ab last supper!

Writer: Ginny Quek
Photos: Deborah Wong
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

AB Block had its last supper for the semester on Monday and it was very aptly named ”The Last Supper”. There was no Halloween theme involved which seemed to be the main theme that most of the other blocks were revolving around so it was a refreshing change! Although I suppose some might argue that it might make the supper seem too mundane. However, any lack of theme was soon made up for by the feast that was spread out in front of our eyes.

ab block head, eddie, declaring the supper open!

tasty nuggets!

golden brown hashbrowns

ice cream!

There was indeed a wide variety of food available, and in abundant quantities too! Just to name a few dishes, there was pasta, potato salad, fried finger food, prata sausage (which was really tasty!), sandwiches as well as jelly and fruits for dessert to complete the scrumptious menu! The AB block committee had truly outdone themselves this time round.The amount of effort that must have been put in by the block committee to prepare all this food must have been huge, judging by the quality of the food! Here’s a sneak peak at what went on behind the scenes!

power of teamwork - 8 hands to open 1 can!

why the potato salad ended up looking up like mashed potato

super pro watermelon cutter

oops!

However, owing to the fact that many of the residents were busy with the photoshoot and numerous CCA trainings that were ongoing at the same time, the turnout was lesser than expected. But still, there was a good turnout with about two-third of the residents coming down to enjoy the supper. We also had some unexpected guests from CD block whom we warmly welcomed. After all, we’re all from the East Wing family!

food makes ppl happy!

more happy faces!

After the supper, there was still some food left so we shared the love with the Hallplay set builders and photo committee people who had been hard at work the whole night to thank them for their efforts. The gesture was definitely very well-received and both groups welcomed the treat with open arms (or rather, mouths). All in all, it was a heart-warming and cosy supper which was an excellent way to end off the activities of Semester 1! Now, everybody will be settling in to mug so good luck to all and have fun preparing for the finals!

cd dessert night!

Writer: Ashish
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

CD Dessert Night took place on a cool, Tuesday night, kicking off at 10pm. Many CD blockers came down, all dressed in their new CD block shirts for this year. Amidst the sea of yellow, you could just make out the colourful sweets that the block committee had provided the gathering with. Leaving no effort wanting, the block committee presented an extravagant menu for all to indulge in. The premiun selection for the evening included the following palatable items; soursop drink, chocolate cream puffs, jelly, Sara Lee cheesecake, raspberry cakes and ice cream! However, the star dishes of the night were undisputedbly Jordan’s “extra creamy” salad and banana with melted chocolate.

food!

more food!

These last 2 dishes, though popular, required a lot of effort from the block committee. It took over an hour for Jordan just to make his special salad.! Even though I pestered the chef for details regarding his recipe, he would not budge. In the end, the only info I managed to dig out was that the salad is a mixture of fruits cocktail, peaches, nata de coco, grapes, banana and coconut with cream.

The story behind the banana topped with chocolate is also quite interesting. According to a reliable source, the guys first attempted to melt the chocolate but unfortunately, they used a wrong method to melt it and the chocolate actually turned lumpy! The chocolate seemed destined for the dustbin when Nicholas, the vice block head, wanted to throw it away, thinking that it was spoilt. However, by a miraculous stroke of luck (or rather, due to the greedy taste buds of some), the chocolate was saved from the dustbin when some of the cooks tasted it and actually liked it! I guess CD blockers can only thank their lucky stars as had the dish been thrown away, a great culinary experience would have been denied to all!!

ice cream murder!

past and present block heads

The event culminated at 11pm, with all blockers having satisfied the sweet tooth in them. It was a refreshing experience seeing so many blockers turn up to de-stress and hang out with fellow blockers. Thank you CD block committee for such a wonderful evening!

cd block!

 

CD Halloween Night

Writer: Ng Sze Hwee
Photos: Zhang Jiyuan
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

It was a dark, hazy and serene night. Everything seemed exceptionally peaceful, seemingly serving as a prelude to the gloomy forecast for the night. What you are going to see is not for the faint-hearted definitely. Are you ready?

