Rojak Timeout: The Zoo in My 'Hood

Today's Rojak is by Una Ragazza, whose world continues to be surprised by the non-human species.

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Since my recent friendship with Maggie, my four-legged canine buddy in New York, my senses have been my acute toward the non-homosapiens that roam this earth, and more specifically, share the urban space that city dwellers occupy.

As if to read my mind, I was greeted this morning by a cheerful article on the homepage of the New York Times about the wonderful life of a 21st-century dog in America. According to the market research firm Packaged Facts, American pet "parents" spent a record US$55 billion on their pets in 2010, which is more than the GDP of Belarus, a country with about 10 million people.

Four-legged fine dining

(picture by Gary Bogdon for The New York Times)

Just when I thought the fascination for dogs must be out of this world, I learnt of a new "pet shop" that had opened its doors in my 'hood. A visit to the store revealed that it is really a mini urban zoo. Yes, dogs are the pets of choice in America. But little did I know that US households also own millions of birds, small animals and reptiles.

To the nice lady who, bless her heart, told a six-year-old me that problem-laden humans have no time and energy to take care of pets, I have this to say to her: "Mom, this place has been added to your itinerary for your visit to the city this Christmas."

As for the rest of you, brace yourself for a little visual treat of my corner zoo.

The signs say it all. Get ready for a colorful and noisy adventure

An animal enclosure not unlike those you'd see in a respectable zoo

Pacific Coast Blend... Pasta Ensalada... Nutmeats and Fruit Blend... What's your cockatoo in the mood for today?

African grey, Amazon, conure, eclectus, lori, canary, finch, lorikeet, macaw, parakeet, parrot, toucan... just a sampling of the types of birds with specialized bird food on sale

Woodblocks, feathers, whistles, balls, ropes, chains, keys, rings... who says bird play is boring?

The big boys get a big enclosure... the use of the word "cage" is banned here!

A curious conure comes close to check out my iPhone

Not your average ga-zuak: these 500-dollar water lizards were slithering around with vigor when their tank was approached

Fifteen minutes can save you 15 percent or more on... hey, it's my buddy Geico!

The hamster corner has adorably-packaged food to match the cute factor of its recipients

Over at the reptile corner, soft and comfortably dry moss awaits the next python, gecko and corn snake

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Rojak Timeout: A Tribute to Ah Gong

Today's timeout is by Una Ragazza, who wrote the following note to her grandfather for the memorial service that took place during his second death anniversary this month.

For all of you who ever had a relationship with your grandfather, this is for them too.

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My earliest memories of my grandfather were that of a stoic man bent over a sink while rotating a papaya or a pineapple in his left hand and fiercely carving away at the fruit's skin with his right. The thought of 121 Telok Ayer Street brings to mind the colors, sounds and smells of a busy, crowded household. I can almost taste his homemade starfruit juice and multicolored agar-agar.

These were fond memories of my favorite man when I was growing up.

Every night, as the Chinese drama serial on SBC Channel 8 started to wind down around 10:30, it was the cue that the shutters at the front of our fruit shop would be coming down shortly after. My ah gong was finally closing shop to join us in the living room for a little bit of TV and relaxation before bed, and before a whole new day would start and repeat itself all over again.

"As skinny as your ah gong" was to be a refrain that I would hear throughout my childhood. For some reason, it was a mark of pride for me. Something that I could share with him. I enjoyed being told that I'm the only grandchild with wavy or curly hair, just like how my dad, and his dad, are the only ones in their respective generations with "different" hair.

They say men -- especially Chinese men, or old Chinese men to be precise -- don't know how to show love. Or, could it perhaps be that we were just not paying enough attention?

My ah gong showed me plenty. I loved the way he answered my shouts of "Ah Gong!" whenever I came through the front door with a prolonged "O...y!" He was always so happy to see me and would run up -- or look up from his Lianhe Zaobao or Wanbao -- with a beaming face.

I can probably write a little book about everything I remember about him, but for now, for today, these few tidbits are enough for me to remember and celebrate my ah gong. A man whom I've come to know as a provider, a family anchor, an acrobat (remember the fruit-cutting?), a soccer fan, a loving husband (all the way until her last breath), and the ever-present grandfather that had taught me diligence and love in his own way.

Ah gong, if you were still here today, I bet you'd love to go for a bike ride in Central Park with me. And race me up Harlem Hill. In the meantime, let me keep practicing so I don't lose too miserably when we next see each other.

121 Telok Ayer Street: the shop house of special significance to both ah gong and me

A piece of home that I will always love

Rojak Timeout: Una Ragazza this Chinese New Year

Today's Rojak Timeout is by Una Ragazza, who shares a little something passed down from the matriach of her family.

Enjoy the rest of Chinese New Year. Don't forget to go down to the nearest river with mandarin oranges on the 15th day, the Lunar Valentine's Day, where making a wish and throwing them in the river may bring forth a new mate this year. Try it.



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The Chinese New Year is a time of socializing, relaxing and eating. Like every other Chinese family in Singapore I know, mine takes great pride in preparing delicious meals for the many relatives and friends who would come to my house. Why my house, instead of those of other aunts and uncles?

