'Delayed Rays Of A Star'

Since Amanda Lee Koe's short story collection of 'Ministry of Moral Panic' (2013), I have been waiting to read her debut novel, 'Delayed Rays Of A Star' (2019). I'm more curious about it than excited because it's categorized as historical fiction and revolved around the lives of three then up-and-coming actresses Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong and Leni Riefenstahl in the 1920s and 1930s. It promised to be ambitious and I'm not sure it would deliver.

The book's first few pages held a translated quote “Either the puppet or the god.” It's taken from German writer Heinrich von Kleist's short story 'On the Marionette Theater'. The next page was a reprint of that famous photograph (taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt) of  the three women at the Berlin Press Ball in 1928. It's this photo that the stories swirl around.

In the year the photos was taken, Marlene Dietrich was about to leave Berlin for Hollywood, gave up her German citizenship to be an American, sold war bonds, sang for the Allied forces and raised funds to aid the Jewish refugees; Anna May Wong was an iconic third-generation American-Chinese Hollywood actress (stereotyped and pigeon-holed by directors and film studios. She lived during the prejudicial legislation for the Chinese ruled her life although her grandparents settled in America since 1855, including criminalizing marriage between a Chinese and a white); Leni Riefenstahl seemed rather infatuated with Hitler, supporting his policies and visions, and was apparently part of his inner circle. She met Hitler who approved of her opinions and she ended up directing a number of critically acclaimed Nazi documentaries and propaganda films.

Different chapters focus on the respective personal lives of each star, and of course the destruction and minor characters that form their world. There're countless disappointments, betrayals and triumphs. Written in third person narrative, these minor characters are pivotal to Amanda Lee Koe's storytelling brilliance in this book. Categorized into these three stories of three characters over six chapters, we hear stories from......,

'The Sole Purveyor of Madame Bovary in Beijing'

Bébé was 90-year-old Marlene Dietrich's Chinese maidservant in Paris. We learnt how she arrived in Paris, and her life now, and her first taste of macrons from Ladurée on Rue Royale because Madame Marlene desired them. Bébé holds 'refugee' status after being conned to work in Paris and then busted in an anti-vice sweep). By the end of the book, in a strange twist of fate and circumstances, she was deported back to China, via German police.

Today Madame's stool was shaped just like a petit-croissant. 

She flushed it down, the petit-croissant shape coming apart with the force of the water. Bébé was fascinated by the different breads available in Paris. Bread for her meant something very different from rice. She made an effort to remember the names of all the breads, practicing their pronunciations so she would not make a fool of herself at the bakery: baguettes, boules, croissants, fougasses.

'Walter Benjamin Is Recommended An Overnight Motel in Portbou'

Walter Benjamin, a German-Jewish writer, began a correspondence with Anna May Wong till it tapered off years later. He was being hunted by the Gestapo. With an entry visa to America but not the relevant exit out of Vichy France, they were denied entry into Francoist Spain at Portbou, and the ultimate port of departure in Lisbon. Their hopes of an escape were dashed. The Portbou police posted a sentry outside the motel he and his acquaintances stayed in so as to escort them back to Vichy France. In that motel room, he chose suicide by ingesting 15 expired tablets of morphine.

'The Malayan Orangutan Has the Key to the Basement of the Leipzig Zoo'

Hans Haas, a resting soldier rotated back to Berlin after two Wehrmacht campaigns on the North African front, worked security on Leni Riefenstahl's film set in the mountains. As part of the security dispatched, he also helped out with the lighting crew on Riefenstahl Film GmbH. Hans had plenty of musings about his mentor Schmitz, who was one of the best gaffers in Berlin. He had apprenticed with him when he was best boy at UFA the premium motion-picture production company in Berlin.

We follow his time on Leni's film set. So there's a wolf, and that's the odd bit. The wolf was meant to be used for a few scenes, and it escaped, only to be shot by a farmer. German wolves were protected, and Leni wanted a wolf for her film from Leipzig Zoo. She got one. We hear the story of animals at Leipzig Zoo. The Chairman of the zoo saved all the baboons and golden tamarind monkeys to salty in a disused basement. He locked them in, and left the key under a fruit bowl. He showed Dewi where the key was. Dewi, is the oldest orangutan matriarch from Malaya.

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This isn't an easy book to read for me. I'm neither a film buff nor am I into these actresses. I know of them, but I'm not completely interested their lives or a fictional account of them. To be less confused about Amanda Lee Koe's work of 'historical fiction', I read up about the backgrounds of these actresses, their delayed start to 'stardom', and their eventual achievements, their political leanings and their fateful choices. Much more has been written about Marlene Dietrich and Leni Riefenstahl, less so about Anna May Wong. This book takes artistic license with what we know about the actresses and that is all the fun in reading it. 

