L'aventure

2012-01-30T18:21:00.001Z

Chinese New Year is always good fun with friends in London but nothing beats the smell of burning incense in the humid air, the sound of crickets and the whirring fan, the familiar sounds of metal spoons clinking against thickly scratched glass mugs, why hello, Singapore.

Into the future

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000Z

Sometimes when you look out of the sky, you marvel at the beauty of nature-- big strokes of rich and princely colors cross the skies on an evening like this, teasing and beckoning me to my love in the castles of the kings. I drag a heavy suitcase of worldly possessions hurriedly down the stairs of montparnasse and skip onto the bullet train to a new beginning. On Friday 27 Jan 2012, we got pacsed.

Autumn in Kensington Palace, an evening of fashion and fairy tales

2012-01-16T00:18:00.000Z

WHAT DO PRINCESSES DREAM OF?

The Candle's burnt out long before the legend ever will.

Kensington Gardens November 2011

The last two months have been a bit of a whirlwind and there are lots of bits bubbling here and there, and having had to move out of my flat, relying on the kindness of friends who are putting me up in their lovely home in Clapham, I really couldn't ask for me - and thus the lack of updates. I digress.

Last autumn we visited the Kensington Palace for the 'Enchanted Palace' installation.
A beautifully crafted view of the royal residence, bringing to life the history of royals who have inhabited Kensington Palace.
Each room was themed, each representing a princess who lived, and died, often of a tragic death. It was a quest and a little adventure to guess which princess the room was designed for.

Brilliant lighting by Chris Levine

A dress for a rebellious princess

The room of lost children

Peter, the Wild Boy

the room of dancing princesses

Magical. Exquisite. Whimsical. Mysterious.

17 December 2011 -- last day at the breakfast club

2012-01-03T21:16:00.000Z

This time of year

2011-12-22T11:19:00.000Z

Cologne 9 December 2011

At Christmas I no more desire a rose

Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth;

