic

2009-11-02T21:58:00.004Z

I met up with a fellow food lover over dinner at Korean Kitchen a couple of weeks back. After the disappointing dinner at New Seoul, I pestered him (a Korean himself) for some recommendations for good Korean restaurants - essentially where the Koreans themselves will go to for a quick fix for authentic Korean cuisine.

complementary Korean starters - widely expected in Korea but a rare treat in central London

Though he finds the fare at Korean Kitchen passable, he was quick to point out two restaurants that, in his opinion, is way better than Korean Kitchen. Unsurprisingly, both restaurants that he recommended are in the vicinity of New Malden, which is the defacto Korean enclave in Greater London.

Not only he pointed out the directions to these two restaurants, he also provided a list of dishes that we should order and what to do in the meantime (shopping in Kingston) between lunch and dinner. For my reviews of these two restaurants, refer to Cah Chi and Jin Go Gae.

The Power of Yes review (National Theatre, Lyttelton) - who's to blame for the credit crunch?

2009-10-24T00:55:00.009+01:00

You would be forgiven if you, like me, have mistaken this for an evangelistic event - the title alone does sound misleading. However, The Power of Yes is anything but.

Myron Scholes presenting the Black Scholes formula in 1973(image source)

"This isn't a play, it's a story," the onscreen author (David Hare played by Anthony Calf) recounted at the start of the , well, play. And what a story it is. Hare delivered a tale of fear and greed that spanned nearly four decades of how the world's economy come to a standstill for a couple of days in 2008t. Through his real life interviews conducted with the big players that include Howard Davies of LSE, George Soros and countless others (bankers, industry leaders, financial institutions' employees) who prefer to remain anonymous.

It wouldn't be come as a surprise that most of us would like to blame the bankers when it comes to finger pointing in the most severe credit crunch witnessed by the world since 1930s. But are the people who seem to have walked off with millions and millions in bonuses to blame? Or are there other forces working behind the scene? This is what Hare set to find out in the story.

He was brought back to the origin in 1973 when the Nobel Prize winner Myron Scholes, together with Fischer Black, came up with the mathematical formula (Black Scholes formula) to eliminate credit risk. Long story short, this formula will allow creditors to correctly decide how much interest to charge for a particular loan, thereby 'eliminating' risk of the debtor defaulting. After the formula was introduced into mainstream banking, bankers no longer had to have a true 'relationship' with the customers to know whether a loan should be issued - they would just rely on the magic formula. Well, we know how that panned out.

The Power of Yes is not for those who prefer loud musicals or even dramatic gestures for there is none of those. What The Power of Yes presents how financial institutions become too large to fail (at one time, RBS is larger than the entire UK's GDP), Labour government's failure to rein in easy credit and mentality of competitive bankers, in a 1hr 45min story.

So are the bankers solely to blame? Well, I'll leave it to you to draw your own conclusion but Soros' retort to the free market advocate Greenspan, "… but not the same people (who benefited earlier) are punished…" pretty much sums up the whole story.

The Power of Yes
National Theatre, Lyttelton
South Bank SE1 9PX
Tel: 020 7452 3000

DLR beats London Dungeons flat for those seeking the thrill factor

2009-10-23T14:30:00.004+01:00

I've not tried London Dungeons at London Bridge and will probably never. I know of some who have and they have hardly anything nice to say about the experience, and online reviews often describe it as a tourist trap.

I guess the stake was driven in when I saw the promotion bundle for both the London Eye and London Dungeon. I doubt you'll ever see the day when you could do two for the price of one with Phantom of the Opera and Le Miserables.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) beats London Dungeons hands down

If you're going for a thrill ride, you're better off on the DRL. I am absolutely serious. Now that I take regular trips on the DLR, I can't help but notice that it does get kind of rough on certain stretches along the train line. Personally, I would recommend trying to balance, facing the back of the train (so that you can't see where the train is heading and thus up the ante, thrilling eh?), while the DLR is going from Shadwell towards Bank. It doesn't work the opposite direction where the line is better laid, it must be the stretch from Shadwell to Bank.

There you go, a more affordable alternative to the London Dungeons. Forget about those bloody zombies, try falling into a bunch of irate commuters for the experience of your life!

Racial discrimination in London and manifesto of British National Party (BNP)

2009-10-22T13:22:00.003+01:00

Prior to coming to London, I've always been in the 'majority' category. Approximately 75% of Singapore's population are categorised as 'Chinese' on their identity cards. Naturally being an ethnic Chinese, I have never felt any discrimination in the tiny isle I call home.