The 2016 Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon

Groaned when I realized that a batch of wines we shipped in from Margaret River, Perth WA, is available in Singapore. It’s the exact bottle that we handed out as gifts to our friends. (Except to those people who came back from summer holidays in California, France and Italy.  NO NEW WORLD WINE FOR YOU GUYS, YOU HAVE YOUR OLD WORLD BEAUTIES. Hahahah.) It's Domaine Naturaliste's 2016 Discovery cabernet sauvignon. Sooooo annoying. And I thought I did my homework. Ah well. 😖

When I walked the dog that evening and took a pit stop at Wine Connection, I rolled my eyes. The exact bottle was in stock and it currently retails at S$45 (S$40.50 if you're a member). I only wanted a glass of wine, so I paid S$11 for it. Grrrrr. We definitely bought it for a lot cheaper (per bottle count), even after shipping in cases and dutifully paying Singapore taxes. Pfffft. Luckily Wine Connectin doesn’t carry the whites that we bought fro, Domaine Naturaliste, for now.

We intentionally bought from smaller wineries and cross checked with the wine suppliers in Singapore. Obviously I wasn't thorough enough. At least we've visited the Margaret River winery on a rainy afternoon and enjoyed our tastings. We thought that the 2016 Discovery cabernet sauvignon was easy and pretty decent. Domaine Naturaliste's whites are surprisingly beautiful too, and better than their reds. We bought many bottles from this winery.

Domaine Naturaliste in Wilyabrup, Margaret River, WA.

Bye Bye Margaret River!

The man and I were so busy settling stuff before the trip that we had no time to consider that we would be having a lovely vacation. We finally relaxed only on the morning of our flight out to Perth. The fish congee I ordered for the in-flight breakfast totally hit a spot, and nicely filled the stomach till dinner.

The earlier decades were spent knowing French and Italian wines, no thanks to forced family trips to wineries where I was supposed to be educated in the finer points of life. I resolutely refused to retain much of that information, unless the wines happen to be the types I prefer. Hahaha. I'll never be a wine snob or a wine connoisseur. I shall carry on drinking what the tastebuds like, never mind its credentials or vintage.

In Margaret River, I finally understood my newfound capacity for wine, especially well-produced new world reds. As much I'm not into wine, I rather welcome it nowadays when whisky is a little heavy on the liver, and a pint of beer is way filling. Wine is a great compromise. A 750ml bottle nourishes four of us gently, about two glasses each. That's reasonable. As long as I keep telling myself that it's grape juice, I can finish a bottle on my own. #NotAnAlcoholicYet

This was a much-needed vacation for the man and I, to have a little break from the crushing pressure of his increased portfolio at work, and for us to get over the shock of an omnipresent neurotic dog. We enjoyed every day in Margaret River and Perth City, and came back feeling refreshed and ready to take on these final few months of the year with all its challenges.

This trip truly fed our souls and renewed our spirits. It had been unbelievably awesome. We had tons of fun and so much joy. It wouldn't have been this fulfilling without the wonderful company and conversation of J and L. We couldn't ask for more. We closed this trip with a grateful heart to our magnanimous and gracious friends.

[9] Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul. [17] Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.  

~ Proverbs Chapter 27, Douay-Rheims

The Imp at East Vic Park

Before we left Perth city, I had to step into The Imp, at least for a coffee. Dragged everyone out to East Victoria Park for one last hipster brunch. The only table available on a busy morning was out on the sidewalk. Perfect, no problem sitting outdoors in this area. It was a beautiful morning.

Once seated, L looked up and into laughter. Our table was kinda under the shop sign. She insisted on taking a photo. I cackled and obliged. Took a bunch of photos of the streets and shops for the BFF since it was her old stomping ground. It has changed a lot though. There's a new single-storey mall with various little shops, a butcher, a giant Coles and a K-mart.

My heart ached at all the water bowls placed on the floor by the eateries. They welcomed dogs accompanied by their humans who would sit outdoors, and enjoy the morning bites. Many cuties stopped by. Big ones, little ones, loud ones, quiet ones. The humans kept their dogs on the leash, and close by their feet; they made sure the dogs don't bother the other patrons. It's such a different vibe from staid Singapore cafes who are bound by strict regulations.

The cafe was full and there was a never-ending stream of humans getting their coffee and food. But our orders didn't take long to arrive. The men went for broke with a big breakfast. Eggs, bacon, spinach and sausages, homemade hash (not the frozen hashbrowns, but a creamier croquette) bread. L and I went for the smashed avo on bread, and added homemade hash. Hurhurhur. Ahhh... that flat white was as good as I remembered it to be. Very comforting.

Beers! Beers! Beers!

It isn’t all about wines on this trip. We’re eyeing the beers too. We didn’t bother to make it to the craft beer festival in Perth city. The full-day+night lashing rains right on the date of the beer fest ensured lower attendance, and us bailing out of getting drenched. The rains were worse that Seattle’s all-day grey drizzle when we had suffer them at open-air gigs. I definitely do not want to stand in cold wet rain and wind in any city, not for any reason, and never for alcohol.

There’re plenty of bottle shops and breweries in the Margaret River region for me drink my fill to pile on the calories. We also hung out at the chic Petition Beer in Perth City. I drank a fair bit of James Squire’s The Chancer Golden Ale. It’s so refreshing that it always feels like I’m drinking a spritzer. Two breweries that I really like also gave me loads of great craft beers.

Old Coast Brewery

Stopped at Old Coast Road Brewery for an afternoon breather from all the driving. The brewery had recently received a lot of flak for their food. We weren't there to eat, so it didn't matter. By the time we got there, only drinks were available, exactly what we wanted.