But like of each thing that in season grows.

~~~ Love's Labours Lost

Goodbye N1!

2011-12-19T22:53:00.000Z

Guy Fawkes Night

2011-11-06T19:14:00.003Z

Remember, Remember, the 5th of November

-V for Vendetta

Pipi and I trooped up to Primrose Hill last night with the hopes of catching the fireworks all around London. You see, Primrose Hill gives a panoramic view of London, from Battersea all the way to Victoria Park, the lights and fireworks were going off all around in the distance. With the aroma of mulled wine and the burning scent of sparklers, it was such a festive evening. However, the evening drew to an early close as it start spitting a little and it got foggy - bits of light and sparkle disappeared behind the red autumn sky. Nonetheless, I plodded on to the Speakeasy next door to our flat to see other friends and share some cocktails (Oh Gosh!).

Tonight, however, I was pottering about the flat watching last night's re-run of X Factor and I saw night sky light up from the City of London. I don't know whether these were the London Bridge fireworks (they probably were), but I admired the beautiful unobstructed display of colour, light and sparkle from our flat in Islington. With the City of London and St Peter's church in the background, and a mug of hot chocolate in my hand, I felt for the moment, truly content, and so very very lucky to be here.

A little festive spirit

2011-11-03T11:21:00.000Z

[Link]

While my English colleagues moan about the early sunsets and nippy mornings, I'm revelling in my favourite seasons of the year - A / W - yes. You heard me! 4 autumns and 5 winter laters, I still can't get enough. Something about this festive season, lush, opulent, rich - pure magic. And Tiffany couldn't have put it any better with this stunning campaign.

Autumn in Paris

2011-11-03T00:43:00.001Z

:: En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle ::

Paris, 26-30 October 2011

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,
Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi

Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle

Sourit toujours et remercie la vie.

Midnight Trysts

2011-10-21T00:08:00.001+01:00

Tonight, I had a mega craving for a sweet and savoury snack. Raiding the pantry, I realised I hadn't THAT much to play around with but found some basic bits to whip up some cupcakes with a peanut butter frosting. Not quite Martha Stewart, but a fantastic snack and gift (if your frosting skills are better than mine!! The best part, all you need is a whisk, a tablespoon, and a bowl

Classic Fairy Cakes (makes 6)

50 g Softened Butter

50 g Caster Sugar (or 4 table spoons)

50 g Self Raising Flour (or 4 table spoons)

1 large egg

1 table spoon of milk (or 1.5 table spoons)

1 tsp vanilla essence

Whisk softened butter with sugar until a creamy consistency. whisk in egg and vanilla, and fluff in sifted flour and milk. Mix the dough just until everything is incorporated. At this point, the mixture should hold relatively well on the whisk. No runny mixture here. Spoon into cupcake tins lined with colourful fairy cake liners and bake for 15-20 mins at 180 degrees until golden brown.

While you wait, make the peanut butter frosting with

80 g Softened Butter

100 g Icing Sugar (3.5 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon peanut butter
a few drops of vanilla essence or 1 satchet of vanilla sugar. If you use vanilla sugar, reduce icing sugar accordingly (about 10 g)

Whisk (with an electric hand mixer I have come to realise, or if you have awesome muscles) until you get a pale creamy mixture of a relatively fluffy consistency. Incorporate peanut butter and whisk for another 8 minutes. Scoop frosting into a piping bag or ziplock bag and place in fridge to set.

By now your cupcakes should be done. Let them cool on a baking rack for about 30 minutes and pipe frosting onto the top of these little gems. If you are using a ziplock bag, snip off just the tip and frost accordingly. Sprinkle with some hundreds and thousands and voila, happy home made cupcakes in under 45 mintues!

A little daily reminder

2011-10-12T12:39:00.000+01:00

[via]

We all have days when we go 'woe betide me', 'life sucks', 'why does this always happen to me?' If you have that luxury of time to browse the world wide web, here's a little mantra to keep in mind for days that are gloomy, when you wake up on the wrong side of bed, and everything seems to be going wrong, or that everyone else seems to be in a better place than you are. You may not have to make the best of EVERYTHING, but making the best of something out of everything, is a good enough place to start anyway :).

Happy midweek Wednesday.

Un weekend anglais

2011-10-09T18:17:00.001+01:00

As we turn into autumn, and enjoy the last of 2011's flowers

....wispy reeds along the edge of lakes in Regent's Park

we make our way towards little antique markets admire vintage tea cups..

potter off to the market to acquire some sweet end of summer confiture...

to share home made Delia inspired mini scones over a pot of tea and natter with friends..

Here's a typical October weekend in our little neighbourhood in Angel Islington.

Camden Passage 2011

The last sunny Friday

2011-10-07T17:08:00.002+01:00

Naxos, 2011

As I tap away at work on the first Friday afternoon of the month, I couldn't help but notice that the sun is absolutely blazing and with clear blue skies. Feels like summer, and it does put you in a 'holiday' mood. Think big white brollies, pink vespa, blue skies. For that, a little photo from the lush island of Naxos off Greece.

Looks are deceiving -- it's just 14 degrees outside, but it's my favourite kind of weather.

TGIF !

Somedays

2011-10-06T00:19:00.000+01:00

Naxos 2011

You just feel like a little snooze. This little furry friend from Greece was absolutely handsome, and oh-so-lazy. Kitties and pups in this part of the world just nap all day long.

M'0'numental - Looking back

2011-10-05T17:53:00.003+01:00

Naxos 2011

Today, I pondered about this thing about turning 30. People wax lyrical about how monumental it is, what they have achieved so far, what the seek to accumulate in the next 10 years, you know the drill. Today, I wondered about this big -0 thing. Right, get your minds out of the gutter What I meant was that I tried to dust out some old memories from that almost long forgotten bank of mine, and tried to recall me aged 10, and aged 20. Obviously i'd skip age 0, my mom will probably attest to her (then me) screaming our socks off. I was her first born you see, for her, as they say - the rest is history. She was 'gifted' with two more daughters after that. More recently, she acquired a four legged son, Mr Socks, aka Cobbey. Just for fun, I'd challenge you to think about what you remember of yourself, at each m'0'numental turn of the decade. As for me,

Aged 10

I joined a new primary school further away from my home, and I went sulking and begging that I didn't want to go because I had no friends. My first month at school was hell, I hated my teacher Mrs Bertha because she was so strict, I hated going to school because I was shy and everyone was cliquish. Playing five stones by yourself for the first two weeks was quite traumatic. I didn't have fancy hello kitty kit and was a bit of a awkward geek. But that year, I met my best friend whom I hold dear to my heart today. I have since lost touch with most other primary school classmates except for the odd acquaintence. I remember her well, straight fringe, glasses, neat pony tail with a black ribbon. That was the best thing that happened to me at age 10. Iris you rock my world. Here's to 20 years of friendship!

On a random recollection, I realised that my IC photo (which I still hold now) was taken that year. Whatever baby fat I lost in the last 20 years, I've put back on since I've moved to the UK!

That year was also my first memory of grief. My paternal grandfather whom I saw every week since I was born, passed away. It was my first attendance at a funeral, and the first time I saw my grandmother cry.

Aged 20

I met a boy earlier that year whom I thought was the love my life. It was my first 'serious' relationship and it was one that further along taught me many lessons in life, the most important of which was that my strict father who was a man of few words, whom I thought didn't love me and whom I struggled to get along with, was in his own quiet and stern ways my pillar of support through the very tumultous break up. It changed our relationship from there on.

It was also the year I started blogging at http://equinox-han.livejournal.com/ . I can't say I've kept a really good blogging record, but I should get round to downloading all my entries at some point.

It was also the year I made very dear friends from university, through handball, eusoff and law school. Friends whom I still am in touch with till today, and although we don't meet often (due to the sheer problem of geographical distance - Sydney, Singapore, New York, Hong Kong), it was the same 10 years ago, as it is today. We may have different lives presently, but the friendship hasn't changed one bit.

Age now

This year was a particularly difficult year for me. I am with Mr S, whom I should say I love dearly and with whom I spent the better part of my 20s with. We waded through some serious personal challenges this year, and we seem to have come out stronger. I hope this year will pass, and that we will see some positive moves towards our future together.

My best friend's daughter turned 1. It is a reminder to me that we are about to embark on a new era in life, an adult one, if you will, with commitments and responsibilities. I used to freak out at these two words, but am now coming to terms with, and welcoming the next decade of adulthood.

I have made some very dear friends in the course of my time in London, and it is my resolution to keep these people who matter to me a part of my life in the next decade, as the world grows a little smaller through more affordable airfares, whatsapp, skype, emails and what have yous, it is just a little easier to keep in touch. One just has to make the effort.

Lastly, following on from one of the anecdotes aged 20, my blogging life turns 10 in December. Happy birthday to that. :)

our children will never know...

2011-10-03T16:34:00.000+01:00

Only a child born in the 80s and before can make the link. I think of my dad fondly when I see this photo as I think of the endless weekends of frustration when me and my sister's story teller cassette tapes used to get knotted up inside the tape player. What's your best memory from the 80s?

Q3 round ups

2011-10-03T16:26:00.000+01:00

Oia

There's been a bit of a hiatus on my part recently, due to visiting friends, long weekends, and a bit of a holiday with all the sunshine we've been getting at this part of the world. It is 3rd October today and sun is blazing through the window - 30 degrees! No coat, no tights, no sign of autumn / winter acoming. That said, I wished that autumn would ease in a little more gently. I can't complain much about the very pleasant sun (it makes people smile on Mondays, believe me!) but I can't wait for my favourite season of the year to roll by.

A quick update on what i've been up to since the last post.

:: I turned 30.

:: I made no resolutions on turning 30.

:: It was non-eventful, but a simple life is good that way. :)

:: two my lovely friends Siew and Jas visited London. It's always so nice to catch up with girlfriends from home

:: visits from other friends Mun and the newly married E who is about to move to Perth

:: a birthday trip to Barcelona

:: two weeks of hiking in the Meteoras, and flopping about in the Aegean sea

:: the most awesome picnic ever in regent's park enjoying the last of the summer roses

:: my once-a-year tennis game in Islington

Now that Q3 is properly over, I should get round to planning life in the next few months. A topic of discussion came up yesterday: 'if you could press a button to make yourself non-existent (i.e. it would be as if you never existed, and people around you will be 'obliviated' (to use H. Potter's term)), would you do that?' Right now, I can't really think why I'd do that, I am curious to know what the next decade brings. :)

Sur La Loire

2011-08-24T17:52:00.000+01:00

This summer has been long drawn out. I haven't been out of the city since June and have been in a little state of ennui, hence the lack of updates.

