The Great Gatsby

We were priveledge enough to be invited to our first ever movie premiere which was organised by Tiffany & Co last week. Being an avid Tiffany fan and loyal customer for years, it was indeed an invite that we could never miss. A huge thanks to my SA (sales associate) Alyssa for putting us up.

The premiere was held at  Golden Village Vivocity Gold Class theaters. The theme was the 1920s. The moment we came, we were already ushered and treated like VIPs. Had our photograph taken at the Tiffany & Co billboard (feeling oh so oscars, music awards), walked the blue carpet (Tiffany’s signature colour), got treated to cocktails pre-movie with models drench in jewellery from Tiffany which were also worn by the cast in The Great Gatsby and a 2 course free dinner in the theatre afterwards. This could not be better.

Let’s talk about the movie now shall we? What I love most about the movie had nothing to do with the storyline. I love the props, the costumes, the jewelry, the glitz and the glamour. But overall, Leonardo Di Caprio and Carey Mulligan played their roles really well. I just did not like the ending. Shall not spoil it for you readers.

The plot

Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), a Yale University graduate and World War I veteran, is a depressed and disillusioned alcoholicstaying in a sanatorium for treatment of his alcoholism. He talks about a man named Gatsby, describing him as the most hopeful man he had ever met. When he struggles to articulate his thoughts, his doctor suggests writing it down, since writing is what brings him solace.

In the summer of 1922, Nick moves from the U.S. Midwest to New York, where he takes a job as a bond salesman. He rents a small house on Long Island in the (fictional) village of West Egg, next door to the lavish mansion of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious business magnate who holds extravagant parties. Nick drives across the bay to East Egg for dinner at the home of his cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), and her husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton), a college acquaintance of Nick’s. They introduce Nick to Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki), an attractive, cynical young golfer with whom Daisy wishes to couple Nick.

Jordan reveals to Nick that Tom has a mistress who lives in the “valley of ashes,” an industrial dumping ground between West Egg and New York City. Not long after this revelation, Nick travels with Tom to the valley of ashes, where they stop by a garage owned by George Wilson (Jason Clarke) and his wife, Myrtle (Isla Fisher), who is Tom’s lover that Jordan mentioned. Nick goes with Tom and Myrtle to an apartment that they keep for their affair, where Myrtle throws a vulgar and bizarre party that ends with Tom breaking her nose as she taunts him about Daisy.

As the summer progresses, Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby’s parties. Upon arriving, he learns that none of the guests at the party, though there are hundreds, have ever met Gatsby himself, and they have developed multiple theories as to who he is. Nick encounters Jordan, and they meet Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is surprisingly young and rather aloof, in person. Gatsby seems to take a liking to Nick and the two become mutual friends. Their friendship develops after Gatsby takes Nick out to dinner, with his mysterious friend Meyer Wolfshiem (Amitabh Bachchan). Through Jordan, Nick later learns that Gatsby knew Daisy from a romantic encounter in 1917, and is still madly in love with her. He spends many nights staring at the green light at the end of her dock, across the bay from his mansion, hoping to one day rekindle their lost romance. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties are an attempt to impress Daisy in the hopes that she will one day appear at Gatsby’s doorstep. Gatsby now wants Nick to arrange a reunion between himself and Daisy. Nick invites Daisy to have tea at his house, without telling her that Gatsby will be there also.

After an initially awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy reconnect, and they begin an affair. Shortly after, Daisy and Tom attend one of Gatsby’s parties, where Tom grows increasingly suspicious of his wife’s relationship with Gatsby. Throughout a luncheon at the Buchanans’ house, Gatsby stares at Daisy with such undisguised passion that Tom realizes Gatsby is in love with her. Though Tom himself is involved in an extramarital affair, he is deeply outraged by his wife’s infidelity. He forces the group to drive into New York City, where he confronts Gatsby in a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Tom asserts that he and Daisy have a history that Gatsby could never understand, and he announces to his wife that Gatsby is a criminal whose fortune comes from bootlegging alcohol and other illegal activities. This pushes Gatsby to his breaking point, and he has an explosive outburst of anger, much to his own dismay. After this incident, Daisy realizes that her allegiance is to Tom, who contemptuously sends her back to East Egg with Gatsby, attempting to prove that Gatsby cannot hurt him.