In fact, none of my close friends are non-Chinese and I never really interacted socially with the other 25% of the population until I was enlisted into National Service at the age of 19. For the next 2.5 years, one's skin colour did not matter as we learn to watch out for each other. Though it's a pity that I didn't manage to make any lifelong buddies from other races while I was in the Army, a person's race, skin colour or religion was never an issue.

Well, perhaps that was easy for me to say as I was among the majority.

That was precisely the reason why I was a bit apprehensive when Wife and I first arrive in London. For the first time in my life, I would be labelled as the minority. For some reason, the press back home didn't exactly paint a very pleasant picture of the UK and the Caucasians (believe it or not, most Singaporeans can't differentiate between Americans and Europeans, much less the different nationalities within Europe) working in Singapore seem to have this uppity attitude, which is hardly endearing to the local populace.

Then I arrived in London in the summer of 2007. Much to my surprise, London (or England for the matter) is not about a huge lumbering and ineffective NHS, rampant discrimination, dishonest politicians or bad weather. The English people whom I have come across are actually polite, full of self deprecating humour and among the most generous people that I have ever met.

On the same note, London, is an all encompassing and bustling metropolitan. One poster on the walls of an Underground Station that I came across during my first weeks here left such a deep impression on me that I spoke of it repeatedly with my folks back home. The poster was about a phone helpline for victims of homophobia. Coming from a place where homosexual acts are still outlawed under the Penal Code (though no one has been persecuted thus far) while taxmen chase after the pink dollar, that counts for a lot. At that split second, I being an ethnic Chinese and now a minority, felt safe.

However, for those of us who actually think that violent racial discrimination is non-existent in the UK would get a wake up call after the most recent episode of Panorama. To be honest, I was rather disturbed and couldn't bring myself to finish watching the episode and if you have missed that, you can catch that on BBC iPlayer.

I understand the frustration of the local populace when foreigners come into the country en mass. When I left Singapore in two years back, immigrants were already a social issue back home. Singaporeans who are expected to serve National Service for between 2 to 2.5 years of their life find themselves increasing sidelined by newcomers in the local job market. Understandably, there were some tensions, which continue till this day.

Tonight, BBC has invited British National Party (BNP) to Question Time where the party, which pursue an only whites agenda, will be given a chance to present their manifesto. Don't get me wrong. I am all for free speech and strongly believe that an open debate will be healthy. However, while you're watching the program tonight, please remember that for every foreigner who exploits the local system, there will be another who is law abiding, pay his taxes, pays into NHS (but have never used it) and have no recourse to public funds, and yet grateful for the opportunities that this country has given him.

Find out how BNP's debut on Question Time went...
Griffin insists "I am not a Nazi" - Guardian
Nick Griffin caught in TV's glare amid hail of criticism - The Times
Jeered, scorned and ridiculed - still BNP's Nick Griffin milks his moment in the spotlight in Question Time - Daily Mail

Fare Dodger experience on DLR - why you should really be paying your dues

2009-10-20T19:57:00.003+01:00

Mayor Boris Johnson just announced that there commuters can look forward to an increase in transport fares across the board for Tube and buses and explained that a transport fare increase would be necessary to reduce the ballooning deficit that he inherited from Ken Livingstone.

Transport is one of the largest expenses of Londoners

Well, I'm not sure whether it is an increase in efforts to nab fare dodgers but I notice that there is an increase in number of fare conductors especially on DLR (Docklands Light Railway) where fare dodging is comparatively rampant.

Once the conductor made her presence known, you'll notice immediately who the fare dodgers are as they quietly shuffle away in the opposite direction in the hope that they'll get to the next station before the conductor reaches them thereby avoiding the £20 fine.

Most of the time, these people do get away but sometime they don't. When that happens, it's almost amusing how it would pan out. Just last week, I was on a DLR train travelling from Bank station. Just as it pulled away from Shadwell heading towards Limehouse, a conductor appeared from nowhere, whipped out her ticket verification device and started requesting for everyone's ticket.

The guy who sat opposite me looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He took a quick glance at the conductor who was making steady progress and assessed the situation. After figuring that he had a fighting chance to make it to the next station if he moved to the end of the train carriage, he made his move.

Just as he stood up, the train pulled to a halt. These things do happen when there is some delay experienced along the line and it so happened that the momentary delay meant that Transport for London's deficit will be reduced by exactly £20.