London, with its usual (un)ladylike temperant blowing hot and cold, sunny one day, and stormy the next, oh how I long for the sun! On that note, I was really happy to spend a long weekend in sunny Tours.

The route to St Pierre des Corps was comfortable, serene and peaceful. No harrassed counter staff, no sprinting for airplanes, no turbulence.

I managed to catch up on my reading and finally finished Fuschia Dunlop's Sharksfin and Szechuan Pepper, a travelogue of a british lady who made her way through China. Stepping out in Tours, a heatwave hit me. 32 degrees! Wow, I haven't had that since I was back in Singapore during CNY!

We took advantage of the lovely weather to hang out in the sun with family, having a picnic, taking a ride on the boat, and dipping our feet into the cold rushing stream of the Loire.

We were on Ile de Simon and there was small sand strip where people were sun bathing and a man fishing in his bathing suit admist the shallow waters.

There they are, mother and son having a little bonding time against the beautiful greenery of the Loire Valley.

Pont Wilson, the main bridge that connects the North and the South of the city, one that we've crossed a hundred times in the last 5 years.

The Loire Valley, very well known for their cheeses and in particular goat's cheese, as well as their charcuterie finds its best in a cave a vins in the centre of Tours which produces an impeccable list of wines, fabulous cheeses and home made rillet. The owners of the restaurant are friendly and patient as they help select an appropriate wine and take time to explain each cheese on your plate. I know Mr Mo has spent many an evening in this restaurant.

^^ Cheese to be consumed in a clockwise fashion.

We also spent time wandering about the streets of the old town, as we have done so, many times over. That said, I am constantly surprised by new sites, and structures that i've overlooked.

Tudor like structures...

Majestic old mansions....

All hidden in this gem of a city.

And my favourite bit of all, taking in abit of sunshine and the last of summer as the boat laps lazily across the river.

Focaccia madness

2011-07-20T22:14:00.002+01:00

I should start this post by saying that someone asked me. 'why waste time making bread when it can be bought so cheaply?' My response -- the smell of bread in the oven gives me a warm fuzzy feeling but more importantly nothing can taste better than home made bread (done properly of course). Bread making also teaches one to be patient. Oh, so very patient.

Last Sunday I forayed into a long abandoned attempt to make focaccia, a flat baked italian bread. My last attempt in Spring garnered some rather encouraging comments, but goodness it was HARD. i mean, rock hard. Undetterred, I was determined to recreate the memory of that fabulous bite of home made ligurian focaccia I shared with Mr Mo in Porto Venerre.

That was a warm August day -- it was summer. Hot, sultry, with a gentle breeze of the sea. When someone told me that eating could actually be a sensory experience, I never knew what that meant until that day. Bread, hot from the oven, drizzled in olive oil so luscious, and sprinkled with salt that teased you with the scent of the Ligurian sea. All that intertwined together, oh my...I might have been in heaven.

All that from bread did you say? Yes. BREAD.

So it was a rather dreary lazy Sunday, and I was slightly depressed that the summer sun had wandered off to greener pastures, and the memory of Liguria crept into my mind. So off i hopped to tescos to pick up some necessities -- Rosemary, Garlic, Bread Flour. You see, that, plus some good extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, yeast, a pair of hands, and oh -- patience!! Trust me. Anyone can make this :D

I picked out a recipe from the good folks at Rustico Cooking, tweaked the recipe a little and added some Rosemary and Garlic.

300 g white bread flour.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the bowl and pizza pan
1 tablespoon or 5g of baker's yeast.

Mix the flour, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and the sugar and yeast in a bowl. Add 3/4 cup of warm water and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Stir with wooden spoon until the dough starts to form into a clump. Fold the dough for about 2 more minutes until it comes together, and knead with your hands for about 3 minutes. I find that oiling your hand with olive oil helps prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Add a little more flour if the dough is sticky or a little more water if the dough is dry.

By now, the dough should be smooth and supple, and rather soft but not sticky and wet; adjust with a little flour or wtaer as needed. Transfer to an oiled bowl and shape into a ball. Cover with a cloth and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a generously oiled round baking pan and push with your fingers until it extends to the sides of the pan. Let rest 30 minutes, covered. This second rise is very important as it makes the bread light and fluffy. Uncover the dough and dimple it with your fingers, using the pads rather than the nails so you don’t tear the dough. This is the most important step in the focaccia-making process; dimple the dough deeply for best flavor. Scatter the Rosemary and chopped garlic over the dough. Let it rise at room temperature 30 minutes, covered with a cloth.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220degress celcius (preferably with a baking stone in it).

Combine the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and the remaining teaspoon of salt with ¼ cup of room-temperature water in a bowl. Pour over the focaccia.

Bake the focaccia on the bottom rack of the oven (or place the baking pan on the baking stone) in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden on the top and bottom and lightly crisp. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Note that the bread does not keep for more than 1 day. To store, keep it wrapped in aluminium foil and in an airtight container. This prevents it from becoming hard too quickly.

Buono Appetito!

Simple suppers

2011-07-17T18:37:00.001+01:00

whilst i'll never make it as a food stylist, I just wanted to note down one of my favourite suppers during the summer. Seared duck breast (medium done) on a bed of red onion couscous mixed in with spinach wilted in a pan of post-duck, topped with our own home grown chillis. 15 mins from pan to plate. weekday nights couldn't get easier!

Weekend sunshines

2011-07-17T16:44:00.001+01:00

Sunshine streaming through the bedroom window, orchid petals fluttering in the soft breeze, post-Saturday party silence on the streets, and your loved one beside you -- one couldn't ask for more.

La fête nationale

2011-07-11T14:17:00.003+01:00

In light of Bastille Day this coming Thursday, a little group of us trooped up to our local pub, the Charles Lamb for some french festivities.

Petanque, pastis, st germain, rillet, cassoulet and all things french but yummy, we lazed about in the sun with Masha the dog, and some very embarassing boules skills.

New words learnt:

To fanny (mettre fanny)

To beat one's opponents 13 to 0. The figure of a bare-bottomed lass named Fanny is ubiquitous in Provence wherever pétanque is played. It is traditional that when a player loses 13 to 0 it is said that “il est fanny” (he's fanny) or “il a fait fanny” (he made fanny), and that he has to kiss the bottom of a girl called Fanny. Since there is rarely an obliging Fanny's behind handy, there is usually a substitute picture, woodcarving or pottery so that Fanny’s bottom is available. More often, the team which made "fanny" has to offer a beverage to the winning team (see the French popular expression "Fanny paie à boire !").

Merci wikipedia. ;)

Have you found your beret yet?

How much is that doggy in the window ?

2011-07-05T15:25:00.001+01:00

This is the cutest little jack russell i've seen in a long time basking in the afternoon sun. We dropped by the car to check some bits, and came back an hour later. There he was (still), lounging on the window sill.

Angel, 3 Jul 2011

Flat Schmat

2011-07-05T11:54:00.001+01:00

Living in London meant one thing - lots of walking (read: comfortable shoes). In my initial months in the UK, a dreary January winter no less, I learnt some hard lessons on why heels are bad for you on a day to day basis. By the same token, I couldn't bring myself to run around in sneakers, or heaven forbit, trainers!! A very convenient and comfortable solution, mais je m'execuse, pas pour moi merci. Not when some form of work related outfit is involved. Now that summer's rolled around, I see pencil skirts + haivanas or some sort of beach flip flops. Why? Why do that when you've got your pick of beautiful flats to choose from in this city? Smart, chic, statement, neutral, bright, patterned, leather, patent, fabric! I've gone completely bananas for them this summer:

Photos from http://www.net-a-porter/ and http://www.newlook.com/

The end of Q2 183/365

2011-06-30T22:00:00.001+01:00

May 2010

So today marks the end of the first half of the year. Every year, we ask ourselves, where has it gone?

I've let the blog go quiet for the last month or so, I had been juggling exams and grappling with some personal issues.

I received, what some would deem as 'life changing' news about 6 weeks ago, the day before my last entry. The episode is finally over, and has been for over a week. Decisions were made, life went on, and here I am, quite the same - only with the hindsight realisation that perhaps in life,

....every issue is only as big as you make it out to be.
....every problem is only as insurmountable as you would believe it to be.
....every pang of guilt is only as painful as you allow it to be.

Most importantly, every day can only be as happy, as you would want it to be. With pleasure of time, all sorrows will pass, and all scars will heal. Shakespeare was right you see, 'to be or not to be', that really is the true question. I wish you all well in Q3.

When life throws some lemons at you...(J+1)

2011-05-21T22:13:00.000+01:00

do you duck? or make lemonade? oh how i'd kill for an iced tea right now. zzzz

The stomach gets what the stomach wants - Fast Hainanese Beef Noodles a la Han

2011-05-19T13:13:00.003+01:00

I've been having an immense craving for beef noodles from Singapore. no, not beef pho, not beef stir fry with noodles, but rice noodles with a thick herby sauce with tripe, beef balls and tender slivers of beef. Ang Mo Kio style.

Alas, I searched the aisles of the supermarket and peered at asian menus with a pang of longing. To no avail. To be honest, I am rather baffled that I have not seen this on any menu in London so if anyone's seen it. Please let me know!!

Anyhow, I did the next best thing (which was the first thing I should have done anyway) -- I trawled the internet for recipes. Strangely enough, they were few and far between, with one potential. Thank you so much kitchencapers, it was god send. Due to some pantry deficiencies, I didn't have all the ingredients, or my ideal bits of la vache. Nonetheless, I have to say, my stomach went to bed a very happy camper last night.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients for stock

1. 400 g beef (I suggest a mix of shin + tripe but this requires a much longer cooking time. I didn't have either in my local supermarket so i bought beef mince - see below) + abt 600ml of beef stock (either from boiling the shin + tripe for 2 hrs, or for a quick fix, use an organic beef stock cube).

2. 1 large white onion and 2 cloves of garlic

3. 1/3 cup light soy sauce

4. 1/4 cup dark soy sauce

5. one cinammon stick

6. 5 cloves

7.5 spice powder. the recipe called for 2-3 aniseeds but again, my local was somewhat, deficient.

8. 1 tbps peppercorns (white or black)

9. a handful of wolfberries (about 15)

10. half a pack of salted mustard greens (rinsed and chopped)

11. one cup full of fresh coriander (chopped and as much as u like really)

12. bean sprouts.

13. vermicelli.

Ingredients for beef balls

1. 400g mince

2. half a thumb of fresh ginger (grated or pound)

3. a soup spoon of rice wine

4. 1 tsp of light soy sauce

5. white pepper

To do:

- Drizzle some oil in and sweat the chopped up onion and garlic in the stock pot over medium heat for about 8 minutes till translucent. chuck in wolfberries, cloves (and aniseed if u have them and if u don't, 1 tsp of five spice powder) and cinnamon stick. wait 20 seconds.

