I’ve recently become a fan of Jamie Oliver’s new show Jamie’s American Road Trip. I’ve been to the U.S. a few years ago (2005, I think), namely Hawaii, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Anaheim, so I’ve had prior experience of the country before seeing this show. I’ve also flipped through the cookbook based on the series in Sydney, and it was an interesting read. Jamie’s epic trip goes further than the usual tourist haunts and journeys deep into the culinary heart of America, as he explores the many multicultural delicacies in places such as New Orleans, Navajo, and New York, to name a few. I’ve seen the Navajo and Los Angeles episodes, and along with the usual cooking demonstrations, there’s a surprising amount of pathos and thoughtfulness as he engages with the locals, gets them to share their ‘food history’ and their life stories. It is the human experience, set in a country with as many different people as its dishes, summed up in a one-hour episode. I never really bought Jamie’s idealistic attempts to revolutionize Britain’s food culture in Ministry of Food (though I appreciated his efforts), or his shock-tactics in Save Our Bacon, but I actually enjoyed this series, recalling his quiet, pensive moments in his earlier shows like Jamie at Home, Naked Chef, etc. It’s one delicious trip worth taking.
And on another note, I’m really excited for the return of Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd! For the uninitiated, think of it as a Singaporean version of the traditional family sitcom genre like Growing Pains, The Simpsons, and Packed to the Rafters. The titular protagonist, an uneducated, cocky, but ultimately good-hearted contractor is somewhat a cultural icon here, and his catchphrases are instantly recognisable to any Singaporean/Malaysian. His family (consisting his air-headed wife, wimpy brother, snooty sister-in-law, and his two lazy and inept workers) live with him in a terrace house, where he takes on various construction jobs while competing with his fierce and equally arrogant rival, Frankie Foo. They ended the show a couple of years ago, but they seemed to have done a ‘Pirates of the Carribean’ with the new series, this time called Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd (“Private Limited” in Malay). The new season sees him moving across the Causeway, so I can’t wait to watch his further adventures in the Peninsula! If you haven’t seen this show before, I encourage you to find clips online on Youtube, as I’ve heard some Expats actually enjoy it, and even if you don’t, it’s interesting to have a taste of the loony sense of comedy and broken English that pervades this show. Seriously, it’s the “best in JB, Singapore, and some say Batam”! 
The season opener was totally kick-*ss!
), and reruns of 
I always seem to do so when talking about Disney…