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ninbayphua-moyan · 3 years

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Where The Harvest Moon Is Brightest

Sweat trickled down my back as I lugged my suitcase behind me along the five-foot ways of Penang. A sense of Saturday afternoon languidness hangs in the balmy air like a soft, heavy blanket, lulling you to sleep. A gentle breeze fleets through the walkway, pleasantly cool against the slight stickiness of my skin. I paused and took a deep breath, head tilted back with eyes closed, listening to the faint rustling of palm leaves. The air was steeped with the fresh, earthy petrichor of a recent shower, and tinged with undertones of the alluringly sweet scent of frangipanis.

Loud giggles. Shrieks of laughter. Opening my eyes, I turned towards the sound and saw a group of children playing a game of ‘The Eagle Catches The Chicks’ on the street. They dodged and ran with unabashedly childish grins plastered onto their mud smeared faces, eyes twinkling with youthful glee and carelessness. I smiled. It wasn’t that long ago when I too was a little rascal playing on these very streets without a care in the world. I remember the days when the neighbourhood kids and I would play in the streets until our mothers called us in for dinner. Oh, the adventures we had! Climbing up trees; playing in the rain; racing the roti man down the street as he rides by on his bicycle. Ah yes……the roti man……how we used to wait for him to make his rounds each evening after school……The tinkling sound of the metal cup-like object being struck with an iron rod signalling his arrival…our short legs running, shouting ‘roti!’ until he stopped by the side of the road…the chaos that ensues as we crowded around him like hungry chicks waiting to be fed, coins held tight in our sweaty little palms……

Then, I heard it. The familiar ‘Ting! Ting! Ting!’ of the roti man echoing down the street, as if summoned by my reminiscence of it. The children had heard it too. They ran towards the roti man shouting ‘roti!’, their game abandoned without a second thought. Instinctively, I started running as well, fumbling around my pockets looking for loose change to pay for the bread. I joined the little gathering crowd just as the roti man was getting off his bicycle. A tantalising aroma of freshly baked breads and buns wafted out the minute he undid the catch on the little glass framed doors of the meat-safe seated behind his bike. I couldn’t help but groan internally at the heavenly sight and smell. I watched as he slathered the savoury margarine and rich kaya onto thick slices of roti benggali, mouth watering uncontrollably. After a few minutes, he handed me a big bag of the bread to me and I dropped the money into his outstretched palm. He flashed me a quick grin before returning his attention to the next customer.

Making my way back to the five-foot way, I stuck my hand into the plastic bag and brought out a piece of warm roti banggali. Biting into the bread, I felt my tongue melting. The crispy, golden crust and soft white crumb of the bread served as a fragrant base, a sacred chapel where the buttery saltiness of the margarine and the rich, creamy sweetness of the kaya sang, each in their unique tune before harmonizing into a heavenly choir and melding into one savoury mouthful of bread. Before I knew it, I had already finished a third of what I’d bought. Realising that I wouldn’t have any left by the time I reached my destination if I continued eating, I quickly knotted up the bag and hurried along.

Ten minutes later, I came to a stop in front of a shophouse at the end of the five-foot way. A large ebony plaque hung regally above the doorway, my family name engraved upon it in golden Chinese characters. U-shaped terracotta tiles covered the roof and three full length louvred windows lined the upper floor of the two-story building. The pillars were adorned with painted, three-dimensional decorative plaster of beautifully crafted flowers. Majestic peonies and tender lotuses blooming, their elaborate and delicate carved petals unfurling elegantly. Majolica tiles lined the dado façade on the lower quarter of the walls, adding yet another splash of colour to the otherwise, dull and plain exterior. The carved timber ventilated doors stood wide open, each of its panel depicting legendary creatures of ancient Chinese folklore. The exquisitely detailed carvings of phoenixes never ceased to amaze me, even after all this time. Perching nobly on golden branches, their wings were spread wide as if to take off at any second as I gazed, entranced. Then, as the late afternoon sun shines upon their gilded bodies, it was as if those carved mystical beauties were suddenly brought to life. Their once dull sheen now aglow in brilliant shades of scarlet, orange and gold, almost as if they would burst into flames at any moment, just like in the myths of old, and be reborn from the ashes.