The friends got a regular apple cider and an apple + blackberry cider, which were surprisingly good. We got beer, pale ales and pilsners. And bought extras cans of apple cider and a stout to stock up for those nights when we didn’t want wine anymore. The stout was pretty good! The scenery and carbonated drinks helped with stretching out stiff legs.

Bootleg Brewery

Had to get out to Bootleg Brewery. It looked too cute to ignore. Dogs were allowed too! Never mind the rains and grey, the premises’ sweeping views were still breathtaking. Ahhh. I was happy. Space is such a treat for this city girl. Singapore breweries and bars will never have such luxurious views.

We took a tasting portion of a few of its taps. The session ale was light and easy—it's perfect for Singapore's heat. Stocked up on some ales. Bought a four-pack session ale to-go. Gonna pack them into the suitcase. Spotted the ‘Scorpion’, which is the chilli pale ale that they sold to-go only. Took it back to the apartment for a laugh. Although there was heat in the beer which made it odd, it wasn’t that bad! I wouldn't say it's drinkable because nobody would want to finish the whole bottle unless it's a challenge! I didn’t take more than three sips. Had no wish for the mouth to be on fire!

Three Rivers Brewing

On the way in to Perth city, we stopped at this little brewery in Mandurah for a refresher. Three Rivers Brewing was located in an industrial area, no views to speak of, but man, their beers were good. Trina and Mark Rivers truly love their brews and hops.

Three Rivers Brewing leans towards producing English-style ales and porters. Everyone ordered different drinks. Tap and bottles. I took a ‘Silent Knight’ porter. Mmm, haven’t had one of those in a while. It was properly tasty. The ‘Duck’s Nuts’ was indeed so! This brewery's beers are easily my favorites of the trip.

Meats at Squires Loft

Oddly, there hasn’t been much beef or lamb ingested at meals. We rectified that by going to dinner at a classic grillhouse chain- Squires Loft at Subiaco. I loved it! It’s a diner! It doesn’t pretend to be a fancy steakhouse. I’m here because I don’t want to grill my own steak at the apartment. Squires Loft fits my purpose nicely.

Bravely ordered a cut of rump. It was beautifully grilled medium-rare. When done correctly, rump is such a flavorful cut. When we grill beef at home, rump and flank are our default cuts. As if beef wasn't enough, we also had pork ribs and lamb loins. Those pork ribs were fantastic. It’s not the season for lamb, so I don’t know if this has anything to do with the rather game-y lamb loins.

Had to take a look at The Palace Arcade on Beaufort Street. It boasts of old-style arcade game machines. Wooohooo. How nostalgic! For food, uhh, it has great pizza from Mack Daddy's (which isn't very exciting for me. Pizza for dinner is sad). The game machines were popular. I have lost all teenage arcade skills! Was quite happy to watch others get trounced by good players. I couldn't stomach anymore drinks at the bar, and we left shortly.

Grillhouse meats and arcade machines. It doesn't get anymore old-school than this. What a randomly fun night. We aren't teenagers anymore, but it was so fun to remember how we used to be so carefree. We had Ponderosa and Jack's Place (I still like Jack's Place), and video games. That was all the happiness needed in life, innit.

Duck Duck Bruce

Brunch in Fremantle was sorted at the cutely-named Duck Duck Bruce. Doggos get to sit outdoors on the quaint patio. How awesome. For the longest time, I thought the cafe is named 'Duck Duck Goose'. Hahaha. I love their interesting use of spices. My bowl of Keralan chicken with quinoa, roasted grapes, salt and pepper toasted walnuts, kale and yoghurt and Sriracha maple dressing blended into one happy meat and one tasty salad. The meat was nicely soaked through with curry spices. Added a sunny-side up to make it more cheerful.

There was a really good tandoori fried chicken burger with lime pickle aioli, mango chutney and kachumber; one picked out a most interesting panaji spiced sausage roll in prata, with coriander chutney, red cabbage, apple sauerkraut, potato straws, turmeric and preserved lemon mayo. It was adventurous even by my standards, but apparently it was delicious. Prata fluffed up in a way I had never imagined! The man loved his masoor dal hummus with Sri Lankan sticky beetroot, mung bean sprouts, green apple, baby swiss chard, cashew and curry leaf pangrattato.

It was such a treat to have a leisurely brunch with the friends. Somehow, we were happier paying AUD20 for eggs and bread here than back home. Heh. No more coffee or tea needed after the meal. We were quite stuffed. BUT. For dessert, the table shared ONE fairly decent rhubarb and raspberry crumble cake. 😂

Visiting Choya's Parents

Let me be clear—we didn't plan this trip to visit Choya's birth place or her parents. This trip was mooted even before we knew of Choya's existence. After she came to live with us, and when I knew she was born in Perth, I google-mapped Sherae Kennels. Perth City isn't that big. We could visit, and we found time to visit. Our friends indulged us on this side jaunt, and came along too. Wheeeeee!

