At the top of the Pyramid! February 28, 2010

It has been sometime since I did some serious blogging. Followers of this blog would know that I had been busy with studies for the most part of 2009. Well, I ripped open an important mail that came in yesterday and am happy to announce that I have finally completed my studies and passed all the tests and exams on my first attempt. Applause! Applause!!!

The all-important mail came from the Japanese Cultural Society, which informed me that I had passed and  scored 78.5% on the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) Level 3 and that was well beyond my expectations. I felt really really pleased with myself as I had undertaken the test out of  free will (out-of-pocket as well) and committed myself to a solid 8 months of self-study. This meant less time for frivolous activities (like blogging : )) and musing about the state of affairs of the economy. In addition, I also had to juggle work as well as my the CIA exams (No, I am not training myself to be an undercover agent … more on this in a future post). For my learning journey, you can click here , here, here and here.

Why did I put myself through this punishing schedule? I can only think of one reason and that is out of  love for the Japanese language and culture. HR folks would love me for saying this … At least for the moment, I have arrived at the apex of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid … at the point of SELF ACTUALISATION! 

After working for several years, I felt there was surely more to life than just building one’s career and earning the dough. I wanted to prove to myself that my mind has not gone into hibernation mode and that I could manage time amid the busyness. It is easy to fall into the trap of routine and monotany and not engage the mind therefore, I am happy with this tiny bit of success and accomplishment.

I would be putting up my score card and the certificate once I have collected them. Happy! よかったね！

Kaiji February 16, 2010

I happened to catch this movie on a plane.

Although the plot is paperback thin and the ending somewhat predictable, there were some bright spots in the movie that would surely keep the audience on tenterhooks.

So the story goes that Tatsuya Fujiwara (of Death Note and Battle Royale fame) is an aimless high-school dropout who cruises along in life. His destiny changed when a friend of his bailed out, leaving him to pay off debts, of which he had unwittingly signed off as guarantor. When the creditors offered him a “lifeline” he could not resist, he took the game of chance and as everyone knows, the House always wins.

To pay off the ballooning debt, he was forced to a life of slavery, working for a megalomanic, who wants to build his empire using slaves deeply indebted to the organisation. On payday, these slaves are coaxed into buying comfort food (Kirin beer, yakitori etc.) at exorbitant prices as they “deserved to reward themselves”, thereby sinking deeper and deeper into the quicksand of debt.

The climax of the movie was a final showdown at a card game. If the protagonist wins, he walks away a free man with a sizeable fortune to his name. If he loses, he would be condemned to a lifetime of slavery.

Some lessons learnt from this movie:-

1) Never ever ever be a guarantor to have a peace of mind. Ever!!!

2) The economy’s engines are fuelled by credit and debt. The economy along with its fat-assed bankers want you to be in debt … perpetually so that they can reign and call the shots. Have you ever wondered why banks offer low or free credit (usually for a limited time)? This is so that you get enticed into buying things based on wants not needs and get sucked into debt.

3) When it comes to debt, compound interest would kill the debtor eventually … literally.

4) The House always has the advantage or upper hand. Think of the fine print whenever you sign on any legal document e.g. mortgage on houses, loans, insurance policies etc. The layman simply does not have a chance against the army of lawyers who works for the House.

As a side note, the gorgeous Yuki Amami would also be eye-candy (not the SYT most would expect). Can you believe she is 43 years old?

Dining with Christian Lacroix February 16, 2010

Not quite actually!

I was invited to dinner at this restaurant named Pasta Stylo. I arrived at the restaurant and was promptly greeted by a pair of mannequins decked in French haute attire.

At first glance, it seemed odd to mesh French decor with Italian food. While a true-blue Italian might frown at the choice of decor, I was tickled pink by this Christian Lacroix-inspired cuty intimates hanging over the wall  … Ooh la la!

This picture marked the centre piece in the restaurant … a couple dancing the night away passionately.

Next, glorious food. I ordered the meatball linguine in tomato sauce and my partner ordered the German sausage cream-based penne. We had waited a little more than 15 mins partly due to the dinner crowd but more so because the pasta and sauces were freshly prepared.

Food was served piping hot much to my delight. The portions were certainly larger than the ones served at its more ubiquitous pasta rival. The initial taste test revealed the pasta was a little undercooked as the sauces have yet to set in. However, after 5 mins, all was perfect and the thick tomato sauce was lip-smacking delicious. The meatballs were prepared differently from the ones at Ikea as these ones pack a meatier punch, albeit a little dry.

I also pinched my partner’s cream based penne. Again, I had the same initial response to the penne which was thicker and hence would require a little more heat to soften the penne. However, the generous sausage portions more than made up for the rest of the meal.

Pardon these poor shots as they were taken under candle-light conditions.

The service was generally acceptable as we could see the servers flitting in and out of the kitchen in addition to handling the dinner crowd which kept pouring in. However, if you are not pressed for time, I would suggest some beverages and desserts (not their signature dishes though) to soak in the atmosphere.

For a limited time only, several items on the menu are going at  50% discount so its a steal if you have a craving for no-nonsense Italian food at a reasonable price in an exceptional setting. Goodness knows when the discount will be rescinded. Family and friends would enjoy the ambience as I have seen many diners happily snapping pictures away. Lovebirds desiring some privacy would appreciate the little corner tucked in the restaurant away from roving eyes.

Some more pictures for your delight.

By the way, the restaurant is located inside City Square Mall, which is a short walk away from the Farrer Park MRT Station.

Click here for details.

Bon Appetit! Or should I say Buon Appetito!?