21 June 2011 Today's Google Banner: Summer Solstice by Murakami

The first day of summer—heralded today by a manic bunny and bear in a Google doodle by artist Takashi Murakami—officially kicks off today at 1:16 p.m. ET, the beginning of the summer solstice and of the longest day of the year, at least in the Northern Hemisphere.
(Pictures: Summer Solstice Marked With Fire, Magic.)


What Happens at the Summer Solstice? : Discovery News

21 Jun 2011 ... You just lived through a beautifully subtle celestial event: the moment ofsummer solstice.

Depiction of summer solstice by Murakami : 

First Day of Summer. Doodle by Takashi Murakami.

A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun’s apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost orsouthernmost extremes. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination^{[citation needed]}; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun’s path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.

The term solstice can also be used in a broader sense, as the date (day) when this occurs. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In some cultures they are considered to start or separate the seasons, while in others they fall nearer the middle.

summer solstice at Stonehenge

Macedonians greet the dawn on summer solstice 2011 at the ancient observatory of Kokino.

Update: 15 February 2017

You can get more information on Takashi Murakami here:

https://www.artsy.net/artist/takashi-murakami


"The Takashi Murakami page provides visitors with Murakami's bio, over 300 of his works, exclusive articles, and up-to-date Murakami exhibition listings. The page also includes related artists and categories, allowing viewers to discover art beyond our Murakami page....."

from Matt
https://www.artsy.net/

The original taste no one can replace : Hakka Mee

More than 10 years ago, the Hakka Mee Stall was located here above a drain outside the unoccupied tailor's shop and a row of abandoned businesses.

My youngest sister and my second youngest sister (I have a lot of sisters!) at the infamous Hakka Mee stall.  The two brothers are hard at work preparing the mee for hungry but patient mee eaters.

When I was young, I remember the stall passing by my shop and my father would  intercept it on its way to this place and buy steaming bowls of beef balls  soup and plates of Hakka Mee!!!!

The five foot ways of Ban Sing Tailor are utilised for many tables and stools, all well patronised. Please note the precarious looking driveways over the drains, parts of which are uncovered, you have to negotiate your way dexterously over the huge monsoon drains, hardly appetising looking, yet not once do they detract from the popularity of the stall.

I wonder what happened to this locale and to the rows of pre-war shops, relics of the not too distant past.  The stall, however, has relocated to Jalan Abu Bakar now....see below:

By the same brothers (maybe their sons now) still bent over, feverishly preparing the mee for the customers.

This mee is so popular, it will be  a sell-out by 3 in the afternoon.

No need to stand and be wary of gigantic gaping monsoon drains!

YUMMMMMM!!!!! The trick is in the home made mee, crunchy minced pork or beef, chopped garlic, chee yau char, taugeh and FISH SAUCE (he lor) not soya sauce

the most beefy beef balls and tau kee.

Most Batu Pahat true blue locals swear by this.  My school mate, GS, has travelled the world and tasted gourmet beef, fine dining and all that, yet in the same breath can declare this the best beef balls in the world.  It is like RATATOUILLE, the taste that reminds you of your childhood.

Angie doing justice to the Hakka mee, the long express coach ride was really express: no stopping for lunch at all!!!

Afternoon Tea for Two

Still had some vouchers from my Elite Club that I had not yet utilised, so took advantage of the last few days of my school holidays to go for my afternoon tea at Mandarin O.

 Red Gerbera and stainless steel cruet set

My quintessential bookworm, effectively kills conversation.

Window seat for bigger groups

My cup of brewed coffee and biscotti

Pastries was served tier by tier

English Tea was kept warm in a cosy

Too much a spread for two of us, don't you think?  Don't worry, can ta pau! The waitress told us that!

Other afternoon tea fans.

Join me?

View of KLCC Park from the window seat.

Kampung Wedding

My weekend trip to my hometown was to attend a colleague's wedding in the kampung that was my first posting as a teacher fresh out of university. She studied in the very first school that I taught in but she is way too junior to have been my student.  Now she is my co-worker...hmmmmnnn.......

we parked our car by the edge of the monsoon drain and walked the dirt road to where the marquees are

gotong royong spirit...all the men chip in to do the cooking for the kenduri feast, but this is probably catered, in keeping with the times.

before: the cheeky bride, we were too early!

After: the demure and stunning bride

Since we are too early to catch the bersanding, and the groom's party hasn't even arrived, we took pics of the grand pelamin or wedding dais

This is the tricky part: no cutlery is given and we loved eating with our fingers.

I loved this rustic scene...guests arriving for the wedding

How's this: rugged ladies on the scooter in their wedding party finery

To top it off: if you need to go: there is always the OUTHOUSE!!!!!

Sin Mee Heng Mee Rebus for Breakfast Reunion

When I was young, (yes, another 'when I was young' story) I and my hang-out buddy, KGY, or Yan, loved to cycle to Jalan Sultanah to have our fill of the most delicious and scrumptious MEE REBUS at a shop called Sin Mee Heng.

This is the same MEE REBUS, but it is not in Sin Mee Heng at Jln Sultanah anymore.  The son has taken over and this shop is located in Jalan Abu Bakar now.

This Mee Rebus is not prepared by Indian or Malay, but Chinese, the first Mee Rebus I ever had.

My two classmates are very busy people! We could only schedule to meet for breakfast at eight on Sunday!

Drrooooool!!!!!! Looks simple to you but heaven to us, it is the taste of carefree childhood of bygone days

Just like any other mee rebus, but the secret is in the gravy....SECRET RECIPE!!!!!!

My friend TBE and my colleague

Another friend of mine, she is a mother of five! and I think she is already a grandmother.

The best and most fragrant coffee that does not need to look "kaw"

After breakfast we went back to my sis's house to get ready for the kampung wedding.

Awesome Riverside Glutton Square

Our favourite haunt when we were young: the RIVERSIDE GLUTTON SQUARE!!!!!! 


When we were teens it was the most happening place for us. After tuition we will cycle (don't laugh, we cycled everywhere!) to Glutton Square to hang out!!!!

After all these years it is still the same!!!! (Hope it remains the same forever)

The FOOD!!!!! All our old favourites!!!!
(Pardon our bedraggled appearance, we look tired and hungry travelling all day from KL by coach)

We met this girl on the coach in the morning and we bumped into each other again at night at Glutton Square!
Turns out she is my sister's long lost classmate.
She is also looking for all her favourite foods of her childhood and showed me where to get the famous Chai Tau Kueh.

 CHAI TAU KUEH

POPIAH

This is Popiah Basah with taugeh and omelette and mang kuang and nuts and fish cake yum yum yum

Kueh Teow Soup with real "Sai Tou Fish" Fish Balls, Otak Otak the Batu Pahat kind

OR CHEAN with fat oysters from Minyak Beku (I think).

ALL THE FOOD 

OF MY CHILDHOOD

NO OTHER PLACE CAN REPLICATE!

OR IMITATE!

There are more food of nostalgic taste to come.  These are only from the Riverside Walk.