- pour in the soy sauce both light and dark, drop in the stock cube at this point and fill with 600 ml of water / pour in the beef stock. Once it is brought to a boil, bring it to a low simmer.

- to work the beef balls, mix in the ginger, rice wine, soy sauce and white pepper into the beef. Press with hands and shape into balls, 1 inch in diameter. this makes about 20 beef balls. cling wrap and pop it in the fridge. if you're not a fan of beef balls, you can use sliced beef. marinate in the same way but instead of using grated ginger, you can try using ginger juice. some people use bicarbonate of soda to tenderise the meat but i personally find that unnecessary.

- these will marinate for about 15mins.

- take the cinnamon stick out of the stock pot at this point.

While waiting.....

- chop up mustard greens, coriander, and some fresh chilli padi (I miss very much the tangy vinegery chilli sauce! i think vietnamese chilli sauce is probably the best substitute here).

- blanche rice vermicelli in boiling water and let it sit for 5 minutes (i used half a pack). Drain water.

- blanch beansprouts in boiling water for 90 secs (if you prefer you can have it uncooked. i'm not a big fan).

Clean kitchen.

By now, the soup would have cooked for about half an hour and ought to have reduced by a third. Drop in the beef balls and cook them till they all rise to the top of the pot. Remove immediately and set aside.

Bring it up to high heat to boil for another 10 minutes and drain through fine mesh sieve (lesson learnt from chewing on cloves). Place pot back on hob and if you'd like your sauce nice and thick, stir in some potato starch (pls add only tsp by tsp and stir in to break all the lump each time, until you achieve your desired consistency).

Assemble noodles, sprouts, beef balls, sauce, mustard greens, coriander and chilli.

Sounds like lots to do? believe me, it was a mere 45 min job! and it was well worth the work.

Fallen off the wagon

2011-05-08T23:46:00.000+01:00

ah ok. so my little pet project of blogging daily hasn't worked out so well. I will still try to journal regularly for the rest of the year.

Work has been crazily busy and there's lots of things going on at the moment. Fingers crossed, we will be moving apartments shortly into a new hood which i'm really looking forward to, my exams are coming up in a month, assignment also due very shortly, and of course, the sun's been distracting me all week.

It has been a difficult weekend of sorts, with various people at work, at home, and Mr Mo. Ah, dwell not on sad things, and I shall not be bitter. I really hope that next week will be better. You know what old people say, there may be finite disappointment, but there's always infinite hope.

Ze essence of ze men

2011-04-29T06:00:00.000+01:00

En route

2011-04-29T05:59:00.000+01:00

Getting a tad bit too old for 530 am trains. Whilst everyone is gearing up for a grand soiree in London ( it is royal wedding day after all!), I'm pottering off to the Loire. It is mr mo's 30th birthday after all.

Mad Freddy decided to camp it out at the mall last night to catch a glimpse of the newly weds. The weather in the English countryside is a tad bleak today (even though there was a bird on speed tweeting away outside my window at 430 am). For the sake of all londoners (and visitors) trawling the streets in light of the monumental event, I hope the weather picks up so everyone can enjoy a spot of British sunshine.

And for me, it is cou cou la croissant for thé weekend.

Han

Sent from my IPhone

Du Bonheur 117/365

2011-04-27T13:41:00.001+01:00

L-R Clockwise

White Dress: My-wardrobe

candles and candy jar: The Stylist

Just a few pretty things today that make me smile amidst the awful hay fever. It is a sunny spring day after all :) i've got a backlog of posts to put up. I am not great with the daily blogging discipline, but all in good time. For now, just going to bask in the sun for abit.

Little things in Iceland 116/365

2011-04-26T13:47:00.002+01:00

The Reykjavik Art Museum

24 April 2011

Iceland

Royal wedding preparations 115/365

2011-04-25T13:48:00.001+01:00

Oxford Street

To the rain and back 114/365

2011-04-24T21:49:00.000+01:00

Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik

incommunuendo 103-109 /365

2011-04-19T10:51:00.001+01:00

the internet has been dead for a week. a. full. week, and gmail had some difficulty feeding word posts in. well, that's alright, Iceland updates to come shortly.

Trevi fountain 102/365

2011-04-12T13:46:00.000+01:00

You know what they say? Toss a coin, make a wish, and it will come true. My little sister dragged me all the way to the Trevi fountain, adament on throwing in some copper for me. To her disappointment, she found out that it was merely a myth -- spurred on by...quelle horreur - A MOVIE!

Nonetheless, I did make a little wish. Just for a laugh.

It was nice to watch people pass by, young lovers on dates, teenagers on a school trip, families munching on gelato from the countless ice cream vendors all round, and of course, us. the tourists with a million cameras.

St Peters basilica 101/365

2011-04-11T13:45:00.000+01:00

Next Sunday, hundreds and thousands of people will gather at St Peter's square to receive the Pope's blessing. This weekend, there were hoards of tourists baking in the sun, admiring the Apostolic Palace, snaking queues all round, making their pilgrimage to this holy city. I for one, was happy to sit amidst this magnificence, and marvel at its wonder.

Colossio 100/365

2011-04-10T22:44:00.000+01:00

9 April 2011

Rome

So it was whirlwind trip with my little sis to the eternal city, also known as Rome. Charmed by the beautiful ancient architecture, the stunning art, the historical anecdotes (both legends and truths), I will dedicate the next few days to photos from the weekend. Till then, here's my favourite snapshot of the most magnificent structure of its time.

Ground Art 99/365

2011-04-09T23:01:00.001+01:00

Vatican City: Roman Mosaic Floors

Stereotyping 98/365

2011-04-08T14:15:00.001+01:00

It is with heavy thoughts that I write this post, but it has been something (amongst other things) that has bothered me for some time now. It is also for this reason, I am sometimes reluctant to immerse myself in group discussions. Especially when it is about me.

There are sometimes comments and critiques, snide and pointed, and it makes me think, gosh, did we ever grow out of that playground phase? or will we ever get ourselves out of it? I often question what it is within us that automates that sterotype?

From a side of the fence :

'Sorry, Singaporean guys, we thought the non-Singaporeans guys were way more generous and fun'
'oh Singaporean guys are so boring'

From another side of the fence:

'Oh you have a French boyfriend. They are so romantic aren't they? you're so lucky, wah but you must be worried, he's after all, french.'
'Ah you, you and your friends are all SPGs''you mean you've been faithful all this time after 5 years of LDR? sure or not, don't bluff lah. even if you are, i'll bet he isn't. he's an ang mor after all.'

I have heard this for more than half a decade. I am tired of it. I no longer try to defend why I don't think I am an SPG, or explain how an inter-cultural relationship is no different from any other relationship - only that it is 10 times harder because we're wired completely differently, or leap in and whinge about how some of my male counterparts were such macho creeps, it really irked me.

Sure, the world does not exist without generalisation, the world lives in factions and whilst every human judges, what frustrates me the most, is that all questions, all queries, all conversations point towards the establishment of the starting point of judgment - 'I am better than you are', and if I am not, I am here to tell you why you suck anyway.

Has it ever occured to anyone, that underneath that exterior that came from the cookie cutter mould, lies a person, no matter how similar in make up, is still different from the other next to him. Ever thought of listening first to one, before saying that he is 'useless' because he has not been financially successful in his career? Ever thought of looking behind the high life of an expat where the phrase 'saving for a rainy day' is alien to him? Ever thought of looking behind that veil of colour in a relationship?

I urge you today, to take a really long and hard look at a person for who he or she is, beyond...the colour of the skin that he/she has, the clothes that he/she wears, the make up that she didn't put on, the mismatch work clothes that he/she's got on his body, the size of his/her wallet, the title that he/she carries, or the the accent that he/she has.

At the end of the day, that is what you cherish of a person, nothing more, and nothing less.

If you're now thinking, 'oh god what a hippie you are', thank you for stereotyping from your ivory tower, and you're very welcome to move on.

Ronnie Scotts 97/365

2011-04-07T11:56:00.000+01:00

(credits: http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk)

Last night, Ruth kindly arranged for us to see the legendery (so we were told) McCoy Tyner Quartert at Ronnie Scotts. An slight elderly man in a white suit shuffled through the stage doors and settled at the piano. As he introduced himself, you could almost hear the awestruck silence in the room (slightly odd!).

Watching him and listening to his music was mesmerizing. Slightly whismical with very diverse and international musical influence, it was an interesting night to say the least. He had a very unusual percussive left hand, and had an improvisation style that was, to me, somwhere between a jazzy Bela Bartok and a funky Debussy, with a latin twist. Very dramatic, very progressive. At some point in the evening, I asked Ruth whether slipping between the keys was intentional on his part as it sounded really odd; she told me that it could be age. He is after all, 73!

His finale which was named Blues around the corner was unforgettable -- if only you heard it :)

McCoy Tyner – piano, Gary Bartz – sax, Francisco Mela - drums, Gerald Cannon – bass

Ronnie Scotts
47 Firth Street
London W1D 4HT

Spring time 96/365

2011-04-06T00:16:00.002+01:00

I almost feel like we've missed it and rolled straight into summer. It's still slightly chilly at night, I wouldn't exactly say we've got balmy evenings, but it drives me nuts when people keep saying 'i can't wait for summer to come'. Or that the weather should be like this 'all year round'. Before I get started on waxing lyrical about why seasons are brilliant, and mother nature's way of saying life is every changing, honestly stop, and just smell the roses (pun intended).

The first colours, the first birds, the new sunrise, the first day of warm sunshine, the first blooms, the first daffodils, the budding fruit, the hay fever. Ahh, sweet spring, I've missed you so!

Cicak updates 95/365

2011-04-05T23:11:00.001+01:00

So the doctor's confirmed that it's some sort of bite rather than an allergy. Puffiness and itch's getting worse. I hope I'll look slightly better tomorrow!!

Further to my attempt to burn some 'serious' calories, I set out with best intentions to give my uncoordinated body another go at body step class. Alas, work beckoned and tapas called even louder. So home it was, and ola to garlic prawns, chorizo and scallops in a red wine sauce, and American Idol recordings from last week. Tuesday ended a tad better than Monday, only because, it's just 3 days left to a little sunshine in Italy.

Monday Blues 94/354

2011-04-04T10:09:00.000+01:00

Week 2 and my cicak eye has gone from bad to worse. It's 4/4 today -- double death? Right, patangness begone!!

In other news, the housemates are back and they've brought lots of goodies from home to share. Life just got better!

All in a day's work 93/365

2011-04-03T00:02:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure body step classes at the gym are my thing. :S

Words from Alex 92/365

2011-04-02T18:57:00.001+01:00

Exactly a month ago I posted about the passing of a dear friend. His best friend Jordan shared his message.

Alex's message to all.
I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU

When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do.
...You musn't tie yourself to me with too many tears.
But be thankful we had so many good years.