Sadako pays a visit to CD

Sadako and her friends

The creatures started their haunting at around 8.30pm, creeping along the corridors of CD, knocking on blockers’ doors and scaring the wits out of unsuspecting blockers who opened the door. Toilet-goers were not spared either. The monsters hid outside the toilets, pouncing on exiting toilet-goers. Well, luckily the victims had already relieved themselves. Otherwise, I guess the uncle will have a hard time cleaning up the results of uncontrolled bladder action the following day. The responses were varied and priceless—Some were so scared that they slammed the door after giving a high-pitched “Ahhhhh”; some stoned while looking at the enthusiastic monsters, while some laughed with them. The scaring continued as the block committee members went randomly down CD block to look for more potential victims.

As the clock struck 10pm, another scream was heard. “HALLOWEEN… CD Halloween!!!!” It was a call for the blockers to go down to the lounge for supper.

The lounge was intricately decorated with dangling bats and spooky music filled the room, creating the perfect eerie atmosphere. When everyone had arrived, the night started with the first game: ”The Word Search Puzzle” . Blockers were split into different groups and competed to complete the search for 20 over words in a pile of jumbled up words and letters. I must admit this was one of the hardest word search puzzles I had ever come across. However, with our unwavering determination and strong team work, my team emerged champion! And, we won 2 puppets!

CD blockers engrossed in the word search

Sweet victory!

Next up, we had some food. However, the amount of food was unusually little this time round. As we were wondering why there was so little food, Terence announced the start of the next game: “The Bid For Food”. All of us were divided into 2 teams (A and B), with ) and had to bid for 7 items with the “Halloween bills” ($100 each) pasted on our doors. Team A, having brought down all their “Halloween bills”, naturally had more spending power. The 7 items were unknown to us but a clue was given as to what they could be. The identity of the item was only revealed after the bid was final and the catch was: the team who won the bid had to FINISH ALL the food, regardless of what the food was or how bad (or good) it  tasted. And here’s the menu for the night…

Item 1: Dragon’s poo. Something sweet.

Final bid: $200

Winning team: Team A

What it was: Cupcakes with M&M’s chocolate! Yummy!

Dragon's Poo!

Item 2: Vampire’s blood

Final bid: $200

Winning team: Team B

What it was: Tomato juice

Team B sharing the Vampire's Blood

Item 3: Rancid goo

Final bid: $700 (Note: this made team B even poorer)

Winning team: Team B

What it was: Super sour Jelly! (haha! )

Cringing face

Item 4: Old scream

Final bid: $1000

Winning team: Team A

What it was: Oreo with the creamy side-up, topped with M&Ms.

Item 5: Blue balls

Final bid $400

Winning team: Team A

What it was: Blue fishballs.

Blue balls

Item 6: Devil’s fruit

Final bid: $200

Winning team: Team A

What it was: Dragon fruit with wasabi (yucky hot…)

Item 7: Witch’s potion

Final bid: $1200

Winning team: Team A (the richer group! Team B lost as they had no more money!)

What it wa: GINGER BEER. Cheers to our victory!

All in all, it was a memorable Halloween party especially as one bottle of ginger beer ‘exploded’, ending the night with a ‘Boomz’. Happy Halloween!

f block chicken night!

Writer: Adrian Chia
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

Since the time I first stepped into KE VII Hall, I have heard countless comments from many seniors about the famous “Sheares’ Chicken” – how it is a “must-try” for its uniqueness, tastiness and sinfulness. It was said that if you lived on campus and yet have not tried the “Sheares’ Chicken” even once, you would have lived your hall life in vain and would spend the rest of eternity in regret! Well then, what is so special about this chicken to make generations of KE VII residents fall in love with it? Well, I guess the simple answer to this question would be – it tastes really good!

You fret about the walk down – and later up – the steep business slope towards Sheares Hall. Yes, the distance might be a bit of a hassle and most irritatingly, there would not be the shuttle bus service after 11pm. Now, if someone is willing to order it for you, deliver it to KE VII Hall and serve it to you, I am sure it is an offer that you cannot resist! You ask: “Wow, who on earth would be so kind?” Answer? The F Block Committee!

