www.Go To The Mountain - Musings of a Potential Guru

Do you know what ''Chui Huay Lim" or 醉 花 林 means? It literally means ''Drunk Flower Forest''. I am not a flower expert but I do no think there are any flowers called drunken flower but rather it could have been a name that was apt a the time this club was formed 170 years ago and now Chui Huay Lim Toechew Cuisine has been housed here. It was established in 1845 and has a rich history and was originally set up for Teochew businessmen to engage in business networking and other recreational activities. 1845 means during the period of the Qing Dynasty so this is one of Singapore's oldest clubs. Some called it the Teochew Gentlemen's Club.  The Teochew increased in numbers and became more prosperous and have more social engagements. I read that it was founded by one Tan Cheng Bao but with his passing in 1879, ten members donated $400 each to make a total of $4000 to purchase the land. Now I could afford $400 but those days $400 must have been like w...

Recently, I remembered a few places where I have eaten and thought the food was good. Or they reminded me of previous times when I visited even if they were at different venues.  Sometimes, we choose places due to convenience rather than anything else. For some folks, eating is not even important. They eat to fill their tummy. They wont die without food but their hands may tremble without drinks. Others pay a little more for food and they would complain but do not bat an eyelid when they are paying for drinks. Yet there are those who are stingy when it comes to food but they would save up just to travel. Then there are some who must eat only at the most famous and expensive places because they have arrived. I walk the middle ground. Not all expensive places offer the best food. They are just expensive. I do not have to travel everywhere but I will not sting on food because they are what you put into your stomach and we need quality and not quantity. Besides, food is a...