I've never seen a more defeated looking person as he reached into his wallet as the conductor loomed over him. Well, I have to give him some credit - he could very well pretend that he doesn't speak English (I've seen some people do that). Who knows? He might just pull it off.

Get Cheap Singapore Airlines tickets

2009-10-19T22:38:00.001+01:00

It's the time of the year when the tropicans in London are heading home for a vacation. Late autumn and winter always see South East Asians, Australians and New Zealanders flying home. Though London's winter is mild compared to many European cities, you can't really blame us for yearning for some sun, sand and sea.

Then again, the huge demand over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year always drives up the cost of plane tickets. A return trip on Singapore Airlines cost just under £500 (taxes inclusive) during the off peak season and the same would cost a whopping £1200 during this super peak season.

If you have been, like me, thinking that the best deal could be had at SingaporeAir.com, you're in for a huge surprise. Unknown to many, there are a number of private travel agencies operating inthe UK that offer Singapore Airline tickets at more competitive rates. One of the more reliable ones is Lee's Travel Emporium Ltd.

Not only would the bored sounding guy, who speaks with a distinct Singaporean accent, provide you with a quote over the phone almost immediately, he would actually give you a call once there's a Singapore Airline fare promotion if you would leave your number with him. He's a nice chap really.

Absolutely no affliation here but do give Lee's a call the next time you're heading home. Who knows? You might save yourself a pile in the process.

LEE'S TRAVEL EMPORIUM LTD
32 STATION PARADE, LONDON NW2 4NX
Phone: 020-8452 8882

Top 10 useful websites - essential to all Londoners

2009-10-16T11:37:00.003+01:00

Moving to London? Lost in myriad of narrow streets with peculiar names? Clueless about what to do this weekend? Well, as long as you have a reliable internet connection, you will never be caught with your pants down. And here's a run down on the 10 most essential websites that every Londoner should know.

1) Transport for London

Though London's Transport system is nowhere as complex as that of Tokyo's, it can still prove to be a challenge even to the seasoned traveller. That's not even taking the breakdowns that every so often plague the network.

Visit Transport for London (TFL) for the quickest route to your destination or for the latest transport news update before you step out of your house. Simply enter the relevant postcode or the nearest Tube station.

2) National Rail

Although the rail is no longer the main driver of the UK's economy, its extensive network that spans the region still brings you to places that otherwise would be an arduous drive away. With London as the main hub, you can easily head to York for a medieval weekend, Whitstable for some oysters, Dorking for its vineyard, Battle for the 1066 Battle of Hastings, and even Edinburgh is just a train ride away.

At National Rail, you'll be able to find trains' timings, the stations where the trains depart from, and more importantly, the cheapest fare available.

3) Google Map

In my 7 Unpublished Tips When Planning a Trip, I mentioned that this is one site that many tend to overlook. As with many European cities, London has its fair share of narrow lanes with quirky names. Enter your destination's postcode in Google Map and you'll be on your way. Fancy a streetview? No problem, Google map offers this too for most of the UK and certainly for London.

4) Timeout London

Timeout is an established brand and is recognised as the site to go for any self respecting Londoner looking for the newest and happening events in town. Timeout London offers just that. The events are organized intuitively into various days of the week and are frequently updated.

Not only that, you'll find visitors' reviews on a particular event tagged to the same event page as well. In fact, Timeout London has become so influential that a spot on it will guaranty a huge response to any event or venue; Lady Gray from The Hidden Tea Room mentioned to me that she received an avalanche of emails after being featured on Timeout London.

5) Lastminute.com

For some reason, Londoners often leave it till the last minute to plan for their holidays. I would like to think it's because of London's proximity to Europe; Paris is a mere 2hr train ride away, Brussels closer than that and the rest of continental Europe is less than 3hr flight away. For this precise reason, Lastminute.com is Londoners' favourite website for great last minute travel deals.

Not only Lastminute.com provides holiday packages (car rental, flights, hotels - combination or alone), the thing I like best about it is Lastminute's Top Secret Hotels feature where 4 or 5 star hotels offer rooms freed up by last minute cancellations at vast discounts.

6) Argos

This is a store that Londoners love to hate. For the uninitiated, an Argos store sells anything non-perishable that you need in your house from sofas, electric kettles, laptops and even door stoppers. The only catch is that there's absolutely nothing stocked on the shelves in the stores dotted over London save for huge (and I mean huge) catalogues. Embrace the era of catalogue shopping.