F Block Chicken Night on 15th October was certainly a much-awaited event that kept our mouths watering for weeks, ever since posters of the event were pasted on the notice boards. Members of the Block Committee pre-ordered the chickens from Sheares Hall, brought them back, and at 10pm, the feast began in our own KE VII Dining Hall! The chickens were truly yummy – the meat so tender and juicy, and of course, the cheese sauce spammed over them, how sinfully tasty! However, what made the chickens truly special were those sweet, juicy apples that were stuffed inside the chickens! Oh my, how heavenly! Just look at all those carnivores devouring the meat using their hands, guys and girls alike, totally forgetting about proper dining etiquette and hygiene!

the legendary Sheares Chicken!

how you should eat the chicken!

The climax of the night certainly came when several people were invited (or rather, sabo-ed) on stage to dance to the tunes of Nobody, Low and Poker Face. The prize for the winner – an extra pack of fries! At first the participants were rather stunned by the task, but soon they stepped up to the challenge and went gaga battling one another, sending the audience into a prolonged spasm of laughter. To fit the theme of the night, moves of the Chicken Dance were spotted when Poker Face was being played! Wonder-boys indeed!

the Wonderboys!

happy F blockers!

Thanks so much to the F Block Committee for organising this highly sinful, but immensely satisfying and enjoyable Chicken Night!

east wing mid autumn festival! :)

Writer: Ong Qing Liang
Photos: Deborah Wong, Gopal Kumar

On an uneventful Sunday night in hall, when on return from a 57-second long toilet break, I noticed that a door tag had been swiftly pasted during my brief period of absence:

the myserious doortag which appeared out of nowhere

Looking at the note, a strange sense of excitement overcame me. It felt as if I was being transported back to the era when the humble mooncake had its beginnings, the Yuan dynasty. Back then, China was under the rule of the Mongolians and rebel leaders, in a bid to devoid themselves of any suspicion, carefully distributed special cakes with secret notes embedded in them, spreading word of an impending rebellion. This time round though, the door tag given to me was not to signal a brewing upheaval in KE VII Hall, but rather, a friendly invitation to the East Wing Mid Autumn Festival.

And so on Wednesday night, the mundane BBQ area was magically transformed into a grand celestial palace. With colourful lanterns of various shapes and sizes hung all around and the quiet, peaceful moon beaming overhead, the atmosphere was perfect.

from this.....

 

to this!

Well, some say that in the past, Chang Er was recruited as a celebrity endorsement for an unnamed slimming center and in order to maintain her 10-inch waistline, she embarked on a strict no-fat, no-mooncake diet (thus earning her the nickname 常饿, or “often hungry” ) Eventually though, Chang Er became so thin and malnourished that one day, gravity was unable to hold on to her bony frame anymore and she floated off to the nearest celestial body, where she now spends her days playing with the resident rabbit and watching the next door neighbour’s futile attempts at chopping down a tree.

the legend of chang er

Well, if the Chang Er in the story above was around during the East Wing MAF, she definitely would not be able to resist the sumptuous spread available for the night. Besides the customary festival goodies such as mooncake and pomelo, there was a wide variety of other treats available for every hungry East Winger.

yummy mooncakes

 

more food!

The spirits of everyone were kept high throughout the night with many fun and creative games. The physical fitness of East Wingers was put to the test as they ran against each other in a light-the-sparkler relay (well, actually the physically demanding part was not the spinning and running, but rather trying to breathe under the dense, cough-inducing sparkler smoke) while their mental power was tested in the “lantern riddles” and “guess-the-song” segments. For some East Wing residents, it was their first time experiencing the Mid Autumn Festival. Vibol, from AB block, particularly liked the chewy texture of the mooncake and commented that it was literally ‘out of this world’ (pun intended).

racking their brains over the riddles

 

passing on the spark

 

can u guess the song?

 

ms chang er pageant?

 

we love east wing!

