October's bits and pieces

Whitechapel Gallery

London is so full of little treasures dotted here and there. It never fails to surprise me. I visited Whitechapel Gallery recently for its Wilhelm Sasnal exhibition. After I went through all of their special exhibits, it turned out that it's their Government Art Collection (GAC) which I like the most. In GAC, you can see 70 selected paintings covering from ceiling to floor displaying colors of rainbows. They were once hung in British governmental offices, here or oversea to promote British art, hence the title. You can find a portrait of Queen Elisabeth II by Andy Warhol from the British council residence in New York, a bright yellow Poor Thing by Gary Hume humorously from HM Treasury, a Monet-like Venice at midnight by Robert Buhler from British Embassy at Buchares and Print for a Politician by Grayson Perry. Here are just a few of my favorites and I can go on and on. It's a wonderful collection which captures the humour and thinking behind why those art work were chosen in the first place. I absolutely love it.

By the way, do you know that they have a Rothko too?

London buses

Tubes tend to be better known and used by non-Londoners but recently I have become to like the extensive London Bus network. It does some preparation, like printing out the route maps centered on intended stops, if you are not familiar with the system. Once you have the route map at hand, just sit back and relax. Let the double decker take you around the Metropolitan.

Fab.

Beigel Bake

I first tasted them many years ago and I tried them again this year. Nothing has changed. It continues to be one of the best bagel shops I know on this side of the Atlantic. Simple, chewy and flavorful. Their Salt Beef Beigel sandwich is divine.

Chilli Cool

I have recently become besotted with Szechuan cuisine. It all started when my friend Stephanie took me to one of her favorite Szechuan restaurants in New York city. I was hooked from the beginning. Chilli Cool is one of the places in London which get rave reviews. I've got to try!

Cooking discoveries

• Lorraine Pascale's Lamb Shanks in Rioja and Balsamic vinegar. Fantastic.
• My very first Salmon en croute. Apart from that the whole salmon parcel was too big to fit into my small oven initially, the taste was nice. I will work on it for a few more times before I share the result.
• My favorite apple cake. Recipe to come.
• Red wine poached pear and plums. Delicious on its own or with yoghurt.

Looks like my cooking bug has come back. Welcome.

See you all in November.

End of October

Here are a few snaps from my little oasis

Begonia close-up

Other types of begonia

Hot chillies at the end of August

Hot chillies at the end of October

Still sunny, still full of life.

KISS principle

It has been non-stop at work since the start of October. I keep a mental list of things which need to be completed and once I finish one, I move on to another. Like a well oiled machine, I know exactly what comes next and how I should do it.

Despite my rather gloomy astrology forecast for this month, this is also the month which I got the most (verbal) recognitions from my colleagues. I have been told by five different people, including whom we try to avoid one other during daily coffee time, that I am doing a really good work and they all said "thank you very much" to me.

Am I pleased?

In a way, yes. I am pleased to know that I can be efficient and productive. And I really know a thing or two about what I am doing and what I do have real impacts on the projects.

However, my views about my current work place and about certain people have not changed. I am not ungrateful. It's not that everyone gets praised whenever s/he does good work. Yes, I am fortunate to be in a place that some people make the effort to let me know that I am doing a good job. Maybe I have become cynical when it comes to this place. Perhaps my little ego hidden in the darkest corner still comes out to whisper discontent out of illusion into my ears. Everyone told me that I am lucky to have so much in my life and that I should be content.

Maybe life is only as complicated as you make it.

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Hello October

Today, Saturday, 1st of October, 30 centigrade, glorious sunshine, gentle breeze, strolling around town with mom, sharing two creamy ice coffee latte, laughing.

Happy.