Christmas

One more day to go till Christmas... Hooray !! Christmas is one of my favourite festive seasons... To me, Christmas is all about family and friends, the good food, the Christmas deco, the presents, Christmas carols and of course, Santa.

Talking about food, I realized that there are certain food which have become the traditions for Christmas. During Christmas season, you will definately hear about roast turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, apple sauce, fruit mince tart, fruit cake, christmas pudding, chocolate truffles and christmas cookies.

Doesn't all the food make you hungry ? Yum... Mmm.... Mmm.... Alright, lets do something then, so eeny meeny miney moe.... which of the christmas food should i make ? and the result is...........

The Christmas Fruit Cake !!

So last Sunday, I baked my ever first fruit cake. It was slightly over baked (due to my negligence, I was watching movie on my computer and forgot about the cake :p) but thank goodness it wasn't so bad. It came out slightly darker than it supposed to be and a little bit dry. But other than that, it tasted pretty alright.

Next on my list will probably be the chocolate truffles or mini cheese cakes. Hmm... or I might just do both :> until then, here's wishing all of you out there: Merry Christmas

Just Me

Lately I am obsessed with photo editing, particularly photos of myself :> It all started with the idea of creating a profile picture for my facebook. I wanted to use a picture of me but still keep a certain secrecy. So I ended up croping part of my photos and adding some artistic touch to it :p

Chinese New Year

I know.... I know.... Christmas is just round the corner and I am talking about Chinese New Year ?!

o_0

Ha ha... Actually I decided to make some pineapple tarts and that reminds me of chinese new year. During chinese new year festival, there will be lots of cookies available and one of the most popular-must-have cookies are the pineapple tarts. Also my all time favourite :>

Unfortunately, when comes to pineapple tarts, I am very picky. I don't like those from the bakeries such as Season, Lavender etc (no offence to them, just my personal likings). Maybe because I started eating pineapple tarts made by my uncle. The tarts he makes have a very soft, milky texture, it just melts in your mouth. Very different from those bought.

Another type of pineapple tart I like is the Nyonya pineapple tart. Unlike the cookies type, it comes in a tart shape with crispy crust. Everytime my family goes to Malacca/Melaka, my mum will sure to buy some (as she knows I love them)... well they love them too... who doesn't ?

Anyway, few weeks ago, I decided to make some pineapple tarts myself. I wasn't sure which type I want to make, so I surveyed for both recipes. I ended up making the cookies type or pineapple rolls simply because I cannot find the mould to make the tart shell.

I am not posting the recipes here. So for the pineapple rolls, I have adopted the recipe from Fresh From The Oven [Thanks Mandy for the recipe, it is exactly how I like it]. And for the Nyonya pineapple tarts, you can visit Malaysian Nyonya Cooking Recipe at Malaysian Nyonya Cooking.

ps: I made my pineapple rolls extra large as I like to have a mouthful of it... I know, I can be such a piggy at times :p

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my eldest nephew's birthday and tomorrow is his younger brother's birthday. So I picked today to wish them a very happy birthday.

Happy Birthday Boys :)

This picture is specially posted for both of you

... and also to my little niece too for a really belated birthday
Happy Birthday Angel :) sorry for not posting anything on your birthday...

Say Cheese

I am in one of my crazy snacking mood again. It started few weeks ago and I can't seem to stop it. It is seriuosly addictive. I am constantly looking for something to munch on eventhough I am not hungry. I know... it is an unhealthy habit... but... * giggling and shrugging my shoulder, giving the what-can-I-do look *

Anyway, instead of buying potato chips from the supermarket [feeling guilty of snacking and trying very hard to refrain myself], I thought I would make something instead, something healthier perhaps. So I have decided to make some cheese snacks - Cheese Twist and Parmesan Wafers

CHEESE ! Not really any better of than potato chips, isn't it ? Ha ha...

