Datin Su Day, Puan Sri Molly Low, Tengku Tan Sri Razaleigh Hamzah, Dato Steve Day and Tan Sri Low Kheng Huat
YTM Tunku Laksama Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar
YAM Raja Zarina Raja Zainal, Pat Liew and Zessie Li
Santa Croc bearing gifts
Crocodile, Santa Claus and Buddha in perfect harmony
Santa Clauses and Buddha and Xmas tree thriving and flourishing
Statues of Buddha and 4 monks overlooking the silver, life-sized crocodile featuring a real skull
WHEN DATO STEVE DAY AND WIFEY DATIN SU DAY THROW A PARTY, ONE EXPECTS AND GETS A LAVISH OFFERING OF GREAT FOOD, FINE WINE, LIVE BAND ENTERTAINMENT AND THEY GOT IT BY THE SPADEFULS AT THE COUPLE'S LAVISH XMAS LUNCH AT THEIR PALATIAL MANSION IN BUKIT TUNKU ON 11 DECEMBER 2011.
By the time I arrived with Zessie Li and Ting Ting (yes that is her real name though it sounds like a name for a panda) around 2pm the party was already in full swing. Many of the great and good, titled and commoners (but of the rich variety, not the garden species) were seated at tables, their plates laden with sumptuous food.
Karim, 21-year old son of Dato Farah Khan was there, all dressed as Santa Claus to greet guests at the entrance and be photographed next to the Christmas tree all lit up like me next to a life-sized statue of Buddha! I just love such juxtapositioning of religious icons as my condo also flaunts statues of Buddha, Kwan Yin, Ganesha, Jesus and for good measure the heathen gods like Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Diana and all the goddesses and gods of Mount Olympus! After all, these gods were worshipped and held as all-powerful long before Jesus and Buddha were born and the oldies can still be goodies and I always pray to Buddha, Jesus, Ganesha and Zeus as I always believe in hedging my bets. You never can tell which God might find you wanting so I always play safe to ensure either a place in high heaven or a rebirth as a future Emperor.
Where am I? I do digress...
Oh, I almost tripped over a crocodile in my excitement as along one wall were 5 statues of monks with alms bowls. I always feel I was a penitent priest in my last life so I was keen to have a closer look in case I experience a cathartic moment. So I almost fell as my foot caught the snout of a life-sized crocodile!
It was the selfsame crocodile I was admiring earlier at the Lotus Arts de Vivres exhibition last month. I wanted to but it as it would look divine on the floor at the entrance of my palatial condo. My budget was RM 8,000 but Sri and his brother Nicholas von Bueren insisted on far more so the beast ended up on Dato Steve Day's marble floor instead!
I also noted a life-sized stool covered in stingray skin and designed as a pig plus a fabulous vase with a silver chameleon perching precariously on a precipice. So culturally refined are the Days. So nice they can see the Daylight of fine art!
Anyway I went to feed my face and was enamoured by the bowl of strawberries. Not the usual, soury and miserable strawberries the size of marbles or pygmy balls but fat, juicy and large strawberries the size of a ping pong ball. The Days never stinge on their offerings that is for sure!
So I felt obliged ('noblesse oblige' as the Frenchies would say) to take the entire bowl but it was too heavy so I emptied 90% of the fruits onto 2 plates as I am not the selfish type and I always leave some behind for the peasants for the mopping up operations. I went to a secluded and safe place by the swimming pool at the bottom of the garden to eat in peace. I notice from bitter experience if I were to sit on a table, other unreasonable guests tend to assume the 2 plates of strawberries were also meant for them to share!
As we left, Santa Karim gave me a present but I took two from the belly of the silver crocodile since I have two hands. The cute figurines are now reposing daintily on my coffee table.
I must say this was one of the best and longest, laziest and lushest Xmas lunches I ever had!
Merry Christmas, Dato Steve and Datin Su Day!
I just love this silver crocodile with tiger's eye for eyes. From Lotus Arts de Vivres, it is unique and one of a kind, just like me
Ting Ting and Zessie Li patting Dato Steve Day's crocodile head
Food, glorious food
Colonel Jacques LeMay and wife Elizabeth
Kee Hua Chee comes clutching a smaller version of himself as one can never too much of a good thing
Ladies who lunched long, lazily and luxuriously
The Days' mansion is vast and palatial with rooms that overlook the garden
Checking out each other's glasses
Santa Steve with 3 friends
Santa Steve with friend
3 monkeys or am I giving orang utan a bad name?
Eric and Che Puan Nur Lisa, mother of the future King of Malaysia
Che Puan Nur Lisa, mother of Tengku Amir the Raja Muda of Selangor with Eric
THE END
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