konaEATS@amici

had dinner last night with mrs kona @ AMICI (24 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088447)........supposedly award-winning blah blah blah...

started off sharing 2 appetisers - wild mushroom soup and a frittura mista (atas name for deep fried prawn and sotong appetiser)...soup was rich and full of mushroom bits but found it slightly on the sourish side as compared to others that i have sampled in the past...not so authentic...the fry up consisted of 1 measly prawn and a fair bit of sotong...it was not crispy enuff but the batter was quite fabulously tasty...


main courses were a portebello mushroom steak and a spag carbonara...the steak was supposed to be medium but tended more towards medium well...the portebello mushroom sauce was exceptionally tasty but unfortunately the steak was not upto standard of the sauce and not particularly large either...the spag carbonara was much better though...creamy but not cloying...apparently they do not actually use cream at all as a base but rely more on egg yolk...very generous helping of bacon in it...but could have a been a little bit more salty...



no desserts as both mrs kona and i were half asleep already since dinner was very close to 10 and we were both dead tired...

ambience in the restaurant was alright i guess...nice darkwood panelling on the walls and tables lit with tealights...incongrueously, on the overhead widescreen plasma (LCD?) tv, they were playing backstreet boy videos just freaky

do not take coffee there....it sucks worse than nescafe i tell u and they have the audacity to charge 5 bucks a cup...sheesh...

service-wise - 1 young waiter = sotong...but the other older waiter actually remembered us from the last time we went about 1 month back...solicituous...that i appreciated...

parking around the tanjong pagar area is a hit and miss affair due to the overabundance of pubs in that area...duxton hill was packed to the brim and i ended up in craig road hawker centre carpark and had to walk close to 5 mins to get to the restaurant...

overall - 6/10
food-wise - 6.5/10
ambience - 5.5/10

middling...not a recommended from me...

sorry, what's that again???

hahhhhhhhhh????

useless!!!

attention-seeking idiot!


Man's 100-plus suicide attempts yet to succeed

A man was rescued from hanging himself on a tree in Nanjing on Monday, marking 100-plus failed attempts at suicide over the past three years.

Shi, from Ningbo of Zhejiang Province, divorced his wife in 2003. Afterward, the middle-aged man felt his life to be meaningless and decided to end it. Since 2003, he has tried to kill himself more than 100 times but has always been rescued.

Police are now investigating Shi's case.

read more HERE

*chortling madly*

frickin' hilarious!

In the days of the Wild West, there was a young cowboy who wanted more than anything to be the greatest gunfighter in the world He practiced every minute of his spare time, but he knew that he wasn't yet first-rate and that there must be something he was doing wrong.

Sitting in a saloon one night, he recognized an elderly man standing at the bar who - in his day - had the reputation of being the fastest gun in the West. The young cowboy took a place next to the old-timer, bought him a drink and told him the story of his great ambition. "Do you think you could give me some tips?" he asked.

The old man looked him up and down and said, "Well, for one thing, you're wearing your gun too high. Tie the holster a little lower down on your leg."

"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the young man.

"Sure will," replied the old-timer.

The young man did as he was told, stood up, whipped out his 44 and shot the bow tie off the piano player.

"That's terrific!" said the hot shot. "Got any more tips for me?"

"Yep," said the old man. "Cut a notch out of your holster where the hammer hits it. That'll give you a smoother draw."

"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the younger man.

"You bet it will," said the old-timer.

The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, stood up, drew his gun in a blur, then shot the cufflink off the piano player.

"Wow!" exclaimed the cowboy. "I'm learnin' something here. Got any more tips?"

The old man pointed to a large can in the corner of the saloon. "See that axle grease over there? Coat your gun with it."

The young man went over to the can and smeared some of the grease on the barrel of his gun.

"No," said the old-timer, "I mean smear it ALL over the gun, handle and all."

"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the young man.

"No," said the old-timer, "but when Wyatt Earp gets done playing the piano, he's gonna shove that gun up your ass, and it won't hurt as much."

something wrong with this pic

see it??

now that's a headline...