0_o

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cheese Twist :
Recipe adopted from Better Homes & Gardens TV show

2 sheets of puff pastry (approx. 25cm x 25cm)
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated
sugar (optional)
flour (for working on the pastry sheet)

1. Lay a sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface
2. Brush the entire side up of the pastry sheet with melted butter
3. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese onto the pastry sheet
4. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first sheet
5. Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and compress it a little with a rolling pin
6. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and repeat step 5 (to prevent the cheese from falling)
7. Cut into 10 strips. If the strips are too long, do what I did and cut them into half
8. Twist the strips and place on a baking tray laid with baking paper
9. Bake in a 180°c preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until golden and crisp
10. Sprinkle a little sugar over the twists (optional preference) and serve

Parmesan Wafers:
Recipe adopted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine

75g plain flour
50g cold butter, grated
100g parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
1 egg
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon milk
45g flaked or slivered almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c (fan forced). Line baking tray with baking paper
2. Sift the flour in a medium bowl. Add butter and rub it through the flour until mixture has a very fine consistency
3. Add the parmesan and mix to combine
4. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, mustard and milk with a fork until well combined
5. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and use a fork to combine
6. Gently stir through the almonds with a metal spoon
7. Place dessertspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray and spread each one out with the back of a wet spoon until 10cm in diameter and very thin
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes until golden
9. Cool on the trays until firm enough to handle, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely

Presents

Everytime when I go home, I would definately get something for my nephews and niece. It is my belated birthday gifts for them. So everytime when they know I am going home, they will be extremely excited, because they know I will be bringing presents for them... [I hope that is not the only reason they are happy and excited :p]

Anyway, I rang my mum two days ago and so happen my eldest nephew was with them. So I talked to him over the phone. I asked him what he would like for his birthday since his birthday is just around the corner.

He said:
"POKEMON ! I love Pokemon or Digimon. Not Ben 10 please, I don't like Ben 10 anymore..."

Then in the background, I can hear my mum said:
"Aiya... all those can get here in Malaysia... ask for something that only Australia has..."

So then he said:
"Ok.... yee yee... I want the best toys in Australia !"

OMG... what would that be ? Ha ha.... me and my big mouth for asking him.... so right now, I need to crack my head thinking of what to get for him that he cannot get back there... and on top of that, it has to be THE BEST !

0_o

My Sunday Afternoon

I have always love dancing. But never got the chance to do it professionally when I was back in my country. I guess it was the lack of time, money and the availability of classes that stop me from doing what I like. But I have not given up the passion in dance.

Few months ago, after watching so many episodes of So You Think You Can Dance, the fire of my passion in dacing has been ignited once again. And this time, there are no excuses for me to not do something about it anymore. So I did some research and survey on dance classes in Sydney and went for it.




I started with Jazz and so far I have attended 6 classes till date. When you look at dancers dancing on stage, they always seem to make the dance so easy and simple. But in reality, dancing is tough but in a very good way. It is a very good form of exercise for both body and mind. Dancing helps improve cardio, increase stamina and flexibility, tone the muscles and improve posture and balance of the body. On top of that, you get to unwind and have fun. It just feels absolutely great [not for the next few days though, where your muscle in every inch of your body is aching] ...

Ha ha ha...

Fishy Business

I usually don't take lunch on Sunday for two main reasons. First reason - Sunday is a day where I sleep in. I usually wake up only around 10am and will be having my breakie around 10.30am. Second reason - I go for dance class at 2pm (trust me, not a good idea dancing with full stomach).

So last Sunday, I actually got up earlier than I expected - around 8.30am. Had my breakfast and started doing housework. By the time I hit the road to my dance class at around 1.40pm, my stomach started rumbling... "Oh no..." I started to feel hungry but I tried to keep my mind off it. Thank goodness it was a fun routine that day, I totally enjoyed the dance until I have forgotten all about my hunger. But right after the dance, the trouble starts - I was feeling super duper hungry all the way back home.

Ok.... so I thought to myself : " What can I cook in just minutes to feed my growling stomach ? " The minute I arrived home, looked into my fridge and ah ha - I'm going to do Pan Fried Barramundi Top With Asparagus.

