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visions of clarity...do as infinity

Saturday, August 30, 2008

A Whirlwind of a Departure

Hello..

And so today marks my last day in Singapore for the year.=) I'm happy to be going back but sad to leave.. Bittersweet perhaps? =P

It's been a whirlwind of outing after outing and attempting to stuff clothes into my luggage in between.. Now my bed is cleared of clothes and my cupboards are emptier than when I arrived 2 months ago... My harddisk is also filled with more photos and thus more reminders of home when I fly off to that frosty land of Michigan.=)

I'll miss everyone once again!!! =( It's tough coming back and it's tough leaving ... I don't know which I prefer. By flying off, I'm returning not only to the land of plentiful shopping [SALES!!!] and friends, but also exams, schoolwork and some hideously cold and other hideously hot days [or school buildings]. But then I'm also leaving behind fantastic food [xD xD xD] and friends, but also the horribly humid weather and land of all things fattening [and small sizes].

First some photos of these few days of goodbyes for the year..


At Island Creamery!!! =)


At Jalan Kayu for prata!


At Sun with Moon!!! =)


With Wall-e and Eve at Lido!!! =)

And yup! I did cut my hair.=P

Ahh.. I'll miss everyone so much when I go back.=( Back to the intensive emailing and occasional webcamming. Hehe!

I have some apologies to make though..

1) I'm terribly sorry I didn't get to cook for the people I promised I'd cook for.=X =X =X Next year! Longer holidays! I'll CHOOSE a good working time to fit everyone else's!!!

2) I'm sad that my working schedule clashed with so many people so we couldn't meet up as often as we wanted to..

3) I'm sorry Jiamin, Joyce, Vivienne, Wendy and Zhilei for not bringing the chocolate cake today!!! =( You can ask Jiamin if it was good..

4) I'm sorry I'm not coming back at the end of the year..

5) Finally, I'm sorry for being so pushy in meeting up..X__X

Reading those letters that kind of say farewell but not really are always one of the highlights and lowlights of going away. On one hand, it makes me more appreciative of the friends I have and the friendships we have made.=) On the other, it makes me sad to leave and reminds me that no matter what, distance is something we all have to face.xP

So yes. Thanks dearies for this summer!!!~ It was a blast while it lasted and though long sleepovers never materialized, I think we now know how to plan our next summer! ;)

To Ann Arbor I go!
cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : Karma Chameleon Culture Club + Viva la Vida Coldplay]
[mood : nostalgic]
[food : yakisoba!~]

Zhilei: Wagyu beef just means Japanese beef whereas Kobe beef refers specifically to beef from Kobe and raised in the tradition of Kobe.=) Kobe beef is delicious!!!~ But there are even BETTER types of beef out there..xD And I don't like natto.=X It's errr not very appetising to me.. あまり好きじゃないけど...

Jiamin: Next year next year!!! Let me improve first..=P

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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Omnivore's Hundred

From the British blog, Very Good Taste, this is the Omnivore's Hundred!

You can view the original post
HERE (link!).

Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.



1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

I've also taken the liberty to include my comments because.. I can't resist doing so!! =P Haha..