...you don't see everyday

1st the pizza, now....cola????

for those watching their weight, FRIED diet coke??? tok about oxymoronic!!! geez, what will they think of next?????

Fried Coca-Cola?

A new fast food is making its debut at U.S. fairs this fall -- fried Coke. Abel Gonzales, 36, a computer analyst from Dallas, tried about 15 different varieties before coming up with his perfect recipe -- a batter mix made with Coca-Cola syrup, a drizzle of strawberry syrup, and some strawberries.

Balls of the batter are then deep-fried, ending up like ping-pong ball sized doughnuts which are then served in a cup, topped with Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry on the top.

"It tastes great," said Sue Gooding, a spokeswoman for the State Fair of Texas where Gonzales' fried Coke made its debut this fall. "It was a huge success."
Gonzales ran two stands at the State Fair of Texas and sold up to 35,000 fried Cokes over 24 days for $4.50 each -- and won a prize for coming up with "most creative" new fair food.

Now other fairs in North Carolina and Arizona are following the trend, and other people are trying to emulate Gonzales' recipe. Gonzales gave no indication of the calories in his creation and said he would not patent it.

"The best I can hope for is that it's the original and hopefully the best fried Coke out there," he said. But Gonzales said the success of his fried Coke had inspired him. Next year's fair-goers can look forward to fried Sprite or -- for those watching their weight -- fried diet Coke.

read more HERE

classic joke!

The Retirement Dinner

Father Sullivan was being honored at his retirement dinner after 30 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. However, the politician was delayed, so the priest decided to say his own words while they waited.

"I got my first impression of the parish from the very first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to
lie his way out of it. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss's wife, taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his girlfriend. I was appalled. However, as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people"....

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk. "I'll never forget the first day Father Sullivan arrived," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being the very first one to go to him in confession...."

Moral: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BE LATE!!!!!!

SMOKIN' ACES

another rather intriguing movie to look forward to next year...



Smokin' Aces is a film written and directed by Joe Carnahan. An action comedy set in Lake Tahoe, it marks Carnahan's first feature film after Narc. It stars Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Piven as the lead characters. It also features the film debut of songstress Alicia Keys.

A dying mob boss takes out a one million dollar contract on the life of his former protege, a Vegas magician turned gangster who has agreed to testify against the mob. But before he heads off for protective custody, decides to go to the casinos at Lake Tahoe for one last good time, drawing a crowd of assassins. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attempts to protect their key witness as an array of hit men and women descend on Lake Tahoe in a race to take the magician out. The release date of the film is slated for early March 2007 in Canada and the United States.

The hi-definition QT trailer is available for download HERE.

update on the train crapper

following on from HERE...he's been caught!

Man on trains defecating charge - Update

A man has been charged with causing more than £20,000 worth of criminal damage by defecating in train carriages across the south-east of England.

Bonney Eberndu, 36, of no fixed address, was arrested at Camberwell Green bus garage, in south-east London.

British Transport Police had released CCTV images of the man they wanted to question over 22 incidents on trains during the last three months.

read more HERE

ok so i've heard of loving your pet but...

...isn't this a bit extreme? especially the bottom right pic...what the blazes is that girl doing???

well at least she won't starve to death!

Fridge Falls On Woman, Traps Her For 4 Days

A Roseville woman was pinned down to the ground for four days her refrigerator fell on top of her in her kitchen, as she fought to stay alive.

69-year-old Inga Walen's refrigerator was top heavy and as she leaned in to open the fridge door, it fell forward, toppling her.

Inga tried calling for help any way she could. At first she grabbed some shattered glass pieces that fell on top of her during the accident, and she threw them at her kitchen window to draw attention and make noise. After that didn't work, she then managed to grab a wooden spoon and a pressure cooker lid, and banged the two together as she called for help.

Luckily by the fourth day, Greg Allen, a politicivan running for the Placer County Water Board, heard Inga's call for help while going door-to-door campaigning. He found an unlocked door and ran in to save Inga's life.