In 10 quick steps (approximately 15 minutes in total)

1. Cut fish into small pieces
2. Season with a little bit of salt and ground black pepper
3. Add some chives and some olives oil
4. Leave it for the flavour to set in
5. Clean the asparagus and cut away the woody part (bottom part)
6. Steam the asparagus (can be done in other ways)
7. Heat up frying pan with oil
8. Place fish in pan on medium heat
9. Flip fish after 1 minute or 2
10. Serve fish on plate top with steamed asparagus

Moment

Doesn't moment like this put a smile on your face ? Even the birds are enjoying the moment... this reminds me of a very spectacular performance by a six years old little girl from Britains Got Talent...

Salmon

Salmon... I have never liked salmon. Well... except for those thinly sliced and smoked. I have tried so many salmon dishes in restaurants but none had ever impressed me. All salmon dishes I have tried are always too dry and tasteless.

One fine day while I was doing my normal groceries shopping, I was scanning at all the fishes over the counter, trying to decide what to buy. I usually will go for Dory, Barramundi or any other fish but definately not salmon.

I don't know what came on to me that day, I actually decided to buy some salmon fillet. I guess I wanted to proof that salmon can be tasty, it is just a matter of how it was cooked (ha ha... I'm a big sucker for challenges).

So then began my quest. I did some research on salmon by looking up for salmon recipes, but most are more or less the same. So I decided to do it my own style after all. My ultimate aim is to overcome the two main reasons that made me dislike salmon - the dryness and the tastelessness.

Finally I came up with this idea - seasoned salmon with tomato salsa.

For the salmon:

First, seasoned/marinated the salmon fillet with a little bit of salt and some ground black pepper, some McCormick's Italian seasoning (contains garlic, onion and some herbs and spices) and finally some olive oil. I usually would prefer using fresh herbs but since I have none at home, I had to make do with whatever I have. Once done, cover the salmon with plastic wrap and let it set.

For the tomato salsa:

5 red juicy tomatoes, remove the inner parts (don't chuck it away, that's wasting food; eat it instead), cut the rest into cubes.

2 green pepper (jalapeno) - sliced, seed removed (I personally do not like the seeds, but if you don't mind the seeds and prefer it hotter, then don't remove them) and cut into small pieces.

1 big red onion - sliced and chopped into small pieces (I had a hard time doing this, my eyes were in tears, can hardly see).

A handful of Kalamata olives with seed removed and cut into small pieces. I am not a big fan of olives but I wanted something black/brown in my tomato salsa, just to add to the colour presentation :p but I must say, other than the colour, the olives actually added a little extra kick to the tomato salsa (olives are salty).

Now, put everything in a big bowl, add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper, juice of a lemon and a tablespoon full of extra virgin olive oil. Mix everything together and voilà - you have yourself a tasty, zetsy tomato salsa.

Set the tomato salsa aside. Heat up the frying pan in high, pour some oil in the pan and wait till the oil is hot. Once the oil is ready for frying, turn the heat to medium. Put in the salmon fillet, skin side down first and let it sizzle through about 2 minutes or so (depends on the thickness of the fillet). Flip it and fry the whole fillet until it is cooked but not over cooked.

It is very important to make sure not to over cook the salmon or it will end up dry and flaky. Lastly spread the tomato salsa on a plate, gently place the salmon on top and serve it with a lemon wedge.



Now enjoy the savoury taste of the salmon and a blend of the appetizing zetsy tomato salsa with a tinge of chili spicyness. This is the first time I actually enjoyed my salmon dish :>

Names

Last Tuesday, I went to the RTA (Road & Traffic Authority), which is similar to JPJ in Malaysia to sit for my driver's knowledge test (yes... I had to go through all the process again just to get the NSW driving licence) Anyway, I was unable to sit for the test that day. I was told that the my family name and given name was mixed up in my visa, hence they cannot allow me to proceed until I get my visa ammended.