I gave you my love, and you can only guess how much you've given me in happiness.
I thank you for the love that you have shown,
But now it's time I travelled alone.
So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must.
Then let your grief be comforted by trust
that it is only for a while that we must part.
So treasure the memories within your heart.
I won't be far away, for life goes on.
And if you need me, call me and I will come.
Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near
and if you listen with your heart, you will hear
all my love around you, soft and clear.
And then, when you come this way alone,
I'll greet you with a smile and a 'Welcome Home'

Reproduced here. Simply because he's thought of, fondly. And missed, dearly.

Young Turks @ The Loft 91/365

2011-04-01T12:04:00.008+01:00

Where do I begin?

Perhaps I should start with saying thank you to my foodie friend Goz for a seating at The Loft .

Some time ago, I had the pleasure of savouring the posh bacon and eggs by Ben Greeno during dinner. So when Goz mailed me about some seats he had for the Young Turks, a collaboration between Isaac McHale, James Lowe and Ben Grenno, at the Nuno Mendes' Loft Project. I could hardly say no!

Freda and I rolled up to Kingsland Road after a long Thursday at work not knowing what to expect being novices in 'guerilla' dining (as I'd call it). We were welcomed by Chris and Dan of the Clove Club with a rhubarb prosecco fizz, and nibbles -- Gem Lettuce, Curd & Anchovy, Smoked Cod's Roe with an oat tuille (this was sublime and my favourite!!), and cured middle white fat (cured for 14 months?) and ham (18 months, I think).

The Loft which is situate off the rather industrial looking side of Kingsland Road is a charm. High ceilings, exposed brick walls (I have an incredible weekness for this!), long tables, spring blooms perched in white pots, an open kitchen where the chefs and their team laboured through the evening to plate up beautiful morsels of food. Front of house made sure everyone was taken care of and topped up intermittently. The wine pairing was interesting and it added an additional dimension to the entire experience.

There was loads of natter between the diners (it was really great meeting uber supperclub enthusiast Miguel from Portugal, Wenlin and her husband Amir), and the chefs were happy to mingle and chat (both before, during and after diner) and didn't really oppose to anyone peeking and peering at the preparations. It was clear that it was going to be an evening of communal dining amongst people with one similar passion - food. OK, so this was definitely an obvious point but hey, i'm new at this, and I have to say, I was slightly in awe !

Moving on:

L-R from the Top

Duck Egg, Ramson and Snails (Chateau de Roquefort ' Petit Sale' (2010))

I am easily excitable. Snails, eggs, and garlic are easily on my list of top favourite food types / ingrediants. Except, I've never had it altogether on a plate. Duck Egg sousvided? or poached? It was a huge yolk perched on a slice of sourdough toast, snails and a green garlicky sauce which absolutely blew me away. Tonight, it was also a botanical lesson unlike any other for me.

Ramsons, as I soon found out later that evening, is also known as buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic or bear garlic. It is a wild relative of chives and is a favourite of the wild boar. Thank you wikipedia.

Raw Beef Rib, Oyster and Chickweed (Vignobles Guillaume Pino Noir (2008))

This second dish, as my Portuguese dining partner pointed out, was an interesting twist on the french steak tartare. I already said i'm easily excitable -- raw beef, oysters, breadcrumbs fried in fat...ick. Fat. Oysters. Beef. ipercholestoral maybe, but again, a winning combination for me. What was interesting here was the the oysters were in fact infused into a mouse of sorts that was delicately piped onto the plate. The beef had much more of a bite (which I thoroughly enjoyed) than its slightly more mushy cousin across the channel (possibly from the raw egg). the neighbour on my right (as I soon found out was the 'mother of the chef'), Isaac's quivered a little at the redness of the beef but thoroughly enjoyed the other courses. Clearly, a mother so proud of her son :)

Chickweed, I now know, is an annual herb, widespread in temperate zones. Most are succulent and have white flowers, is edible (obviously) and has medicinal value. altnature.com tells me that they exhibit a very interesting trait, they sleep every night, hence termed the 'Sleep of Plants', and the leaves fold over its tender buds and new shoots.

Beetroot, Iced Goat's Milk and Pickled Elderberries (Domaine Gerard Metz 'Eldelrwicker' (2009))

This was an interesting and very original dish. It was kind of a cross between a savoury dish and a dessert. I am loving beetroot at the moment and the iced goat's milk reminded me fondly of ice kachang (a shaved ice dessert) back home.If i didn't know better i'd have thought that the dainty white mound was icing sugar. Right. I am personally not a big fan of a goat's by-produce - milk / cheese but I gave it a go and found this to be a very clever dish with intense flavours.

Jersey Royals, Monk's Beard and Crab (Pierre Cros Minervois Blanc (2010))

I didn't quite expect potatoes this evening (based on the previous dishes). It was comfort food with the most amazingly flavoured crab(or seafood?) cream. Was the potato cooked in broth? This chowder reminded me of the seaside and Noirmoitier. I almost can't wait for summer to arrive now. ;)

Monk's Beard, also known as Barba di frate, I was told had flavours that were sort of a cross between seaweed and spinach. Looking at it on the plate and picking it out with my fork, it looked almost abit like some of the saltwater plants we used to study in water (fish) tanks during science classes."How DARE YOU!?" some might say. But it was a really clever complement to the dish - it reminded me of the sea.

Ok, so http://recipetips.com/ tells me that this is a type of chicory common in Tuscany, Italy where the Cappuccino monks began growing this vegetable green which ultimately became named for their efforts in raising it. With a short season lasting for only five weeks or so, Monk's Beard develops into a thin leafy green with a long white stem.

Chicken, Rye, Hop shoots and Green Onions (Domaine Boudau 'Le Clos' (2009))

I could not believe the chicken in this dish. So moist, so tender, it was unreal. I was heaving from the 4 earlier dishes by this point but still, I cleared my plate. This dish, though many would think is simple and rustic in flavour, chicken, grains, shoots and green onion (did we taste some mushroom in it?) -- kinda like a rustic english risotto but boy was this spectacular. In terms of flavour, this dish has no words. Suffice it to say, the earthiness (and chickeniness [I already said, there are no words]) was phenomenal. It blew me away.

This, together with the first dish were the stars of the day for me.

At one point, someone passed round a packet of what looked like a bunch of dried out skinny asparagus. The knowledgeable diners told me nope, it was hop shoots. It had an amazing grassy fragrance. I swear, one could almost get high on it.

Hop. Sounds familiar? Wikipedia tells me that it is a small genus of flowering plants native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is a perennial herbaceous plant which sends up new shoots in early spring (until the end of May) and dies back to the cold-hardy rhizone in autumnT. he female flowers (often called "cones") of H. lupulus are known as hops, and are used as a culinary flavoring and stabilizer, especially in the brewing of beer. The hop is part of the family Cannabaceae, which also includes the genera Cannabis (hemp), and Celtis (hackberries).

Ok, do we understand now why one might get slightly loopey on it?

Hop shoots grow very rapidly and at the peak of growth can grow 20 to 50 cm per week. Hop bines climb by wrapping clockwise around anything within reach, and individual bines typically grow between 2 to 15m depending on what is available to grow on. When the hop bines run out of material to climb, horizontal shoots sprout between the leaves of the main stem to form a network of stems wound round each other.

Chocolate Malt Ice Cream and Cascara Jelly (The Kernal, Imperial Brown Stout)

I have to confess that by dessert, even though I was bursting at the seams, I was expecting something really punchy and explosive. Normally, it decides whether a spot is sealed in ultimate food heaven at the end of the evening. That said, the verdict: delightful, and a lovely light finish to the evening.

There was a murmur that the cascara had something to do with coffee. The jelly had such delicate flavour, my very undiscerning palate could barely taste it. Was it there for texture? hmm...but using the very cliche phrase, it made the dessert 'come together'. The ice cream was velvety and smooth and I'd be happy to chow down a pot of it anyday. Even though the flavour of the jelly was subtle, it really did add something of a je ne sais quoi in the dessert.

Cascara. When I first googled what it was, the top hit said it was a herb with laxative propreties. hmm...upon further research this morning, http://hasbean.co.uk/ told me that Cascara is the dried fruit from the coffee 'cherry', the seed from which is the coffee 'bean' as we know it. Normally this is a waste product or at best is used to fertilise the ground by breaking it down. But it can be used to brew a delicious and refreshing caffeinated drink.

If you are still here reading, you can probably tell from the length of this post that this experience, to say the very least, was really really exceptional.

Details
http://youngturks.co/event/youngturks-theloft/

Quebec Wharf 315 Kingsland Road London E8 4DJ

Dran @ marks and stencils 90/365

2011-03-31T11:43:00.002+01:00

Siong 89/365

2011-03-30T23:51:00.000+01:00

Happy birthday my dear :)

At least this year we didn't have to wait for your shockingly orange hair !

Spring fever 88/365

2011-03-29T11:56:00.000+01:00

For the first time in 4 yeras, I am home bound with an eye allergy that's supposedly a result of hay fever. I'm uber loaded up with antihistamines but am feeling a wee bit like a cicak today.

87/365

2011-03-28T11:17:00.001+01:00

Some days, just some days, can be a little gloomy.

Camden Town 86/365

2011-03-27T21:00:00.001+01:00

Sing up tourists, Sing

There's a great croud of tourists and they're coming down the street

Pleased as punch with brand new, Doc Martens on their feet

Past stalls of leather jackets, old bric a brac

Indian sunglasses or a Chinese bobble hat

Tramps stare in the window Of the local butchers shop

Like a pack of wild dogs

They'd run of with the lot

In primrose hill an angry man

His hair standing on end shouts and Rants in the ear of his imaginary friend

In Camden town I'll meet you By the underground

In Camden town, we'll walk there

As the sun goes down

In Camden town

In Camden town, you can do anything

You want to

A drunken busker hit the pavement Sending hot dogs in the air

Towards a broken down bus full of people going nowhere

A string of Irish pubs as far as you can see

Greek Indian Chinese

or would you like a cup of tea

Theres Tapas, fracas alcohol tobbaccos

bongs, bongo bingo, Portugese

Maracas, Theres reggae in the jeggae

Music everywhere

Theres Every kind of song and dance

Madness in the air

~ Suggs

Eye of a tourist 85/365

2011-03-26T23:19:00.001Z

Piccadilly circus

Han at dran's 84/365

2011-03-25T11:46:00.001Z

Counting down to 2012 83/365

2011-03-24T21:12:00.002Z

King's Cross St Pancras

London's guiding light 82/365

2011-03-23T21:24:00.002Z

St Pauls

The one with the past 81/365

2011-03-22T21:19:00.001Z

camden passage

Electronic enclosure 80/365

2011-03-21T21:18:00.001Z

Macaroons 79/365

2011-03-20T22:00:00.001Z

Saturday night saw me battling my ultimate baking challenge - David Lebovitz macaroons. The first batch turned out like flat chewy subway cookies but had the right flavour.

Undefeated, I forged on to try again on Sunday morning. This time, the little babies rose nicely...but still no d**n feet!!! Flavour went all wonky so this time I pimped them as flourless chocolate 'Hero' cakes.

One day, I will succeed.

School 78/365

2011-03-19T23:23:00.002Z

A day of school and a day of moving for a friend who is about to go to San Francisco. I was mighty pleased to find out that I topped the cohord for my DA1 exam in December :)