Inga suffered a broken collar bone, and injured both legs as a result of the accident. She says that she doesn't care which political party Allen represents, she's voting for him either way.

read more HERE

this is damn bo liao...

A man's life: Half a year ogling women

A British male on average gives up six months of his life span ogling women, starting with her breasts and working down to her legs.

The arithmetic is based on a target rate of eight different girls per day with an eyeing time of two minutes per girl, says a survey by BuySpecs4less.co.uk.

The report said girls too ogle but are not as prolific as the men. Their total is just one month of their life span, based on eyeing two men a day for 90 seconds each.

The survey also said the male anatomy most girls stare are the eyes, with the butt taking the second place.

read original article HERE

redneck PDA

what NOT to do when you get...

...hauled over by the bacon

all points bulletin!

oh wait, this guy looks familiar...

kona's desert island discs 3

THE BEST OF - SUGAR RAY
another heralded party band...The Best Of reveals that Sugar Ray's music is the perfect soundtrack for relaxing and having a good time...OR rocking out at a beach fest with omnipresent thongs and bikinis and free-flowing beers :))

Mark McGrath and company made their major impact for a brief period in the 90s...while they have made some great catchy jingles, they arguably came almost close, but not quite, to attaining rock greatness...

still this is a very worthwhile addition to any collection...with standout tracks such as the unbelievably infectious EVERY MORNING and WHEN IT'S OVER, the twangy riffs and reggae overtones of FLY and the punkish ANSWER THE PHONE...



ALL STAR SMASH HITS - SMASHMOUTH
the 90s brought with them a tidal wave of feel-good party bands such as sugar ray and the offspring and smashmouth can be listed here together with the best of them...feel-good pop music is just soooooo wonderful innit? :D

truth is, we need bands like smashmouth, we need bands that are fun, and we need good music when it's time to party, hit the beach and get well and truly hammered...some call it frat boy music, but i just call it happy rock ;) this 20 track compilation obvious is a great selection of all their essential hits including my fave WALKING ON THE SUN, their biggest smash (excuse the pun hor) ALL STAR, HOLIDAY IN MY HEAD and their cover of the neil diamond hit I'M A BELIEVER (a stellar inclusion in the soundtrack of shrek)...



THE VERY BEST OF - SHERYL CROW
there are very few remaining artists who can really showcase true talent and acclaim while still making an impact on the charts...the once mrs eric clapton to-be (and also once mrs lance-armstrong to-be) is one of these very few. since her 1993 breakthrough debut album "Tuesday Night Music Club," she has proven time and time again that women can really make it big in this business....she's a critics' darling with ordinary looks and an average, sometimes nasally voice, but strap a guitar on her, and she'll prove why she's lasted for ten years in this tough and competitive world of music...the words ROCK CHICK never seemed more apt...

one of the best compilation hits album that has come along in a while...almost every song is a winner and a genuine hit (except maybe THE DIFFICULT KIND)...personal fave is her re-do of the old stones hit THERE GOES THE NEIGHBOURHOOD...uptempo and absolutely rockable...perfect for a drive with the top down and stereo at unearthly volumes :D



UNPLUGGED IN NEW YORK "LIVE" - NIRVANA
so much has already been said about THE grunge band nirvana and their charismatic frontman kurt cobain that i do not feel the need to introduce them already...this is the very last collection of songs recorded before the untimely death of cobain...

nirvana caught many people out with this offering of stripped-down, neo-acoustic live recording which barely disguises the incandescent passion and unbridled fury of the classic nirvana sound...haunting and chilling to listen to at times, it provides both new and old fans with a renewed appreciation for the nuances of one of the greatest bands of recent times...to me, unplugged is undoubtedly nirvana at its most majestic!

COME AS YOU ARE and JESUS DON'T WANT ME FOR A SUNBEAM are my picks of first amongst equals...

