The Great Cantonese Debate

Singapore got slammed recently by Sir David Tang. Sir David Tang, in case you are not aware, is the founder of Shanghai Tang. Over the last few weeks, there have been many discussions for and against the preservation of Cantonese. One particular reader wrote in to the South China Morning Post with his rather offensive view of Cantonese. In his defence of Cantonese, Sir David Tang asserted that Singaporean residents speak three languages badly. Hey, that's not fair!

So it was with glee (ooh, my favourite show GLEE) that K.Y. Tan of North Point replied as follows:

"I am not a Singaporean but I would like to take issue with David Tang Wing-cheung, a knighted Anglo-Chinese, who asserts that Singapore residents speak three languages badly.

His inappropriate remark was made in the context of the recent saga over the use of Putonghua and Cantonese.

I don't see why Sir David had to drag four million Singaporeans into the debate. Neither could I find any passable justification or compelling evidence that the seven million Hongkongers have a better command of language when we speak than Singaporeans.

We expect the majority of Putonghua speakers to respect our right to speak Cantonese in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. We should also respect Singaporeans' language preferences."

Yea, yea!

Frankly, I am all for the preservation of dialects.  They are, after all, an integral part of our intangible heritage. And for me, dialects have special place - I reserve it for speaking with family and close friends (even though I speak it poorly. Blame it on the Singapore government....). Somehow, I feel a special bond.

And it feels especially good to speak it when playing mahjong. I wonder why.

New York! New York!

My first visit to New York was with my husband. It was one of our stops after our wedding in Singapore enroute to Chicago where he was still working at that time. Just a short trip then, we did the usual touristy things visiting the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls ........

Now fifteen years on and two kids later, it's my second trip and I had about a week. Coming from small cities like Singapore and Hong Kong, New York can be quite intimidating - it's so big! Is that why they call it the Big Apple?

I was unlucky enough to be there when there was a snowstorm - on two days! Not wanting to stay cooped up inside the hotel, I went out to Broadway to see a show. And my shoes got totally wet. So what to do? Buy a pair of Timberland boots! Nice and cheap too ('cos they were kids' boots).

Ground Zero Museum Workshop
One of the highlights of my trip was the visit to the Ground Zero Museum Workshop. It was a very emotional experience. You could feel the emotion within the small studio which was filled with photos and memorabilia taken from the scene of the 911 recovery effort.

Quotes that caught my attention and stay etched in my mind:

"Never forget"

"Two bullets went in to the World Trade Centre but only love came out" - FDNY Chaplain Chris Keenan

"I know my son is in better hands now, but I'd rather have him in mine" - Lee Ielpi, FDNY Retired, Father of Fallen Firefighter Jonathan Ielpi, Squad 288

 

Broadway

What's New York without Broadway, right? So that's where I went - not once but twice. And here's a great  tip I got for saving money (as it's really expensive). Go to the TKTS ticketing booth and get up to 50% off for same-day shows. I watched West Side Story and Rock of Ages, both at 50% discount. I had very good seats. For Rock of Ages, starring Constantine Maroulis (remember him from American Idol?), I was seated right in front of the stage. It was quite a strain on the neck but at least we got to see everything up close. If only JW were there to feel all that energy and rocking ...............

Alexander McQueen
On the day that I went to the Ground Zero Museum, news had just broken out that Alexander McQueen had died. It so happened that his boutique was just across the road from where the museum was. Flowers were placed outside his boutique, most probably by his fans.

Chelsea Market
I took a half day food tasting tour at Chelsea Market. This was in Chelsea, the meatpacking district which is a relatively new and hip place for the young and fashionable. Designers such as Diane von Frustenburg and Alexander McQueen have their shops in this area. Well known TV celebrity chefs also have restaurants here - Del Posto by Mario Batali, Morimoto by Chef Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame, etc.

The food tasting tour was an opportunity to sample food from the various outlets at the market. Most were mom and pop shops that were handpicked by the owner. A great tip that I got from our tour guide was that if you are visiting New York, you can request for a volunteer from the Big Apple Greeter who will take you to neighbourhoods in New York City.


Food, Glorious Food
With a foodie for a husband, you can be sure that trying out new restaurants would form a good part of our visit. With so many recommendations, it was hard to fit them all in. In my husband's precious Blackberry, there's a list of restaurants complete with addresses and contact details - his favourites as well as those that he wants to try. In fact, I always say that he's a walking food directory. Those that don't make the cut are  deleted from his Blackberry forever!. So if anyone out there wants to know where to eat - Singapore, Malaysia, New York, Bangkok, Hong Kong - you know who to call.

This time, his list for New York included Kai, Daniel, DBDG (by Daniel Boulud) and Balthazar.

You know how you can tell if a restaurant is good by how long the queue is? Well, at Balthazar, there was a queue alright! Even at 11pm on one night (good thing we had a reservation) and 10am the next morning (no reservation so no chance at all). Balthazar is a thriving, bustling hangout and it was obvious that everyone was having a good time.

New York without Daniel? Unthinkable. I'm not good at describing food and how it tastes, but let me say this and you just have to trust me on this. Whatever great reviews you have heard about Daniel, it's all true. It was simply a gastronomic experience. The service was exceptional and the food was phenomenal. And Daniel actually came out to the dining room to chat with his customers - complete with his trademark stance as seen on the Asian Food Channel. Where's the camera when you need it!!

Arty Farty
Visiting the Guggenheim Museum was kind of a weird experience. Yes, it's a monument to modernism and most (if not all) things abstract. But that still did not prepare me for some of the 'exhibits'. Imagine beginning your tour and suddenly being joined by a young boy of about 10 years old asking you whether change is good. The conversation progresses as you walk up the museum's spiral ramp. And as suddenly as he first appears, he disappears and someone else joins you. This time, the conversation is on a different topic, but still very abstract and philosophical. This continued for a while and there were a total of maybe 5 people who appeared and disappeared. Thank goodness I had reached the top of the museum!

So it really brings me to the question of what is art? A man and a woman were embracing themselves as they were lying on the floor - kissing, touching, canoodling - all in extreme slow motion. That was art?

A really weird experience but at least it was another check on my list of must do's in New York.

From something arty farty to something sporty - NBA. I used to accompany JW on his school basketball matches so, ahem, I know a thing or two about basketball. And if you are in New York, there's no better way to enjoy the game than to catch it live at Madison Square Garden. Another great experience indeed.

Did I say that New York's big? Well, not just the city but just about everything. These buildings say it all.

So final assessment of New York second time around? A very happening place and definitely worth another visit. Hope the kids can make it the next time around. When's the big money coming?!