When Nick, Jordan, and Tom drive through the valley of ashes, however, they discover that Gatsby’s car has struck and killed Myrtle, Tom’s lover. They rush back to Long Island, where Nick learns from Gatsby that Daisy, wanting to calm her nerves, had been driving the car at the time of the accident. However, Gatsby intends to take the blame. Despite the events that occurred at the Plaza, Gatsby is convinced that Daisy will call him the next day. That night, he reveals to Nick that he was born penniless, and his real name is James Gatz. In the morning, Nick leaves for work while Gatsby decides to go for a swim before his pool is drained for the season. He asks for the telephone to be brought down to the pool, still waiting for Daisy to call. The night before, Tom tells Myrtle’s husband, George, that Gatsby was the driver of the car. George jumps to the conclusion that Gatsby had also been Myrtle’s lover, and he retrieves a gun. Back at the mansion, Gatsby hears the phone ring, and believes it to be Daisy. As he is climbing out of the pool while looking hopefully across the bay at Daisy’s mansion, he is abruptly shot and killed by George, who immediately turns the gun on himself. It is revealed that it is Nick on the phone, and he hears the two gunshots.

When Nick calls the Buchanans to invite Daisy to Gatsby’s funeral, he learns that she, Tom, and their daughter are leaving New York. Only the press, whom Nick chases out, attend the funeral. The media accuse Gatsby of being both the murderer and lover of Myrtle, leaving Nick as the only one who knows the truth. Evidently disillusioned with his fascination for the East Coast, he soon moves back to the Midwest to escape the disgust he feels for the people surrounding Gatsby’s life, as well as the moral decay and emptiness of the wealthy of the East Coast. Back in the sanatorium, Nick finishes his memoir and titles it, “The Great Gatsby.”

Here are the highlights of the night

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Artisanal Cafe of the East

Plus its halal too. Welcome to Penny University. Best part was, no stress when you’re in this ‘school’. You get to eat,chill and be merry. They serve mostly my kind of food. Thank you very much. Sandwiches with healthy cuts galore. And their desserts? Are to die for. Why? Because they’re always sold out way before mid day! And whenever their constant supplier Fluffbakery sends their cupcakes especially, fastest it’ll go is within an hour? Yes they’re THAT famous.

Another thing that I love about Penny is their rustic, vintage decor. Recycled items from yesteryears don the cafe. The chairs, the tables, even their water glasses which I still remember drinking from those at my late grandma’s kampung. 

And who can forget the friendly faces who greet you when you come in and out? The staff there make you feel welcome and make you a part of their extended family.

This would definitely not be a cafe that I would stay away from.

Pictures below are taken during my makan journey with Penny University

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Blue Mountain Adventure

A tad late but better late than never.

It was our second time up the Blue Mountains. Eventhough it was Summer and the sun was out in full force, the wind still made it cool. The views were of course still breathtakingly beautiful.

Made a pitstop to Featherdale Wildlife Park too before going up the mountains to have a personalised one on one with our cute Aussie friends.

Last retreat was to a local joint called Malay Village where we satisfied our melayu tastebuds.

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DreamLand

It’s not exactly a place to sleep literally but you could doze off amidst the crashing waves, the sun on your back, lounging on a sundeck chair with the sea breeze in your hair with a mocktail in your hand.

Dreamland Bali a place where the sand was pristine white and the sea as blue as the sky. Being here was like being in paradise. Your own little island. To get to the beach you need to go all the way down amidst rocks and a makeshift ladder. But once you’re down there, you would never want to leave.

Though the waves were kind of scary to me that is, overall it was beautiful. A great place if you’re up for a surf. And there is a restaurant on top, kind of remind me of Kudeta Bali and the ones in Sentosa where you could chill, have some food and wait for the sunset in the evening. The place gives you the perfect location for you to catch that picturesque memory.

We too didn’t give a miss. Took wonderful pictures as the sun was setting.

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The Bug

I’ve caught the bug. A first this year. I rarely get sick so to be sick this early of the year it truly sucks. A splitting headache, a runny nose and a throat that feels I’ve swallowed cardboard.

I haven’t succumbed to the doctor’s yet. Hopefully my self medication works. Can’t afford to stay in bed all day. There’s routine work to be done. Hope I can get through this day as painless as possible.

Till then have a great Monday!