Usually I would be so pissed off when things like this happen. But on that day, I was actually pretty cool about it. I couldn't stop laughing because I felt it was so funny - because things like this always happen to me. I have had so many experiences like this when I was doing my masters degree. All my fellow friends did their masters in the same uni and had no problem. But I ended up with hips of problems, one after another. I guess I am now immune to things not going smoothly for me... ha ha ha...

I still find it funny when I was walking towards the car park. So when I walked pass a news agent, I thought I'd buy myself a lottery ticket since I was so "lucky". The lottery ticket is still with me now, has not been drawn yet, so I'm keeping my finger crossed. Who knows... :p

Well...the story continues on Thursday. I went to the Immigration Office to get my visa ammended. When I first told the guy behind the desk (a cute one actually :p) about the problem, he said there's nothing he can do about it. He showed me the database on his computer. Apparently whoever that processed my visa was not sure which is my family name (you see, most chinese have their family name BEFORE their given name, but in our family, we are like the westerners, we have our family name AFTER our given name).

Due to that, they have keyed in my full name under "FAMILY NAME" and left "GIVEN NAME" blank. OMG... don't they read my application forms ?? It was cleary written in my application forms. Anyway, while looking at the database, I saw my previous record in there (the previous record is of a working visa I applied before applying for a PR visa), so I told the cute guy that the data in my previous record is correct and asked if he can do something about it. So he tried some trick and managed to reprint the visa with my name in the correct order (family name first then followed by given name).

phew... that's a relief... :>

My First Cheese Cake

All these while, I have always wanted to have a go at baking cheese cake. I always thought it would be a difficult task based on my perception of how much a cheese cake cost. Well, I must say that my perception is so wrong. Baking a cheese cake is no different from baking a normal cake. Just a little extra work involve in those which uses the hot bath method for baking.

Before I started my quest, as usual I did my research. I realized that in all the cheese cake recipes that I have come acrossed, all of them uses a spring form cake pan, which makes me wonder why ?? I have 3 cake pans but non are spring form type. I was a little reluctant to get another one and wonder if I can get away without having to use the spring form type. But I soon understand that I have no choice but to get one because cheese cake is different from normal cake (I will not be able to get the cake out from the pan as I cannot tip it over).

So off I went shopping with a list of item needed for my cheese cake. I have no problem finding everything except cream cheese. Reason ? Cause I do not have a single clue how cream cheese look like :p

I was standing in front of the cheese aisle, scanning every type of cheese, from block to tub to cube, from cheddar to cottage to ricotta but just failed to spot the one and only cream cheese. For about 10 minutes I repeatedly go through shelf by shelf, eventually I gave up. I ended up asking a nice lady what cream cheese is and how does it look like.

The first thing she told me was: "oh... it's something like philadelphia spread..." Ah... "Philadelphia" is one word I am familiar with and immediately know where to look. True enough, I found the cream cheese. Thanks to the wonderful lady.

****************************************************************************

I baked my cheese cake over the weekend. It took quite a bit of physical strength of me though as I was whisking the mixture manually. I guess it is time for me to invest in an electric whisk/mixer :p

Nonetheless, all the hard work and sweat is worth it. I am now enjoying my deliciously yummy marble cheese cake.

The Cycle

from green they turn into beautiful yellow and red
and as the weather turns colder day by day
they become more vulnerable
barely hanging on

then come the moment
moment for them to let go
they drop gracefully to the ground
dancing along with the wind
they vanish into mother nature

................................
*silence*
..........................................

finally
the feel of warmth sipping through
after days and days of silence and cold
out come the little ones
so fresh and soft and green
popping their little heads towards the warm sun
embracing life as they grow

...and the cycle goes on
over and over again
the cycle of life

Anger

he came visiting today
make a mess out of my day
left me no peace within myself
and kept reminding me about the cause

**************************************

I tried to make him go away
by focusing on something else
but he just sits there and refuse to go
I hate it when he comes

**************************************

I had to do something fast
or I will be eaten up by him
bit by bit as days go by
it will be the last thing I want

**************************************

what shall I do ?
it is not easy getting rid of him
but I will try my best
to deal with him the best way I could

Dolphin Talk

I went to the Gold Coast last weekend to meet up with my friend. She and her sister flew in from Malaysia. We went to Movie World on Thursday, Brisbane on Friday and Sea World on Saturday.

