Sambal Petai

There is an air of confidence about this restaurant which comes from three to four decades of serving. They know what they do best and they do it ignoring the fads of the day.

This except is from "the snobs" by Muriel Sparks.

Snob.A person who sets too much value on social standing, wishing to be associated with the upper class and their mores, and treating those viewed as inferior with condescension and contempt - Chambers dictionary

I feel bound to quote the above definition, it so-well fits the Ringer-Smith couple whom I knew in the 1950s and of whom I have since met variations and versions enough to fill me with wonder. Snobs are really amazing.They certainly err in failing to fool the very set of people they are hoping to be accepted by, and above all, to seem to belong to, to be taken for.They may live in a democratic society - It does nothing to help. Nothing.

I'm usually smug about arriving early to work. Haven't had the smug feeling for the last three months. I've succumbed to the peer pressure of arriving fashionably late. Lemme just say, it's addictive the difficult part is letting go, once you've done that, it's liberating. I've given up on alarum clocks. Three weeks back, I smacked the nasty machine right across the side table. It landed with a week smashing sound under the bed. I eventually crawled to it and rescued it from a lonely death under my bed. It's spoiled. No point beating around the bush.

The slack part about arriving late is finding a park. If you arrive before 7:30am, you get a spot opposite the nursery or thereabouts. Arriving closer to 8am would ensure you a spot after the psuedo covered car parks. After which time, you're relegated to spots either precariously balanced uphill or within walking distance from the dustbin. If you're of the brave variety, you could chance parking beside the curb.

Cucumber Heel Therapy. That's what the lady recommended after she had spent a whole hour getting aquainted with my feet. My first pedicure experience was good. My eyes would drif downwards every 7.5 seconds to admire the pink toes. That's right, for two whole weeks, i had a delectable shade of pink on my toes. 15 minutes after coming out of the shop, I promptly stubbed my right big toe on a book. I'm not sure what upset me more....the shooting upright sciatica pain , orthe sight of my toenail marred somewhat by the experience.