1. Venison [I don't particularly like it's gamey taste..=S]
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (
link) [I've never heard of this.-_-"]
4. Steak tartare [I was offered some in Korea but was too grossed out to eat any.X__X]
5. Crocodile [I've heard it's good! And tastes like chicken.=P]
6. Black pudding [Can't stomach it..X__X Not even the chinese version..]
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp [It has a muddy taste at times but is otherwise good prepared Chinese-style.=P]
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush (
link) [I didn't know what this was till I checked wikipedia. Haha..]
11. Calamari
12. Pho [I LOVE this!!! xD xD xD]
13. PB&J sandwich [Not a personal favourite]
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart [New York New York!]
16. Epoisses (
link)
17. Black truffle [Yum!]
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns [If this is for Char Siew Bao, I think it should be number 1 on everyone's list. Haha..]
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese (
link) [It sounds.. awful..]
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (
link) [what is that?! And why does it have to be raw?]
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters [urgh]
29. Baklava (
link) [I find this too sweet..X__X]
30. Bagna cauda (
link)
31. Wasabi peas [urgh]
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl [I love clam chowder, I don't like the sourdough]
33. Salted lassi [I've tried the sweet one?]
34. Sauerkraut [Yum when done well!]
35. Root beer float [Not a fan of floats..]
36. Cognac with a fat cigar [I don't approve of smoking..]
37. Clotted cream tea [???]
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O [sounds good!]
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail [Not a fan]
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects [Mixed feelings..]
43. Phaal (
link)
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu [I want to try!]
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel [UNAGI!!~]
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut [=\]
50. Sea urchin [Not my favourite.. The French style of preparation is ok though.=D]
51. Prickly pear [??]
52. Umeboshi [EXTREMELY sour]
53. Abalone
54. Paneer (
link) [I don't know if I've tried this before..=S]
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal [I prefer the double cheeseburger! Haha..]
56. Spaetzle (
link)
57. Dirty gin martini [??]
58. Beer above 8% ABV [No idea..]
59. Poutine (
link) [I'll try this when I go to Quebec!]
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores [Too sweet..]
62. Sweetbreads [xP]
63. Kaolin (
link) [Err.. That's kind of weird..]
64. Currywurst
65. Durian [Yum!!!]
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake [Yum!]
68. Haggis [=S]
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette (
link) [Not an internal organs person..]
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini [I don't know if I've tried this..]
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost (
link)
75. Roadkill [WHAT?!]
76. Baijiu (
link) [Not yet!]
77. Hostess Fruit Pie [?]
78. Snail [escargot!~]
79. Lapsang souchong [Not yet.. Is it worth the price? =S]
80. Bellini [Yummy!]
81. Tom yum [Sour and spicy!]
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky [My favourite!!!]
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. [Not yet. ;)]
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare [Hare = Rabbit right?!]
87. Goulash
88. Flowers [Do those Chinese lily bud thingies count?]
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate [This is what that really expensive Amedei chocolate is made from no?]
91. Spam [Do I want to try it?]
92. Soft shell crab [Yum!]
93. Rose harissa (
link)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox [I'm not a fan of smoked salmon..]
97. Lobster Thermidor [Yum!!!]
98. Polenta [Not a fan..]
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake [I can't decide if I want to try it.=S]

X__X That was tiring.. Haha.. To lighten the mood, let me share today's Garfield comic strip!


Hahahaha. I love today's comic..=P You can get more here:
Garfield.com!

Time to get ready for Mambo!!

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : わが﨟たし悪の華 ALI PROJECT + あんなに一緒だったのに See-Saw]
[mood : xD]
[food : Creamy Chocolate Cake!]

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Birthday Celebrations!~

Hello!

So today was my brother's birthday and the day before that, the East Quaddies got together for a festive celebration!~

We spent a little bit of time in the morning and afternoon preparing for the meal at night.=)


The beginnings of a strawberry shortcake made with genoise, freshly whipped cream and yummy strawberries! The genoise were soaked in a little bit of Bacardi.. ;) And we added some to the whipped cream too! Heh.

After putting the cake together, we were off to SENTOSA!! ^_^ Cafe del mar!~


Like tourists on the train to Sentosa from VivoCity..


For just $3, you get unlimited rides on the train that goes to and from VivoCity to Sentosa with 3 stops on the island itself!! [One is not operational yet.]

Getting off at the last stop on the island accords you to marvellous views of the sea and of the stage for Songs of the Sea! Haha..

And a short distance away from the station..


*sneaking up* =P


You are accorded gorgeous views of a tropical paradise! =D [A little bit more sun would have been good but it had been raining all weekend so we should count our lucky stars instead.=P]


At Cafe del Mar!~ =D Enjoying the sunshine..


The whole lot of us enjoying the intensely blue cocktail that was delightfully sweet and not too strong. ;)


With the gorgeous sunset in sight, we set off down the bridge for a smaller island off the beach!


A breathtaking view of the open sea and a fully red and brilliant sunset in the distance.=)


The last glimpses of the sun as it sank into the horizon.

With that, we left Sentosa and headed back to the house to cook up a storm for dinner!


Our efforts presented at a very late hour thanks to our lack of skill and lack of prior planning [that's my fault.=X]. ^_^" It might not look very appetising thanks to my poor photography skills..

After the meal, I was so stuffed but there was one more thing we had yet to consume!


