Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy,
and is also the 3rd largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia.
It was inhabited by the ancient Ligurians;
before being invaded by the Etruscans,
and later on after 480 BC, by the Romans.
Between that period and early 1800s,
Elba passed through many hands – barbarians, Saracens,
the Republic of Pisa, the Visconti of Milan, the Appiani, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and King Philip II of Spain.
In 1802, the French took over the island,
and is most well-known as where Napoleon was banished to for 300 days.
That same century in 1860, Elba became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
It’s a beautiful colourful place with many steps leading you further up the town,
round-arched doors, and windows with shutters (you know, like the types we used to play with using our Lego sets :p)
The group from the boat making their way up up up
You can’t get anymore kitschy than a bright orange floral cloth used as a makeshift curtain,
right below an equally bright orange wall!
Besides my never-ending fascination for stones, leaves, insects and the sky,
i also have a deep fondness for peeling paint on walls…
I love how the picture above looks like two separate photos!
Such a great angle to take some crazy shots if properly planned…
Remember the polar bear in The Golden Compass?
I don’t want that bear anymore.
I want THIS ONE that drinks straight from the bottle.
*glug*glug*glug* So cute!
Isn’t it crazy pretty…
And people wonder why i don’t get so many pictures of myself in the shots.
I really think it’s so much nicer without anybody in it,
let alone silly me trying to be funny posing with my big hat or something!
It’s SO BEAUTIFUL.
I could just EAT the picture.
(i didn’t edit any colours too!)
These were the quarters where Napoleon was banished to,
along with 600 of his men (i think).
Looking around, i thought, “Man. If i had to be banished here with 600 people i knew, with ample food and wine… I’d be HAPPY.”
So easy to please
Ok, so here’s one of me posing with my big blue hat.
Yishninini and i took silly pictures of us balancing on a low pole.
We asked Nir to do it too, and to our surprise he hopped onto one.
After that morning walk, we went back to the boat.
Spot the evil jellyfish…
This is why we didn’t jump off the boat into the water there!
Einat prepared us a fresh brunch of salads.
Ok don’t judge me.
I promise the last time i played with my food was when i was in primary school…
Cassie came along the cruise,
but she mostly stayed inside the cabin cos she doesn’t like the wind or water.
And plus, when i took her out for some fresh air and a picture,
she’d get abused by Nir.
I had a couple of Guinnesses with Govin and Terry a few months ago,
and they told me about a comedy project they were working towards to take place at KLPAC this month.
Good on them for putting this together!
If there is a comedy i’d attend, it’s one put together by Indians.
Because IMHO, Indians are some of the funniest friends i have!
Always dramatic and OTT creative.
This 11-15 August @ KL PAC, TerryAndTheCuz presents:
So i was quite surprised reading the number of performing arts initiatives they’ve been involved in since 2004,
from the fringe art scenes of Melbourne,
to outings at International Festivals in Adelaide, New Delhi,
Prague (contracted to design and operate the ‘The Puppet Black Box Theatre’ at the 2007 Prague Quadrennial Design Festival),
and ‘Citrawarna Malaysia’.
Beginning their mark in the scene in the field of Lighting Design
TerryandTheCuz garnered a public acknowledgment
when awarded the Prestigious Orloff Family Trusts Grant
for its outstanding achievement in the Melbourne fringe art scene.
In 2008, TerryandTheCuz completed a residency (at the Malthouse Theatre with The Black Lung, designing for ‘Avast’ and ‘Avast 2: The Welshman Cometh’) which earned the company its 2nd Lighting Design Nomination at the 2008 Melbourne Greenroom Awards.
They’ve even been engaged for design and electrics installation
for the Australian Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai
(which i’ll be going for next month!)
For the World Premiere of ‘My Lingam Speaks’,
TerryandTheCuz are working with a core group of creatives from Australia.
I had more fun seeing everyone again rather that enjoy the set…
Don’t know whether it’s because i got utterly spoilt with the festivals in UK,
or my mood.
I’m just going to blame it on my mood,
cos i’ve been on an emotional roller coaster lately,
and dragging the poor man bumpity-bump behind me on it.
Plus, i just had a minor car accident today.
(i think it’s the goddamn Secret! Cos i’ve been so negative and moody so i blame my own attracting the accident! :p)
Banged some motorcyclist who demanded that i pay him for the damages.
Thing is, i was in my lane.
And he pretty much came into me…
I took pictures and pointed out the car marks to him on the road, “Look. My tyre marks are in my lane. And you said you were going near the roundabout? WHY were YOU coming into MY lane?!”
Then he threatened me by saying he could just whack my car up right then and there.
People… when can you learn that violence is never the answer…
I was really calm, looked at him in exasperation and said, “Really… why would you want to do that…”
Because if anything, i know shouting back and being defensive wasn’t going to help me.
And i think i was braver with being calm cos there were two really nice guys who stopped as well.
After they listened to both sides of the story,
they helped me change my tyre.
(At first i was a bit wary, cos i’ve had friends who got into accidents,
and passerbys end up STEALING their bag/wallet in the car!
So i made sure i locked all my doors before turning my attention to the incident)
I told the guy that if he really wanted me to settle his bill for him,
which i refused,
we can jolly well go make a police report and i can show them the picture i took.
So he left, phew.
Really didn’t want a guy to lose it and whack me or something.
Just before i left for Europe, ChelleX3 told JacintaTravinia and i how she’s starting on a new family-run restaurant business.
We loved her concept for it,
and we also loved how we got to be willing lab rats for some of the dishes they were testing out before its launch. (This was when we were spending hours at Chelle’s house for the Leftblock x Nike project)
Her new restaurant is called Fat Spoon and located
on the same row as Wondermilk / right next to Hong Kee porridge
in Damansara Uptown.
Went there with AshleyTheMonkey, whose favourite bit are the vintage doors they sourced
I love the way ChelleX3 did the place up.
It’s unique in KL and has all these pieces that will make you go, “Hey… we used to have a sofa set like that years ago *points at rattan furniture*” “I think all our parents did… years ago!”
Fat Spoon serves Asian food –
not-so-typical dishes that originate from the smaller towns in Malaysia,
mixed with a tad of modernity (i.e. spicy beef macaroni soup, say what!)
I told Ash that i feel like i’m eating in a kampung, but a cooler one.
Think Kampung Hipster.
Congrats on the launch of it, Chelle!
I think KL needs more spaces like what you just came up with…
and i foresee we’ll be having our future meetings there so i’ll end up memorizing the menu soon
Fat Spoon is located at:
73 Jalan SS 21/1A
Damansara Utama
Selangor
There was no electricity when we arrived at Port Macinaggio,
and we went through much trouble ordering in the dark.
You know what is harder than reading a menu in the dark?
Reading a menu in French, in the dark.
I think i guessed lots of the dishes from a few words i knew here and there,
and Yishninini and i had to ask what the rest were.
Power came back on just after we ordered!
Soupe de poisson / fish soup
One of my favourite starters to have…
Even took a picture of a soupe de poisson recipe to try at home.
A seafood pasta Yishnini and i shared.
This is a picture of the whole dish, with Yishninini behind just to show its massive proportions.
Oh, ignore the prawns photoshopped on her head.
I was showing Nir the wonders of Photoshop and decided to just leave them there.
Since we arrived at the port pretty late in the evening, Yishninini and i went for a rather short walk around the rather small town the next morning before we set sail again.