The only thing that beats an Argos store is probably the Argos online store. Though this, you can access the exact dimension, weight of items and have it delivered right to your doorstep at a very small fee. Shop on!

7) BBC iPlayer

Contrary to the popular belief, BBC do put our TV licensing fee (insert link) to good use and produce countless quality documentaries, comedies, variety shows and dramas. Miss it on your TV? Well, just hop on to BBC iPlayer for those back episodes.

Note that the full content for this site is available only to people in the UK and you don't even have to pay licensing fee for that. Just hook on to a reliable broadband network and you're on your way.

8) Gumtree

Gumtree is one of the site I recommend on my London Accommodation Guide. The site is especially useful to people looking for accommodation and stuff to trade without the middlemen (and thus save on commission).

Rather than chucking away that old tennis racket, why not pimp it on Gumtree? Might as well get a few quid for that.

9) FreeCycle

Feel like giving it back to the community? Rather than selling off your junk on eBay, why not just give them away to someone who might need it? FreeCycle allows you to reach all FreeCyclers who are in your area by sending them a notification whenever you have something that you want to get rid of. More often than not, someone will just come pick the item off your front door and that saves you the trouble of discarding it.

Or if you're missing a table or a chair or looking for a replacement keyboard, try posting it on FreeCycle. Who knows? You might get lucky.

10) Toptable

Unless it's the spur of the moment thing, you have probably made a reservation for the dinner that you're going to. Why not gain some points at Toptable while doing just that? These points will get you a full dinner at one of the participating restaurants. I have got a couple of free meals through that. Hey, what better way to stretch your pound?

Have you got any other websites that should be on the list Do leave a comment below or give me a shout at ck@singaporeaninlondon.com

Google Currency Conversion tool - simple and fuss free

2009-10-14T14:07:00.003+01:00

Just read about how the US Federal Reserve is allowing the US dollar to devalue and how US dollar is depreciating against all major currency except, you've guessed it, the Sterling Pound. In other words, only the Sterling Pound is sliding at a faster rate than US dollar.

Good news for the dwindling number of British manufacturers, which factories are still in the UK, and tourists. Tough luck for Londoners though as that will mean less holidays and perhaps more trips to the tanning salons to get that fake orange tans.

Google currency conversion tool - a nifty one

For those of us who are a bit concern about the currency exchange rates, there's always Google. A quick and dirty way would be to type "1 pound to usd" in Google search bar and the current exchange rate will be up in an instant. You could do a "546 pounds to indian rupee" as well. Note that this is at best a conservative guideline.

Another thing to occupy our time spent online. Heavenly. Next up, 10 useful websites that any Londoner should know.

English and American toilet humour

2009-10-12T12:00:00.006+01:00

The English don't pee. They 'spend a penny', 'answer the call', 'wash their hands' or simply 'go'. 'Peeing' just won't do. It's just not posh enough.

But what's interesting here is that the place that they go do that is surprisingly mundane. You would expect that with all those posh sounding words, the English would choose something other than the good o' toilet. But the toilet it is.

I overheard someone speaking over the phone to his friend, who was presumably an American, about toilets. I have absolutely no idea about how it came to that but it went something like this.

"You know, we don't do bathrooms (pronounced as 'bethroom') over here. We answer the call in our toilets and bathe in our bathrooms (pronounced as 'barthroom')", the Londoner exclaimed to his companion.

I had this chat with a pal who came over to London recently after having staying in the US for some time. She was recounting how she went to a local cafe and asked whether they have a 'bathroom' in the premises. The waiter gave her a puzzled look and shook his head. She must have realised how strange it might have appeared to the waiter to be asked for a place to take a bath. When asked about the 'toilet', the waiter quickly pointed it out to her.

I wonder how an American would react when asked where the toilet is. The answer might just be "It's in the bathroom."

Typical Office Timetable - try beating this

2009-10-10T21:00:00.031+01:00

A very typical workday

With such punishing schedule, it's no wonder that people are calling in sick in droves as autumn descends upon us.

Enjoy your weekend while I toil over my next post - "English and American toilet humour"

First Impression of London - guest post by Wenbin

2009-10-09T23:00:00.012+01:00

Hi there, Wenbin here from Better Interpersonal Communication. I’ve recently arrived for the first time in London, and I thought I would just guest post on A Singaporean in London to provide, from a fresh perspective, how a Singaporean might view London.