Japan 77/365

2011-03-19T11:21:00.001Z

This is a post-dated entry. This blog was quiet on 18 March 2011 honouring the blogger's day of silence for Japan.

Happy St Patricks day 76/365

2011-03-17T22:22:00.000Z

So this evening, we were decked out in green, made merry, had Irish barmbrack, drank guinness and whisky. If you haven't already celebrated it, i am certain that the party heaves through the weekend. :)

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Dealing with negativity 75/365

2011-03-16T22:42:00.000Z

'YES' can live on in the land of 'NO'

I have been having a rather difficult period with a certain person in my life of late. Friends around me are probably more than fatigued by my endless rants about the said person. Earlier this week, when I thought that I was about to reach breaking (or boiling, if you please) point, I decided that I ought to take a step back and assess how I can deal with the issue constructively. I thought i've tried it all,

'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'. That made me really depressed every time I came into contact with this person.

'ignore'. A really challenging feat when confined within four walls with the said person over an extended period of time, whom I may add, will not stop talking. even when I am with headphones. I am generally not good with ignoring people when I am physically present.

'Say it as it is'. It doesn't seem to stop the flow or sludge of negativity from said person. It is all well and good for two days, and then it starts again the following week. Sigh.

On that note, I decided that I might take stock internally, to try and kill off the less than desirable energy that creeps my way. Looking around, it seems that there are countless books and articles written on the web on how we should deal with it. Of all that i've reviewed,I have found certain pointers that will help everyone deal with difficult situations in life (not just with regards to negative people).

Life's little lessons:

1. Do not take things personally - it is irrational to take anything negative people say personally. Self awareness is key here -- Avoid defensiveness and overreactions.

2. Use "i" instead of "u" - when feeling negative, avoid accusations. Using 'i' plays down the offensive tone that often comes with "u". 'I feel....' It is abit of a word play on one's emotion, but it works. wonders. It also makes you reflect on whether this is how you really feel.

3. Dealing with angry people - A yogi tells me it is always important to take full deep breaths (both in and out). I thought it was a whole load of bollocks when this was first explained to me, but when you are within four walls of the said person, and wanting to scream and tear your hair out, deep breathing is THE BEST alternative to that. Ask: "Why are you so angry?" to understand.

Listen to empathize.

Provide Feedback to resolve (with action!).

I am not sure it wholly works yet. I can't get past the feedback part. But when I start getting frazzled, I go back to point 1. Do not take things personally.

The aviary group suggests

(a) using opposite statements. make a negative statement positive. I have not quite figured out how this can be universally applied to negative statements.

(b) asking what can be done. find solutions. I have also not quite decided how this works on people who refuse to provide feedback, whose answer is simply 'i don't know' (in brackets, frankly 'i also don't care').

They also suggest being bold and assertive. I think this applies to people in general, and even more so with negative people. I personally find this difficult as my aversion to conflict directly impacts the ability to be assertive. That said, I have found that making statements which are always backed up by FACTS (not opinion) boosts assertiveness and boldness. Facts cannot be refuted.

When all is said and done, in circumstances of conflict or negativity, you can always look back to point 1 - 3 which are the most basic of all principles that one can always use to manage difficult situations.

I have found that the one downfall for most people (women especially), is the innate reaction to personalize things/situations/statements/conflicts. This post does not state anything new, but highlights and places markers on certain pointers that we should keep in mind (that which is often forgetten) when placed in emotional situations.

Chasing trains 74/365

2011-03-15T23:35:00.000Z

Stratford Station

Tonight, I thought about the film Sliding Doors as I stepped off the train onto the platform. I wondered how much of life was 'meant to be', and how much of it was what we actually made it to be.

Monday blues 73/365

2011-03-14T11:50:00.000Z

Bercy Village 13/3/11

Some days, I think certain things are better left unsaid.

Nippon 69-72/365

2011-03-13T23:56:00.000Z

I have been rather tardy with posts of late but that's due to a harrowing cough and flu that I have been nursing for two weeks (which took a nice old turn for the worse over the weekend). That said, the weekend in Paris was lovely, though a rather grim one what with the news of the catastrophe in Japan.

On Saturday, we took a little walk through the gardens near Pyrenees where flowers have already started their spring revival. We passed a cherry blossom tree struggling to sprout, its branches rousing from deep winter slumber, its leaves receiving its first rays of spring, and little blossoms spawning their way into bloom. I thought a little sadly of their home country which is struggling to cope with its biggest disaster since World War II, and of the frightening force of Mother Nature. As with all the beauty that it bestows on this planet, it takes away in just a split moment with all its wrath and fury.

So while their sisters flourish amidst the March showers of Paris this weekend, this spring is one that Japan's cherry blossoms might never see.

Swan Lake 68/365

2011-03-09T19:57:00.000Z

photo credit: http://ballet.co.uk

Hier soir, j'ai passe la nuit avec Le Royal Ballet pour son interpretation de Swan Lake. Il a ete magnifique, la danse, le costume, la musique, c'etait une experience que j'ai jamais eu! La Swan Queen elle a ete vraiment charmant, fragile et triste. Marianela Nunez a eu la movement vraiment enjouler et tranquille aussi. Ca fait l'experience tellement inoubliable. :)

Shrove Tuesday aka Pancake Day 67/365

2011-03-08T16:18:00.000Z

Happy Shrove Tuesday! Today we celebrate the beginning of lent and the sacrifice of guilty pleasures for 40 days. The UK celebrates Pancake Day today as well. At my last workplace, we had an annual tradition where we all trooped down to My Old Dutch for pancakes and crepes at lunch. Shrove Tuesday in 2007 was the day my Swedish ex-colleague (now turned yogi) christened me Johanna.

I digress. What better way to commemorate today with a spot of indulgence -- pancakes and the royal ballet. I am very much looking forward to Swan Lake tonight, fuzzy head and sniffles not withstanding.

Wherever you are, don't forget to have some luscious fluffy pancakes today. :)

Apple Turnovers 65-66/365

2011-03-07T23:09:00.003Z

Leftover green apples from last week's crumble + puff pastry = yummy buttery apple turnovers.

On another note, following my spate of bad luck with airlines (budget and otherwise), I finally got round to booking my flights to Rome next month. At a reasonable price no less. Winter begone and let the tides turn.

Bleeding Hearts 64/365

2011-03-06T11:46:00.001Z

Bleeding Heart Yard

The restaurant takes its name from the yard where it is located which, according to the history books, was named after a 17th century beauty, Lady Elizabeth Hatton, who was found murdered there.

The Legend

Lady Elizabeth Hatton was the toast of 17th Century London society. The widowed daughter-in-law of the famous merchant Sir Christopher Hatton (one-time consort of Queen Elizabeth 1), Lady Elizabeth was young, beautiful and very wealthy. Her suitors were many and varied, and included a leading London Bishop and a prominent European Ambassador. Invitations to her soirees in Hatton Garden were much sought after.

Her Annual Winter Ball, on January 26, 1662, was one of the highlights of the London social season. Halfway through the evening's festivities, the doors to Lady Hatton's grand ballroom were flung open. In strode a swarthy gentleman, slightly hunched of shoulder, with a clawed right hand. He took her by the hand, danced her once around the room and out through the double doors into the garden. A buzz of gossip arose. Would Lady Elizabeth and the European Ambassador (for it was he) kiss and make up, or would she return alone? Neither was to be. The next morning her body was found in the cobblestone courtyard – torn limb from limb, with her heart still pumping blood onto the cobblestones. And from thenceforth the yard was to be known as The Bleeding Heart Yard.

Charles Dickens and the Bleeding Heart

Charles Dickens knew Bleeding Heart well. In ‘Little Dorrit’ he wrote of folks in the yard, saying “The more practical of the Yard’s inmates abided by the tradition of the murder”.
But he went on to document another Bleeding Heart story: “The gentler and more imaginative inhabitants, including the whole of the tender sex, were loyal to the legend of a young lady imprisoned in her own chamber by a cruel father for remaining true to her own true lover – but it was objected to by the murderous party that this was the invention of a spinster and romantic, still lodging in the Yard”.

[Credits: http://www.bleedinghearts.co.uk/]

I had high expectations as the website did tout itself as having the 'finest' french cuisine in london. They had a wide selection of good wines at fairly reasonable prices (you'd be hardpressed to find that here in London!). However, there were lots of confused serving staff and mixed up orders, food was not much to holler about, as it was not unlike what one would expect from a normal french bistro in Paris. The good thing is that it had a price tag to match as well so one can't complain. :)

PS: Intriguing legend though :)

Rango 63/365

2011-03-04T23:45:00.000Z

The only thought for the day is that Johnny Depp too, disappoints.

62/365

2011-03-03T23:05:00.003Z

Today marks the first step (again) to straighter teeth.

Sunsets 61/365

2011-03-02T16:41:00.002Z

A friend told me today 既来之,则安之. Some things in life will end, some others just disappear. But like a sun fading into to the back of the sea, so goes that saying, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Alex 60/365

2011-03-01T21:46:00.003Z

25 December 2006

When something you care about becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.

This was the usual Friday crew at Bodega y Tapas 4 years ago just before I moved to the UK. I flipped through a hundred photos in my hard disk before I finally found what I was looking for -- the only photo of us with all smiles around with my then new and first digital camera. Alex gave a full lecture on how i should have taken him along so that he could get me a better deal.

Jordan told me this afternoon that Alex finally surrendered to cancer, something he's battled for over 2 years. All I can think of today is how much he will be missed by everyone. It's slightly weird, and a little surreal. There is neither reason nor need to say anymore about it, but so it is.

Today I mourn the loss of a good friend.

Cigala 59/365

2011-02-28T23:49:00.003Z

Not too much to update today, except that I might have found the chilled-out alternative to Caminos. I must have walked by Cigala (which by the way, means Langoustines) at least a hundred times on my way to the Rugby Tavern for after work drinks but I've never noticed this corner stop. Good sized paella, flavourful starters, yummy chorizos, excellent tortillas (and I am quite picky about my egg and potatoes), and a really stunning whiskey ice cream cake to finish.

Note to self: Learn how to make Higado a la jerezana - pan-fried chicken livers with caramelized onions and Pedro Ximenez sherry. It was the star of the evening!

And here's to the end of February. Golly, time's passing really quickly this year!

Cigala
54 Lambs Conduit Street,
Russell Square,
London, WC1N 3LW

Dinner by Heston 58/365

2011-02-27T23:00:00.003Z

Now I know it is a big Asian thing to take lots of pictures of their food, in various states of undress, or should I say, consumption. Someone has asked me to post photos of my food when I write about them. 'It makes the recipe look more delicious' they say.

