Bits of weekends are pretty much all there is at the moment, working days being so horrendously busy.

Nigel spent last weekend at the last ever Malaysian Formula 1.

I, meanwhile, took myself to the MPO. The programme was a kind of Beethoven-meets-Asia mix. At the Asian end of the spectrum, as well as Toru Takemitsu's Requiem for String Orchestra, we had Vivian Chua's Mercu Kegemilangan, which was specially commissioned to celebrate the MPO's 20th season.

I first heard this splendid piece at the open rehearsal (and at that point, having not read the programme, I'd not realized its significance, or recognized the composer who was there to give advice on its performance). I'd been impressed then. But second time round, its bold fanfare, its gentle pastorale, and its boisterous dance motif sounded even better.

At the rehearsal we'd also pre-heard Beethoven's Symphony 7, but not the "Emperor" piano concerto, which formed the piece de resistance of the programme. This was played by Tengku Irfan, a 19-year-old Malaysian musician, who seems destined for a really great future.

That weekend I also finally got to the Ilham Gallery's "Contemporary Forum", which they've been showing all summer. Interesting, as always, with the themes of mapping and location emerging very strongly from many of the exhibits.









We'd not been to the Coliseum for a long time, but on the Friday evening of this weekend we ended up in their bar. I can really recommend the "Merdeka chicken" (delicately spicy fried chicken with crispy fried onions and curry leaves).



Blade Runner 2049 was in our sights for this weekend. But you need to stock up with a good breakfast before going to see it, as it's nearly three hours long. Curry mee from Baba Nyonya in Avenue K is definitely the sort of thing you're looking for.





The movie is excellent. Visually, musically, and narratively, it picks up where the last one left off. The earth seems to have suffered even more devastation, and there's apparently little investment in the people who -- unable to head off for another planet -- remain in the scarred, ravaged, weather-beaten cities. Responsive electronic characters have replaced the mechanistic toys of the 1980s movie, but -- in heavy irony -- nothing electronic seems to function that reliably. A few flying cars carry law enforcers around. Everyone else has to make do with feet and bicycles. There's no lack of advertising, however. Lights constantly gyrate and flash. The Chinese overlay of the previous film has gone, and in its place are a ragbag of other tongues.

It's all very thought-provoking -- and it makes you very grateful for the city you have.