The sound of fluttering wings and clear melodic chirruping snapped me out of my daze. Looking up, I saw a family of swallows roosting in their nest at the corner of the roof. Ah…it was that time of the year again wasn’t it…the swallows always left the nest as the harvest moon approached. I remember how excited I used to get when they came to roost in the spring and how sad I would be when they’d left as autumn drew near. A-Poh[1] would always pick the nest once the swallows had flown, clean it and turn it into a bowl bird nest soup. She always told me it was good for the skin as well as health but I was never sure how true these claims were.

Peeking my head through the door, I announced my arrival home out of sheer force of habit. There was a loud clanging and scuffling from the kitchen as I heard a delighted shout. I had barely stepped across the threshold into the house before I was pulled into a tight bear hug by A-Poh, immediately enveloped by the familiar scent of incense and rice powder. She was strong despite her age and sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if all her stories about bird nest soup were true. Pulling out of the hug, she gave me a quick look over and pinched my cheeks, complaining that I’ve lost weight again even though I hadn’t. I tried protesting but she shushed me with a fond pat on the cheeks and shouted for A-Gong[2] who instantly came wobbling out of the ground floor bedroom, a large toothless grin on his wrinkled face. He wrapped me into a warm hug whilst A-Poh hurried off into the kitchen, determined to stuff me up with food before anyone could stop her. I shook my head in resignation whilst A-Gong just laughed and ruffled my hair, amused.

Pouring some pu-erh tea into two clay teacups, A-Gong motioned for me to sit down, asking about my time abroad. As we sipped on the earthy fragrance of the pu-erh, I told him about my time in the UK; about its miserably wet weather; its tasteless food; its strange customs; and how much I had missed home whilst I was away. Upon hearing that comment, he chuckled heartily, a knowing look in his eyes. He too had left the comforts at home at a young age, sailing the seas to unknown lands to avoid the war. When I asked if he ever missed Hainan and his childhood home, he would always smile a little wistfully but would then shake his head saying home for him was where my A-Poh, a content look upon his wisen face. Even after all this time, they were still as in love with one another as they were back then, just like the butterfly lovers from Chinese folklore.

Halfway through our conversation, he suddenly stood up as if he had just remembered something. Giving me a wink, he disappeared out the door. I grinned, knowing exactly where he was headed off to. As I sat by the round wooden table in the living room, I gaze absentmindedly at the sparrows fleeting about A-Gong’s potted plants. The afternoon sunlight was streaming in through the lightwell, brightening the otherwise dimly lit interior. I remember still how my siblings and I would play hide-and-seek in the interior courtyard amongst those potted plants. Ah, those really were the days……

Shifting my gaze, my eyes were immediately drawn to the majolica tile floor. Its kaleidoscope of bright colours a stark contrast against the plain wooden and rattan furniture. Come to think about it, those mosaic pattered tiles were probably what triggered my interest in art in the first place…oh, the afternoons I’d spend on those cool, smooth floor drawing and trying to mimic their intricate patterns and colours…..

I was brought out of my reminiscence when a bowl of steaming hot pork dumplings was placed before me. Ahh…A-Poh’s pork dumplings. How I’ve missed it while I was away! Eagerly, I picked up the chopsticks and took a bite, my mouth immediately exploding with flavour. The saltiness of the pork meat marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil, the refreshingly sweet spring onions contrasting the meat’s saltiness, the delicately wrapped flour encapsulating it all, the slight bitterness of the herbal broth…this was my definition of heaven. Seeing me happily wolfing down the dumplings, she smiled and returned to the kitchen.

I was only halfway through my bowl of dumplings when the intense aroma of spices and chili came wafting out of the kitchen, making my mouth water. There wasn’t a need to look. I already knew what it was A-Poh was preparing. And sure enough, she came tottering out of the kitchen a few minutes later with two big bowls of hokkien-mee. Taking a seat next to me and we both dug in. I took a big slurp of soup and my tongue was instantly set on fire, the spices clashing as they performed a tango on my tongue. I had forgotten how potent the chili at home were. My lips were turning a numbing red within seconds but that didn’t stop me from downing down the entire bowl of noodles. After all, no self-respecting child of Penang would ever be caught dead bested by a bowl of spicy hokkien-mee. A-Poh chuckled as she watched me switching comically between fanning my tongue and slurping down the spicy soup.

