Des Bishop (Victoria Theatre, Singapore), 26 November 2026

When this show was announced months ago, I won't lie, I was more excited about checking out the venue, Victoria Theatre, than I was about the actual show. 

I was figuring out where best to stay cos the theatre is in the CBD, and it's hotels like Fullerton, etc, which I can't afford as a B40 Malaysian. I ended up going with my usual area, Bencoolen Street, cos there's plenty of bus options, and it's not too far from CBD, and right above the MRT station, etc. Also took me awhile to decide when to take leave, as I wasn't sure if Monday cuti or not. I took 2 extra days off, cos I know I would need at least one day to travel, and to recover from the travelling.

Anyway, got dressed, rode the bus down a few stops, wandered around Funan, and ended up to Steak 99 for dinner after much dithering, cos how to resist a steak prices that start from $9.90 with free flowing sides (rice, soup, and veg)?

By the time I finished dinner, it was past 7 p.m., but the theatre was not too far a walk (really! and I say this as a lazy Malaysian) from Funan mall, so I mostly followed the crowd, walked past a bunch of old ass buildings, and got there with plenty of time. It was also dark by then so it wasn't too hot to be walking.

Went upstairs to the nosebleeds. Had saved the mobile ticket (cannot print out also) into my Google Wallet app, lucky that worked. Bag check was fine for me (I packed a smaller crossbody for this purpose, filled it with necessities?), but saw a lot of people had to have their laptops checked cos it was still a work day, and people got there straight after work. 

The view was really beh pai for system-selected seating

Only managed to take this

The show was about 80% full... based on the nosebleed seats la, I don't know about downstairs. Not too shabby for a Monday night comedy show. Going in, I no idea what the dress code would be. I thought I was underdressed in jeans, until I see white dudes come in SHORTS. Of course some of them were like greeting each other and what not.

But yeah, his schtick is that he's the Mandarin-speaking angmo (he did a TV show where he lived in China for a year to learn enough Mandarin to perform stand up in), albeit with the very cheena accent.

Ngl, I think it's hilarious that perhaps half the crowd who were there are fans of his wife, Hannah Berner, who's travelling with him, but is otherwise not performing. 

I was so tired from not getting much sleep the night before (damn perimenopause?), etc, I could barely keep my eyes open for half of it. I was also closing my eyes cos dude was moving too much for my eyes to keep up with, so was treating it like a podcast. 

FWIW, I probably would've enjoyed the show more if he didn't take audience requests and was rehashing some of the bits that he's already posted online. But since I don't follow him that closely, some of them I might've seen/heard before, but won't be able to recite it with a gun to my head. He also gave a shout out to his wife, who he said was somewhere in the room, and talked about her some. (She also talks about him in her act too; there should've been a double act LOL). At least she gets to be tai tai on this tour with him cos (he says) she never been to Asia before, so she's the one gungho planning stuff. 

Show started around 8.15 p.m., probably ended around 9.30 p.m. cos it was still a school night and people still had work the next day, etc. It took me awhile to walk to the bus stop (outside the colourful police station building) that would get me close enough to the hotel. I think I got back before 11 p.m., but I only had the energy to a hot choc, snack, shower (again) and get ready for bed cos I was so tired by then. 

Week 43, 2026

Still feeling under the weather. 

