Return

Clearly it has indeed been a long lapse. I shall credit it to my current vocation at my new workplace- won’t be that new in a couple of weeks. Till date I still question about my move. In shortsight it does look like I am moving up in my career path, or am I? I still have doubts in my heart. Could it be that my current job has taken a personal spot in my heart. I love what I do. Then why the change, you may ask. I won’t say it was driven by what everyone’s opinion. I do have my own mind. An opportunity presents itself. Hence I seized it. Whether its the right or wrong decision, who’s to tell? It’s a different playing field. I don’t have much to lose, if anything, I’ll gain the experience, exposure and opportunity to learn and grow my credentials. On the bright side, I was just reassured by my director that she supports my decision to go out and learn, then come back to join her. That’s comforting. To know you have a safety net.

Leaving on a Jet plane…

Well, I am literally leaving on a Jet plane tomorrow, a JetStar plane to be exact! haha!

Trying to be optimistic bout a trip to a very very familiar place with people that I haven’t interacted much with over the past year. I’m not trying to brag but I have been to Bali about 4 times over the last 3 years. Each with different company. So this will be the 5th escapade to the land of mystic healers and haggling marketplace. As much as I love the sun and the sea, I am over Bali. On the last trip I made there last year, I was very much disappointed with the island’s spirit. I just don’t feel the warmth of Bali. Everything was overpriced. The highly acclaimed ‘to be seen at’ Kuta beach is getting a tad tired with persuasive street vendors and beggars alike.

It is sad seeing a place that once captured my heart go down the path of over-commercialization. Yes my friends, Bali is over commercialized to the point that it has become overrated.

If I had it my way, I would love to spend a week or two living amongst the lush green padi terraces. What could be better than to be greeted by fresh mountain air in the morning? On my virgin trip to Bali, I ventured through its winding streets and I found a gem. It was a small art gallery that conducts batik painting lessons. Its a small humble gallery where the painter give a little one on one lesson to the aspiring artist. When I saw the Balinese artist showing a a little demonstration to assumingly his student, a blond caucasian lady, that moment was imprinted in my mind. I have to do this. I will take a month of sabbatical leave to come back to Bali to learn oil painting from this master.

Excited, I went in search of my travel companions to share with them the jewel that i found. The next morning, i brought my friends down the same street, recalling my way around the narrow paths, in search of the modest gallery. Mysteriously, I never did found that place till today. Who knows, I might get lucky this fifth time there…I might just prance upon the little art haven…

Koi Koi Away!!

I had a miserable start to the day. Nose was running, rain was pouring..head was pounding…i guess you got it…I got the works..everything that could go wrong above the shoulders basically did. So off i wet to the polyclinic, as much as I dread the long waiting time. Its either i wait out at the poly or go to work with a stuffed head.

Lets fast forward to the bit where I was done with my consultation and on my way back home. A sudden craving for pudding milk tea crept up in my mind. Since that was only available at Pasir Ris, I decided to get the next acclaimed best thing, milk tea from KOI Cafe, which is along the route home.

Naturally there was a long line of people waiting for their order of ‘Kois’. I hopped in line too, curious to check out the hype behind this bubble tea cafe. The first line that you step in will lead you to a cashier where you will place your order for the type of Koi drink you want. In turn, she will had out a numbered slip and usher you to another line for your to collect your drink. At this point, I had approximately 16 people in line ahead of me. Judging by the number of cups  waiting to be filled up, looks like Im going to be there for awhile.

Finally my ice cold Honey Milk Tea is ready!! Accompanied with a red straw, i pummeled that shard smack centre into my Koi. The first sip was a welcoming frothy milky goodness with a chewy surprise. And those chewy balls my friends, are called pearls. Its actually a gelatinous chewy black ball thats made of flour shaped into black balls and boiled to a perfect chewy texture. I can see why people are willing to spend their lunch break queuing for this drink. Its rich, cold, not overly sweet and full of milky goodness wetting your palate.

My only peeve about the drink is, it was half filled with those pearls, not a good thing if you are thirsty. Would i queue that long for a cup of tea? Hmm, perhaps not. I’d stick to my usual Honey Red Tea from Sweet Talk. =)

Mee Chilli

Its a cold rainy day, and what could be better den slurping a good bowl of noodles and nestle in your favorite couch and watching the good old telly…

Today i shall attempt to recreate that mood at home, seeing that Im going to have to spend the day alone as everyone else is either at work or school. So naturally I headed out to the local supermarket round the corner to get, wait for it…., strawberries….haha!

Okay, those strawberries will be for dessert later in the day. Alrighty, Im gona get started on a noodle dish that I used to eat when I was a kid.

The dish is called Mee Chilli. My mom use to buy this home for me from a hawker near our place. Its is similar to the regular mee goreng (fried noodles) but it uses a different kind of yellow noodles. Flat egg noodles are typically used in this dish, cooked with a special spice mix or also known as sambal with sliced beef and prawns. Several years ago, the hawker closed down due to some renovation work, and never came back.  So that was a huge bummer!