At Sea World, the most memorable moment was when we were standing around the dolphin nursery pool looking at some dolphins. There are many others like us too standing around the pool lookig at the dolphins.

But for some reason, there are two dolphins which kept on swimming towards where we were standing and doing tricks on their own such as rolling over on their back, standing and sticking their head up.

It was as if they are talking to me especially. In fact, I was talking to them too. Ha ha... I have the tendency to talk to animals :p Anyway, they kept coming over to where I was (which was surprising because they do no do that to others). It made me feel so special somehow...

After I left the pool, I do not see them do that anymore... weird right ? I was so captivated by them that I forgot to snap photo of them. When I finally realized that they do not do this with others, I managed to take one quick snap on one of them before I left the pool.

As I know, dolphins are one of the most intelligent creatures. Maybe they only communicate to those who has the same intelligence - they know one when they see one :> ha ha ha

So You Think You Can Dance Mania

I was back in Malaysia for two weeks, so lucky to catch So You Think You Can Dance Malaysia. But after watching it, I realized that Malaysia's choreographers still have long way to go. Just check out Australia's So You Think You Can Dance.

These are a few of my favorites... I think all the choreographies were really superb !! My favorite dancers got into Top Three - Jack, Rhys and Kate...Yeepee :>



























There's another one of my favorites in my older post under the title Fix You (May) - danced by Kate and Graeme.

The Love of A Mom

Today is the worst day of the week so far. I was in a very bad mood the whole day. Not sure what triggers it but it just went down hill as the day goes by. I thought I would give myself a few minutes break to do something other than work.

So I decided to visit my sister's blog. Her recent post just put a smile back on my face. It's a smile of proudness. Proud that my sis is doing so fine to be a good mummy. Proud that my nephew is growing up to be an extremely mature boy.

Here's a message to my dear sis:
Never ever doubt yourself cause you are a fantastic mummy :>

Feeling Cold

It is 15ºc today. My apartment is freezingly cold. If I have not left the heater on, it will feel as if I am staying in a big refrigirator. Ha ha... maybe I might have exaggerated a little but I just cannot stand cold. It is the time of the year that I hate - Winter. Thank goodness I will be away for two weeks soon.

It's funny though, last week I was feeling hot and this week I am feeling cold, what a total opposite. By the way, I would like to share my little victory here from my last post. I DID NOT fall sick after all and thank you for those who were concern about me.

Today is the worse day of winter. I guess that is because I overworked my arms and shoulders yesterday and the muscles are really sore. It would not be as bad if the weather is fine. Because of the cold, the soreness became more excruciating and it is really killing me.

At moment like this, I really wish that I am rich. That is because if I am rich, I would no longer be renting and have my own house/home. With my own house, I would have it nicely heated throughout so that it is warm and cozy 24 hours. Maybe then, I will not hate winter as much as I do right now.

This would be one good reason to motivate myself in becoming rich. One day, I will succeed. I will have my own house. I will become rich. I will live in comfort and do not ever need to worry about money anymore.

Feeling Hot

There are so many meanings in the impression of "Hot". It can mean a girl who is sexy hot or water which is boiling hot or sun that is scorching hot or feeling really angry and pissed off hot. But in my case, I am talking about feverish hot.

Yup... I am not feeling too well today. I'm feeling a little feverish and I've been shivering from within. So many people are down with flu lately due to the weather change. However, I am not allowing myself to fall sick. I am trying to feed my mind that I am well and healthy.

Mind is a very powerful tool. The mind is everything that makes a man. Ever heard of the saying "mind over matters" ? Well, I totally agree with that. I have also come across this interesting saying "man is a mind with a body, not a body with a mind". How interesting is that ?