Besides being in the pink of health with little quirks and such, Choya's temperament is excellent. That is one thing I'm very grateful for. The breed is notorious for being difficult, so I'm glad she isn't too difficult to train. I've also learnt that she's not completely food-motivated. Her appetite is led by her moods, which are affected by how we treat her and what's happening in her life. If she's moping or sulky or anxious, she won't eat. She's more keen on our attention and praise. As independent and aloof she can be, she's also surprisingly affectionate. So I'm curious about the Perth breeders and her parents. I dropped them a polite enquiry, and to my joy, they accommodated our visit on a non-public-meet-and-greet day!

Kiyo who ran to bark at me.

We were warmly received, and promptly ambushed by a large troupe of Chow-Chows wandering around the property. Hahah. Cute as they were, man, they've got such long fur, and their butt fur could trail poop! How to keep a Chow-Chow clean?!!! We were taken to the breeding kennels where they house the Shiba Inus and Chow-Chows. I was most interested to see the living conditions of these dogs, and also check out their temperaments.

Choya was born at Sherae Kennels in Canning Vale to Sire Kiyo and Dam Penny (their registered names are damn long lah). Kiyo and Penny aren't having any litters at the moment. They're resting. The 13 new barely-two-week-old Shiba Inu puppies came from the other sets of parents. Very very cute. No, I'm not tempted to get a second dog, especially not a puppy. Dealing with Choya is quite enough.

Kiyo came running to the gate and barked at me for a good three minutes. Hurhurhur. Penny came over, then quickly retreated to the back of the kennel. From that distance, she peeked out and observed me; not quite hidden, but just beyond your direct line of sight. There she stayed for the whole time I hung around.

After spending a few minutes with Kiyo and Penny, I totally get how Choya is who she is. Hahahah. After Kiyo decided I wasn't a threat, he turned away, sat in a corner and... vigorously licked his paw. Oh where have I seen that? OMG! YOU'RE A PAW-LICKER!!! Choya's barks and 'aggression' are totally Kiyo's. Penny's expressions of cautiousness and reticence are exactly Choya's. The mannerisms and the head tilts! Beyond staring at a data screen of her genetic make-up, her coloring and facial expressions and looks are a nice amalgamation of her parents. Shirley and Loren at Sherae Kennels and Kelly of Soo Kee Kennels all thought Choya looked so much like her mom. But from many angles, I thought she bears a stronger resemblance to her dad. Kiyo and Penny are both reds; while regular in size, they're not big and definitely not overweight. Choya is a tiny strong red Shiba Inu.

The man was thrilled. He totally enjoyed himself chatting with the staff and checking out the dogs. He's silly lah. I was curious, but not that keen. I was quite snarky- I was like 'seeing your parents doesn't explain you what, so why do you want to see your dog's parents?' LOL He was the one who requested me to get in touch with Sherae Kennels and all. I was like, hmmm....we'll see. I didn't even send that email enquiry till the day we flew out. It was swell of Sherae Kennels to agree to our visit.

Choya in Singapore. At Changi Beach.

Dhal & Rice on Vacation

The apartment’s kitchen is fully stocked with crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, and cleaning supplies, including a dishwasher, oven, microwave oven and a toaster. A supermarket run to stock the fridge and pile on kitchen towels and all, and we could use it for some decent cooking. Many nights, we ate in for dinner. Restaurants close early here. When produce is so fresh, it’s kind of a waste if we don’t cook, especially to grill those beautiful Australian grass-fed beef fillets.

Of course the man would need spices. He doesn’t do well without them. He wanted dhal and rice. His comfort foods. He saw the prices at the Indian restaurant for takeout and firmly refused to purchase dhal and rice from them. He really didn’t think they could cook it better than we could. The dal tadka for AUD14.50 was similarly priced to those we have at home, but I also doubted its taste or if it could even beat mine. Hahahaha. So we went to Coles to grab a few items to boil up a pot of lentils. The packets of spices available weren't comprehensive, but they would suffice. Found one that said... 'DAHL'. Hahaha. A fresh half pumpkin added so much flavor to the pot of dhal. It vastly improved the flavor of microwaved basmati rice. (I laughed so hard when the man mistook the Ikea tray for a chopping board. HOW?!)

Contemplated roasting a chicken, but Coles had roast chicken, and because it was late, it was on discount. That would be more convenient. It wouldn’t be the best, but it would do in a pinch. Cooking in this 15dC weather is soooo comfortable. Cleaning up is easy- prepping for a pot of dhal is not greasy or messy; everything went into the dishwasher after. It was a light dinner tonight for everyone. We’ve been eating so much that our stomachs need a break!

Girl, You're a Middle-Aged Woman Now

Couldn't stop laughing when I read 'Girl, You're a Middle-Aged Woman Now' in The New Yorker, published on August 21, 2019, written by Wendi Aarons and KJ Dell'Antonia. The article has helpfully sarcastically put together a list of (fake) items (television series, books and films) coming out in the next few months, specially targeted at middle-aged women. Well, it is filed under Daily Shouts 'Humor'.

The nine titles dreamed up and the plots are rather hilarious. The writers re-interpreted some of those films we've watched. Well, I guess some titles will be familiar to many late-30-somethings and 40-somethings, and even 50-somethings. I never actually watched some the films because they're not up my alley, but reading the 'twist' on them now is quite funny.

