Sunday, April 5, 2020

Salleh sells the 4 C's

Haji Salleh Yap, always feeling young and energetic in front of the wok

I am fascinated by how Salleh Yap makes his business last. When I was a young student in the early 70's, I used to drop by at Mr. Yap's stall situated next to the Rex cinema in Kuching. Sounds familiar? Those were the days of the cinema and films, and he was in his twenties joining force with his father to conduct a simple yet unique business of selling fritters at the back lot of the Rex cinema. When I met him today at his stall nearby the Kuching divisional mosque, I found that he is just one year my senior. He has been in the business of selling fritters for the last forty five (45) years. The name "Rex Fritters", or in the local Malay lingo - cucur campur rex, was proudly displayed on a one-page menu at the table where I sat. It was all light- heartedness, friendly atmosphere and laughs when I intervened in short conversations his busy movements while he completed an unending list of orders from customers and many who lined up to buy some as take-aways. At RM 5.00 I had a plateful of fritters served hot according to my choice. The choices are many. There are fritters of fish ball, prawns, yam, sweet potatoes, sausages and bean curds. The beauty of eating the fritters at the stall is that it is served hot out of the frying pan. With a magical sauce that has remained consistent over more than four decades, he remains the N0. 1 fritter seller in Kuching. And was I surprised? He how runs courses on making fritters, the Rex style. Now I can understand why the 4 Cs he sells has kept him forever busy and wealthy- Convenience (location), Class (quality), Cheap and Culture (common cuisine). All mixed the 4 Cs has been a winning menu for people from all walks of life who have like me associated Rex fritters as an original Kuching brand over many decades.

Fritters - Rex style

Thursday, June 20, 2019

New Store at Kambatik Eco-farm


The new store of which construction took of on 23 July has been completed yesterday ( 15/9). The walls are of 10 mm thick plywood and the roofing sheets of zincalum. From today onwards the concreting of the floor inside started..

Note : This is a re-post from my other blog my Kambatik Eco-farm (2nd Ed) and can be accessed by following this link...>>>.http://myeco-farm3.blogspot.com/

Creative urges - a categorisation

 
 
My creative urges develop early in my life. A few people were convinced of them. They wrote about it in my school leaving certificates and school report cards, indicating there is a future for it. These were important for planting the love of anything creative in later years. It is for these reasons that we need people to inspire us in our lives , even in three little words.

So when I reflect on my encounters with creativity, I like to categorise them in four major periods.



Period Three: The Mature Years

Period Four: Forward -naturally

I will write these periods as they become relevant during the time of writing as and when I encounter the need for blogging them.

Therefore today I will just blog on the 'Rough Pad ' Years. This was a time of intense writing on plain rough pads, which I used in the years 1973-1974. But look there's something extra that I did . I began to do sketches in the rough pads. These were done while observing behaviours of people in classes I attended in the university days. Some were just afterthoughts in sketches of, course.

Here is a pullout collection of a few of those sketches.
The rough pads are an example of the 'Young Man as Artist 'period.
 
 

Thursday, April 7, 2016

45th trip to Bintulu - 26 August'13 (52,600 km)

Fospa resting his arm on Mama's back....fantastic therapy
http://havpawswilltravell3.blogspot.my/2013/08/45th-trip-to-bintulu-26-august13-52600.html

Banana study in crayon

Banana study (Crayon on paper), 30"x20", 1978, Kuching.

Facebook cover design for Birdwatch album - 2013

Cover design - 21 Sept'13
http://mymoodexpress.blogspot.my/2014/08/facebook-cover-design-for-birdwatch.html

Three Abstracts a day

The above were done in a day 11th January, 2012 in Kuching.  The paintings were done on plywood using left over paint.
http://mymoodexpress.blogspot.my/2014/08/three-abstracts-day.html

The Bintulu sunset in MOOD's photography

The Bintulu beaches are awesome locations for sunset photgraphy.  The Bintulu sunset is a natural resource of great tourism potential for Bintulu.  In the above photos I have tried to capture the beauty of the Bintulu sunset.
http://mymoodexpress.blogspot.my/2015/03/the-bintulu-sunset-in-moods-photography.html

Languas galanga ( Langkuas)

The " Langkuas " (Languas galanga ) is a very common plant in Sarawak
http://mykambatikbotanicgarden.blogspot.my/2010/07/languas-galanga-langkuas.html

Mid Hill surprises

The Traveller's Palm planted at the fringe of the jungle with oil palm trees in the background. From the stout trunk two rows of leaves are arranged in a fan-like shape.


A Myrmecodia epihpyte

A Myrmecodia epiphyte with large tuber housing tiny ants
Location : Licuala Hill
http://hutankambatik.blogspot.my/2016/01/a-myrmecodia-epihpyte.html

In Rattan territory (Part 1)

The climbing palms of the tropics - rattan or "Rotan" in Malay
Location : Provinsi Rattan, Zone I
http://hutankambatik.blogspot.my/2015/12/in-rattan-territory-part-1.html