I can go on and on with this topic but I don't feel like writting so much today. So I'll probably continue some other day. Right now, I am going to tell myself that I will not fall sick. I am feeling good and extremely energetic. So lets see how well my mind work against my body. It will work, ya know. Try it yourself ! Cheers !

Searching Pavlova

I was first introduced the Pavlova during my company's christmas party back in 2006. I did not like it one little bit. It has no substance as it melts in your mouth. It is overly sweet as it is basically made out of nothing but egg white and sugar. At that moment, I thought to myself : Who would actually like a cake like this ?

However, as I am getting to know Australia a little bit more day by day, I came to realize that Pavlova is not a cake. It is actually a dessert, like Soufflé. It is not only just a dessert but a traditional Australian/New Zealand dessert. Now I can understand why Australians love Pavlova.

Everyone knows that Australian and New Zealand are always in constant competition. Even this too has caused some heated debate between the two countries claiming the origin of the Pavlova. So as usual, I being as curious as ever did some googling and found out about the history of the Pavlova. Come to think of it, I wonder why I even bother ? :>

Anyway, for the rest of you who are curious, the famous Pavlova is actually the name of a famous Russian danseuse who visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s and enthralled her audiences with the grace of her dance. In the event to honour her during her visit there, chefts and cooks in both countries had invented a dessert to capture her light, airy spirit and appearance.

Anna Pavlova

At that time, there was no generally agreed basic rule nor was there a list of the essential ingredients and an agreed method for making a pavlova. However, as time goes by, people wanted to know the origin of the Pavlova and the traditional recipe for it. The recipe, including a list of its essential ingredients and a matching method for making the ever sought after “pavlova”, was created by Chef Herbert Sachse at the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Australia, in 1935.

Today, there are more than one recipe of Pavlova out there but the basic ingredients and methods are still the same. So I too have tried making one - my own Peach and Strawberry Pavlova.

Apple Cinnamon Cake

I found a simple cake recipe in a magazine one day. The recipe looked and sounded delicious but I wasn't sure if my cake will turn out to be as good as it looks in the magazine. So I decided to take the challenge and give it a go.

Here are the ingredients...



2 eggs, separated
165g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
180ml milk
45g butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanila extract
1 apple, cored and sliced

Cinnamon Topping
10g butter, melted
1 tablespoon caster sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon


Here are the step by step procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and lightly grease a 20cm cake pan.

2. Beat eggwhite until firm peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly, until mixture is thick and glossy.

3. Beat in egg yolk.

4. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold through flour alternately with combined milk, butter and vanila extract, beginning and ending with flour.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and arrange apple slices on top.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

7. To make cinnamon topping,

brush the hot cake with melted butter and sprinkle with combined sugar and cinnamon.

8. Cut and serve warm.

There you go, yummy apple cinnamon cake. Mine looks like a mountain cause my cake pan is too shallow. If you use a deeper pan, you will get the perfect cake shape.

Now you can just sit back, relax and enjoy your afternoon tea with a slice of homemade cake :>

New Found Passion

I have always had a thing for cooking since my younger days but never really put it into practice. I hardly cook at my own rented place because it is just not worth going through the hassle cooking for myself. It is far economical to eat out anyway compared to cooking. So the only time that I really get to cook is when I'm back at my parent's.

However things changed ever since I came over to Australia. I had to cook for most of my meals because eating out is just way too expensive and the food portion here is way too big for me :p The only time I would eat out is when I go out with friends. During times when I am lazy to cook, I would just order take away. This way, I can divide the big portion into 2 or sometimes even 3 smaller meals for me :>

I started cooking only simple dishes at first but as time goes by, I started to explore deeper and trying out new dishes (new for me). I have also started developing a new interest in reading recipe books/magazines and watching TV programmes associated with food - e.g. Ramsay's Kitchen, Better Homes and Garden, Food Safari, Jamie At Home etc.

Besides cooking, I have also fallen in love with baking, which has become a weekend past time for me. I surprise myself for what I am able to do. I never used to bake. I still remember the very first time I tried to bake a cake with my sister for mother's day. It spelled DISASTER !! Ha ha... the cake turned out to be cookie like.