Now you'd probably wonder, ok so why is Han putting up a photo of a kumquat with some sticks of toast in the background? I must say, as with every other person who has been to Dinner,

This is no ordinary kumquat.

Say hello to Meat Fruit, a little piece of magic by Mr Heston Blumenthal. A sublime chicken liver parfait wrapped in a sweet mandarin jelly. Traditionally in the kitchen of Mr Mo's grandmother, foie gras was always paired with quince jelly. So this was a clever morsel of culinery delight -- creamy, flavourful, and honestly, pretty amazing.

I was sat next to a lovely Mel to whom I was lamenting about my impending food envy as the serving staff popped out with trays of beautifully plated food which were a real visual treat!! As we had a seating for 6, we ended up playing musical plates on our round table. Without delving into a mega picture spam, the winners were as follows.

The Meat Fruit (c.1500) won hands down in creativity. Rice and Flesh (c.1390) came a close second as a visual treat (gold (from saffron) and burgandy (possibly from red wine?) is always a winning combination colour wise!

In terms of flavour, the Salamagundy (c.1720) was what I could only call 'chicken-y' but packed full of flavour.

The Broth of Lamb (c.1730) and Savoury Porridge (c. 1660) tasted familiar and oddly reminded me of my God mother's cooking flavours (but obviously with much more precision and complexity in flavour). Comforting and homely, the Savoury Porridge (which was done with cod cheeks, a twist on the Fat Duck's reknowned snail porridge) flooded me with my first memories of my mother's spinach and parsley 'chok'.

Slight digression here but, what I wanted to say really was --- the starters were STUNNING.

For mains, we divided and conquered - Spiced Pigeon (c. 1780) and Beef Royal (c. 1720). The spiced pigeon, as Mel and I agreed that the texture and look of the pigeon was -- almost rare, but it was the smoothest and tastiest pigeon I've had by far. It has a good bite and is rather chewable at first (without being tough or stringy), but melts onto your tongue within seconds. I know, all these descriptions might not sound palatable. Perfectly cooked!!

The Beef Royal ---- 72 hours Slow Cooked Short Rib of Angus, Smoked Anchovy and Onion Puree, Ox Tongue. Need I say more?

We rounded up the afternoon circa 2011 at 430 pm with yet another round of musical desserts. Pretty colours on a plate they were --- the deep purple of blackcurrent, pastel pink of rhubarb, the sandy colour of salted caramel, and the deep rich chocolate brown (all not on the same plate of course!!)

My winners for the final course was the pineapple tipsy cake (which Goz said tasted somewhat like kaya...) and the brown bread ice cream. The rest of the desserts were very clever in tastes, but far too experimental for me. This course cemented my preference for slightly more traditional flavours in my pudding.

With that, I leave you with the amazing pineapple spit roast, turned uniformly by a ginormous mechanical contraption designed by famed watched maker Ebel. Very rustic and traditional!

My fellow diners informed me that Dinner was in itself a very different dining experience (sensorily and wallet wise) from its world acclaimed brother. While I have not been to the Fat Duck, this was to my mind, a sneak preview of the aesthetic skill, culinery cleverness and creativity that Mr Blumenthal and his team possess.

Dinner was, as my friend Goz assured me, nothing short of excellent.

(photo credits: Goz of http://www.plusixfive.wordpress.com/)

Lazy Saturdays 57/365

2011-02-26T23:07:00.000Z

Serpentine @ Hyde Park

I have probably gone on far too much about my love-hate relationship with London in this blog. Presented with a sunset as magnifcent as this, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

It's mother nature at her best, really.

L.O.V.E..I.T.

My secret ah lian fantasy 56/365

2011-02-25T10:47:00.001Z

Friday saw me quite exhausted from a week fighting the flu and having to oblige certain social events. Thursday night saw us trooping down to the MCM boutique in Sloane Square for an event. MCM...golly, the name brings back secondary school memories of patent belts, yellow jeans, crystal embellishments and white loafers.

Remember this logo??

The brand (as I was told by the manager) is now owned by a self-made Korean businesswomen. They are a very well established brand in the Asian markets (clearly leaving a very lasting memory from my point of view at least!), they are trying to raise the same awareness in Europe.

They released a new Shanghai collection a few months ago and it's loud bright and cheery, encompassing every colour you can think of for summer, think HELLO LOUD! Very cute indeed! But like a gorgeous, overwhelming piece of pop art on display in a gallery that I could admire for hours on end, I'm still not so sure if I'd ever take it home.

Pain Au Chic 55/365

2011-02-24T12:58:00.001Z

Credit: http://www.pedlars.co.uk/

'The Chanel of the Bread Bin World'

Every Wednesday, I look forward to having a copy of the Stylist shoved into my hands by the little Asian men who valiantly wave copies of them about. My favourite page as always, is The Stylist List. This cute little mini bread bin caught my eye.

Now in my life, people who know me well also know that store bought sliced bread are often disposed off unwrapped, baguettes gone hard (I sometimes make croutons), other breads 'lao hong' ('lost air' as the chinese would say). The bread bin was my ultimate bread mortuary.

It was not until I passed through the towns in Liguria last summer that I fell in love with the local foccacia tossed in an abundance of olive oil and salt that allowed you to imagine of nothing more than olive branches waving delightfully at the salty sea over the cliffs. Coupled with the fluffiness of the bread, bronzed crispiness of the skin, sultry flavours dancing on your palette... ... ok I might be getting carried away here. It's bread we're talking about!

With renewed rigour, I sought out and tested several bread recipes when I came back. But without a bread machine, kneading can sometimes be a real pain when you're not in the mood for it! An Italian once told me that foccacia was one of the few breads that required very little handling and true to his word, it was one of the easiest (and most tasty!) breads I've tested out. I originally used a mish mash of recipes for Foccacia alla Ligure from the internet and tried several versions -- I've finally found this combination to be a winner (for me at least :)).

This is the plain version and you can wing it with olives, ham, sundried tomatoes (a favourite in our household!), rosemary, garlic or cheese. This serves 3-4.

2.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or organic white bread flour)

3/4 of a pack of easy bake yeast (about 5g. each pack normally has 7g)

3/4 table spoon

1/2 cup tepid water (plus extra as needed)

2-3 drizzles (or 1/8 cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the bowl.

Method:

1. Mix flour, yeast and tablespoon of salt together with a spatula (or food processor if you have one).

2. dribble and mix in the 1/2 cup of tepid (warm) water slowly.

3. drizzle one generous ribbon of olive oil around the dough and mix in.

4. Add a little more warm water and mix in to form a soft dough (about 1 minute). At this point, you should be able to scrape the dough away from the sides of the bowl and it will be quite elastic (and a little sticky). If too sticky, dust a little more flour in. If too dry, drip a little warm water in.

5. Oil the side of the mixing bowl, you can use the same bowl as the dough would have come away and the bowl will be quite clean. Using your hands which are oiled with some olive oil, shape the dough into a ball.

6. place a tea towel over the bowl and let it rise in a warm place (I usually put my next to the radiator) for about 2 hours. It should double in size.

7. Take the dough out of the bowl, flatten it and knead it for 1 minute (not too vigourously!). Three or four folds and kneads will do, just to exercise the dough. Pull into three-four balls and wrap with clingfilm. Place in the fridge overnight. (or you can cook them at this point as well but refrigeration somehow gives fluffier results, as I have discovered by accident)

8. Take dough out of the fridge and let it rest for 30 mins. Press and push each ball of dough flat into desired shape (I usually shape it like a pita bread). Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

9. In a small bowl, whisk together 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of tepid water. Drizzle over the dough. Let the dough sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Dimple the dough with your fingers and at this point, add the topping you desire. I usually sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the dough at this point.

10. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp.

The caveat of this recipe is that it probably uses less olive oil than the traditional foccacia and is thus less fatty. I guess I could indulge myself once in a while with a greasy sumptuous treat which makes the bread softer but I find that the oily bread (as with most other greasy foods) don't keep as well for the following day. The bread is great the next day as well (with a couple of minutes in the oven to warm up) with proscuitto or cured meats. :) I have also used this as a pizza base.

Now. I think I have a very good reason to acquire my little Wesco bread bin.

It's one of those days 54/365

2011-02-23T12:34:00.002Z

The little things 52 and 53 /365

2011-02-22T22:44:00.001Z

I am minded today to give thanks for the little things in life.

News arrived yesterday that a dear friend who has been battling cancer for the last 3 years is now in critical condition and my thoughts are with Yuko and the rest of his family. Whilst I will be sad to lose him forever, it is perhaps the best form of release for him from his pain. I am then so embarassed to be ranting and raving over being ripped off £200 by Iceland Air. What is that? In the bigger scheme of things? A purse ? 3 dresses ? A fancy dinner ?

On another note, I cleared Module A of the DipFM so it is onwards and forth on to the next one. LSBF, pick up your !"£$£"! phone and answer your emails!
I am humbled today.

Black Swan 51/365

2011-02-20T22:36:00.002Z

Magnificent cinematography with a good non-hollywoody twist. It was such an intense movie it really should have had some sort of a caveat that this movie is not for the faint hearted.

I'd say I loved the filming, the acting and the set. I can't say very much for the story line but I can see how it took Darren Aronofsky 10 years to plan this movie.

This critic from the Telegraph pretty much sums it up: "This kind of euphoric, unstable filmmaking is a rare commodity. It’s fundamentally silly, but silliness with passion and conviction, silliness of such relentless, giddying abandon, silliness so fervently played out that it approaches a barmy transcendence."

My first memory of Swan lake was in the form of a VHS cartoon. It was quite a dark story to watch as a child but I'd say it is a ballet that I'd love to watch on stage one day. ROH -- please bring it back soon!

Ottolengi afternoons @ angel 50/365

2011-02-19T21:03:00.001Z

fallen into the trap of online shopping again!! 48 and 49/365

2011-02-17T16:47:00.003Z

need.to.stop!

London loves trouble. 47/365

2011-02-16T17:21:00.002Z

" The Bank of England has downgraded its growth forecast for the country in its latest quarterly Inflation Report and warned inflation will rise sharply this year. " - The Telegraph.

Looking through those glass windows from across the road, frankly, what the knnb are they doing in there?!?! !?

Longing 46/365

2011-02-15T16:22:00.002Z

春

Aujourd'hui, je suis sans mots.

the big V 45/365

2011-02-14T22:00:00.000Z

As with most other females who blog, I'd puff up my chest and say 'we don't celebrate valentine's day'.

No we don't. Except that Mr Mo (coincidentally or otherwise) makes the effort to be in London on the 14th each year (except 2007 where we spent it together in paris, alongside a very tearful chinese new year on my part).

