iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 18/10/2026

Where would you eat/go if you had one night in Frankfurt?

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

Cachorrinho at a tiny local joint. A Porto staple, served here with fries.

A long bread roll filled with sausage and ham, covered in melted cheese and drenched in a punchy port wine and tomato gravy.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

This very local bar in Porto, Portugal. Limited tables and standing room. Cold beer.

Two frosty glasses of beer on a laminate table in the foreground and a man standing at a long bar in the background.
The wall behind the bar is adorned with beautiful blue and white patterned tiles and framed photos of Porto's football club players over the years.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

I've been having a real shitty time recently with eczema break outs and recovering from shingles. People don't talk about it much, but having crappy skin can really screw with your self confidence. So yeah... She really brightened my day. Honestly actually made me a little emotional.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

A lovely Brazilian woman took the time to tell me via Google translate that I was "very beautiful". We really don't compliment each other on the daily. Going to make it a point to do it more 💜 You never know when it might make someone's day.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

When in Porto, francesinha. Toasted sandwich filled with steak and cured meats. Smothered in melted cheese served with a tomato-based white wine sauce. Topped with an egg. 🔥

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

This very jammy fig. And some hand-cut cured local black pig.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

@sisterratched it's pretty intense. We got there in the morning before most of the tourists, but it was starting to get busy as we left.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

Bought this from a stall with a very grumpy stallholder. Although tbf, I'd be grumpy too if I had to deal with tourists all day. 😬

A square plate piled with different cheeses.
Clockwise from the top: A gooey gorgonzola with cognac, Stilton with port, A Blue Shropshire, aged orange Gouda, truffled gorgonzola and a pile of toast-shaped croutons.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

Died and gone to cheese heaven. Yes. Those are bottles of liquor in the cheeses 🤯

A whole wheel of Blue Shropshire with an overturned bottle of beer upturned into it, and a whole wheel of blue stilton with an upturned bottle of port in it.

Two large wheels of gorgonzola with their tops cut off. One has an open bottle of cognac in it and the other is mixed through with fresh bits of black truffle.
They are surrounded by smaller metal baskets of broken up stilton and Roquefort.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/10/2026

Warning. Lots of food photos incoming. Location: Bolhão Market (Porto, Portugal) Some fantastic oysters and very pretty and fresh local sea urchins with their dark purple spindles😍

Piles of whole oysters and sea urchin sitting on crushed ice

Halved sea urchins showcasing their plump, dark orange insides.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026

@weezmgk it's a bit too heavy for me. Makes my nose bleed 😬 He drinks enough for both of us. Haha

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026

How cute is this big top? They also had a restaurant attached to the circus.

A large pointed roof with a red and White circus tent painted on.
In front of the building are a few tables with people dining. Patches of red awning are stretched out over the dining area.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026

This was yesterday, but we found the localo circus. Not-for-profit, community led.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026

My husband is a Guinness tragic. As is my brother. I am a sucker for Kilkenny 🤷

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026

Mural to commemorate 50 years after the Carnation revolution.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026

During the day these streets are bustling... But at 730 in the morning, you can catch the soft light and early-risers heading off to work.

An (almost) empty street with a beautiful old building at the end.
The sun rises in the background

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 12/10/2026

One of our favourite things to do when travelling is to watch a city slowly wake up. Location: Lisbon, Portugal

A quiet cobblestone street next to tram lines.
Stone buildings line the walkway to the left and there is a lone, bright red neon light that reads 'BAR'.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/10/2026

@psa maybe not gymnastics, but definitely circus hopefully! 🤞🤞

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

Leave me alone in an empty apartment long enough... 🤣

Me doing an arm balance on a black stool in the middle of a small open plan living room .

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

Flying out to Lisbon tonight! Will also be heading down to Porto. Food recs would be very much appreciated! 💜💜

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

Obligatory Sg Hokkien mee. Extra pork lard 😬

White oblong melamine plate with fried yellow noodles, a dollop of dark red sambal on one side, topped with crispy cubes of brown pork lard.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

More offal. And very silky kway (rice noodles sheets) Sorry @kauer 😅

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

@OrionKidder It's called a 'skin the cat' into a German hang and it involves mostly the shoulder muscles, and mine are nowhere near strong enough 🤣 Which is why I have to cheat by tucking my legs in a couple of times. Hahaha Working on them 😊

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

Then I did a bit of compression practice. Had a few funny looks from passers-by. I guess adults don't play around much in this atas (highclass/snooty) condo 😬 What's the point of having outdoor equipment like this if you're not gonna use it? 😔

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 09/10/2026

Went for a swim this morning... And then monkeyed around for a bit 🤭

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

@SRDas The batter is different... But I'd imagine the technique would be similar to making banh xeo 🙃

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

Afternoon snacks. Fun story about these appam. They were made by a Vietnamese lady at a hawker centre in Chinatown. She was in such a hurry to sign the lease for this shop that she didn't realise that it was licensed as an Indian stall. So she learnt how to make appam. 🤷

Two bowl-shaped appam sitting on a brown paper lined tray in the background.
In the foreground is a corner of appam torn off in my hand topped with shaved jaggery and fresh shredded coconut.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

First lunch was hainanese chicken rice (with extra gizzards) at china town complex. It was perfect. No frills. No Michelin bib gourmand nonsense. Just really flavourful rice and silky smooth poached chicken. Chilli and ginger with just the right amount of kick.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

Second breakfast involved these vada, several thosai, rasam idli and masala tea. I only took a photo of the vada because I was too busy eating the rest of it. 🤣 These are the only 'doughnuts' that I ever crave. Fluffy, fragrant, savoury, spiced.

Two vada (savoury Indian doughnuts) on a white plate served with two metal ramekins. One containing a green coriander/mint chutney and the other a light orange sambar.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/10/2026

I'm in Singapore for three days and two nights before we set off to Portugal, so we are trying to cram in as much food as we can 😬 It started off with economy noodles, because that's how a day should start. Why have eggs on toast, when you can have breakfast noodles?

A white melamine plate with brown fried 'economy' noodles, topped with a fried egg and a piece of fried spam.
The plate is flanked by two plastic cups of iced kopi.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 04/10/2026

When asked what she was going to be doing this lovely Spring day, a regular customer in her 60s told me that she was going to take half a tablet of ritalin and then play the piano with the windows open. Love that for her. 💚

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026

@sisterratched we're actually flying off to Singapore/Portugal for a couple of weeks next week Which is partly why I'm stressing. Lol. Trying to sort out logistics and staffing for the shop. The irony.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026

@sisterratched I really am! 🤣 I've been to the doctor 3 times this week for different things and I am so done. Every time I think things can't get worse, I find that apparently, they can. Lol.

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026

Guess I didn't realise how much stress I was under. (Bonus round) Apparently I have shingles! 🤦 Lol. I'm done.

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Reposted by Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美

Tim Richards @timrichards.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026

The Victorian state election is only eight weeks away! On Saturday 28 November 2026. At the below link you can check your enrolment is up to date, or enrol to vote - pass it along to any young people or new arrivals you know who might not have enrolled yet. #VicPol #voting […]

aus.social

Original post on aus.social

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Deb Ong (she/her)翁诗美 @nihilistnomya.aus.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026

No one else will ever know that version of me. Young. Carefree. Idealistic. Curious. Silly. I haven't even thought about her in decades. It's a strange feeling of deep loss.

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