MJ Tokyo @ Marina Square Hair Salon (Prologue)

I had the impression they charged a flat $20 like QB (flat $10).  Passed by there a few times and still can't remember the name.

Just now, had to check the Marina Square store directory to find the name of the salon.

After reading 1 review from  a man (uncle), another review by someone who said the hairwash was "shiok" at Hardwarezone forum, and watching a... tiring Youtube video of 3 Japanese (?) Korean (?) women, I'm more ... eased about going to Marina Square tomorrow.

Me to Bro: Tomorrow (which is today @ 1:52 a.m. Thurs 2 May), I will be going. (to MJ Tokyo @ Marina Square).  No negative reviews, in fact no reviews, or only 3. It had better be good. Otherwise... they are finished. KILL.

Since that person said the hairwash was "shiok", I will expect it when I drop by tomorrow.

Wait a minute... Isn't MJ .... Spiderman's girlfriend?

Here's the review:  http://therevolutioner.blogspot.sg/2013/05/mj-tokyo-marina-square-hair-salon-review.html

Sex, Death & The Meaning of Life (BBC Richard Dawkins on Youtube)

Episode 1:



Bro told me about this video today, that he had coincidentally found while browsing Youtube. He watched an episode (he didn't know there were 3 episodes) and described it to me.

I'm not sure which episode he watched but not episode 1.

He said the interviewers (in the episode he watched) said the same thing as I said.  That Ricky Gervais said what gets you up in the morning is anything that you feel you need to get up for. People you love, doing gardening...  things that are meaningful to you.

Bro said when he heard what people said in the video, he thought, "How come it sounds so cowish?".  (Cowish refers to me)

In our discussions sometimes, we have also talked about the meaning of life and religion.  Personally, I have also wondered what would happen if religion was erased.

So, this BBC show is interesting. I've tried reading Richard Dawkins book in the past, about his Big Bang Theory and other stuff, but considered the style too boring.

Now in this video, I see him "in person".  He posits that Science and Evolutionary behavior will work better than Religion in guiding us to being better (more civilised, advanced etc..).

I just finished watching Episode 1:

Richard Dawkins says that other people tell him:
"If we don't believe God is watching over us, we abandon morality". 

My thought:   It's a very simplistic and unthinking comment by people who say that. It is a mistake to equate "god" with morality.

Moreover, religion is evil. Read the book God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens.

Also, religious people are actually no better than non-religious people.

Here Richard Dawkins also finds out that "not only does religion fail to stop people sinning, it also forces them to live a lie.".

The only difference between religious and non-religious people is the guilt that non-religious people are made to feel when it comes to "sin" such as sex and masturbation which are in fact inevitable biological processes.

Societies use religion to pressure people, in essence blackmailing them, in doing what the society wants rather than for the genuine good of the individual. The individual is then forced to live a lie in order to protect himself/herself and loved ones.

Actually, I don't get why that adulterous man got married and then went back to his old ways. If he wanted to play, why get married? It's not like he's going to change after marriage. He probably thought he would, but he didn't and he "broke down" because he couldn't change himself.

To "change" himself, he had to contract it out to "God".  In essence, absolving himself of the responsibility of doing it himself, which means he's basically just an irresponsible man. What's there to feel guilty for?

After contracting it out to "god", he is "cured/fixed" and can give seminars. -.-   An irresponsible man giving seminars to other irresponsible men. He should be feeling guilty for that.

Secondly: That gay man says,  "... a measure of respect for homosexuals. I thought if I was very lucky, I could stop the police impersonating gays in order to pick people up in public lavatories and then prosecute them".

My question is: If those gay men weren't loose/promiscuous in the first place, would the police have succeeded in picking them up?

I think Richard Dawkins is too naively optimistic. Even if we are getting "more civilised" as religion declines.

He says, "We now live in a rational age". Really? He needs to read the article in Discover magazine on the secret that only a few evolutionary scientists know: Our brains have shrunk and how much stupidier we are getting. Not even the geneticists know this and were surprised when presented with the information.

Richard Dawkins should also watch the movie Idiocracy.

Previously, bro and I had discussed a few times about whether humans would be better in the future. Will mankind one day reach the Picard stage? (Picard of the 24th century Star Trek the Next Generation Starship Enterprise).

Bro remained adamant that we would not; I was optimistic that given time, humans would be better.

Bro said, "Look around you. People are not getting better, but worse.". He is of the opinion that it will degenerate rather than improve.

Because I look forward to a brighter future, I hope humans will become better. It is only a little sad that we won't be there to see it. But Bro said he wouldn't want to be there because that's the time when things will be much worse than the present.

We have had this argument/debate a few times already and no conclusion could be drawn.

While I believe religion is not necessary, I could not come up with a solution or alternative to replace it. In this video, Dawkins has provided me the solution:   Our innate evolutionary traits such as empathy, and what we feel is right and wrong will serve as our guide.

Bro is of the opinion that humans need religion otherwise they would feel hopeless. To know that there is no meaning, no higher purpose than just to live and die would shatter them.