RIP kurt... :(



THE GREATEST HITS - LENNY KRAVITZ
contains the seminal hits of one-man rock & soul revivalist lenny kravitz...the 15 tracks found here provide a surprisingly coherent reminder of just how much the artist has accomplished in a relatively short time...there are fast songs that rock ass, there are great slow songs to groove to, and a mix that falls right in between...showcasing a talent whose postmodern pop should play well into the new century...

i lurve all of them...least of which is black velveteen (quite a weird offering from him)...personal fave is MR CAB DRIVER, a cheeky ditty at the apathy of the modern world obsessed by racial-stereotyping :D



GARBAGE - GARBAGE
no no, not the music....just the self-titled album of this wonderful band fronted by the delectable (in a goth sense) shirley manson :D i think anyone who likes rock, punk, pop, techno, and eeriely meaningful lyrics will find their personal nirvana in this band...

garbage has many elements in its sound contributing to its broad appeal - incredibly infectious and danceable tracks almost pop-pish in nature but undeniably a rock album, first and foremost...in an era of post-grunge, where many up-and-coming bands were clearly derivative of such luminaries like nirvana and pearl jam, garbage's brand of rock/pop/retro offered a refreshing change of pace...

the album's massive hit, the super infectious ONLY HAPPY WHEN IT RAINS is without doubt, one of the greatest rock songs from the 1990s....both epitomizing and mocking the self-involvement and narcissistic outlook of generation X...other standouts are QUEER, SUPERVIXEN and STUPID GIRL...

get this....you'll never regret it :D



AMERICAN IDIOT - GREEN DAY
green day first burst into prominence primarily as a rock band playing rowdy, trashy yet sublimely catchy music but with this album, they tear up the blueprint and comes up with something unexpected: a punk rock concept album built around elaborate melodies, odd tempo changes, and a collection of songs that freely reference classic rock warhorses like the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

...akin to an operatic masterpiece :)) the worst song on the album is american idiot (which is a personal fave as i dislike dubya!) and that's actually pretty damned good...best song is BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS...

ok, so they might not be universally appreciated by one and all, but then again, this is MY list :P haha...



BIG ONES - AEROSMITH
i wasn't listening to music yet when aerosmith hit the big time in the 70s and subsequently faded out of the scene a bit towards the early 80s...but then these blokes never stopped rockin'from the 70's to the present...

they never failed the rock fans with their infectious blues-inspired rock music from gen X to Y, from the unsurpassed style of rock vocals in each track courtesy of Steven Tyler's howling voice to the ass kickin' riffs of Joe Perry...

for the beginners, this is a great introduction to aerosmith....the best....so far...best song is JANIE'S GOT A GUN...a spine-tingling song addressing the pain and torment of sexually-abused kids...won critical acclaim when it first came out...others are DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY, LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR, RAGDOLL and EAT THE RICH...

kona's desert island discs 2

20000 WATT R.S.L. - MIDNIGHT OIL
a highly politically-conscious australian quintet, the band rocked their way thru the mid 80s right upto the the early 90s...playing songs of shocking cohesiveness and distinct togetherness with the issues of the day...this album is a terrific overview of their material...songs which are so full of passion that they are positively scorching...one for the years...listen to the words of BEDS ARE BURNING...oooooh momma!!! :)



THE BEST OF - COLD CHISEL
few people outside of australia would have heard of them and their charismatic, hard-drinking lead singer jimmy barnes...i lived in australia from 90-93, and had never heard of them till i moved there....and what a pleasant shock it was when I found myself hearing their brand of rock and singing/stomping like a mad man along with the songs...this band is the essence of Oz - raw power and emotion with simply great tunes to back them...at the time of these recordings, jimmy barnes was singlehandedly drinking enough vodka to keep the Soviet Union's alcohol industry afloat...listen to KHE SANH, GOODBYE ASTRID GOODBYE, CHOIR GIRL, FLAME TREES and WHEN THE WAR IS OVER for a representation of what they do...simply divine!