This evening was a funny one. Now there is a florist parked outside our tube station and it was pitter pattering down with rain (so everyone including myself scuttled for cover). There were men, of every shape and size and colour, JOSTLING to purchase the last five bouquets of roses perched under the canvas tent. Those sad roses battered from the rain, for 30 quid each! Unbelievable!! Well, better punch a man to the ground over a bunch of flowers rather than incur the wrath of the potential receiver waiting at home I say.

Girls girls... what power you have !

Squash 44/365

2011-02-13T22:32:00.002Z

The gym. The place I love to hate and hate to love. We had a great game of squash today with the housemates and Mr Mo (who spent 45 mins on the ellipse machine [secret hurrah!] because it allowed him to watch rugby) followed by tay do at the usual haunt which does an amazing kopiko iced coffee. The evening was complete with Monty Python's Life of Brian and pineapple tarts. That my friends, is a normal Sunday (enjoyed internationally) at its best. :D

Weekends 43/365

2011-02-12T23:20:00.000Z

Mr Mo visited this weekend and we made our annual winter pilgrimage to Camden (with his friends in tow). If I haven't noted this already , Camden Town seems to be a popular place for our visitors across the channel. Walk along the streets and you hear smatterings of French cooing at just about everything in sight. Mr Mo tells me it is because this sort of market with its congregation of the goths and punks of London does not exist in France. Clearly the Parisians prefer their rastafarian haistyles, fishermen's pants and Vans skate shoes to mohawks, leather and platform boots. That is not to say of course that we do not have the former here in the UK. Whilst the world wax lyricals about how Paris is the most beautiful city in the world (it certainly is a forerunner in the quest for the most romantic one), London to me is certainly most beautiful (and ugliest sometimes :( ) in its quirky little way, just like that box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.

The big workout 42/365

2011-02-11T13:07:00.000Z

So. In my trip back home, my sister and xiao gu told me that I need to lose some weight. 8 kilos to be exact. Where on earth am I going to find 8 kilos to lose? And wherein lies the motivation to do so? Suffice it to say, with the warning of 'if you are what you are now, just imagine what you will be after you have kids!', 'jie, i think hor you are getting slightly obese. You have bulges!', and walking next to my little sister feeling like an absolute dumpling, I jumped on the treadmill this morning (the first day I've beaten my fatigue to crawl out of bed in the morning) and tested out Meijie's interval training technique.

Huffing and puffing on the treadmill for just a measly 30 minutes at 8am isn't great. Ok I know it's already late for all the morning gym bunnies and while I don't feel any lighter, I do feel better. At least, it feels like my blood is circulating throughout my body. Frankly, I think it might be easier to delude myself and just walk on the streets of London. I feel THAT much skinnier here.

nb.

Summer Rose 41/365

2011-02-10T12:58:00.001Z

Here's a photo of the smiliest baby ever. Is there such a word as 'smiliest'?

Ok, i'll settle for happiest baby ever. SR you probably don't know it yet but EVERYONE adores you!

人日 40/365

2011-02-09T23:53:00.000Z

Today marks the 7th day of the lunar new year - Happy birthday to all human kind! Traditionally, we'd have lo hei in the office and at home. These days, lo hei takes place all throughout the 14 days of the new year. Tonight I met the usual group, to celebrate some fabulous news of one of us moving to San Francisco in the months to come. We trooped down to Rasa Sayang wanting to lo hei with the friends who didn't go home for CNY this year. Alas, admist the char kway teow, sting ray, hor fun etc....we forgot about lo hei but did have some really crummy tasting nian gao. Jas, i'm still waiting for yours!!!

It was all in all a brilliant mid week highlight to an otherwise morose and lethargic (and not to mention, busy!) week. two more days to the weekend, and February is already zipping by.

Coming home 38-39/365

2011-02-08T12:39:00.001Z

Now I know I made a new year resolution to myself to write an entry on a daily basis but there just isn't enough hours in a day to do so. I arrived back in London yesterday morning at 7am and stumbled back into the office all bleary-eyed. The return home was difficult as I didn't get to see alot of friends this time around. More importantly, I wished I had a little more time to spend at home with family. I was very grateful to my little XX for taking time off from her work to spend at home with mom and dad, and me of course! I didn't stay home enough as I had to pao tai to several different places! As for XR, she was preparing to embark on her exchange in Italy. Trust me, this little girl worries me like no one can. That said, I constantly remind myself that she is an adult now and is no longer the wide eyed curly haired 8 year old that I fondly remember her as. As difficult as it may be, I try not to be the big sister to her (who regretfully isn't always there) but also a friend. She's got some really great years ahead of her and truth be told, I am always secretly proud of my both my sisters and my friends will vouch that I boast about them on many an occassion. :)

Ok now, back to the grindstone, before I collapse on my keyboard.

The Year of the Rabbit 29-37/365

2011-02-06T12:38:00.000Z

Pre-CNY: 1 Feb

除夕

It's been a long time since I've taken a walk in the nurseries with the family in the wake of the new year. This year we made our annual pilgrimage to the Hougang nurseries with my nippon uncle and auntie to admire the flowers in bloom, haggle over pricey kumquat pots, natter over birdlike flowers and marvel at the variety of wares on display. Mom had already done all her shopping as always, so while she admired the orchids and crysanthemums all round, she was secretly gleeful that all her pots were 'so much better'.

初二

this time around in Tangkak, we met up with the entire family and as always, there is always some sort of dvd marathon ongoing, this time it was the Romance of Three Kingdoms. We may have missed the lion dance, but we definitely didn't get left out of the very exciting evening of lighting precarious sky lanterns (孔明灯). These were precarious only because there were lots of electric wires criss crossing across the Malaysian sky and we were trying not to set any wires on fire!

CNY in the Quek side of the family has more or less come to a standstill of sorts, with only the average height of the family increasing (due to numerous adolescent cousins), so I've skipped a narration of our 30 year old routine. Yes 30. The Seng family however welcomed a new addition to the family and I met the latest darling, tiny little Fanrong for the first time. My mother, her maternal instincts ever so present, was literally drooling all over the baby so much so that we were literally mopping it off the floor.

Lastly, the Sengs do, as always reminisce about their days in the old shop house where my grandfather and uncle ran a dental practice until they both retired. It's a cold characterless furniture shop these days, its old grand lustre long forgotten. The painted words of 精美 so faded that we couldn't even tell if it was the correct back door. We pass this door daily and often can't help but cling on to the memories of the zinc roof, steep stairs, the musty smell of incense, the charcoal stove, the breezy balcony where my grandmother used to sit and smoke the afternoons away, and of course the incessnat crows of the cockerals at the back of the kitchen that often appeared on our plates the day following our arrival. Yes, my grandmother used to kill a chicken and a duck whenever we came back to Tangkak. As they used to say, 女儿回到娘家了 . That said, neither I don't miss the toads that used to appear in the bathroom at midnight though, not one bit. Frankly, I would wager that my mom feels the same.

From Zero to Thirty 28/365

2011-01-28T10:05:00.003Z

To all things familiar, to sultry tropical days...to 'paradise'..well perhaps. I also know that I am totally going back to sweat buckets out when I get home and feed lots of mozzies. No wait, Henry told me a woman doesn't sweat, she 'glows'. So i am going to be glowing for the next week or so and as always, going home brings mixed feelings. Heat + sun and outdoor pool, humidity + lots of teh peng, Size 6 girls + all my size 6 friends, having hotpot at 30 degrees + having it with family, endless uniform shopping centres and streets + lots of kopitiams and bubble tea. Rubbish cakes + lots of fresh fruit.

OK, it's my party and I'll 'glow' if i want to. :) Can you already tell? If so then you probably know that I am well on my way to feeling somewhat like this

j'arrive!

26 and 27/365

2011-01-27T12:25:00.000Z

Work's been piling up to my eyeballs and I am super glad to have a short reprieve next week. Swim this morning before work was definitely an ace idea and whilst I had a super long day yesterday and am severely lacking in the sleep department (no thanks to one bald cheetah) I actually feel quite energised today.

ok plodding on.

25/365

2011-01-25T18:09:00.002Z

Today's wise words:

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.

24/365 reporters San frontieres 3- le premiere et derniere de YSL

2011-01-25T15:55:00.002Z

YSL preparing for his first show - by Pierre Boulat

YSL preparing for his last show before his death - by Alexandra Boulat

23/365 reporters sans frontiers 2 - Pierre Boulat (Pere)

2011-01-24T22:41:00.002Z

My two favourite photos from the weekend's exhibition.

Le premier verre de lait de Jean-Pierre (1953)

Jean-Pierre's first glass of milk.

This looks like the perfect 'Got Milk' advertisement !

Le premier jour, face a face d'une nouvelle recrue avec son capitaine instructeur

"tu as un mois pour perdre ton double menton"..."Yes Sir!"

On the first day, a new recruit faces his captain who says ' you have one month to lose your double chin'...

22/365 reporters sans frontieres 1 - alexandra boulat

2011-01-24T22:39:00.001Z

Macedonian Refugee Camp, April 1999

Civil Serbes apres la chuts de Vukovar, Croatie, November 1991

This was the most striking of all. Nothing particularly scary or foreboding, but just really beautiful. Of the 100 photos in the gallery, this particular one drew both Mr Mo and myself like moths to a flame.

This exhibition was the 100 photos of Alexandra Boulat and her father Pierre Boulat.

Black and white photos taken by Senior Boulat of the WWII, the independence of algeria, telling of how much the world went through during those dark periods, and then the subsequent transformation of the new world, the nouveau riche post war recovery.

His collection of sober military photographs were contrasted against those of YSL, truman capote, cigars, edith piaf, laughing couples and lots of luxurious furry coats - the lure of bright lights and the big city, surely those were the golden years of the 1900s.

His daughter Alexandra Boulat is what we know as the modern day photo journalist. Her very gripping selection spanned across war torn countries just like her father but on a much more international scale, from the fall of the soviet bloc, the warring states in the middle east and the consequence of war, death and destruction. There were also a few highlights of laughing faces from amidst folk that the modern society left behind, and the most memorable ones were those of the Berberes in the Atlas Mountains.

Pierre Boulat had a cheeky and humourous edge to alot of his photographs, many of which were sombre, slightly ecletic but somewhat funny (in the woody allen way). His camera skills were nothing short of marvelous. Every snapshot was, as cliche as it sounds, picture perfect. Alexandra on the other hand shoots some very startling photos, and each one lingers on your mind, and you don't know it yet, but each face, each photo, it secretly haunts you. Each different picture evokes emotion, --indignance, shock, tranquility, lightheartedness, and perhaps sometimes joy, but mostly sadness.

I'd highly recommend anyone who is a big photo buff (and who happens to be in paris) to visit this exhibition :)

Reporters Sans Frontieres

100 Photos de Pierre et Alexandra Boulat

until 27 February 2011

AccèsAvenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
Hall Jacqueau au rez-de-chaussée du musée
Tél : 01 53 43 40 00