The strawberry shortcake!!!

After posing for the obligatory photos, everyone sat down to try it..=P


Layers of genoise, freshly whipped cream and strawberries with lashings of Bacardi make for a lovely cake! The best alcohol to use would, of course, be Kirsch but seeing as Kirsch isn't available at home.. Bacardi will have to do..=P

Tonight, we dined at Gunther's for my dear brother's birthday meal.=) Hopefully I'll post that along with Nobu and L'atelier de Joel Robuchon on the food blog soon..X__X

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : FIND THE WAY Nakashima Mika]
[mood : extremely sleepy hence the short and sweet lines - what a nice change!]
[food : angel-hair pasta!]

YX: You should have asked me before you went!!!

Zhilei: TSKKK. Nana is NICE!!! xP

Jiamin: I can watch it again! And anyway.. You guys are too busy.x{

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Friday, August 15, 2008

NANA 2 + Olympics Opening

I know I know. The Olympics opening ceremony was ages ago! But I just watched the first half of it, you know.. All that fluff and dancing?

My goodness..

It's GREAT fluff! I am VERY impressed. The Chinese are really fantastic at this whole coordination thing. =D And I loved the smiley face fireworks!!! KAWAII!!!!!!!!!~ xD xD xD But seriously, I thought the whole performance was done extremely well and I was very impressed at all the effort and expense that was poured into it.

Before that, I finally, finally, got down to watching NANA 2! =D I really LOVE the whole NANA series.. The manga.. The anime.. And of course, the movies.=D I really must thank Joyce for introducing it to me! Haha.. =D


The storyline for this movie is one of the parts in the manga that I really didn't like because it made me so sad.=( I mean, when I was reading the manga/watching the anime some years ago [was it that long ago?!], I really didn't get why Hachi would do what she did but thinking back now, I think I do. =S It's kind of complicated and if you've read the manga or watched the anime, you'll know exactly what happens next. So maybe that accounts for why I've become more understanding of why she behaves the way she does.O__o


The music was fabulous as always, I think picking Ito Yuna and Nakashima Mika as Reira and Nana respectively were pretty good choices.=D Mika for one definitely looks like Nana but sound-wise I feel like the Black Stones in the movies isn't punk-rock enough.=P Also Ito Yuna's voice is perfect for Reira but I think she just isn't cute enough in terms of her look. But maybe I'm just quibbling.


I liked their clothes.. I liked the settings they chose.. But basically, they just based everything off the manga which I appreciated very much because I think Yazawa Ai's style is great so please don't mess around too much with it.=P At the point when Trapnest was filming their video though, I kind of missed the banter about wedding dresses between Ren and Reira.. =S But I guess Reira has pretty much a supporting role in the movie, whereas she gets a bigger part in the manga.

Cast [from wikipedia]:
Nana Komatsu (小松奈々 Komatsu Nana): Yui Ichikawa
Nana Osaki (大崎ナナ Ōsaki Nana): Mika Nakashima
Ren Honjo (本城蓮 Honjō Ren): Nobuo Kyou
Takumi Ichinose (一ノ瀬巧 Ichinose Takumi): Tetsuji Tamayama
Shinichi Okazaki (岡崎真一 Okazaki Shin'ichi) a.k.a. Shin: Hongo Kanata
Nobuo Terashima (寺島伸夫 Terashima Nobuo): Hiroki Narimiya
Reira Serizawa (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira): Yuna Ito

I didn't like the casting for Hachi very much but I guess since Miyazaki Aoi didn't want to play Hachi's part anymore, this girl was a suitable replacement. She isn't as cute as the first Hachiko but she does have her merits I suppose.=) I also didn't like the replacements for Ren and Shin but.. =S O well. I think the new Ren reminds me of T.M. Revolution! Haha..=P Still.. The actors for Ren look totally unsexy in the unzipped leather jacket.. =( The real Ren in the manga is like, totally the hottest guy around in contrast... *deep sigh*

Trailer:


Theme Song: NANA Starring Mika Nakashima - 一色


Insert Song: REIRA starring Yuna Ito - Truth


I love the wrist bracelet thingy that Reira wears with her red dress!!! *dies* I WANT ONE!!!