THE GREATEST HITS - INXS
AUSSIE AUSSIE OI OI OI!!! when michael hutchence died tragically, i was distraught to say the least...i spent my formative high school and university years listening to this tightly-wrought band which fast became my absolute favourite...i still remember watching them play in a small cosy pub where i studied and it was an experience only second to seeing U2 live during the joshua tree tour...this album is quite a fitting eulogy to the man...he gave the band his charisma, energy, sensuality and funk...hell, he even gave good ole fishlips Jagger a run for his money in sheer rockability and raw sex appeal...every song in this album rox...but the one standout for me would be SUICIDE BLONDE (ironically)...RIP MICK :(

footnote - they have recently reformed with J.D. Fortune as the lead singer...he was picked from a diverse group of musicians in a american-idol-style reality show called ROCKSTAR:INXS...only time will tell if he can hold a candle to the flame that was mick hutchence...



THE BEST OF - HOWARD JONES
another synth-pop legend...woefully under-rated and largely forgotten due to shifting trends on the music industry...terrifically lyrical and heartfelt...recommended listens are LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU WELL, EVERLASTING LOVE, THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER, WHAT IS LOVE and the wistful NO ONE EVER IS TO BLAME (my personal favourite)...



THE HITS / THE B-SIDES - PRINCE
the mission impossible - to write 100 words on 56 songs by the greatest artist the '80s produced

no way jose...can't do it sir...die die oso cannot!!! this collection of 3 CDs showcases the purple one's musical journey from 1978 to 1992...a potent melting pot of different musical influences (however much he could be influenced and not the one doing the influencing)...the man is pretty much undefinable...funky, soulful, infectiously danceable and dark hedonistic eroticism are descriptions only scratching the surface...

"You can be the side effect," he mutters within. "I'd rather be the dope." Witness some of the funkiest pharmaceuticals products around in this 3 disc collectable :D



BABY I DON'T CARE (A BEST OF) - TRANSVISION VAMP
ah, wendy james....one of my biggest infatuations back then...loud, sassy and made some of the trashiest pop rock i've ever heard...this music is so vacuous it almost breaks your heart, but it sounds so effin' amazing :))...BABY I DON'T CARE is one of the most nihilistic bubble gum songs of the 1980's...instantly catchy, anthemic and totally smashing! other standouts are VELVETEEN, TELL THAT GIRL TO SHUT UP, REVOLUTION BABY, and SISTER MOON...but strangely, one of my personal favourites PSYCHOSONIC CINDY isn't included...

p.s. i went for their concert in perth 3 days in a row with front row seats...could see her knickers...mwahahahaha... :P



GLITTERING PRIZE 81/92 - SIMPLE MINDS
anyone who was around in the `80s has heard this scottish band at one time or another whether they know it or not, probably from the BREAKFAST CLUB theme, DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME...jim kerr fronts the band with a smooth, hypnotic voice that helps give simple minds its unique sound...other standouts include ALIVE AND KICKING, SOMEONE SOMEWHERE IN SUMMERTIME, ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID and WATERFRONT...



THE BEST OF - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK
classic early '80s synth-pop...brilliant orchestration and low-key tempos and sugary melodies keep the songs rich but not totally fluffy...glassy silky smooth vocals from paul humphrey and andy mccluskey...consistently clever pop music...big in the UK where they hailed from but never made it mega in the US until their song IF YOU LEAVE was featured in the seminal movie PRETTY IN PINK....pretty unheralded mostly i still think...but if you miss them out, you'll be poorer for it...


THE SINGLES - THE SMITHS
the smiths were one of the bands that defined the 80s for me (at least for brit pop)...morrissey's deft vocals, johnny marr's guitar - the whole effect is so much more emotional than the self-conscious stuff that passes as pop now...every song here is unlike all the cookie-cutter tunelessness we get today...alternative rock at its best, jingly-jangly guitar riffs, brooding and very English vocals, fastpaced and morose in just the right doses...have a listen...you'll enjoy it :)


THE BEST OF - NEW ORDER
more intelligent britpop...the former joy division after ian curtis passed on...New Order came to prominance in the British scene with their blend of punk, dance, and pop music...the forefathers of synth-pop...personal favourites are RUINED IN A DAY and 1963...and of course TRUE FAITH and BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE deserve a mention...