“The Middle-Aged Woman on the Train” 

Commuter Rachel Watson catches daily glimpses of a seemingly perfect couple from her train window. After the conductor ignores her complaints about being subjected to a daily millennial lovefest, she makes a sign that says “it won’t last, assholes,” and holds it up every time she passes the lovebirds. The couple breaks up. 

“The Middle-Aged Woman with the Dragon Tattoo” 

A Swedish screenwriter, claiming to be investigating the case of a missing woman, seeks help from a fifty-year-old computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander. Listening to his pitch, Lisbeth yawns, the wasp tattoo on her neck flexing loosely. “What, another male writer sensationalizing violent crimes against women?” she says. “Do you already have a movie deal, or is it Netflix?” She presses a button that she installed under her desk after the last six dudes showed up, and a trap door opens under the screenwriter’s feet, dropping him into a pit of vipers.

Middle-aged? Yeah, that would be me. I don't bother with defining it by turning 50. I can start now. There's nothing to be frightened of about turning 50. Beyond a heavier feeling of mortality, and hoping that your body (health) doesn't let you down, life goes on, aye.

There will be death, there will be disappointments and there will be heartaches. This is how we'll live. We'll go through each season of life as best as we can. Faith, love and hope can be drawn from friends and loved ones. Should those not exist or crumble, may God help us, and may we seek comfort in His words. We have to find strength within ourselves to make good of being alive.

“Gossip Middle-Aged Woman” 

The privileged premenopausal women of Manhattan’s Upper East Side learn that Serena van der Woodsen is back in town the way they learn all the important news in their lives: from Gossip Bitch’s anonymous posts on the Nextdoor app. No one knows Gossip Bitch’s identity, but everyone in this exclusive circle relies on her updates about the neighborhood’s noise and trash issues—and, now, for speculation about the cause of Serena’s long absence. Could it be rehab? A little more swelling than expected post-surgery? Or is she hiding the body of the latest millennial who called her “ma’am”?

Fish & Chips

As far as fast food goes, I love fish and chips. Good versions in Singapore are few and far. I also have a quirk- I can’t quite enjoy it fully if there isn’t chilli sauce. Oof. I shudder to think of all the oil that goes into deep-frying stuff. I suppose that if I brush off the batter, the fish is extremely edible. It's meant to sear the fish and not dry it through. We can’t come to Perth and not have fish and chips. Managed to have two meals of fried food. Hahaha. Also, fries are always rockin'.

Squid Lips

We got back late and while nobody was starving, we needed an easy meal that was slightly more filling than an egg sandwich. Fish and chips were our answer. There would be a store that was open. It wouldn't be the best, but it would do. Fried things generally taste the same if fresh-enough oil is used.

Found fish and chips and stuff at Squid Lips in town. They only had outdoor seating; since the shop was closing, we grabbed dinner to-go. Eating at the apartment's dining table would be way more comfortable than sitting here. We lucked out because Squid Lips seemed to do a fair fry-up. Fresh-enough whiting from Augusta, so-so Spanish mackerel, fries, Cajun-spiced fried squid and a rather tasty tub of coleslaw.

Forgot to ask if Squid Lips offered sweet chilli sauce.

Blue Ocean

We drove down to Augusta on a rainy day and hopped into Blue Ocean for lunch. This came heavily recommended as one of the best fish and chips shack in the region, and that it served excellent dhu fish. Okaaaaay. We made sure we took a trip there. Blue Ocean has so many fried things on the menu and churns out the orders fast. I guess their deep fryers are seriously huge.

The eatery didn't serve hot drinks but they allowed us to get coffee from the cafe across the street. Nice. They also had many sauces for us to choose from, including a sweet chilli sauce. I was pleased. It wasn't exactly spicy, but it was much better than ketchup or tabasco or malt vinegar.

We had fish of bronze whaler shark and whiting. Gosh, they were superb! The batter was ridiculously light! Sweet chilli sauce went with everything. Fried oysters were yucky. Eh, this isn’t Japan hor. Not tempura. The friends resolutely refused to order the fried Mars bar. I asked for hash browns and fried bananas. Hahahah. Shitty hash browns rock. It was rather funny to eat a fried banana that used a long big Cavendish. Heh. Not pisang goreng!

Augusta’s Coastline

Took a drive down south to Augusta to eat fish and chips, and we headed further to have a look at the coast and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Never mind that it was a stormy grey day. We went out anyway. It wasn't as if we were going whale-spotting and getting thoroughly soaked. This little rain didn’t dampen our moods or made it a tough drive.

The weather forecast was spot-on. We would miss viewing the sunset at the lighthouse or along the stretch of coastline, and planned our day to skip that and head back to town by late afternoon. We’ve seen splendid sunsets for many days and will see a few more! So missing today’s was okay.

We drove over to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse to take a look at the reception counter and cafe. It is sited at Cape Leeuwin, the most south-westerly point of the mainland Australia continent. This lighthouse was automated in 1982, and its keepers were withdrawn. Now, it's a tourist site. We skipped going up to the top of the lighthouse. It was raining too heavily to pay AUD6 to get drenched walking around, even in our raincoats or with an umbrella. The winds were strong. It would cost us AUD20 each to climb up to the top of the lighthouse on a guided tour. The rain would have obscured all views. If this was a sunny day, it would be an easy decision. Ah well, never mind.