To more greatness that is NANA! =D I can't wait for the next manga chapter to come out. Horrors. It's going to take forever!!! =(

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : 一色 NANA Starring Mika Nakashima + Truth REIRA Starring Yuna Ito]
[mood : =D]
[food : TOAST!]

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Thursday, August 14, 2008

Hong Kong & Macau

Hello!

I'm back from Hong Kong and boy was it a great trip.=D =D =D Definitely not relaxing like the trip to Phuket last year but this was filled with shopping, sightseeing and lots and lots of food! =D =D =D Since there was so much to do, so much to see and so much to eat, I'll just post a few highlights here and there.^_^ They aren't totally representative honestly, and I'll blog in detail about the amazing food on
spoonerisms*inc so look forward to that! ^_^

では、始めて!


The new Changi Terminal 3 from which we took off via Singapore Airlines.=D It's actually quite pretty but I feel like Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 are warmer in the sense that there are fewer empty spaces around.. O well. I'm sure T3 will fill up soon! =P

Our first meal in Hong Kong at 正斗!! =D


云吞面 in soup!! =D YUMMY. The noodles had the perfect chewy texture and the soup was great, especially when consumed with the yellow chives.=D =D =D The wantons were ok I guess but the noodles here were the main star!


虾饺 or the totally loved har gao.=D =D =D This was one of the most delicious versions I've eaten in a longgg time with the skin thin and chewy, the filling generous and flavorful and served steaming hot.

We ate much more of course.. But if I posted everything here, the blog would explode! =P Check out facebook for all the images or wait patiently [very patiently] for an entry on spoonerisms*inc.;)

For dessert though, we went to a branch of the famous Saikoong 满记甜品 at the IFC building [where a branch of 正斗 is also located] to savour their gorgeous desserts.=D =D =D I ate at the original shop in Saikoong many years ago and it was amazing.. Does the branch match up?


杏仁茶,核桃糊,芝麻糊 all lined up neatly! ^_^ [That's Almond "tea", Walnut cream and sesame cream for those who show X__X when Chinese words are involved.] The almond tea was mine and it was DELICIOUS!!! Piping hot and very very smooth, light and filled with the aroma of almonds, not too sweet and totally delicious.. It's no wonder I love this dessert so much.=D =D =D This has got to be one of the best versions I've ever tried! *floats away*


糖不甩! Reading it in Cantonese is totally cuter by the way. I don't know how to spell it though. Haha..=P Anyway, I really love this particular dessert, it's a glutinous rice ball coated in a thin syrup and then covered in a sprinkling of crushed peanuts, toasted sesame and dessicated coconut. Even though I usually despise dessicated coconut, it tasted great here.=D And the glutinous rice balls were nice and chewy but didn't stick, and had that "松" feeling. Yummy!


阑桂坊 or Lan Kwai Fong [the first chinese character is wrong I know.. I can't find the right one..X__X]! =D Apparently, it's Hong Kong's equivalent of Clarke Quay in Singapore, with lots of pubs and eateries that expatriates frequent.=) Despite having visited Hong Kong several times.. This is my first time there and apparently, it's quite a famous area.. Haha..


The very famous Fish Fried Rice that is also very very very good and totally deserving of some culinary award.=D This is at 太湖海鲜城 near the Causeway Bay area where we were staying.=D The fried rice is topped with this stir-fried fish thing and mixed before serving and is... delicious!!! So. Very. Good. *dies*


At 益顺牛奶公司 [err once again, I think the first word is wrong..], they have this absolutely delicious dessert called 双皮炖奶 or dun-nai or Steamed Milk Custard! [It's not technically a custard but I can't think of a better English equivalent.] It's an extremely interesting dessert if you ask me and comes with this... congealed layer on top. The texture itself is softer and smoother than the silky sweet soya beancurd [豆花], it's not too sweet and has none of the richness of fresh milk though it has the fragrance. Totally delicious!

On our second day, we took the ferry to Macau [澳门] that's just a quick one hour boat ride away! =) The sea was pretty rocky on the way there and it rained all day long, but I think even through the mist and pouring drops, I still managed to appreciate the quaintness of the tiny city.^_^


The ruins of St Paul's Cathedral on a rainy day is quite a sight to behold.=) All that remains is this wall of the front with lots of very significant carvings on it! If you want to know more about it, you really should go read up, it's quite interesting. Behind this wall lies the crypt that's been preserved with the remains of the founder of the academy that lies at the foot of the stairs leading to the cathedral as well as the remains of missionaries from Japan and Vietnam.