Just then, A-Gong came walking in through the front door and I squealed in delight. He grinned, handing me the little plastic bag in his hands before sitting down. Like a child who was just given her Christmas present early, I happily started munching on the packet of ais kacang. The frozen sweetness of the shaved ice instantly cooled my burning mouth and I quickly took a few more mouthful. Content, I glanced at my grandparents and started noticing things that had previously escaped my attention. A-Poh’s once salt-and-pepper hair was now silvery white and her hands seemed more worn and wrinkled than I last remembered. The wrinkles on A-Gong’s face seemed deeper now and his hands, especially the one with a missing finger, shook a little more than they used to whenever he held something. Since when had they aged so much?

Realising that I had stopped eating, A-Gong pushed the plate of pandan cake closer to me, urging me to eat. Now, I was never much of a sweet tooth but I was particularly fond of this green coloured sponge cake that just melted in your mouth like a piece of cloud. The mild, aromatic sweetness of pandan and the light, fluffy texture of a chiffon cake, a beautiful fusion between European cake-making techniques and locally grown ingredients.

As I continued munching on the cake, I couldn’t help but smile, having realized how beautifully diverse my hometown was. Just like the pandan cake, it was a place where cultures of the East and West collided and coexisted in harmony. Yes…this little culture cocktail of an island was what I called home and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

NOTES:

[1] ‘A-Poh’ means ‘grandmother’ in Hainanese

[2] ‘A-Gong’ means ‘grandfather’ in Hainanese

[3] ‘Where The Harvest Moon Shines Brightest’ is a play on 月到中秋分外明，每逢佳节倍思亲 meaning the moon is brightest in mid-autumn; homesickness multiplies during each festival

Author's Notes:

Back with Part 4 also known as the final part of the short story slash prose pieces from uni series (this was the earliest piece I wrote in first year lol). The story takes place a year and a half after Part 3. A-Yun has finally graduated uni and has now gone home. All is well ends well. Yes I am aware that there is a slight glitch and A-Gong shouldn’t exist at this point but I wrote it before I wrote everything else so we’re bringing him back to life OuO Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading Part 4~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Since exams are over and graded and I've officially graduated, I can finally post my work online without having to worry about Turnitin picking it up as plagiarism because apparently you aren't allowed to plagiarise yourself according to university which is absolutely ridiculous but I'm not the one making the rules here so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also, please don't reupload my works without permission.

#ninbayphua 墨彦 #prose #short story #constructive critisms are always welcomed #please don't repost without permission

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jeremystrele · 6 years

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50 Gorgeous Galley Kitchens And Tips You Can Use From Them

If you’re all set to tackle the installation and decoration of a narrow kitchen, then this set of inspirational kitchen designs should be right up your galley! A galley kitchen is defined by two rows of cabinetry that face one another with a narrow walkway in between. The name is derived from the kitchen area of boats, where space is very limited. The domestic galley kitchen allows a lot of cabinetry to be squeezed into a sliver of culinary space, and can facilitate doors or walkways at either end of the run. It can be completely contained or be part of a larger open plan living space.

Generally speaking, there are six types of kitchen layouts: The One Wall, Galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, Island and Peninsula. There are no strict positions in which to order the stove, fridge or sink, and a kitchen can be combinations of one or more of the typical layouts. For example, you could have an L-shaped kitchen with an island or a peninsula, or a galley kitchen that is linked at one end. In designing a functional kitchen, the kitchen work triangle should be considered, which means that the distance between the sink, stove and fridge should be no more than 1200mm apart. Though, the concept of the kitchen working triangle is now evolving further to take into account multiple cooks, as well as new gadgets and appliances.