Lunch of fish and chips at Blue Ocean was fantastic. We caught a break from the rains and had time to stroll along the rocks down by the beach. Having a car to drive around is incredibly convenient. We could stop at any spot that wouldn't obstruct traffic, and get out to breathe in this fresh air.

We parked at Quarry Bay and went down to Cape Leeuwin's historic water wheel. Constructed in 1895, it was used to supply fresh water to the lighthouse keepers. That itself is mundane, unless you're a history buff. The water wheel sits amidst gorgeous rocks, greens and blues. The dark skies and incoming storm made the landscape look desolate and rough-hewn. It was magnificent. The cold biting winds lent so much poetic backdrop. Slippery rocks. Warm seawater! The short walk felt wonderful.

Oddly, I’ve missed Seattle’s grey and rains, and the little pockets of rocky beaches along Puget Sound. Today’s weather in Augusta made me feel a little of that Seattle chill and thrill. I wore a little bit of Seattle in my Eddie Bauer raincoat, and its hood kept me snug. I didn’t mind walking in the rain. Getting wet in these temperatures wouldn’t give me a cold. It made me feel so alive. As grey and dreary the day was, I was a happy camper.

Snake + Herring

We visited Snake + Herring purely because we thought it sounded cool. Hahahah. And it is a cool winery! Totally new world and hip. Their vineyards are sited mainly in the southwest and Albany. Classic wine connoisseurs would highly likely turn up their noses at it. We were tickled by how it has named its wines and its awesomely designed wine labels, and names.

And what did I know... the 2017 syrah named ‘Redemption’ was fairly impressive, as is its 2017 chardonnay named ‘Corduroy’ (I forgot to ask if that's from Pearl Jam.). I tend to avoid syrah and shiraz, but the 2017 ‘Redemption’ persuaded me to give it a chance. It's indeed lighter and less intense. It has none of the usual tart and spicy notes that my tastebuds associate with the full-bodied shiraz. I almost bought the ‘Cannonball’, a 2017 blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot because apparently they named it after the song by The Breeders. Hurhurhur. Its current range of wines is surprisingly rather decent.

If you go new world, you go hipster all the way. Great music selection in the den too. They allowed us to go through its cds and vinyls, and the man was happily plonked in the den going through their records. We put on The Pixies. I didn't just buy its wines. The man and I also bought a tee! I LOVE THIS WINERY. No regrets about shipping a case home and paying taxes on it.

Chinese At Chow's Table

We couldn't bring ourselves to eat at DancinWok or Golden Dragon, or any similar restaurants in Busselton or Dunsborough. We’re kinda avoiding all Asian restaurants in this area. We aren't visiting long enough to want to eat Chinese or Asian food. If we really want to, we could stop by the supermarket and get ingredients to cook. Between L and I, we could certainly produce a very good Chinese meal.

Couldn't stop laughing when we had to round back to Chow's Table for lunch. Driving here and there meant that we might miss all the lunch hours at the desired restaurants. Most open at noon and close by 2.30pm. When we didn’t want a burger or McDonald's, we had to eat at Chow's Table, whose menu wasn't half bad. The prices for wine weren't ideal, and many were from House of Cards next door, of which we weren't keen on. Iced water it was for hydration then.

We had ordered kangkong with chilli and belachan. I balked a little at AUD26 for the dish. But fine, if they promised chilli and belachan. I missed that. However the kitchen had no kangkong that day and suggested replacing it with kailan stir-fried with soy and garlic. I DID NOT WANT TO PAY AUD26 FOR KAILAN. Replaced it with mapo tofu with minced pork. It was pretty all right, except they were too enthusiastic with the Szechuan pepper and chillies. I NO LIKE MAPO TOFU. Also had a honey-glazed char siew pork neck with pickled daikon. Other than it priced at a brow-raising AUD36 and being too sweet, it was edible.

The Chinese style roast duck hanging from the bar in the kitchen looked legit. We thought that a little heavy and ordered the half chicken instead- Hainan style with ginger, spring onion and sesame. Yup, we were suckers. You know what? That chicken was damn good! The way it had been steamed wasn't impressive, and the sauce didn't have enough body. There wasn't good quality sesame oil either. (L can whip up a kickass Hainanese chicken rice any day when the wet market stocks the type of fowl she prefers to use.) BUT, this meat was tender; we don't have this quality of regular chicken in Singapore supermarkets. A large bowl of nicely steamed white rice for AUD5 fed all of us! Honestly, it was pretty satisfying to eat rice. This would be our first meal with rice for the carbs. Not too bad lah!

Gabriel Chocolate

Since we needed to get gifts for friends and souvenirs for the office that aren't all from supermarket shelves, we thought that chocolates would be appropriate, and easy to pack. Hahaha. We stopped by one in Margaret River that appealed to us — Gabriel Chocolate. Found all the chocolates we wanted. They offered us small nuggets to taste.

It was kinda fun that the chocolatier is neighbors with uhh a Chinese restaurant Chow's Table (food ain't too bad), and House of Cards (very hip, but we aren't fond of its wines, except a fortified wine, which we bought as a gift for the man's dad). Across these sits Windows Estate (it has such beautiful whites); down the end of the scenic road stands Arimia (its restaurant has a gorgeous terrace for lunch, and obviously very nicely done farm-to-table menus).