• Had to see the GP again. He gave stronger meds when I complained about feeling that my top teeth are gonna fall out (I know it's not, it's part of the sinus infection/inflammation), and that I had mentioned the first time that I was travelling the following week. 
• Got the Nike bag I've been eyeing off someone on Carousell (my very rare COD/buy occasions on the platform). Catch is, had to drive into Puchong to meet the young man for it. But to get a bag for a fraction of the retail price ah... oklah, I don't mind lah. 
• Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is back... online. It was on their YouTube channel. 
• Went to cuci mata at the Samsonite warehouse sale at Starling on Friday night. At least still can get the same warranty as in-store (so they say), but I didn't need another piece of luggage, so I left pretty quickly. 
• Also tried the new Starbucks Halloween drink, the Meow-vellous Black Frappuccino, which is raspberry blackcurrant with mocha sauce, with cat ears and tail-shaped chocolate pieces. NGL, I was more excited about the chocolate pieces than the drink itself, which just reminds me of Ribena. 
• Speaking of cats, the Luckin x Garfield merch was gone in a flash, wtf. I'm kinda sad, but also kinda relieved, cos I would be all too sayang to use, but also don't want to get it dirty? Yeah. 
• Finally cashed in the Kiehl's in-store facial with the voucher I got from the goodie bag on Saturday. Was advised to schedule it sooner than later cos apparently the facialist was leaving EOM. It's mostly them just cleansing the face, and applying their skincare products; I'm glad that I didn't pay for the experience...? But as there was a 20% (+ 5%) off storewide sale going on, I did get the one thing that I had been wanting to try, so.. cool?
• This week I learnt that I can finally check-in online to Scoot flights out of KL (had never been able to before, always had to go to the airport early for it)
• Also tried the Starbucks Marble Latte, which I don't hate, but small for RM15 leh. 
• Only took Prasarana almost 30 years to finally implement open payment system, so that people aren't just stuck using Touch N Go cards for train rides, and can use other payment methods. We see la how fast, especially with people trying to pay with QR and what not. 

Week 42, 2026

Was feeling under the weather this week. According to the self test kits, it's not COVID. Cos of the haze, almost everyone has some form of URTI lah. My busy weekend cleared up cos I had to cancel and/or reschedule due to this bout of illness. It's only polite.

• Airport run on Tuesday night to pick Dad up at KLIA
• Still 3 8 enough to do product exchange. At least the promoters were wise to take pics of everyone who got one and kicked out those who already got it when they tried again the following day. 
• Jason Leong's latest hour at The Platform in Menara KEN Saturday night - only thing I couldn't reschedule or cancel, so I wore a mask.
• Saw the BASS wedding reception on the TV on Sunday, cos why not.

Jason Leong - In Laughing Memory

When this show was announced, I was like not surprised that he would write a show about the death of his friend. As in, trust him to monetise the grief kind of way. 

It was a rainy Saturday night when I got to Taman Tun. Lucky I got street parking. I was so tired from everything, it was just easier to go directly to my seat (after leaving my umbrella outside the hall) and just nua until the show started. Came with a mask on cos I was under the weather, and this was the only thing I couldn't cancel or reschedule this weekend. 

Lucky I was seated right at the last row, next to the control booth? Idk. Otherwise it was a pretty full house, mostly Chinese people in attendance. 

Show started a little late, I think, cos people were still trying making their way to their seats cos they underestimated the parking situation, or were still eating before the show. Who knows.

Ayim Razak was the opening act. I've heard the set before, but that's just me. Everyone else found him hilarious. 

NOT Jason Leong (LOL) 

I think Jason showed his face around 9.15 pm. Most of the set was about the life and death of his late friend. He had a bit in the middle about Chinese funerals that was amusing but also plausible. Of course he had to talk about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which was where they met. He ended the show with a video montage of his late friend. 

I guess if I was a mutual friend, I would be more touched/sad/whatever about this tribute, but I thought it was okay. Has it's funny moments. I was mostly too tired to feel one way or the other, and couldn't do any more caffeine by then. 

It was still raining as we got out of the show. Got home in a timely manner. 

Week 41, 2026

• Went to Tong Kong a couple times this week to get different things... 
• Budget 2027 presented on Friday
• Apparently the Watsons warehouse sale at Starling was crazy cos the prices were crazy cheap, and I'm guessing people are buying in bulk to resell at retail price? Idk. Wasn't cray enough to go. 
• Saw the BASS wedding on YouTube after the fact, cos not crazy enough to be up so early to watch the live solemnisation ceremony at Menara 118 on Astro. But I'd admit that it's the country's wedding of the year.
• Dad's off to Kuantan by plane (believe it or not, there's only ONE nonstop flight to Kuantan from KLIA, and it's on MAS) for a 2 day kursus that starts on Monday morning that he's gotta complete or else nothing gets done. I guess it's less annoying than driving 4 - 5 hours there? But the 40 - 50 minute flight is just as ridiculous. 

Week 40, 2026

Busy week?