When we were talked about the Venus Project  as Bro described it to me (when I wished money was abolished), he was of the opinion that there must be some form of control/replacement otherwise all hell would break loose.  Bro thinks the idea won't work (but I think it will depending on how it's handled).

I am of the same opinion as Dawkins that not all hell would break loose, because we are not simply animals. We are animals but have control and freedom of choice over ourselves as compared to other animals that do not have such a luxury.

I believe in a self-governance which Bro thinks will not work. In my opinion, we don't need religion to tell us what is right and wrong. Parents only need to teach and discipline their kids the right way: empathy, consideration, observation. It has nothing to do with religion.

In the video, the black man used his belief in his religion to discipline the boys. He said without this religion, where is the power?

The power, is actually, in you and in everyone. There is no need to invoke something "greater" to subdue the "weak". What that black man is doing works on the boys, keeping them in control, but I think Dawkins knows but cannot say, that the method is actually wrong.

I am of the same opinion that it's wrong, but Bro said it's the only thing that works in such a place. Whatever works. We cannot say they are stupid (though actually, I think it was useless for Dawkins to talk to black people with their obviously fixed religious mentality).

I think it's only a person who can see on either side of a fine line, that can see that it's wrong. Sensitive perception. I am a little surprised that Dawkins could see it. It must have been hard for him to talk to that black man. Antagonizing especially when the man broke in while Dawkins was in the middle of talking.

Credit goes to Dawkins who didn't even fold his arms across his chest.  A very accepting man.
=================

Later at night. 10:08 pm

Bro: (in his room) Can it be he's too smart?
Me:  Hm? (in my room across his, surfing skincare Taiwan website)
Bro: That's why he asks what's the meaning of Life.
Me: Because he's an astronomer. When he looks up at the beauty of the stars, he thinks what's the meaning. When he looks up at the stars, then looks back down, he thinks.
Bro: So. The moral of the story is: Don't look up. Is it? (he chuckles. I smile and type this gem). 

Earlier before this above:

Bro:  He's "Sir", you know? He's knighted.
Me: (in the toilet in the master bedroom) Yah lah, "Sir".  Sir Richard Dawkins. Now I remember he's knighted. Knighted for dryness.

Kim Robinson versus La Coco Hair Salon (SG) Review

Freshest report as of now. Unique review of these 2 hair salons. This post is best viewed with a computer/laptop, not mobile phone.

The same printout of a haircut (6 color photos on 1 sheet) of Lee Min Ho's best hairstyle during his Beijing concert "My Everything" was shown to these 2 hair salons.

Kim Robinson                              Versus                      La Coco

Date of haircut: 7 Feb 2013                                         4 Apr 2013 
Time:  5.30 pm                                                              4.30 pm


Price: $138                                                                    Price: $53.50 

Stylist: Eric Lim                                                             Stylist: Soo Bin
Haircutting Skill: Definitely knows hair                 Haircutting Skill: Not so good

Wet Cut                                                                             Dry Cut

Hairwasher (Male smoker): Bad (+reeked of smoke)        Hairwasher (Female): Weak
Massage service: Super Bad                                           Massage service: None

Service on haircutting floor: Flawless          Service on haircutting floor: Good

Front desk service: Newbie-ish.          Front desk Korean man: Unfriendly, proud

Drinks offered: Yes                                                            Drinks offered: No
Snacks offered: No                                                             Snacks offered: No

Waiting time:  Immediate 1st time, walk-in
2nd time free touch up 15~20 mins waiting, with appt                 Immediate, walk-in

Number of visits: Twice (2nd time free touch-up)         Number of visits: 1

Stylists were randomly assigned to me.

------------
Results:

First of all, it's only common sense that all salons should do dry cuts. In the past, I used to wonder why salons cut hair when wet. As a child, my mom used to cut my hair dry and she said wet hair clumps and is difficult to cut properly.

Wet hair will become a shorter length when dried.  Stylists have to take note and make allowance for the length differences and design deviation when doing wet cuts, otherwise the result during wet cut will become inaccurate.


Kim Robinson:  The back end was the smoothest cut I have ever had. Eric really knows how to cut following the natural lay of the hair in that area. The hair lies down smoothly at the back end.

He also knows when to stop cutting.

However. I had wanted the back end to be shaped towards a V at the center, and he was not able to achieve that. Instead, the back end looked undecided, but he said it would "grow" into a V.  It didn't.

He was also unable to create the "waves" along the hair at the front like in the printout photos. He said it was a styling effect, even though it looked not merely a styling effect but a method of cutting.

He was unable to produce the different lengths of hair at the front. Neither could he create cuts that would enhance volume. 

At the start, he had suggested I perm my hair, but didn't give me a reason.  I declined since I know from reviews that perms take much more cash than imagined and I don't want my already fine hair to be ruined.

The return visit was 10 days later. This was a free touch-up. Reason was the back end looked very undecided and the front part looked too long without any bounce or different lengths.