As the candles and sparklers started to die down, the celebrations came to an end. Satisfied East Wingers reluctantly left for their rooms knowing that while the flames of the lighted lanterns may have extinguished, the East Wing spirit continues to burn strong in each and every one of them!

e block mid autumn festival!

Writer: Riddhwaj Jalan (aka Rid)
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

Before you read on, I would like to introduce myself first. I am an Indian student who has just arrived in Singapore a few months ago. Prior to the E block Mid Autumn Festival, I had had absolutely no idea about the existence of the Mid Autumn Festival (MAF). In fact, my initial reaction to MAF was: “does Singapore even have autumn in the first place??” So, what you are going to read is not another description of a rather commonly understood festival, but rather, recollections of the MAF experience through the eyes of a stranger to the Singaporean culture.

Well, I first heard about the existence of mooncakes a month ago, from a friend who decided to torture me with thirty minutes of “Eldorado-flavoured” epic sagas of the fabled origins of mooncakes (which didn’t help explain much actually). All I remember is that he mentioned something about a lady floating off to the moon and somewhere in the story there is a rabbit too. And so began my quest to see for myself what this mystic shaman fragility called the “mooncake” actually was.

I had a rather ambiguous image in mind about “mooncakes”. Did it look more like the moon or did it look more like a cake? Did it glimmer? Did it have a lot of craters on its surface? As such, I keenly looked forward to the E block MAF, where I would be able to lay my eyes on this legendary delicacy.

So on the night of 5th October, E blockers came together to celebrate MAF. Actually, I felt that the supper was more of an excuse for all the E-blockers to get together and repair the damage that the mid-terms had had on us. As always, the supper did not fail to be entertaining. There was a lot of good interaction, exciting games, delicious cuisine and endless peals of laughter. In line with the celestial theme, it was also the night where we had our ‘angel-mortal’ revelations.

mad rush for the mooncakes!

story telling session

I was particularly impressed by the lanterns which were put up everywhere. Somehow, they gave the event an ancient, traditional and an extraordinarily homely touch (there is one hanging on my door now). The vast variety and the difference in tastes of the moon cakes was also a kind of charm of its own; though to be honest I was hoping for a more “moonly” look (this did not stop me from popping mooncake after mooncake into my mouth though). :p

if only we had these!

sparklers!

more sparklers!

Overall I think that MAF is one of the many delights that Singapore has to offer and I am glad to have been a part of this fine tradition. I look forward to uncovering many more hidden facets of the Singaporean culture in the future!

ab fruit night!

Writer: Ginny Quek
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

AB Block had its first ever Fruit Night on Wednesday and it was a resounding success. As the event drew near, blockers flocked towards the corridor outside the AB Lounge where a spectacular display of fruits laid before them. The event started off with AB Block Resident Fellow, Professor Li Xiaoping (who was meeting the AB Blockers for the first time this academic year), making a rousing speech and immediately after that, Fruit Night officially began!

gong xi fa cai! durian na lai!

The success of fruit night was in no small part, attributed to the wide variety of fruits available, catering to the diverse taste buds of the AB blockers. The selection of the night included fruits like longan, mango, banana, dragonfruit, watermelon, strawberries and behold, the king of all fruits – the magnificent durian! In fact, for some of the foreign AB blockers, it was the first time they had set sight on this green thorny fruit, much to their amusement. Members of the block committee had also gone the extra mile to peel the skin off the longans and slice the other fruits to bite-sized chunks, much to the delight of hungry AB blockers who were waiting to pounce on the fruits. For those with a sweet tooth, there was even a chocolate fondue with marshmallows for them to enjoy!

the delightful spread

There was no doubt that the superstar of the evening was the durian. Even before Fruit Night started, everybody was in anticipation of savouring the durian as the (debatable) fragrance of the fruit wafted across the corridors, announcing its grand arrival. When Fruit Night officially started, there was a stampede to the durian table and a mad rush for the durians. Blood was inadvertently shed when blockers, blinded by the alluring yellow durian flesh, dived for the thorns instead. I have to admit that this greatly took me by surprise as I did not expect durian to be so popular (as it is an acquired taste). There were some however, who eschewed durians and instead, succumbed to the temptation of the other fruits.