At the top of the fort next to the cathedral ruins, there's a museum on the history of Macau..=) We also spotted this lovely bud, readying itself to bloom.


Here is the Nezha temple along with the only remains of the original city wall of Macau built by the Portuguese.=) It was made of mud and seashells at that time in order to signify the boundaries of the Portuguese portion of the city.

And of course, a trip to Macau is not complete without trying their famous Macanese food! =D A lot of people mistake it for Portuguese food [just like I did at first..] but in actual fact, you can't find a lot of these Macanese dishes in Portugal! Haha.. They are a result of the fusion between Portuguese and Asian influences hence strangely named dishes like African Chicken or the Bacalau Codfish Cakes.


Absolutely delicious clams in a white wine and garlic sauce at one of the best Macanese restaurants in Macau called Restaurante Espaco Lisboa.=D Perfect with their freshly baked bread!!!

We ate so many delicious things but what I was really looking forward to was dessert! =D We were right next to Lord Stow's Bakery, famous for their Portuguese Egg Tarts. ;) YUMMY.


Mmm. Freshly baked egg tarts are the best! Light, custardy, not too sweet and with a flaky pastry to die for, egg tarts are the best!!! =D =D =D

After dropping my cousin off at the hotel she works in, we went on to see one of the remaining "villages" on Taipa island.=)


It's actually rather picturesque in the rain don't you think? =) On the right are the Portuguese-built homes that have been converted into museums and such and on the left is a gigantic lily pond!~

A beautifully preserved part of Macau indeed! However, that's probably not what most people who go to Macau want to see..


This! is what most people come for.. CASINOS!!! =D This is the gorgeously ornate interior of the largest casino in Asia, the Venetian. It's.. huge. Seriously huge. The gambling area alone stretches off into long corridors of machines, tables and goodness knows what else.. The shopping areas.. We walked around for quite a while and barely scratched the surface of what they have to offer along the recreated canals of Venice. My cousin told us that the Gucci store there is one of the biggest she has ever seen. Goodness me.

The extravagance that has gone into that place!! It makes me believe that if they had used the money for something else, they could vaccinate and feed all children in the African and Asian continents for 5 years... at least. X__X

But extravagance isn't limited to properties alone because that night, we went back to Hong Kong and met my uncle for dinner at the fabulous Hong Kong branch of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. xD


I had the most amazing brioche at their Tokyo branch so I just had to have it again at the Hong Kong branch.=D And surely, they did not disappoint me at all!! =D Modelling together with the brioche is their croissant which is to die for. Like. Totally. I thought the Hediard ones were good but this is like, even more perfect because they are so small and cute so they melted perfectly in your mouth!!! =D Haha.. And in the background, there's the extremely delicious AOC French butter that I slathered on extremely generously because it was so good.

We also had Jamon Iberico twice that day! Haha.. Another sure sign of an expanding waistline and extravagance.. At Espaco Lisboa, we had pata negra aged for 24 months and it was delicious. Then at L'Atelier, we had what is considered the finest grade: the jamón ibérico de bellota aged for 36 months. And that was.. amazing. *_*! Squee! Apparently, that extra year really makes a difference in flavour. And I am so sold on bellota ham right now.xD Too bad they can't bring it into Singapore due to some restrictions.. Fly to Hong Kong, Japan or Spain to have it! =D


This course wins top marks in the prettiest plating of all!!! =D =D =D Look at the care that went into the dish in the background!!! In the foreground is a slice of Japanese tomato topped with a tomato tapenade kind of thing with basil and olive oil which was really good. In the background is the star of the show: a tomato jelly with little mozzarella cheese dots topped with either tomato or parsley sauces. It was totally ingenious I tell you and everyone was absolutely fascinated with this dish. Hahaha. It tasted good too in case you were wondering. The little cheese dots went well with the jelly though it was a bit strange at first. Haha.