There was about 20 mins waiting time as Eric was attending to a long-haired woman.

The result = the touch-up made the front part a little too short and still without the different lengths that would give it some definition and volume. The back was untouched as he didn't see any problem there, even though that's the part I came to get fixed because it didn't look like what I wanted. Overall, it looked a little unbalanced.

Will I be going back?  $138 that lasts just 2~3 weeks, and not perfectly satisfied. No.
If it were less steep, I might consider trying their other stylists.

-----------------------

Results:

La Coco:  Soo Bin provided attentive service. But she started to panic and hurry when another customer waiting for her showed up a few minutes into my haircut.

Before this, at the start, when she saw the printout I showed her, she suggested that I perm my hair to create the volume and waves. The perm would cost $120 on top of $50 for the haircut. A hair treatment would be added in if I took the perm because the perm is "chemicals" that would damage the hair.

At first I said I only brought $60, because that's what the front desk man said when I called to ask. But she didn't understand and waited for me to consider getting a perm. So I said "next time" after she mentioned chemicals and needing treatment.

She looked disappointed and said without a perm, creating volume would be difficult.

I was thinking, if she's good, she would be able to create volume without resorting to perm. I know this because I have watched Celia at Reds salon do this for me (amazing just watching her).

I told Soo Bin to try creating the look without perm, prepared that if it was bad, I would just go to QB to get it fixed.

At first,  she tried making conversation but was inadequate in expressing herself in English. Neither could I speak Korean.

My recommendation for customers who don't know Korean =  learn a few words essential to conveying what you want done. 

Despite her care in trying to understand what I wanted, she still misunderstood.

I had wanted different lengths to the front part, and gestured with scissoring my fingers but she still lifted my hair in her fingers and cut straight across.

At QB, the stylists know this style of cutting different lengths. So, I am surprised Soo Bin and Eric don't know this technique. I think stylists should pick up techniques from one another across different salons, rather than just study at a school or work at a few salons.

Certain stylists have their own special technique and it would be good if other stylists also know it, although it would not be beneficial to the stylist who came up with it (no longer unique or his/her trademark).

For the sides, I said "thinner" and gestured the pointed sharp look. But Soo Bin must have thought it's "shorter" and cut the sides too short.

The back end, she understood that cutting too short would produce a stick-up effect on my hair. An observation also made by Eric. But even then, she cut the back end rather too short. It sticks up now.

For the back upper portion, she succeeded Eric in creating volume, simply by cutting the bottom end flatter and layering upwards in shorter lengths so that the upper part now has a fuller form. This is what I have been trying to get Eric to do, but he didn't get what I mean.

While I am pleased with the back volume, the front and sides and back end are too short. Although I had requested shorter hair and supervised it, the outcome was an expected disappointment.


Will I be going back? No. Not satisfied.

There was a reviewer who said he switched to other salons because of communication problems with La Coco's stylists.

---------------------------------

At first, I actually wanted to try the $20 salon at Basement of Marine Square. It's something like QB but they do washing and styling. Can't recall the name.

Then I was considering Kenaris and Jiwon.

With the negative reviews for Kenaris, I haven't been able to bring myself to try, although I stood outside their salon recently. I remember the reviewer who said the result was very bad compared to a previous time even though it was the same stylist.

For Jiwon... maybe next time.

------------

Previous post = Town Council, RC & Stupidity
http://therevolutioner.blogspot.sg/2013/04/for-breakfast.html

Town Council, RC & Stupidity

4 Apr Thurs


This morning started out poorly, having to talk to imbeciles right after I woke.  1 West Coast town council woman and 1 Indian man.

Town council woman introduced Indian man as "RC" (Residents' Committee) and "in-charge-of". His name, I didn't waste my memory space trying to remember.  Her own name, she didn't have the courtesy to introduce.

What I remember is his and her stupidity.  No wonder Singapore is in such a bad shape, with such people in management positions.

The Singapore Town Council don't even have automated reply. After e-mailing my feedback, I received no reply for a few days.

When I finally saw the town council woman who came within my vicinity this morning, she said she received it but "we are thinking how to reply". 

Don't you think there should be an e-mail reply first that says: "Thank you for your feedback. We will review it and reply in X working days" ? 

Even Giant supermarket has this. An automated reply is sent first and then as promised, a lady replies within the stated number of working days and handles the matter with speed, effectiveness and professionalism.

A supermarket can do that, but the Singapore Town Council can't ?

During our talk this morning,  my target was the town council woman, but the Indian man stuck himself in.

However, when I talked to him, he wasn't even listening.  His moustache and hair were unkempt. He wasn't paying attention.  He kept getting confused between Indonesians and Filipinos.  Likely, alcohol consumption does its job better than he does his.

When the town council woman finally replied to my e-mail later the same day, accompanied by the prominent number of "CC" addresses, she didn't even have the courtesy to address it to my name, even though she knows it.  Just a blank "Hi" at the start, without any accompanying comma or name.  None of the people I correspond with ever does that.