Im goon head to the kitchen to recreate that mee chilli while it rains out there…

Pasta my day…

Woke up watching Masterchef and the contestants were asked to prepare spaghetti in clam sauce. And that was the inspiration for the day.

Off i went to the supermarket to grab some ingredients. Although i know I’m suppose to be prudent and yet I cant resist the items on the shelves of the supermarket. As usual, i went over budget. I spent twice the amount that I had set out to. Oh well, now i have the luxury to choose from the many pasta recipes to whip up. Will upload pictures of the meal wen im done cooking in a bit.. tarrah….

Happy New Year!!

Many will argue that making resolutions are uncalled for for new year. When change is needed, it will happen regardless. Thru my years of experience, resolutions serve as a reminder and benchmark of my destination. I just have to work on the journey there over the 365 days that i have. Years that I did not make any resolutions for myself, i find that there isn’t any sense of achievement or rather, there isn’t a destination or pit stop in my journey. And the years that i had one, I am much more productive and focused in whatever i do.

Hence, I have decided that this year on I shall be more assertive in making decisions, especially when it involve my life, my happiness and my significant other. I have done much thinking and it is high time that i finally leave my organization for a less hectic working schedule. I would want to spend more time with my family and my kitchen, to cook more, that is. Armed with my new cammie, I shall document my life with illustrious pictures.

Motto for the year is Me first in the kitchen.

31 12 2010

For many, its the date that marks a global party event that will last all night long till the morn of the coming year. For me, its a curse that I have lived with for the past 24 years of my life and this year is no different.

As the world parties with booze and dance to welcome the new year, I’ll be home having a family dinner to rejoice the day that my late grandma battled her life to bring my dad into the world. It has been that way for as long as i remember. I have resigned to the fact that I am not destined to experience countdown parties.

I could have sworn that my dad conspired with god to be delivered on new year’s eve so that his kids will not be able to party the night away.

So here I am showing my little sister the rites of New year’s eve tradition of our family. It begins with a family breakfast, preferably something local. Lunch will be a light affair of noodles. The only thing different bout this year is the dinner theme. Tonight is going to be a meat fest as opposed to the usual seafood feast that we have been having religiously annually.

So the dinner menu is, char broiled flank steak with summer vegetables and a side of potatoes. mmm..

This morning i experimented with a muffin recipe which i modified slightly to accommodate to the ingredients in my fridge and panty. Hence it turned out to be a raspberry ricotta chocolate chip muffin. Double yum!!

Baking Queen

I have always loved the kitchen. Therefore I’m not surprised that i’ll be spending my off days baking and just whipping up something from the depths of my fridge and pantry.

It all started on Christmas. i was to spend xmas alone, as the entire family along with my cousins next door went on a vacation to an aunt’s place upstate in Malacca. It doesn’t help that the BF is away too, down under visiting his relatives. That leaves me with my brother.

Lucky thing, my other family, aka Cheries are around to celebrate xmas with me!! What started from an impromptu lunch date with Ad, turns our to be an entire day of fun and laughter. Naturally, Invited them all over to my empty boudoir, and after much contemplation, I decided to make a simple rustic Aglio Olio with king Prawns for them. Yum!!

Cooking makes me happy…and Im even happier today. I spent whole of yesterday shopping for ingredients that i ought stock up incase im feeling for cookie or a muffin. I did a major hole in my account. Yes, i bought that much stuff. Not forgetting my 2 pints of B&J, Chubby Hubby and Cherry Garcia. Guess What!! I got one FREE Half Baked pint!!! Must have been my Lucky Lucky Day!!! Wawaaweee!!!

Excited with my shopping bag, i wasted no time excavating the bags for a new recipe i wanted to try. Sweet & salty Macadamia Choc Chip cookies. They turned out fantastic!!! Crisp, sweet and salty goodness on your palate. ooohhh….yuuum!!

Saving the stash for the family on their return. Cant wait for the reaction from Nana and Fhariz! They are my kitchen buddies.

This morning, I made something new too, Blueberry cinnamon ricotta pancakes. not bad for an amateur. I normally order my pancakes from McDonalds or made them using premix. This time, i made it all from scratch. Although i lacked certain ingredients, i think it turned out well. Will post pictures once i get my card reader from the BF.

hmm…Whats next…

Life is wonderful

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I’m saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes some words to make an action
It takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

La la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Al la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you yawn brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished

Ha la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is so full of
Ah la la la la la la life is so rough
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is our love
Ah la la la la la

It takes some silence to make sound
It takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to make a mountain

Liberation never so sweet

The sun shone a little brighter this morning. Slept a little better last night. Feeling the small flame within. Hungry for life. What’s next?

Desires to travel the world. To finally write for unheard voiced. To help the helpless. To cook for the hungry.
What’s next on my plate?