The tradition goes back more than 15 years, when my grandparents moved in with us. It is common for all relatives to congregate in the house of the most senior member in the extended family. Therefore, since the early 1990s, that house has been mine. This practice continued even after my ah-ma (grandma) and ah-gong (grandpa) passed away in the late 90’s and 00’s, respectively.

Having spent half my life growing up under the same roof as ah-ma and ah-gong, I still think of them very much. Chinese New Year is an especially tender moment, as ah-ma was an instrumental part of the celebrations, orchestrating the kitchen to ensure everybody was well-satiated over the multi-day festivities. Ah-gong, although less boisterous, worked quietly to ensure we had beautiful flowers and plants in our little garden as well as fresh fruits as dessert for every meal.

I could go on reminiscing for a good amount of time. Instead, in memory of my ah-ma, I’ll share with you something she’d taught me years ago that will always remain a part of me.

When I was about 13, ah-ma taught me a little poem that lists the animals in the order that they appear in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Because these 12 animals always repeat every dozen years, knowing their order means that you can easily count the age of any person, as long as you know his or her Chinese zodiac sign.

Because I'd learnt it in the Chinese dialect of teochew, I will recite it in that form and include an English translation. Here goes:

Eek tsuh

(1 - mouse)

Gee goo

(2 - ox)

Sa hoe

(3 - tiger)

See tow

(4 - rabbit [2011, 2023...])

Ngo leng

(5 - dragon)

Lahk jua

(6 - snake)

Tsik beh

(7 - horse)

boi ngee-aw

(8 - sheep)

gow gow

(9 - monkey)

chap koi

(10 - rooster)

chap eek gow

(11 - dog)

chap gee du bor dooay nahng tsao

(12 - mama pig runs off with some gangsta pig!)

So there you go. Pronunciation credits go to my test reader, Un Ragazzo.

To my non-Chinese friends: Can you calculate your Chinese zodiac sign?

To the rest of us: Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Watching the lion dance on Hong Kong's Lantau Island during my visit to Asia this winter

Group Rojak Timeout: Holiday!

Week One of 2011 is almost over, and some of us girls on eat.shop.play.love are still recovering from our year-end hangover. Take a 3-minute virtual vacation with us to the many corners of our lovely earth: Tasmania, Oslo, Barcelona, Turks and Caicos, Vegas and New York.

Duck's Nuts Says:

I usually head overseas this time of the year to visit my family in Singapore and in other countries, but I decided to stay and enjoy the Australian summer this time round. I still find it odd to celebrate a sunny Christmas, but a week-long jaunt to Tasmania to meet a friend satisfied my longing for some time away from Sydney. We visited three national parks at Maria Island, Ben Lomond and Mt Williams, and did some hiking and camping.

Here's a rainbow over Maria Island, which is off the coast of south-east Tasmania. It used to be where some convicts from Great Britain were held, before becoming a site for cement production. It's now a national park.

The painted cliffs at Maria Island, formed through the percolation of ground water through the sandstone.

The water was so still you could see the sky reflected on it. Seeing this made me feel like I was in a painting.

On the other side of Ben Lomond, we walked down a road called Jacob's Ladder, which is very steep.

No holiday in Tasmania is complete without a glimpse of the local wildlife. I think this one is of a kangaroo and her joey at the Bay of Fires. The wild kangaroos and wallabies stare at you straight in the face for the longest time before hopping off when you near them.

Sights like that make me wish I grew up on a farm, with lots of vast open space, rather than a HDB flat!

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Little Pixy Boots had a lovely Norwegian holiday, sprinkled with a little Spanish excitement in Barcelona.

Dear Santa, I just wanted to say, "Merry Christmas to Chew."

I don't usually have bacon for breakfast, but I couldn't resist.

Jultomten (the Christmas elf) caught taking a break.

"Honey, that's not exactly hiding the presents from the kids."

Enough sugar to power a day of sightseeing in Gaudi's city.

"I've never said that attaining enlightenment was easy."

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Cirrus Cloud takes not one, but two, vacations to end the year with a bang! First up was fabulous Turks and Caicos. Next, a New Year countdown in Sin City -- Las Vegas.

Glorious.

Here's a view from my room in Turks and Caicos, when I open my eyes in the morning...

... When I turn to my right whilst in bed, this is what I see.

Watching the sunset, sipping a cocktail. Life is good.

View from our room in the Wynn in Las Vegas, NV.

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Una Ragazza enjoys Santa's Christmas gift of a snowy blanket that brings joy and havoc (depending on who you ask) to the New York Metropolitan area. Nothing like 30 degree F weather to make you look forward to jumping on a 24-hour plane ride home to the equator!

Overnight, the a/c gets a white cap that is a foot-and-a-half tall.

Kids of all ages and sizes rush to the once-grassy slopes of River Side Park with their sleds. Wheee!

White and serene. A zen Manhattan that we rarely see.

On the 10th day of Christmas... the garbage has still not been cleared!

... two broken washing machines, and a beer bottle stuck in a Christmas tree.

Making s'mores in my fireplace. Delish!

Doing research for our upcoming Singapore vacation in Cafe Lalo, while waiting for Meg Ryan to show up for a cheesecake and an espresso.

From all of us here at eat.shop.play.love -- have a fabulous 2011!

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