A very poor, unprofessional and insincere reply in which she merely repeated this morning's content, without a single reference to the person she is addressing to in the e-mail.  How rude. How uneducated. How sloppy.

Why bother replying when the matter had already been settled this morning? = Nothing can be done.

When she finally replies, it's just for record sake. That's why it's just an impersonal regurgitation that is circulated to all other imbeciles in the network.

Had I known what a waste of my time it would be, I wouldn't have bothered e-mailing.

I suspect she only came this morning because my e-mail "moved" her. The focus of the matter had been left unattended to for weeks and would likely have stayed that way for a while longer.

07-Ghost (Anime)

2009 anime. So it's pretty "old". http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10468

But fabulous (just ignore the "God" bits)! I can't believe they didn't make a sequel!! The ending is just so obviously going to have a sequel. So where is it??

Fav characters: "Bishop" (Porn reading and smoking) Frau and the Mermaid.

Lovely couple actually, although they aren't a couple. Pity. ^_^  Mermaid runs from Frau actually, coz he's into porn mags...

I watched this anime because... I was looking for anime. Animecrazy had a list of what's popular. http://www.animecrazy.net/most-popular/offset/15

Then I checked the seiyuus list and found that my fav Sho Hayami is in it! In fact, I realized when I watched that he's not just in it, but the main bad guy!! SEXYyyyy!! Love him when he's bad. I don't know any good roles he's done. It's always been bad, I think, since the first time I noticed his voice as my fav insane (not quite) Muraki in Descendents of Darkness.

I Love Sho Hayami even if he isn't handsome in his bio :( His voice is just sooooo insanely SEXYYYyyy!!!  If he speaks like that into my ear... I'll just explode!!

I love sexyyyy Frau in 07 Ghost!!

25 episodes (compared to the 13 episodes of the 2013 anime so far). Makes me think that I'm correct in thinking that past anime could afford to have many more episodes than now. The latest anime of 2013 are more CGI glossy, but they are only 13 episodes each.

I'm just done with all 25 episodes of 07 Ghost. 1.25 a.m.. 4 Apr Thursday. Wish they had a sequel. Would love to know the adventures of Frau and Teito next.

Oh no, wait. Sho Hayami was the voice of that recorder in ... K project (a 2013 anime), as a former King. That should be a "good" character role, even though he didn't actually make an appearance.

Hmm... now which anime to watch next...?

Oh, I watched 07-Ghost @ animecrazy. But Ep 24 was bad towards the end (it just hung with audio but no visual movement). So, for that episode, I went to Youtube which actually has plenty of episodes there, except they are in parts which is annoying.

Incidentally... there are unexplained issues in 07-Ghost: Why does Frau have Ayanami's scythe? Is Ayanami Verloren? And why does Frau think that Teito will eventually kill him? Frau said he would be happy to die by Teito's hands.

The military should have shot the stupid nun exactly at the point when she stood up and said, "We must be grateful that He allows everyone, including the clergy and you soldiers to live on this planet".  After her, they should have shot the other 2 nuns next.

Oz The Great & Powerful Movie Review

Haven't been to a movie for a long time. Can't recall the last one.

Today dragged bro to see the first day opening of  The Great and Powerful because saw the huge poster first at Vivocity and later at Orchard Road (super huge one).

From the posters, I thought there was a talking teapot with eyes and a mouth. Bro insisted it wasn't a talking teapot since the lid just happened to look like it has eyes and a mouth.

Turned out he was right. There are no talking teapots in the movie. There is a "Teapot Land", land of teapots (that's what I said the moment I saw it in the movie, which made bro smile in the semi-darkness).  

We watched the 6.45 pm Thursday slot. It started at 7.05 and ended at 9.05 p.m.. Very late. 2 hours show. Didn't expect it to be so long, although I wondered if it was going to be that long. Usually, CGI shows take about 1 hr 15 mins or 1 hr 30 mins.

Paid $15 instead of $19 because of NTUC card. Pretty good deal. Cool. We skipped the popcorn combo thing.

As expected of Disney, all's well that ends well. Bro said at least there was a good ending. I said of course, it's Disney. They always have good happy endings.

Mm... nothing really special about it. I wanted to see it because the posters looked really fabulous and I wanted to see the teapot. Bro was interested in the flying monkey in the posters.

The monkey Finly is very realistically done, wet nose and everything. Bro thinks it's not that perfect. But I think it's still fabulous. I like Finly.

I marvelled over the CGI. Amazing. The technology is on a different, even higher level than Japanese animation. Imagine the kind of technology these Americans have.  I imagined black cables everywhere on the computer room floor and a super computer sitting somewhere there.

Overall, quite enjoyable. I think bro enjoyed it more than me.  It was a little difficult for me to suspend disbelief especially when Oz landed in color and flowers started dancing and stuff.

At the start though, it's black and white, which made Bro ask, "It's in black and white?". I said, "Later, there'll be color.".  I actually didn't pay attention that it's black and white until he mentioned it. I was pretty sure there would be color later because I saw a trailer at the website some nights ago that was in color.