I like to take photos of the items I have made. It is a combination of the love for photography and keeping a record of my progress. I think my mum would be so proud of me knowing that I have become such a good cook/baker now. Ha ha ha... hey... for a girl who grew up a tomboy, I think I did pretty well :>

Thanks to my mum who first taught me how to cook.

Seafood Fettucine

Fish Fingers with Tartar Sauce and Salad

Grilled Saveloy tops with Bacon, Onion and Cheese

Stir Fry Udon

Lamb Cutlets with Salad

Bacon Mushroom Shells in Creamy Sauce

Bacon and Egg Pie (Whole)

Bacon and Egg Pie (Sliced)

Blue Berry Crumble Slice

Caramel Pecan Swirl

See Me Fly

Free Fall Into Paradise - This is one of my life's most memorable experiences.

I was in New Zealand somewhere in November 2007. Me and my friends traveled from North Island to South Island in 14 days. We did everything we could possibly do - black water rafting, white water rafting, mountain biking, zorb, swoop, jet ride, glacier walk, bob sledging, hiking and of course the famous bungee jumping.

When we arrived in Queenstown, I decided to try sky diving - something that I've always wanted to do in life. I thought to myself: Where will be a better place to sky dive if it is not in New Zealand ? It's pretty obvious why I say that, simply because New Zealand is one of the most beautiful country with a fantastic scenery.

I asked my friends if they were interested. One of them is but unfortunately he had been suffering the after effect of a shoulder dislocation since his bungee jumping session. So at the end of the day, I am the only one into sky diving.

Doing alone sucks but that did not stop me from doing it. The best part is I never regretted it. In fact, I am thankful and happy that I did it, alone. It gave me a sense of achievement - something that I did but none of my friends did, something I did that is my story to tell but not anyone else. Something so great that cannot be described with words...

Hence, I would like to share some of those special moments here...

isn't this a magnificant view ? ...The Paradise

me with CJ the camera man (with hat) and Saco the dive instructor

here we go... the leap into the sky

i'm flying...

ah...the feeling of free fall...

For that mere 45 seconds of free fall... I have felt the most wonderful feeling ever. You can feel yourself surrounded by the wind and the clouds, looking down on the mountains, feeling yourself floating in air, feeling yourself flying in the sky...

If anyone of you are interested, click here to New Zealand Sky Dive.

Fix You

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

High up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

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Isn't this song beautiful ? Everytime when I hear this song, it always brings back the sweet memory of a dance performed by Kate Wormald and Graeme Isaako, choreographed by Debbie Ellis Linnert. It is one of the many wonderful routines from "So You Think You Can Dance Australia".

This is one breathtaking piece that can send emotions flowing through your whole body...When you watch both Kate and Graeme dance, you can simply feel their sincerity and emotions spreading while they melt into the dance becoming the characters in the story... briliant !

I can only think of one word to describe - SENSATIONAL !

New Chapter

Vesak Day - a day celebrating the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of Gautama Buddha... a day so pure with trails of hymns forming like beautiful music to the ear... a day so peaceful with love from fellow devotees...

Today...I too celebrate the three same elements. The Birth - birth of my blog. The Enlightenment - enlightenment of my life. The Passing Away - passing away of the old me. Yes... I am starting a new chapter in my life today. It is time for me to move on and embrace the new beginning.

It is a very emotional day today. I have mix emotions - happy, sad, envy, proud, confuse... All intercrossing each other forming a huge energy build up. This energy build up has caused me feeling very expressive. But yet, the expressive feeling is so overwhelm that I found myself lost of words.

Anyway, I am excited about the new story I am about to enter. There are so much to do, so much to learn, so many things to see, so many decisions to make. In this new story, I will be somebody, somebody great, somebody special, somebody to be remembered...

I will make my story the nicest fairy tale with the happiest ending...
[ yup...I still believe in fairy tales with happy ending :> ]