Visualizer: roomdesignburo Add a dining extension. Traditional galley kitchens would not typically have included any type of table, but a breakfast bar or dining bench extension will make a limited space work even harder for you. Open plan galleys offer the benefit of having seating around each side of an eating surface, but a closed capsule galley can still benefit greatly from a single sided dining installation.

Visualizer: Concept Vision Screen off the mess. Fashion a partially dividing wall that climbs just a little higher than the back of your units in an open plan layout. The added height is just enough to screen off unavoidable cooking mess and dishes from the rest of the living room. Attach a narrow countertop on the divider to create a neat coffee bar, and finish with a few bar stools.

Visualizer: Plasterlina Create connections. Check out the overhead panels in this layout. The connectors create a wonderfully cosy, complete and decidedly slick finish. Highlight the additions with ambient lighting for a really eye-catching effect.

Visualizer: PLASTERLINA Add pattern in unexpected ways. This straight kitchen run receives some surprising twists up at roof level. Diagonal wood slats cut across the ceiling, with industrial style lighting hung in triangle formation.

Designer: 22 Interiors Galley kitchens can sometimes be U-shaped. Although this kitchen isn’t your typical U-shape, the galley run is somewhat linked by a large end unit and desk combo.

Designer: DHV Architects Make a galley kitchen feel wider by installing the wall cabinets only on one side. An open shelf can provide extra storage on the opposite wall without closing up the space.

Designer: Pera Studio Break up a long run of units using colour sections, like this yellow and white minimalist kitchen.

Designer: Uncommon Projects Another one for the yellow accent kitchens collection. This time yellow panels brighten the back of units and pick out display shelves. Decorative vases hold matching flowers on the bench.

Visualizer: Lai Pháp Use coloured accents to highlight key areas, like a breakfast bar or plate rack.

Visualizer: Patricia Castro Mix and match to suit your space. This tiny galley kitchen is in fact extended over on the right as a single wall kitchen. Three swivel bar stools transform a prep area into a dining spot.

Visualizer: Andrzej Chomski Trick the eye with high contrast. The larder units in this black and white kitchen go almost unnoticed. All the attention is drawn away from the slab fronted white cabinets by the unrelenting black base units and countertop combo opposite.

Source: Kitchens International Just a small feature wall, like this rustic stone column, can completely transform the look of a room. A plain white facing wall at the end of this kitchen would have a very different effect.

Designer: Coco & Jack Are you a tidy sort of person? If you are, then open kitchen shelving can be used in lieu of all wall cabinets. If you’re not, better swerve this one.

Open a window. If you’re not lucky enough to have a window at the end of your galley kitchen then consider having one put in. A small window can make a narrow space appear drastically more spacious, bright, and ultimately a more pleasant place to spend time in.

Designer: Garrison Hullinger Don’t let obstacles stand in your way. This white kitchen runs straight through an architectural support by having the units wrap around it.

Designer: Indot Photographer: Hey!Cheese Brighten a bland scheme with small pops of colour; think bar stools and countertop appliances.

Designer: EAG Studio Black decor accents add weight to a white and wood kitchen.

Source: Gaughan Construction A bookcase acts as a rich feature wall at the end of this plain white setup.

Visualizer: Orkhan Afandiyev Introduce a wooden section to warm a white kitchen.

Visualizer: Kanstantsin Remez A linear suspension light accentuates a galley setup.

Designer: EAG Studio Break the boundaries. These kitchen bar stools are pulled up to a strip of cabinetry that is open at each end, which technically straddles this kitchen design between the galley and island categories.

Visualizer: Michael Temnikov Lowering one side of the galley allows regular height dining chairs to be used instead of high bar stools.

Architect: Artem Tiutiunnyk & Chernova Yuliya A chalkboard makes a cool and useful feature wall at the end of a kitchen galley space.

Designer: Reiko Feng Shui Design This industrial kitchen makes use of the end wall with a set of narrow shelves.

Choose a mobile trash cans. A pedal bin on castors is a great idea for a long kitchen, as it can be wheeled easily from one end of the prep bench to the other.

Visualizer: Anton Medvedev Open up the walls to make limited spaces feel more airy. You don’t even have to remove the supportive struts, simply eliminate the plasterboard.