blockers helping themselves to the fruits

Another popular item apart from the durian was the mango. I guess such exotic fruits are not exactly cheap and being able to enjoy them for free was something that the blockers did not want to miss! The chocolate fondue was also a massive hit as blockers dipped fruit after fruit into it, experimenting with the different fruits and tastes. There were certainly weird combinations such as watermelon and chocolate but in my opinion the most palatable combination would have to be mango and chocolate. The hint of bitterness in the chocolate complemented the sweet and sour tang of the mango perfectly! The blockers were certainly adventurous with their fruits!

chicken wings make a guest appearance

Overall, fruit night was beyond a shadow of doubt a total success and I look forward to future events which promote a healthy lifestyle and at the same time, provide a good platform for hanging out with fellow blockers! After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Block F RF Supper

Writer: Jonathan Chan
Editor: Ong Qing Liang

 

“You mean we are the only block where we prepare and you all come up and eat?”
“Yes, that’s why so many of us still stay in F-block”

The above was heard tonight amidst much laughter in the RF’s apartment of F-block, an exchange between Dr Seow, F-block Resident Fellow, and Aik Leong, ex-ex-block head, as we attended the annual RF’s supper.

Indeed, F-block’s RF supper is an event unique to us F-blockers, where we residents have the privilege of being invited to the RF’s apartment for an evening of interaction with fellow residents, as well as with the RF and his family. Dr Seow has been the RF of F-block since 2005. By day, he is a lecturer at the Faculty of Science. In the evenings, however, he is the benevolent and much-loved RF to the 100-odd residents of F block. In previous years, the RF supper was always an event to be looked forward to.

When 9.30 pm came, Sheng Hui and Ching Tse were found plodding along the corridors of F3 to gather residents to go for supper. While some wavered between meeting the RF and studying, the promise that there would be free food was always a decisive factor, for in hall, one literally goes with one’s gut.

Calling the F-Blockers out for supper

Not long after, we were heading up the stairs from F3 to the apartment – the staircase which many of us, as freshmen (or in my case, as a Year 3), from F4 and F5 have accidentally tried using to get to our rooms, only to encounter a formidable-looking fire door and no corridor. For today, however, the above-mentioned door cracked open for us to behold a very friendly Dr Seow, and a pleasant smell of food.

Our friendly RF and Wei Ning

A spread of chicken wings, gyoza (Japanese-style fried dumplings), garlic bread and numerous packets of juice awaited us, a delight for the residents whose energy had been drained from studying or sports training to which we eagerly helped ourselves.

F-blockers eating

James pounces on a gyoza

The plate of gyoza minus the one in James

Residents and fellow then made a round of introductions, culminating in a small introduction of F-block’s culture and the rationale behind RF’s supper by Dr Seow for the benefit of the freshmen. The seniors, most of whom had heard this in previous years, sat around and contentedly chewed on the products of this rationale.

A round of introductions

The highlight of the evening, which unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of, for my hands were oily after eating a chicken wing, was the strawberry cheesecakes produced out of Dr Seow’s fridge, a delight to the residents. As Nan Hai said, “This is the first time I’m eating cheesecake and it’s good!” This particular product, according to Dr Seow, was something which the block committee. was thinking of bringing in for regular block suppers *hint, hint*. Another thrill for the residents was when Dr Seow allowed some of the residents to look around the apartment, allowing them to see how the construction of the apartment was actually much like our rooms all joined together. Meanwhile the rest of us listened to Mrs Seow describe the days when F-block’s colour was yellow and the residents didn’t have T-shirts, but singlets which were cut for girls and made the guys look weird in.