I was so pleased to see many options of dark chocolates. There was a 72% from both Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. There were even three options of Venezuela Chuao in the form of a 99% and 80%; the Venezuela Porcelana was at 90%. How nice that they had a little coffee bar inside. We needed coffee and hot chocolate. Oddly, my caffeine intake has decreased on this trip and I don’t even feel it. Heh. L said that the hot chocolate was superb. She had a choice of five types of chocolates to choose from. That was really cool. Our coffee provided a much-needed boost to the sluggish cold morning.

Lunch at Voyager Estate

I'm not into wine pairing at meals often. I prefer drinking wines clean, without food. I care more about how they taste without food. If that sucks, then it's not the wine for me. On this trip, the man and I are more keen to purchase wines from smaller wineries. The one winery we were sure that we would rather taste its food over buying its wine, was Voyager Estate.

We reserved a table at Voyager Estate's restaurant for lunch. The estate and its vineyards sit on an expansive piece of land with sweeping views. I'm not quite into this much landscaping. As eye-pleasing as it is, it isn't my aesthetic. Hahaha. Helmed by head chef Santiago Fernandez, the kitchen accommodated all our dietary preferences and food intolerances. I loved how the restaurant prepped little cards featuring the wines and the food for us to refer to, and to take home as a souvenir. I like paper and will gush over very extra things like that. Hahaha.

We opted for Voyager’s 7-Course Discovery Menu with wine pairing. Our seven-courses were accompanied by five whites and three reds (all cabernet sauvignon). We sat down to a glass of 2018 Project sparkling chenin blanc. There were some fun snacks, all pumpkin, eggs and crunchy. The first starter of kingfisher, oyster, cucumber, finger lime and shiso (with 2016 U10 Project semillon) was delicious. I would have loved a second serving! Oof! I wasn't keen on the second starter of marron, pumpkin curry, kimchi, buckwheat and XO. I'm not a fan of crayfish or kimchi; put together, I couldn't appreciate the flavors.

The pork jowl with abalone, forest broth and shiitake (with 2017 Grit By Sea chardonnay) was excellent! I didn't think I'd like pork done this way so much. Hurhurhur. I loved the fish. They do a good one in grilling the line-caught dhufish with broccoli, lard, avruga and beurre blanc (with 2016 chardonnay). The red meat was grilled wagyu with jerusalem artichoke, mushrooms and salsify. It was served with three kinds of cabernet sauvignon- 2016 Project W5, 2014 MJW and a standard 2014. IMHO, the Project 2016 W5 was quite eeky on its own, but when the oils of the meat sank in with it, it tasted fine. This would be a wine I won't buy. I'd have to pair it with food to make it palatable, NOPE.

It wasn't that sweet, but the first dessert of a fine mess of guava, tamarillo, kiwi, passionfruit and yoghurt was kinda what I had for breakfast, and it's usually what I can find in an açaí bowl. LOL. Nothing mind-blowing about it. The second dessert of chocolate, banana, peanut, miso, brown butter (both with 2018 Project cane cut semillon) didn't do anything for me either. Along with the petit fours, they were all way too sweet. There was one exception- the red wine jelly. I liked that. At the end of the epic four-hour luncheon, I was in a total food coma. Everyone was!

Voyager Estate’s wines are very palatable, and they’re exactly what we expect of a major estate. But my plebeian palate isn't interested in them. To be very honest, I love their food! The prices were excellent for the quality of ingredients, cooking techniques and attention to how the flavors meshed together. Sure, the food were intended to match wine, and took secondary placing to the wines, but this current menu is perfect for my tastebuds. 😬

‘Wine Dogs Australia 5’

Took some time to drool over the cuties in a coffee table book titled ‘Wine Dogs Australia 5, The Leunig Edition’ (2017). The photographic journal features the resident canines at many wineries across Australia. It’s by no means comprehensive, but they’ve got loads covered up to production date. This fifth edition is photographed by Craig McGill, designed and produced by Susan Elliott.

Erm... I didn't buy the photographic journal. Each winery stocks a browsing copy for visitors at the seating areas. I simply flipped through it when I visited the wineries. I didn't even have to finish the book quickly. By the time we're done at Margaret River, I'd also have gotten to the last page of the journal. Oof!

It's such a luxury to thumb through a hard copy photographic journal. It's filled with happy vibes and cheer. Dogs, blue skies and green fields. What a life! Wineries and canines go together. These dogs don't just herd sheep that help to fertilize the vineyards when they rest. They're also pets to the staff. Photographer Craig McGill (and his team) obviously spent some time getting to know the dogs. They sat quietly for him. Those expressions he captured! It felt as though the dogs smiled right into the lens at him.

We met a few of these dogs when we visited the wineries. They were happily bounding around. These dogs get the run of the property and it's very nice bumping into them. Obviously I don't chase them down. It's just a happy thing to see a happy dog, and I go 'helllooooo' at their silly faces. Oh, there're definitely new additions to the canine family at the wineries since this book was published in 2017! We saw new cuties.