I also had extra helpings of Joel Robuchon's signature item: the mashed potatoes during the main course portion of the meal. =X Totally and utterly sinful but trust me.. You'll never get mashed potatoes like that anywhere else. It is simply, amazingly good. xD xD xD


Although we had another amazing dessert, I think this was simply exquisite in presentation and in taste and texture. It's white chocolate mousse layered with oranges, and grapefruit sorbet, served with delicious tuiles and little cubes of marvellous candied orange. The taste is.. Wow. xD Apparently, their dessert chef is from Japan! I am SO moving there to eat my way through all the desserts!!! *squee*

We were so stuffed after the meal, we had to walk part of the way back to the hotel.X__X

The next day, my mom and I did a little shopping before meeting my brother and dad for lunch at this amazing roast meat stall!!! xD


Located conveniently in Causeway Bay [and at other branches around Hong Kong I think] is 太兴烧味 which has delicious roast goose and soy sauce chicken along with those yummy things in the photo: Char siew and pork ribs!! SO GOOD!!!~~~ =D =D =D I was like, totally sneakily trying to steal all the best bits.=P

After shopping all day long, that night we headed for Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon for the Hotel Intercontinental. Nestled within, and with a fabulous view of Hong Kong's harbour is our destination for the evening: Nobu.


To save on cab fare, we took the MTR to Kowloon and even with trains coming every minute, the rush hour crowd is not to be laughed at.X__X Look at that! People seemed to accumulate with every train that arrived and every single train, despite arriving every minute, was full. Thankfully, they have a wonderfully efficient system and we arrived in Tsim Sha Tsui with enough time to take a stroll down the Avenue of the Stars before going for dinner.=D


When you stroll along the Avenue of the Stars in the evening, you'll be treated to an equally magnificent view of the skyscrapers in Hong Kong lighting up, and the hill in the background is the famed Victoria Peak. It's really quite beautiful and we were lucky the pollution and fog that plague the city didn't mar our view that evening!

At Nobu, we ordered omakase, a Japanese equivalent of the menu degustation except there's no menu to peruse and everything is left up to the chef. In omakase, the chef presents you with what he/she believes is the best that's up for offer that day, prepared in the most befitting way.


A starter: On the spoon is mackarel [I think] with a watermelon and tomato gazpacho that was actually pretty good. Behind is an amazing half-cooked botan-ebi [described as 牡丹虾 by the waitress] with ponzu that was totally and completely delicious. Finally, is a little Japanese cherry tomato that was... Good. So. Good. Like, I seriously can't stand the taste of raw tomatoes but this was so sweet and so delicious and... xD xD xD It reminded me of that extremely sweet cherry tomato I ate in Japan. SQUEE!

I think waxing lyrical about a cherry tomato might disturb some people. I deeply apologise.=X


We had several excellent courses but I shall skip right over to the dessert because I love dessert and I'm biased like that.=D Truthfully, I was a little disappointed when all I saw in this bento box was a chocolate fondant and a prettily formed scoop of matcha ice-cream. But then I decided to place my prejudices aside and swept down on the chocolate fondant. WOW. I was shocked!!! It was so light and fluffy and yet with a totally decadent center of molten chocolate batter. I've never had such a light chocolate fondant in my life.xD I was amazed at how delicious it was.=D Then I tried the matcha ice-cream. I'm not usually a fan of matcha ice cream because it's usually either too sweet or too milky or both. X__X Thankfully, this matcha ice cream was excellent. Light, not too sweet, not too milky and bursting with the fragrance of matcha. Mmm. Yummy.

The meal wasn't too heavy and we walked around Kowloon for a bit before going back.=)


The next morning was a beautiful one and we had this gorgeous view of Kowloon's harbour from the top of our hotel in it's French restaurant, Riva. =)


Later while walking around, we chanced upon one of the ex-governor's [or someone equally important, the details of which escape me] favourite egg tart shops called 泰昌饼家 in the Causeway Bay area.=D They were excellent, I daresay even better than the ones from Macau! Well, I guess they are kind of different. The Macau egg tarts had a puff pastry but these had a delicious crumbly shortcrust pastry that was slightly salty and contrasted amazingly with the smooth, light and absolutely delicious egg custard. *_*!

I think one of the ways to a person's heart would be through a thoroughly amazing egg tart.=) Another fabulous Chinese bakery invention! Haha..


