Back to SG

So, I'm back to SG, I've made contact with 2 chefs in BKK, the rest hasn't replied. Another chef from the Marriott just dropped me an email to exchange some information, we'll see what will come out of it. I had a very good interview with the Grand Hyatt Erawan, but in the end, the HR director said he/she coudn't get a visa for me (couldn't or wouldn't, I don't know, cos' for a company to employ a foreigner, it has to pay close to 1000SGD each year to the state). The second chef from Plaza Athenee said he has no budget, but will help me ask around, much appreciated. My chefs at LCB said they'll ask around to, but as of today, nothing heard from them.

I had lunch at Absinthe today, unfortunately by the time we finished lunch, chef François had already left. In any case, it was good to chat with the other a few of the folks there who are in know of what's going on in the culinary scene locally - who left which restaurant, who opened what, how well is it doing, etc..... I figure I'm gonna drop a few emails to some of them in the next few days. As it is, I just dropped Absinthe my resume. Though I didn't get a reply previously when I asked for an internship, I guess this time might be different.

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On the other hand, my boxes from France arrived finally (actually, they arrived while I was in BKK), and I just taken them apart to see if anything was damaged or lost, like what happened to my first box that I sent.

I'll save you the photos, but the first box came to me with a gaping big hole, and then absent mindedly patched up with "Laposte" masking tape, and they put some plastic restraining straps around it. Some hard-to-get food stuff were missing, a few items were damaged, and that's what you get for paying close to 460SGD for 'priority' delivery?!

I made a big fuss to Laposte, but they only came back with the reply, sure you can make a claim, just produce the receipt of the items, and also the AWB when you sent out the box from us. Easier said than done, I'm no longer in Paris!

So, these 2 recent boxes came out knocked up all over, even clingfilm wrapped around, but luckily nothing was missing nor damaged. And these were the 'normal' delivery (i.e. taking 14 days - it actually took close to 18 days), compared to the first one.

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They look strangely familiar, like items from a time capsule, all these sweaters, woollen clothes, scarves... was it that long ago that I've left Paris? Then I started to get a bit nostalgic about Paris such as white wine chilled just by leaving out at the window.....

I hear spring has arrived in Europe, it's warmer now, and I bet my flowers have already bloomed.

This was taken just before I left my apartment in end Febuary.

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I wonder if the corner bookstore sold a few more books recently, I wonder if the midget that takes the same train as I do almost every morning recognised that I'm no longer there, I wonder if my landlord has found a new tenant. I wonder when the hell the stupid housing insurance company will refund me the balance, I wonder if the stupid gym that I've signed up with previously actually acted on my letter to stop my membership and my monthly "GIRO", cos' I still see deductions from my French bank account!