Nothing special though. Just typical, I guess. There were no kids at the time we watched.  Not crowded. We changed seats, moved 2 seats up along our row because of the too loud sound system on the left.  Lido 1.

At the end as we took the escalator down, Bro said it's explaining what went on before. Was rather surprised he realized it. I said, "Yeah, it's a prelude to the Dorothy one. It explains how the wicked witch came about etc...".

He said they just change the story any way they like. I said, "Well, it's quite an interesting prelude that explains things.".

The big bold spread of words "The Great & Powerful" on the posters made me think that was the movie title. At the ticket counter, that's the title I said to the girl. She said, "Oz?".  Sudden realization, I said, "Yeah".

Very lovely and nice ticket counter girl, by the way.

No. Let me amend something: The movie was special in that it had this really amazing China porcelain doll girl that totally made me stare. At the crack lines on her head, her beautifully blue expressive eyes and eyelashes, her shiny black shoes painted on her feet, the beauty of the perfection of her face. Amazing.

That's what I meant by how great their CGI technology is or has become.

She was so beautiful, it made me think a dirty thought about her while I was watching her. (What if I stroked a finger between her thighs and aroused her sexually?). I know. It's a bad thought. But it's a privately bad thought, so I have a right to it.

Don't tell bro. He would be incredulous I could even think of such a thing.

Close up as she talked to Oz in bed, the sparkling light in the details of the blue lace at the top of her dress made me wonder what was under it.  I imagined a flat, white-cracked porcelain chest, and was switched off immediately. That was the second dirty thought after the first that occured in the same scene of her being tucked in bed by Oz. 

I like that while Oz couldn't fix the little girl's legs (make her walk again), he was given the chance to fix the little porcelain girl's legs, with quick-drying glue, interestingly enough. It made viewers/me feel a little better.

While in the bus on the way home, bro and I talked more about the movie. I said it explains how the scarecrow came about. One of them must have left the scarecrow "army" made by Oz and wandered around thereafter.

For the lion, it was seen in a moment trying to scare Oz but fled from Oz's red smoke trick.

Bro was confused for a moment about the characters in the Dorothy Oz version, but I assured him there was a tin man that I didn't see in this movie. So, how did the tin man come about?

Also, in this movie, Oz idolized Thomas Edison. But according to the book "Dreamland: Adventures in the Strange Science of Sleep", Edison is actually the cause of our sleep problems today. Because he didn't think sleep was important, he invented the lightbulb that destroyed our natural sleep cycles.  Problem is, nobody has realized that.


[*update 9 Mar Sat: Bro told me today that in the interview of the girl who voiced the porcelain girl on Youtube that he watched when we got back after the movie,  the Land of Teapots is actually called "China Town".  Hmm... good name, although at first it sounds like the usual meaning of  "Chinatown".

He also said Amazon sells the 14 inch doll in plastic, although they can't replicate the cracks on her because only porcelain can do that.  I asked if the plastic looks exactly like her. He said yes. I said that's cool.

He said they also sell the green witch.  I grimaced and said that's awful, thinking how awful it would look.]

Din Tai Fung @ Paragon Review (Chinese Dim Sum/Restaurant)

Since it seems so popular, decided to check it out with bro yesterday 22 Feb Friday.

Actually, the target was the Din Tai Fung @ Chinatown Point. But the China woman who led us to the table was so impolite that I decided not to eat there.  When she realized we needed an ATM since they didn't accept Nets, she stopped smiling and looked away. She didn't even bother to tell us where we could find the nearest ATM until I asked.

Although I told her we would be back, I decided not to after we went for the ATM inside the MRT (outside Chinatown Point).

At Din Tai Fung Paragon, we ordered 3 Steamed Vegetarian buns, 6 Vegetarian Dumplings, Wanton Noodle Soup, Shrimp & Egg Fried Rice. Shortly, I was informed the dumplings were not available.

At the end of our meal, we ordered 6 Chocolate Red Bean dumplings. Total cost:  $38+

The tea that was served, we realized were $1 each, added to our bill without our knowledge or consent.

The prices are reasonable/low, but the food does not deserve any commendation. In fact, the items were disappointing.

The ingredients of the Vegetarian buns were little and tasted flat. The skin of the buns was thick. Very badly done.  I didn't even complete eating 1.

The soup of the Wanton noodle tasted Ok but in bro's opinion, the item was not great.

The Shrimp & Egg Fried Rice was too oily that it made finishing it a little difficult/gross. The taste was Ok and the rice fluffy, but nothing great.  The shrimp/prawns however were many, big, bouncy and fresh.

The Chocolate Red Bean dumplings which I hoped would save our meal, was even more of a disappointment. Although the skin of the dumplings was thin, it was ruined by the thick topknots. The chocolate lava inside that should have been heavenly was instead un-sweet and quite tasteless. I only managed to eat 2.

Of course, I won't be trying anymore of this Chinese eatery which I told bro is just a high-class Kopi Tiam. I should add, it's not high-class as well, just paying for food that's not nice. 