Upon arriving at Heathrow, I was expecting to find a run down, minimalist sort of place, having heard stories from friends and family about how lousy the airport is. However, Heathrow was rather adequate. Nothing too fanciful, but it got the job done.

One thing, please exchange your cash in Singapore. The exchange rate spread here is terrible.

The London transportation system is extremely developed. There are train links to all sorts of places, as evident from its complex tube map. I expected the London “Underground” to be a fully underground mass rapid transit line. However, to my surprise, lots of trains run on rails on the surface.

Its bus system is also something to admire. The waiting time for buses here are generally shorter than that of Singapore. In addition, buses have internal public announcements and LCD screens to report its location. This is great for first timers who are not very familiar with the way here..After being in London for only about 2 days, one thing that struck me deeply about it was the rich history that this city has. This is evident it the highly efficient transportation system described above. It takes time for a system to evolve into something so complex.

In addition, London, or at least Central London from what I’ve seen, is an extremely beautiful place. The buildings and streets are all breathtakingly beautiful, with a colonial classic flavour to them

The people here are also truly multicultural. Just take a walk along central London and you will notice the wide ranging accents that permeate the atmosphere. This shows the importance of having good interpersonal communication skills in today’s multicultural environment.

London is truly a special place, rich in history, culture and sights. Definitely one to visit, from a newcomer’s perspective.

If you have just arrived in London and would love to share your experiences with the rest of us, do give me a shout at ck@singaporeaninlondon.com!

How to eat Xiao Long Bao - without making a fool out of yourself

2009-10-08T12:00:00.004+01:00

Bravo! You have gotten it onto your spoon without breaking it.

Xiao Long Bao (or Siew Loong Bao in Cantonese) is a staple in Taiwanese and Shanghainese cuisine and a must order at Leong's Legend and Keelung at Chinatown. Interestingly, you'll find the same dish in many Cantonese restaurants masquerading as one of the dim sum dishes - it's like finding fish and chips served as a tapas.

So how do you know whether the xiao long bao served to you is freshly made? One fool proof way is to lift it up gently from the tracing/grease paper that it is sitting on in the bamboo steamer: if it can be lifted of easily, you can be assured that the piece has just been made and laid on the steamer, otherwise it would be stuck fast and you'll have to pry it away.

Assuming that you somehow managed to lift it up and settle it nicely on your spoon, what you do next will determine whether you're likely to order the xiao long bao again during your next visit. A gentleman who sat at the next table when I was lunching at Keelung made the mistake of biting into his xiao long bao directly. The soup within spurt onto his his Hugo Boss and I don't think he'll be in a hurry to try the dish again.

first, get to the soup

Anyway, the soup within the xiao long bao is too often neglected. To derive the maximum pleasure of the dish, bit the top bit of (as shown in the photo above) and slowly sip the soup within, and let it swirl around your tongue a bit.

and then the rest of it

When you're done with the soup, add some ginger slices doused in vinegar (usually provided with the dish, and if not, ask for it) into the resultant gaping hole. Admire it for a moment before shoving the whole thing into your mouth. Make no mistake about this, do not, under any circumstances take it in two bites. That's like biting a Mentos sweet into halves or taking a shot in two small sips - some things are just meant to be taken in one go.

That, my friends, is how you should eat xiao long bao.

Racism and Xenophobia on London bus, with a Drunk joining in the fray

2009-10-05T22:28:00.010+01:00

London buses tend to attract the weirdest people... (image source)

Despite being a London icon, which stands up there alongside the red postbox and red telephone box, travelling by the red London bus is something that I wouldn't recommend to tourists. If you have just arrived in London, I would suggest give it a couple of days before hopping onto the notorious London bus. For some reason, the buses tend to attract the weirdest possible passengers.

After Taste of Singapore on Saturday, Wife and I were heading back home on a bus. The bendy bus was packed but we somehow managed to squeeze our way in. There was this man who appeared slightly intoxicated sitting right in front of us. The reason why we could tell that he was drunk was because he was slurring his words through a tune, absolutely oblivious to the world. Let us just refer to him as the Drunk.

10 minutes into journey, a woman (let's call her Woman for simplicity sake) who was standing two metres to my left raised her voice,"Driver! This man is harassing this woman, can you stop him?!"

After I made sure that she wasn't referring to me (you never know...), I noticed that there was this minor commotion near the bus exit between another man (Aggressor) and a woman (Victim). Let me just put things into context, Aggressor was a white and Victim was a black, and both were obviously foreigners given their accents.

That was when the Drunk stirred into action.