These dogs aren't puppies anymore. Often, they just want to sniff at us then they move away. More than not, they ignore visitors. There're just too many of us coming through, and the dogs simply cannot be bothered. Hahaha. Becky at Hay Shed Hill sauntered by all humans in the cellar door and refused to stay for even a pat.

There was a sweetie at Carpe Diem Vineyards. We met Jasper. He greeted us and accepted a few pats on the head. Then he sashayed to our car and promptly marked the front tyre. Duhhh. Then he moved back in and laid down, and didn't get up when we strolled into the barn when Francesca and Gianfranco weren’t around! Aiyoh. This one isn't much of a guard dog! 😂

Lemons & Vitamin B-Complex

Alcohol in the bloodstream restricts aerobic metabolism and endurance. The body converts alcohol sugars into fatty acids. Beyond stretching out in the room to iron out kinks and aches, I’m not exactly working out on this trip. I do need to put on weight in order gain some muscle mass. So I have been eating; not indiscriminately though. As much as I'm keen on the wines and food, I’m not about to overload the liver either.

We don't quaff that much wine either. A bottle of wine at lunch or dinner is always split between four of us. Two glasses each drains the bottle. Ingesting a glass of red with an ABV of 13% at 75ml in an hour, will put the designated driver within Western Australia's drink driving limits. Since we’re ingesting so much alcohol on this trip, the friends went out to buy a bottle of vitamin B-Complex. They swear by it and how it alleviates hangovers. Okaaay. As skeptical as I am of bioavailability, I've been following suit to pop a daily pill on this trip.

We have lemons too. Many wineries somehow put out a bowl of complimentary lemons for visitors. Every morning, L takes warm water with lemon juice stirred in. One morning she prepped a glass lemon water for me. The cloudy liquid in the glass scared me. Three sips and I made a face. IT IS SO SOUR! How does she stomach it?! Gulped half and made the man finish the rest. Oddly the lemon water didn’t upset the stomach or interfere with the digestive system. But the taste is fearsome. Yeah I don’t like sweet, but this sour... is prohibitive. Hahaha. Lemons in water are nice, but not this ratio! Hahahaha. I shall stick to lemon juice in chilled water! Like, sparkling water with a slice of lemon.

Pizzica

Dinner options aren’t plentiful since most eateries close in the evening, and if they open, they kinda suck. We are not going near any Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai restaurants. Nope. Of course there would be pizza at some point. Ugh. Thankfully not Domino’s. Pizzica came highly recommended, and the kitchen closes at 9pm. Made a reservation and happily lingered all the way till 8.45pm.

Ordered two types of meatballs of which the table eagerly inhaled and slathered the tomato gravy on the bread. I loved tomato sauce on bread. Mopped up everything with bread. We also had beef stew and grilled pork ribs. They were all right, a tad under-salted. I was curious about the oxtail stew that included sultanas and pine nuts and served with grilled polenta, but there wasn't any more stomach or table space. Hahaha.

Of course the man wanted pizza. He loves 'em pizzas. I will never understand why. The two pizzas of verdure and cesarina (with anchovies) were apparently delicious. I took his word for it. Between pizza and chicken, guess what I chose? Hahahha. I pushed for the charcoal-grilled chicken (half portion). The bird was so beautifully marinated. It was delicious. It must be the chickens reared in these parts. I ate it all.

The house wine was a 2018 cabernet merlot produced by Carpe Diem Vineyards. Very easy and drinkable. We ignored the rest of the wines on the menu, which were not very coherently priced. Some local Margaret River options and Italian reds. Some of the Italian labels were actually over-priced and cost more than what some Singapore restaurants offer. There wasn’t any that we were particularly interested in, and the prices were similar to Singapore’s.

The crazy people had space for dessert. They ordered deep-fried pizza dough topped with nutella. OMG. What on earth is that? It's a crazy sugar, carb plus whatever else fatty bomb! It was a huge serving! There was talk of packing it back to the apartment to drink with apple cider. You know what, fifteen minutes later, they finished it all. It was madness.

Busselton Jetty

Headed out to catch the sunset along the coast. Drove out to Busselton. We wandered along the rather touristy and sanitary seafront and as the sun set, we walked the length of Busselton Jetty. At 1841 meters long, it’s supposed to be the longest timber-piled wooden jetty in the world. We uhh skipped the admission charges to both its train ride and underwater observatory. That combination was too touristy for us! If this is summer, I'd have wanted to do the undersea walk on the seabed.

We ambled along in an amiable silence, and at times, there was conversation. I don't recall what we talked about, but it was casual conversation among friends. The type where we simply chatted without an end or a topic. We were just soaking in the view, the breeze, the sounds of waves and birds, and one another's company. At home, we wouldn't have this luxury or extravagance to enjoy a walk and a view of sunset. There would be too many things to do, and too many people (and dogs) demanding our attention.

We thought it would be crowded at sunset but there weren’t many people. A few runners, a number of anglers, and that was it. It meant that we could slowly meander along the length of the pier. It made for a very pleasant stroll. The stunning sunset hues made for a pretty backdrop in the photos. The winds weren't strong and it wasn't freezing. We took an hour to walk 3km to and fro. HAHAHAHAHA.