The Red Knight (Book Review)

Update 8 March 3.02 a.m.: Belated entry: Before I asked bro to return the book, I slipped in a little handwritten note between pages 7 and 8, or 8 and 9:  Sorry for recommending this book to the library. Didn't know it contains expletives.
--------------

There is nothing worse than reading an expletive in a novel, of all things, in a novel that gets published.  What sort of publishers/editors are around these days that could have allowed it to be publish, to publish it? (I can't even bring myself to type out the author's name).

*frowning mouth* I am not happy.  A book that does not bring joy in the reading of its words (does not deserve to be published).

Why would a purportedly medieval book have characters spouting the "f***" word?

Once, was barely passable, but it passed. Twice was a little difficult. Third time, I put the book down. Only until page 8, and I started skimming right after the first expletive. It is impossible to read.

Somehow, I had a feeling this book, I might not finish, might not be good. Intuition was right. That was after I got it, held it in my hands.

This book and 2 others that I recommended to the National Library to buy. To readers who have in their hands these books from the library and enjoy them, you have me to thank. Without my recommendation, the library would not have bought them. You would not have them in your hands.

Saw this book and another one at Kinokuniya @ Liang Court a month ago. Thought The Red Knight was good from its synopsis at the back of the book (a smaller paperback version than the one the library got. The library had e-mailed they would get the "hardcover" version when it was released in January but didn't say why it wouldn't acquire the paperback version that I mentioned was selling @ Kino Liang Court. Turns out the "hardcover" the library got is also soft cover like the paperback but bigger.).

Submitted these two  (and the 3rd from Kinokuniya @ Takashimaya) to the library to be purchased so I could read them.  The inevitable result would be that others would also be able to read them. But nevermind if I could have them first.

So I watched online for when the library acquired them so they could be immediately reserved once it became possible. Then all that was left, was to wait until I got them.

I love the library.

For The Red Knight, oddly, somehow I didn't need to reserve it (even though I reserved the other 2).

After I had gotten the other 2 books that I recommended, I waited for The Red Knight until I stopped checking online for a while. When I next checked on 9 Feb, it was already available but not on loan even though it had been  released on 7 Feb at my nearby library.

It meant it was still sitting on the "new arrivals" shelf, so I hurried over.

It wasn't on the "new arrivals" shelves downstairs and upstairs, so it must have been put back on the usual shelves. Sometimes, new arrivals would be taken off the "new arrivals" shelf after a time, and put to their respective shelves by alphabetical order (a.k.a. the usual shelves).

Found it on its shelf of the usual shelves, under its alphabet.

Somehow seeing a photo of the author in medieval armor in the back flap, made me doubt the writing.  I doubted a role-player would be able to write well. Don't ask me to make a more detailed connection between the two because there doesn't seem to be any.

It didn't matter that beneath the photo, it said he is a full-time writer. That photo said everything more than what the author's introduction did.

Turned out, I was right.  To hear an expletive spoken these days, even by women, is grimacing enough. To have to read it as well, when one expects to be made love to by the beauty of the intelligence of crafted words, is unbearable.

Only a line made me smile from the first: "...absorbed in the parallel exercises of withholding the need to vomit and committing the scene to memory.".  I thought "parallel exercises" was brilliant and committed it to memory because so far, nobody has written it that way before and in such a succinct and beautiful way of describing two difficult motions/acts together.

I can only hope upon the other books I got, that I would gain more from them than here.

It has disturbed me so much (even more than having to type a Kim Robinson salon review) that I have typed this "review" instead of doing my own writing at this time. *glances at clock* 1.45 a.m.. *hovers mouse over computer clock on right side* Monday 18 Feb.

Well, at least with this book, I won't be owing the library any fines (since returning it very soon). One down and ... *thinks* 4 more to go.

Yomenya Goemon 313 @ Somerset Review Japanese Restaurant Orchard Road

First time there last night 5 Feb evening.

The place was completely empty. The cook was standing in his kitchen touching a part of his face (?). Waitresses absent.

Was surprised because in a review I read, photos had people dining all around the bar.  The reviewer had said it's reasonably priced with rather good food.  Going back to the blog to check now... it was posted in Nov 2011.  How did the outlet manage to get past 2012?

Had 2nd thoughts about dining there with no waitresses standing to greet customers at the entrance.  Popped my head to look at the cook a few times to see if he was digging his nose or something, until he noticed me and looked up with interest to see if I was going to be a customer.

He must have signalled to the waitresses in there because the two of them came out. One darker and one lighter complexioned.

Companies, take note:  Do Not hire foreign waitresses who cannot understand English! 

Without realizing she didn't understand English, I jovially asked the darker complexioned waitress, "Are we early? How come there's no one?". 

"Huh?", she asked, looking smilingly clueless.

That was when I was instantly displeased realizing she was a foreigner who didn't understand what I just said.

I repeated in a disinterested voice, "Are we early?" and just left it at that. I hate having to repeat myself twice to a service staff who cannot understand it the first time. Why do these companies hire them??!!!