Designer: Brian David Roberts A large modern chandelier (or two) adds flair and grandeur over an open galley arrangement.

Visualizer: Alex Koretsky Create an overlapping dining top. This grey kitchen bench is overlapped by a dark wooden top with an overhang, to create a comfortable and isolated dining spot.

Visualizer: Marcin Kasperski Island extractor hoods mean that stoves can be situated on the outer perimeter of a galley.

Visualizer: Juan Carlos Marmolejo Look high and low. Copper panels tie the two sides of this design together, with the copper at the back situated higher to keep it visible to the rest of the living room.

Visualizer: Steve Brown Use the full height of your kitchen. This one has a wine rack that extends from bench height up to the ceiling, plus a set of high shelves that skim the rafters. Keep seasonal items and special occasion crockery in higher volumes so that you’re not having to climb up step ladders on a regular basis.

Designer: Lee Edwards If you are considering installing a window at the end of a galley kitchen, then how about going the whole hog and making it a glass door out to the garden or patio area?

Designer: Third Coast Interiors This blue door provides an interesting effect. A white door in the same space just wouldn’t give the same punch to the pale scheme. Note how the adjacent door has been left white though, because sometimes less is more.

Designer: Debbas Architecture Create handy niches. The space below this stovetop has been left open to hold cooking pots close at hand.

Designer: B Interior It’s always about the finishing touches. Whether it’s shiny gold handles or a stylish modern fruit bowl to dress the countertop.

Designer: Kate Bendewald Mix and match countertops to add interest.

Designer: Urban Purpose Interiors Wallpaper the back of a shelving unit. A beautiful floral print or a striking geometric design gives a personalised touch.

Designer: Architecture In Formation Galley kitchens don’t always look strictly straight…

Designer: Void Inc … The open side could be a geometric cut unit, a zigzag or waved volume.

Source: Domusnova Can’t trust yourself to put things back where they belong on open shelving? Then how about this quirky chalkboard labelling technique to keep you on the straight and narrow. A “juice” label points to the Juicy Salif citrus juicer by Philippe Starck for Alessi, and there’s even a pointer above the kitchen clock labelled “time” – just in case you forget!

Designer: Granit Think about how you use your kitchen before you start. This huge galley kitchen sink takes up a lot of bench space, but if you’re not a fan of dishwashers then it’s worth the real estate to keep the bench clear of used crockery.

Designer: REALarchitecture & MimANYstudio Install a lighting soffit rather than low hung pendant lighting for a no-fuss sleek modern kitchen.

Visualizer: Paglialonga Studio Perch a table at the end of a wall of integrated units.

Architect: Fabrizia Luciano Visualizer: Jakub Komrska Shape wall units into the eaves to maximise storage.

Visualizer: Trịnh Phương Clear glass and wirework lights keep a space looking open. These unique kitchen pendant lights allow the eye to see straight through.

Source: Architectural Digest Go all out on a colour theme. This blue kitchen has the same shade of blue units, walls and ceiling.

Visualizer: Alena Fokina Prevent cooking splashes over an adjacent living area with a glass screen.

Visualizer: Jan Wadim Grow your own. Check out these unique hanging planters that don’t take up a single millimetre of bench real estate.

Visualizer: Project A01 Architects Play to the strengths of the room, and play up the quirks too.

Source: Dwell Think outside the box. This slanted futuristic kitchen bench skims straight over a slope in the floor.

Still hungry for more kitchen designs? Try these: 50 Stunning Modern Kitchen Island Designs 50 Lovely L-Shaped Kitchen Designs And Tips You Can Use From Them 50 Wonderful One Wall Kitchens And Tips You Can Use From Them

Nordic Kitchen Design Inspiration

Contemporary Kitchens for Large and Small Spaces

50 Lovely L-Shaped Kitchen Designs And Tips You Can Use From Them

50 Stunning Modern Kitchen Island Designs

20 Kitchen Island Designs

50 Wonderful One Wall Kitchens And Tips You Can Use From Them

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drewebowden66 · 6 years