Cavalock and The First Giant Paintover

The Baker-at-Home had a belated birthday treat with her friend at Olivia recently. Our first time there and we really enjoyed the food and company. Some mild amusement provided by three overdressed aunties and one uncle at the opposite table who can't seem to stop taking selfies outside the joint and then inside. Seriously? Anyway, one of the few times I had actually had a tapas kinda meal. Not exactly a tapas fan but the food at Olivia won me over. Like I said, amazing food and I can understand why it's a full house almost every night.

From this to that, the biggest figure I ever painted so far, the Aleguzzler Gargant. Had a blast painting it and really hope to use him in a game soon. Games Workshop changed or rather added the new Mercenary rules that allowed different armies to bring in figures from other factions. All to make us buy figures we would not normally buy. The Baker-at-Home's friend carried five big boxes of Games Workshop miniatures from London back for us. Very grateful for that. That's enough painting to keep me busy for the next few months.

Cavalock's Day Off

Yes, I know it's weird to call it a 'day off' when I'm out of the rat race but damn it, I can walk again! Dropped by mezza9 for lunch last week, after a harrowing five months away from town. Oh, how I missed my tasty little crab cake. And its always a joy to walk up and down stairs again although there's still some minor resistance or pain. It's more the descending part that hurts.

Anyway, another cause for rehab milestone to take note as I finally had my own Ferris Bueller's Day Off in which I worked out and played for almost 12 hours straight. Hit the gym again for the first time since my operation in March and right now my body is aching all over (again). Not a good idea to push myself too hard as I still tire easily. Then a quick lunch at Daily Cut (damn the new menu! What happened to my sweet potatoes base?!?) before meeting the guys who took half-day's leave and we played card games and board games till 9pm. Wanna know how dedicated or some would say 'crazy' we are bout gaming? After my Daily Cut lunch, I met the guys at one of their office's cafe where we played till 2pm cos one of them wasn't on leave. Then the rest of us drove to a gaming shop at Marymount where we continued gaming till 6pm and broke for dinner. After that, more folks showed up after work where we played more board games!

That there is Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done the boardgame. Excellent fast-paced game where you only have one thing to do each turn, or maybe two later in the game. Five different actions to choose from, you can either only move, build, crusade, muster or travel. Your opponents have the same choices and you gotta strategise and see where they travel to or who they are fighting cos the Slavs and Prussians get stronger after each fight.

"Move your knights, erect buildings, and go crusading to spread the influence of your Order. When the Orders get too strong, King Philip will become nervous and disband all Templar orders, ending the game.

Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done uses a combination of rondel and mancala mechanisms. Each player has their own rondel, which they can upgrade over the course of the game, that controls their action choices during the game. Your faction gives you a special power to control your rondel, and the buildings you erect will help you form a strategy."

Played the twice this year and my overall strategy is to get another knight out in the field as soon as possible and build the churches fast as they give you 'influence' or victory points. The more you build, you more points you get.

Cavalock and The Pigeon Beef Masquerade

Back to Esora we go! ... or is it 'went' since we were already there. Anyway, was my second dinner at the Mohamed Sultan Road restaurant but the fourth or is it fifth time for the Baker-at-Home, which I guess makes her enough of a regular for folks there to recognise and engage her in some friendly dinnertime conversation. Unlike myself an all-out introvert, the opportunity to engage in or at least eavesdrop on such fascinating banter is always a delight.

Well, we had the sake and wine pairing to go with our the eight-course dinner. Although we would have loved an all sake pairing. Worth every penny, excellent meal. The pigeon was amazing and in a blindfold test I would have thought it was beef. And ladies and gentlemen, this is why I am not a food blogger!

Foie Gras, mango, myoga

Fried sawara, caviar, asparagus, yamawasabi

Sashimi

Hamo soup, winter melon, sudachi

Grilled kinmedai, pea, hamaguri

Grilled pigeon, nasu, fushimi pepper

Ayu Donabe

White peach, yogurt ice-cream, tohobjin jelly

As always, we had a little parting gift. The slice of Castella cake was a perfect addition to breakfast the morning after. Seriously, the Baker-at-Home and I would be surprised if they don't win a Michelin   Star soon.

Well, I have been hitting my regular stores over the last week in my cast and clutches. And after having to explain to at least three different storekeepers my current condition, I have decided to spice it up the next time someone asks me what happened to my foot. Telling folks I tore my tendon sounds extremely boring, so I'm currently wavering between "fell while skiing over the Swiss Alps" or "hurt myself during a hip-hop dance off".

Cavalock and The Doppelgänger Dilemma

Two meals in a row at Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine. But the second time was lunch with me Dad. Been out of the rat race so long that I forgot how hot and crowded the CBD can be in the afternoon. Last couple times we were there was over the weekend. Me Dad was on his way to the Nikon camera office to update the firmware in his mirrorless camera. By the way, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that a company was interested in purchasing one of bird photos from his book Taking Flight, to hang in their office. Not bad for an 85-year-old guy. The food wasn't bad either, I mean there's a reason why we are now always there and I think we over-ordered a wee bit.