The other waitress didn't even say a thing and disappeared shortly.

The dark complexioned waitress tried getting us to sit inside. I indicated an outer table,  but she said it's a table that allows her space to put a baby chair along the outer side.


For damnation's sake, the entire place was empty! Not as if suddenly there's going to be a family with baby who will sit at that table. 

In fact, I wanted to sit close to the entrance because I felt like walking out if I change my mind about the menu later.  If I did, bro might make noise about my change of mind etc...  So, I had to hang on.

Ignoring the waitress and her stupid reason about not being able to sit at that table, I walked inside where I chose a table I liked and sat regardless of whatever crap she was saying.

We looked at the menu. I told bro that if he didn't see anything he liked, we could go (I hoped). No forcing.

(Disapppointingly) He chose something (as if to insist on staying).  Sesame Shabu sphagetti.

I chose as well.  Hokkaido Cream Soup.

The cook had just 2 of our orders displayed on his computer screen mounted in the kitchen.  (Even after we finished, the place was still empty.).

At first, I thought the cook was watching TV, but the screen was blank. Then 2 white squares with information on it popped up on the left side of the screen and the cook immediately got to work. That's when I realized he had been waiting for our orders that were those 2 squares that appeared on screen.

After ordering, the food came after a reasonable amount of time. 

Presentation of the food was well done.  However, bro said his Sesame Shabu was too salty with the pork shabu having a rather strong pork smell.

On my side, the soup was Ok.  Light cream cheese taste with 2 small quarters of potatoes that tasted nice. The spaghetti was too much and a little too firm. The ingredients inside too little with just 2 small cubes of Salmon, an almost non-existent shred of Brocolli, 2 super thin strips of carrot, 2 strips of bacon that tasted nice, and a little bit of corn.

Total: $33.54.

Bro tasted a little of my spaghetti and said it was better than his order.

For my soup, I give failing grade 4/10.  This restaurant loses to Ma Maison @ Bugis Junction (which I already felt wasn't that great).

At the end, I asked the dark complexioned waitress, "Is there a ladies here?". She completely didn't understand, didn't reply and just strolled away.

I predict the outlet @ 313 Somerset will close down sooner or later.  Food is one thing. Service is another. With both bad,  it's just waiting for the inevitable.

Ma Maison @ Bugis Junction Restaurant

Update 24 Feb 2013: So far, been there another 2 times after the review below. The Seafood Gratin tasted nice (I only tried a little from bro's order) but they use beef stock for all their gratin (I avoid beef). Won't be going there again because the items I ordered have been disappointing.  The last try was the Omu Rice Cream Chicken =>The rice was crusted by overheating and there were no asparagus as depicted in the menu. 
---------------

This is the latest, newest review at the moment.

Now I know why there are so few reviews on Ma Maison.  It's because it's neither too bad nor too good to make people want to write a review. 

It's now past midnight. Supposed to do a book review before this post.  I'm almost too lazy to type this review because the experience is nothing much to be typed about.

For a few days now, have been looking online for where to eat for Japanese food.  Reviews pointed towards Central mall (besides other locations). So, dropped by Central on Friday night to satisfy craving for Yakun then looked around. Saw Waraku and Ma Maison with queues outside. Made a point to return and try Ma Maison another time (on a weekday).

Went home, checked reviews for both restaurants.

Ma Maison had better reviews than Waraku. And from the food photos and reviews, Ma Maison @ Bugis Junction seemed to be better than the outlet at Central.

So.

Bro and I went to Ma Maison @ Bugis Junction instead of our original intention of trying the one at Central.

According to the online Bugis Junction floor plan, Ma Maison is on the 2nd level, inside, behind the row of skincare shops and Watson, near the food court.  An area where bro and I don't go when we are on that level, so it's new to me (but not to bro who has been with his friend to the Seoul Garden there before).


It's a small area where a few restaurants huddle together, with Ma Maison at the left corner. Easy to spot with its woody exterior and large white words on the signboard.

Arrived at about 4 p.m.. Seated immediately by a very alert and excellent-mannered, tall-ish girl at the door.  As reviewers kept mentioning how excellent the service is, I was expecting it and it is as good as they say.


Same as the outlet at Central, Ma Maison @ Bugis has a too dark ambience when looking in from the outside.

Inside, as one reviewer noted, it is cluttered.  My view is that, it is too cluttered with too many antique pots and pans and stuff that take up too much space, making the decor a little too heavy and stuffed up. It is still a little too dark inside.

We were showed the first table against the window inside (just across from the door). Nice, interesting spot with the sink and pots and pans hanging behind bro.  :)  A young woman was at the next table to our right (she was there when we got there and stayed when we left, with just a small book, iphone and tea).

The manager was in a stylish white-collared shirt with small floral print that suited him. Considering his behavior and speech, most likely Towel Club.

Towel Club is our code word for gay men (ever since I discovered Towel Club which I am denied access because I'm not a man. Dammit.).


