Midweek Murmurings
So it’s been a pretty harried and mixed past couple of days. The end of term is drawing near, and work is piling up, with various assignments yet complete. I’m still taking way too long to complete my readings, helped only by the fact that the exams aren’t due until next Spring, thereby making life a wee bit more bearable for now.
I managed as well to link up with someone from home who’s here on a graduate programme, sent by MFA. His fiancée was with him, and both of them were very nice. Given that I used to work there for some years, I was able to talk to him as a virtual insider. I know the lingo. I know the people. I know the policies. Unfortunately, that’s part of my past, although for him, it represents much of his future. I felt the contrast subconsciously, and a wistful sense began to emerge. I’ve been very fortunate thus far in landing very fulfilling appointments, but at this point in time, I have no idea where I’ll be this time next year…
On a much brighter note, a few of us from hall got together for a nice meal at the nearby Hare and Tortoise restaurant. It’s located in the Brunswick Centre, a recently refurbished shopping development about a five minute walk away. When I arrived in mid-September, many outlets had yet to open. Now, it’s much more pleasant, with several restaurants, an art house cinema, the almighty and posh Waitrose supermarket, and quite a few fashion retailers.
Hare and Tortoise sounds like a typically whimsical name for a local pub, but in fact, it’s a pan-Asian restaurant, serving dishes recognizable to many East and Southeast Asians. Get a glimpse of the mouth-watering menu here. I walk past the place many times a week as I make my way to school, and invariably, it’s crowded with both Asians and non-Asians. So, surely the food must be good?
And indeed it was, with generous portions to boot. I had a tasty ramen noodle soup, and also tried out someone else’s curry laksa. The prices are kind to students, and it’s definitely a place worth frequenting in future. But we got a sense of the less than satisfactory service on offer. And it seems that, judging from this review, we weren’t the only ones thinking that way.
I managed as well to link up with someone from home who’s here on a graduate programme, sent by MFA. His fiancée was with him, and both of them were very nice. Given that I used to work there for some years, I was able to talk to him as a virtual insider. I know the lingo. I know the people. I know the policies. Unfortunately, that’s part of my past, although for him, it represents much of his future. I felt the contrast subconsciously, and a wistful sense began to emerge. I’ve been very fortunate thus far in landing very fulfilling appointments, but at this point in time, I have no idea where I’ll be this time next year…
On a much brighter note, a few of us from hall got together for a nice meal at the nearby Hare and Tortoise restaurant. It’s located in the Brunswick Centre, a recently refurbished shopping development about a five minute walk away. When I arrived in mid-September, many outlets had yet to open. Now, it’s much more pleasant, with several restaurants, an art house cinema, the almighty and posh Waitrose supermarket, and quite a few fashion retailers.
Hare and Tortoise sounds like a typically whimsical name for a local pub, but in fact, it’s a pan-Asian restaurant, serving dishes recognizable to many East and Southeast Asians. Get a glimpse of the mouth-watering menu here. I walk past the place many times a week as I make my way to school, and invariably, it’s crowded with both Asians and non-Asians. So, surely the food must be good?
And indeed it was, with generous portions to boot. I had a tasty ramen noodle soup, and also tried out someone else’s curry laksa. The prices are kind to students, and it’s definitely a place worth frequenting in future. But we got a sense of the less than satisfactory service on offer. And it seems that, judging from this review, we weren’t the only ones thinking that way.
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