After making me way out into the "wilderness" on me clutches, I noticed a little interesting behavioural quirk. Is like whenever I see another guy on clutches, me first instinct is to avoid that individual, and this has happened to me twice! Stay as far as possible from that OTHER GUY on clutches!* I have either changed direction or backtracked and I have absolutely no idea why I'm doing it. Maybe it's like if you see another person wearing the same outfit as yourself walking in the opposite direction, you would instinctively walk away right?

* Does not apply when I'm at a hospital or medical facility.

Cavalock and The Return to Normalcy Diet

It's exactly two months since my operation and I'm off my 'confinement' or maternity diet. Yay for me, seafood here I come. The guys treated me to something that I was sorely missing as I gingerly limped my way to my first food centre in ages, at Geylang Bahru food centre. Crabs, prawns, clams, pork bits, how I miss them. This how a new mother feels after her confinement?

It was a weekend of overdue feasting as the next day the Baker-at-Home and I had dinner at Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine over at Tanjong Pagar. First having their pomfret porridge, wish there were more pomfret in there. But it was still much needed comfort food so no complaints.

So many models to paint, so little time. Got to paint a model I bought in London last year. First time painting a figure with facial hair, hope I got it right. It's the Primaris Librarian, a powerful space marine with physic powers. He'll be part of my Blood Angels Kill Team once I managed to remember the rules again. And yah, I keep a messy workbench.

Cavalock and The World's First Salmon ATM

This is what I'm missing when I'm laid up in bed! A freakin' Salmon vending machine right in my Jalan Besar neighbourhood! The Baker-at-Home saw this a couple blocks away from our apartment and she just had to take a snapshot of it. It says "Worlds's First Norwegian Salmon ATM"?!? Maybe you can't see it but it says "S$5.90, 200g Nett" which is a little on the pricy side. But think of the convenience! A slab of premium salmon fillet flopping out of an ATM is something you are not gonna forget anytime soon. And no, of cos we didn't get one.

I'm finally able to sit in an upright position to paint some of me models. This is one of the newer Warhammer Underworlds band, Ylthari's Guardians. Had to watch a couple YouTube videos to get the correct colour and shade. Good therapy.

Cavalock and The Pseudo Maternity Diet

Am still on a strict food delivery diet and had my first order from Nando's the other day. Wasn't that bad. I mean, you can't exactly go wrong with a chicken leg, corn and coleslaw. Sometimes you are craving for some ice-cream or something from a dessert stall but you can't order it cos they don't deliver stuff that's less than ten bucks. Crazy thing is I been on a Pregnant Woman diet or Maternity diet. As in while I wait for my wounds to heal, the Baker-at-Home has a list for forbidden foods that mirrors what women aren't allowed to eat after giving birth and I'm on it. Seriously. Nothing with prawns, squids, duck, the list goes on and on.

Some interesting Chinese Garden pix that me 85-year-old Dad took during the May Day holidays stakeout over two days.

Cavalock and The Home-Cooked Goodness Post

Stuck at home and looking though all my vacation stuff I acquired over the years, these certainly stood out. Free fans from all our trips to Japan. Free fans that are handled out at street corners in Japan during summer. There's even one that we got from a fancy restaurant that we had lunch at. We were extremely fortunate to have vacationed in Japan twice last year but this year fingers crossed, depending on when I can walk again, we'll see if we get to return to Tokyo or not.

Still no restaurant food or anything that requires a waiter taking my order, or even a millennial in a costume delivering food to me. So every few weeks, the Baker-at-Home goes to this Japanese lady's apartment with a buncha Japanese housewives for a home cooking class. They'll have lunch there and I'll have whatever leftovers for dinner later that evening when she gets home. No fancy sushi or ramen dishes, just some home-cooked goodness, the kind most housewives prepare for their salarymen, I guess. That there pix below is one me leftover dinners. Mouth-watering spread of Japanese bagadil, simmered fish and salad.

Cavalock and The TV Finale Checklist

No, that ain't a burger from Jewel's Shake Shack or A&W. That's an honest to goodness wagyu burger with chili and cheese from MOS Burger, me first burger in over a month since the operation. Taste so good. Still don't get the fuss over the Jewel burger joints. Had them Shake Shack burgers in Tokyo and New York, it's good but not that good till you wanna queue over an hour for them. Know what ah mean?

And Japanese strawberries from Medi-Ya! Could never say 'no' to them. So Star Trek Discovery Season 2 is over and like I suspected, it's another confusing time travel story. A ton of things don't make sense. Spoilers ahead, if Micheal is now the Red Angel, what happened to her mother, the first Red Angel? Since Michelle Yeoh killed the baddie, why did they still need to escape to the future? If the al the data has been transferred from the ship to the Red Angel's suit, why must Discovery still make the jump to the future? Not the best season ender. On the other hand, True Detective Season 3 was a winner. Great suspense and acting. A murder mystery that actually makes sense despite the many plot twists.

Friend dropped by for games this week. Sometimes I think I forgot how to talk to folks since I been cooped up at home alone. Friends dropped by and games played while stuck at home for the month of April include Warhammer: Underworlds, 7 Wonders Duel, Keyforge and Magic: The Gathering.