"Hey you!" He waved his hand to the Aggressor, "Yes you! This is not Poland mind you. This place is run by rules!" That was rich coming from someone who was slumped on his seat with breath reeking of alcohol.

The Aggressor wasn't too pleased being singled out by Woman and Drunk but chose to take it out on the Victim instead. He leaned closer to the Victim and muttered menacingly, "What do you want? Huh? What do you want?"

The Victim, emboldened by the gathering support from the other passengers on the bus, raised her voice, "You bad man, get off the bus, get off the bus!"

"I won't get off the bus, why should I? Are you discriminating against me just because I am white?" the Aggressor stood his ground.

Determined not to be ignored, the Drunk made his views known to the entire busload of passengers, "HEY! Don't be a racist. It's not good to be a racist..." and promptly decided that it was too much effort and drifted into a deep slumber.

To give the Driver some credit, he did stop the bus eventually and got down to placate the Victim, Woman and Aggressor. Well, the Drunk obviously needed no placating.

We didn't find out what happened in the end as we hopped off the bus at that point and walked the rest of the way back home through the blustery winds that was sweeping through London.

Tastes of Singapore at Selfridges Food Hall - how it went

2009-10-04T19:36:00.012+01:00

retro display for Tastes of Singapore at Selfridges

I mentioned in an earlier post about Tastes of Singapore, which is held at Selfridges Food Hall, so wife and I decided to make our way down to Oxford Street on Saturday. While we don't expect another event the scale of Singapore Day, we thought that it would be interesting to see some popular homegrown brands on the shelves of Selfridges Food Hall.

Other than cooking ingredients and other foodstuff, the most obvious attraction is definitely the cooking demo, or so we thought.

Da Hua soy sauce, food just doesn't taste the same without it

We were suitably impressed with promoters' enthusiasm in introducing their products to curious shoppers. There was this tall guy who was promoting Da Hua soy sauce chatted with us a bit and mentioned that they will be flying off to Germany after the one week stint in London.

However, we couldn't help feel a bit disappointed with the cooking demo. While we were there, someone was preparing beef rendang and Singapore laksa using Prima Taste preprepared pack - frankly, he is more of a salesman than a cook, and reminded me of those slick sales people peddling their wares at Metro back home.

The Prima Taste cook/salesman strutting his stuff

"Come try Singapore's most popular dishes!" he exclaimed as more shoppers shuffled towards him.

"Hello Sir," he beckoned to a guy, "Are you from France?"
"Er nope, I'm from Russia."
"Oh," the cook/salesman quickly recollected himself, "Have you tried Singapore's laksa?"

I'm sure they serve it by the buckets over at St. Petersburg."Here, have some!" he then scoop a generous portion into a small plastic container and topped it up with a slice of tau pok before handling it to the Russian who looked a bit hesitant but managed took a small bite with an equally small plastic fork.

"Have you tried beef rendang?" Of course, how could he not have tried that? "Here have some!" Another small plastic container handed over.

While the Russian was juggling with two containers, the cook/salesman went on, "If you do it from scratch, it'll take a couple of hours. But with Prima Taste' beef rendang pack, it'll be done within minutes!"

Erm, I distinctly remember having to leave the beef to stew for around an hour even using Prima Taste's formula but never mind that, who wouldn't want to be able to prepare beef rendang in within minutes? I mean, if I could do that, I wouldn't have to head to Sedap for my beef rendang fix every now and then.

The cooking demo aside, I was surprised at how much more expensive Prima Taste was being sold at Taste of Singapore; what was being sold for £2.60 at Leicester Square was selling for £3.95 at Selfridges' Food Hall. Quite a bit of a mark up in my opinion.

Prima taste black pepper sauce, warning: this is quite spicy

Gold Kili 3 in 1, I know of people 'importing' packs of these everytime they fly back from home

Yeo's has gone upmarket

Although it was stated at the official website that the Gallery Restaurant at Selfridges would be carrying a special menu in conjunction with the event, it sure wasn't apparent to us when we were there. In fact, we had to specially ask for the menu before it was shown to us. How strange, it did seem Selfridges didn't really put much emphasis on the promotion.

our spoils

Anyhow, we did leave with a bottle of Da Hua dark and light soy sauce for around £3.50 each.

Well, if you're thinking of making your way to Tastes of Singapore at Selfridges Food Hall, you'll have till 11th Oct before it moves on to Germany. Oh, while you're there, say hi to the friendly chap who's promoting Da Hua soy sauce.