Service:  Excellent. Attentive manager, attentive staff.  The only restaurant I have been to so far, that has such attentive and on-the-ball service.

Manager kept saying  "thank you"  (except when he directed us to the cashier to make payment. *frowns* He said "thank you" and even "Xie Xie" to people who left towards the cashier but didn't say it when it came to us. *pouts*) 

He supervised the young girl staff who served me the Japanese Style Spaghetti. Guessing she is a new recruit.

After laying the plate on my side of the table, she stepped back while I wondered about the large pair of tongs on my spaghetti.

Just as I was about to reach for the basket of cutlery, the manager who was behind the girl, quickly helpfully informed that I need to mix the spaghetti with the tongs and "Enjoy!" before hurrying away.

I liked him then. Well, I liked him the moment he came to take our orders, even though he appears stern, picky and very.... high-class like in a French restaurant.  I kept feeling I have to eat properly and observe proper dining etiquette with him around. (Even though, I still ate my spaghetti without fork-twirling it on the spoon first.).

I think I heard him instructing the girl regarding the explanation of the tongs to the customer as they went away behind my seat.


When taking our orders, he was quick to ask if we are Ok with beef for the Chef's pizza. The moment I asked, "Oh there's beef?", right away he noted, "So, no beef ah?" (the "ah" was to confirm, like British "eh").     
I felt he was fast to read my implication in my question--that we didn't want beef. I guess through experience with other customers responding the same way.

Good thing he asked. He is impatient and tends to want to get on with the matter (he was as brisk when the tall girl informed him about something and he replied crisply).


The water in our glasses was constantly topped up (even though I sipped only a little because... the glasses were not cleaned properly by their dish washing machine/s). 

A short while later, the young girl dropped by to ask if she could replenish our water.  She seemed a little uncomfortable asking this.

I offered my glass even though it actually wasn't necessary.  Then she asked how we felt about the food.

I guess asking to replenish our water which looked already full, was a gentle excuse to ask about our opinion. Did the manager teach her to do that? :)

She looked genuinely disappointed when I said my sphagetti was a little too salty (although the Chef's Pizza that bro ordered was nice with soft crust).  "Thanks for the feedback", she smiled.


Bro shuddered to think how it would be like working for the manager.  He said he would be too stressed because the manager looks like a fussy perfectionist who can be sarcastic when pissed.

Hmm....  I don't think the manager is as "perfectionist" as he appears. If he was, why didn't he ensure the water glasses didn't have stains that the dish washer didn't clean?

Extra: 

Interesting that bro noticed something about the tablecloth that I didn't.

I was telling him that a reviewer was pleased with the tablecloth because it was unique compared to the mono-colored ones elsewhere.  Bro said, "How did they clean the stains on the tablecloth?".

*stunned by his observation* That's when I started noticing there were no stains. O.O  (Bro observed only a few stains)

The tablecloth is of a thick quality, vintage-designed floral green cloth. To me, it looks gaudy and heavy-Victorian style when matched with the cluttered decor, although the cloth does feel very smooth and has overall cozy-look.

Come to think, the material might be of the sort that would allow easy wiping off.


Food:

As I mixed the Japanese Style Sphagetti with the tongs, I said to bro, "Smells like Kway Teow.".

Bro couldn't believe it. He smiled in disbelief and said, "You better don't let the manager hear you, otherwise he'll say 'how dare you compare it to Kway Teow'. ".  We chuckled over it.

When I gave him a spoonful to eat, he agreed,  "No wonder you say smells like Kway Teow.".

I left a small amount of sphagetti. Bro ate all of his small pizza. We shared the triangular Mont Blanc tart which bro said was good.

When we were done eating, I asked bro, "So. Happy?".

He nodded.

Me:  "Satisfied?".

He nodded and said, "Can come here again next time.".

Me: Oohh... Since you say come here again means it's good. If not good, we only come once and that's it."

For me, the sphagetti was too salty. The chef could be a young guy (I saw a young man in a cook's white uniform come out of there when we first entered).

Usually, young guys can't cook (in all big name restaurants such as Manhattan Fish Market, Fish & Co...).

Overall, the food still left us with an unsatisfied, un-full feeling right after we finished.  As other reviewers have said,  the food is Ok,  but the service is excellent and that's why they return. Shows how important service is.

Bro says only Yayoiken restaurant gives him that satisfied, full feeling in the stomach. Unfortunately, while he loves the fat juicy pork chops there... we have since stopped going due to significant decline in the dishes, rice and service quality.

For Bro, I would return to Ma Maison @ Bugis Junction since he likes it. But other than that... I find it expensive because the food is not good enough. For three items, it cost $44.95.

Still, it is less of a disappointment than Swensens or Earle's or the other restaurants. The only time the price didn't make me regret eating at a restaurant.

Maybe we can try other Ma Maison outlets @ Mandarin Gallery and elsewhere.

On my table, I saw the promo they have for Monday. As long as you have a lady with you,  dine in at 20 % discount for all ala carte items.