Dr and Mrs Seow describing vividly the construction of the apartment

Clearing up after supper – Chin Ee hard at work and James eye-powering

Dr Seow describing his studies in Japan to an enthralled audience

The supper could be summed up in a simple line by Dr Seow, who, as the evening drew to a close, said “This is what I tell the people who come is – F block is a family. We are all family.” A sentiment all of us share, and it is for this that we stay in F-block year after year, cheer and bleed for F-block during IBG, endure the hot afternoons when no wind blows between E and G blocks, for this that we wear our block shirts to school (where people ask us “why does your shirt say ‘boyfriend block’?”). For our blockmates and our RF. And of course, just a bit, for the food too =)

West wing supper, 16th March 2009

Writer: Adrian

 Wild Wild Wet – what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Sounds like Escape theme park? Or is it an Amazonian whitewater rafting adventure, or a university orientation camp that can potentially threaten your sanity? Well, you’ve got it all wrong! Wild Wild Wet was simply West Wing Supper!

 Held on 16 March 2009 at the Barbeque Pit, it was an event proudly brought to you by the E, F and GH Block Committees. Plenty of fabulous food was in store for the hungry residents, who started swarming the venue at 9.30pm. A special mention also goes to all the Resident Fellows (RFs), who generously treated us to a few special dishes for the night!

The hungry crowd

 

The sumptuous spread

 

 Wild - lacking restraint; wet - covered with liquid, such as water. The highlight of Wild Wild Wet was certainly its extremely fun and wet games. Charades was full of hilarious and unglam moments. Superman snow skiing somehow ended up looking more like a highly obscene motion normally seen in R-rated comedies, while attempts to act as a Bellydancer digging nose saw a few participants twisting their sexy hips with great skill. Some less creative ones even resorted to ‘flashing’ their belly buttons!

 

sexy peng keong?

ERPS?!

 

I have no idea what you're doing...

True or False – a contest of wits and judgment, saw a few people faring miserably in their General Knowledge. The forfeit was simple – the losers got bombarded by water bombs! Thus, to find out who did the worst, simply look out for the wettest people.

 

For the truth, and only the truth...

 

the onslaught!!!

 

Wet!

 

A big THANKS to all who have enthusiastically participated in the event! We hope you have enjoyed it! =)

F Block Alfresco Night

Article and photos by: Adrian Chia

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! To spread this love, a special and romantic Alfresco Night was held by F Block on 11 February.

F Block Alfresco Supper

Held under the star-lit night sky at the F3 Open Porch, the scent of love was thick in the air with all the decoration and music. Even the menu was a heart-shaped one!

Menu of the day

Tealight candles

At 10pm sharp, F blockers started streaming in steadily to enjoy the sumptuous food and the great atmosphere.

The crowd

Dr Seow, the F Block RF, spotted!

Ice cream with strawberry and chocolate sauces was served as the dessert, but some wacky people…

seemed to use have found a better use of the chocolate sauce.

Some great entertainment was also provided by Chun Keat and Hiromi, who sang their hearts out to the tune of the music!

Using squash rackets as their mics!

It was certainly a light-hearted and enjoyable night for all who came. Wishing everyone a happy Valentine’s Day!

F Block Comm

Sweet Night to Remember

Writer: Chia Hui Min
Editor: Jonathan Chan

Last Tuesday, CD blockers started off the new semester with a welcoming, sumptuous ice-cream spread! Blockers streamed into the lounge on the dot at 10pm, all anticipating the dessert. It was not long before the lounge was totally packed. Everybody queued up at the ‘ice-cream’ station which had 4 ice-cream flavours: chocolate, vanilla, raspberry and cookies-n-cream. The most popular flavour was clearly cookies-n-cream, which was finished so fast that another tub had to be opened!

Yummy ice-cream!

Another table was prepared with ice-cream toppings like rainbow rice, nuts, fruits, and of course the much loved Hershey’s chocolate sauce. Cakes like tiger roll and banana cake were served too.

Ice-cream with toppings

Hungry blockers!

Yan Ling, Rachel and Puei Teen

Many blockers loved the idea of a dessert night so much that they even requested for more of such events in the future. All in all, this dessert night was a good opportunity for the blockers to catch up with each other after the holidays and definitely provided the blockers some respite from the increasingly hectic semester.