• Midweek jaunt to Amcorp
• The DKSH warehouse sale at Starling was bananas. Still glad that I went on the first day, mostly to get me some Lays chips. Also bought shavers (the Intuition ones I've been using for at least 20 years at this point were way cheaper than buying the refills) and erm, Eclipse mints. By the last day, it was really slim pickings.
• Got my (free) flu jab of the year. 
• Saw the latest Big Nose Productions show - Relationsh*t Chronicles on Friday, which I was a bit late for, but I also wasn't the only one. The 8 p.m. start was a touch annoying.
• Sold a couple of items this week that's on my Carousell. Lost money sure, but got some space back.
• Former college senior had a book out and one of the book event was at the Tsutaya on Saturday. 

In-N-Out Burger Pop-Up (2026 edition)

It's been a number of years since I last went for one of these. I think there was one more time since the 2018 pop-up, but I wasn't feeling it then, I think? It was also gonna be at Strangers at 47, and I know where that is, LOL. 

Like the last time I went, this was also announced the day before it seems (I saw the announcement from local KOLs in my algorithm while doom-scrolling in the middle of the night, while all bleary-eyed, hours before). Also kind of needed a distraction from work, anyway. 

Since it wasn't that far from me (less than 20 minutes drive) and the posts were like, it starts from 11 a.m., I figured I'd get there so that I would be in line after 10 a.m., and I didn't have to be in line that long. 

Like last time, I parked across the road and walked (not that lazy lah, also could stand to walk off the meal afterwards). Got there just before 10 a.m. This time they had people line up in serpentine form right outside the store, and unto the street so that their neighbours weren't blocked. 

Surprisingly, I think they started early (or for the media, I dunno cos I saw some influencers/KOLs go in early), but the line was moving briskly. I was probably in line less than half an hour? I heard that this time it was gonna be 500 portions. 

If you got this, means got burger for you. 
Also to be returned to the cashier, so..

So colour me surprised when I found myself in the door, got the swag (pic below), and standing in front of the cashier earlier than expected. Got a burger sticker (pic below) from the young angmo lady when she overheard me tell the cashier that it wasn't my first time, but it's been awhile. Faced with decision paralysis, the cashier suggested I go for the Double-Double set, which I kind of regretted since it was only potato chips and choice of either (canned) Coke, Coke Zero, and 7Up. I wouldn't mind paying the extra RM10 if it was fries and fountain drinks, but I guess they were going for efficiency. Last I checked, Strangers at 47 is not a burger restaurant, so they wouldn't have deep fryers and soda dispensers unlike say, MyBurgerLab. At least they allowed credit card payment this time round, but no AMEX (we got to find out together). Oh wells. 

Got the Double-Double set

I guess having only chips and canned drinks worked in their favour, cos they would only have to focus on the burgers. 

The merch table was off to the side, but that one only accepted e-wallet payment. IIRC there were t-shirts, lunch totes, maybe mugs, and two choices of socks. Maybe there was more. NGL, I was still dithering on the what size t-shirt to get when my order was called out, so they had to put my order down on the nearest table. Xandria Ooi and her husband thought it would be a good idea to take a picture of my meal, for some reason. Ended up spending RM55 on a t-shirt and an insulated lunch tote. It's cheaper than a plane ticket to the States. 

Because some people had their orders to go, finding a place to sit for dine-in wasn't hard. But I found myself faced with eating a burger set before 11 a.m. (not even for the first time this year). Call it brunch? The burger was messy to eat, but decent. The chips and drink was nothing to write home about. As usual, left one bite of bun there cos I cannot by then. 

Had to get merch la

The swag for the early birds (?)
Dunno if everyone afters got these, but..
Paper cap, lanyard, keychain, and stickers.

All in all, I was probably In-N-Out (pun very much intended) for about an hour, tops. Probably less. Skedaddled very quickly as I saw the queue get longer outside. That meal lasted the rest of the day. 

PS. Talk about history repeating itself - I checked the other t-shirt I got the first time, and it was also a Small. So now I got two Small-sized In-N-Out tee shirts, in black and white, but different prints. In my defense, the M was significantly larger. At least I know I cannot get away with XS then, and I lagi cannot now. Last I checked, the Small fit ok on me, just maybe a bit snug? The M would've fit like a Uniqlo oversized t-shirt on me, tbh. 

PPS. Saw online later that people were lining up for up to 2 hours in the sun as the day went on, and it was only for a few hours. Hot damn.