That said, we had to leave Hong Kong and thus, took that drive down toward the airport, passing this bridge along the way [we were quite near Hong Kong Disneyland. Hahaha], admiring the sunny and clear blue skies.^_^

Hong Kong gave us a great send off with perfect weather. And with my bags full of new clothes [the summer sales are amazing!!!], lots of snacks and gifts for people [手信街 in Macau was named for a reason], as well as loads of skin products [Sasa is my best friend], I left Hong Kong with a happy stomach, a much bigger waistline and a once again assured mentality that I really really like Hong Kong.=)

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : Beautiful World Utada Hikaru]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : Cantonese food!!! xD]

Jiamin: Now is time to DIET!!! Haha..

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Sunday, August 10, 2008

Hello Hong Kong!

Hi everyone!

I'm now sitting in the hotel in Hong Kong, with the night-time view of Kowloon behind me.=) Quenching my thirst with some mixer my brother made [Martini.. something with sprite and lime] is quite the life! However, my feet are aching and my bag is almost [not quite there yet] bursting with the clothes I bought today... ;)

Although I didn't shop very much [3 tops?! 1 pair of shoes?! PATHETIC!] I did manage to find some good deals and some nice pieces that were wayyy out of budget.-_-" Oh! And SASA is my new best friend in the skincare/makeup department. ;) We were in a hurry just now but later I'm going back to scout for fabulous Japanese mascara. MWAHAHA! Parallel imports are such a great idea.

We ate a LOT for lunch [and dessert...] and now everyone is considering what's for dinner.. X__X I WANT SEAFOOD. *hints* Although I AM rather full, my greed can override my stomach space quite easily..

Ahh. Tomorrow we're headed for Macau! And after that, it'll be shopping and eating all the way. JOY! =D

I wish it could be a holiday everyday!

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : Konayuki Remioromen]
[mood : =D]
[food : wanton meen, congee, HAR GAO, zha leung, etc...]

Wendaye: The song is cheesily good! =D

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Thursday, August 07, 2008

PoP Goes My Heart!~

Hello

I love this video.. It's totally hilarious..



From the movie Music & Lyrics. =) Hugh Grant as Mr 80s Popstar is hilarious! xD Hahaha.. And so cute!

Although the movie was nothing to write home about, I really like this other song:



=) It's quite sweet although I can't say that Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant are great singers.

And here's the "professional live" version of it! Don't watch it if you don't want to see any spoilers but.. well.. ^_^"



And a semi-sexy and totally catchy song:



Wee! Such nice happy pop songs.=) Not terribly memorable but wow, totally catchy! xD I think Rihanna wins for catchy and memorable songs..

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : Way Back Into Love Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore]
[mood : ^_^]
[food : sweet potato!]

Jiamin: You should update your own blog! Haha..

Liu-Yi: You can request you know.=D Haha.. I'm very very very keen on experimenting and making custom cakes so if you have a weird idea [like my friend's avocado cake] pleaseplease tell me and I'll do my best!!! =D I can even make birthday cakes for the little ones. ;)

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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Fashion Olympics

Magazine: Harper's Bazaar - August 2008
Model: Lucy Liu
Photographer: Peter Lindbergh
Fashion Editor: Rachel Zoe


I love the dress, the movement in the picture and the setting.^_^

But this is my favourite outfit in the series:


Carolina Herrera!!! ^_^ Beams. The vest and the dress are totally inspired.

By the way, this is my additional 8-8-8 thingy since the Beijing Olympics start on that day too!!

Ahh. High Fashion. Haute Couture. You make me happy!

cheers
*[-witchstone-]*

[music : ふたつの鼓動と赤い罪 ON/OFF]
[mood : wee!]
[food : Beard Papa Choux Cream!]

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Welcome

visions of clarity...do as infinity
by witchstone

My Emotible!
starry-eyed: filled with such youthful hope and optimism that one's eyes twinkle even when it's dark

Wish List

ie: motivation to save money!
- clothes
- shoes [heels! boots!]
- the perfect tote
- coats/outerwear! [Soïa & Kyo, Burberry...]
- Gackt - nine*nine
- Gackt Photobooks:
1 The Gift The Sixth Day & Seventh Night Tour Document (2004)
2 Crescent Photobook (out of print)
- Cookbooks!
1 Thomas Keller The French Laundry Cookbook
2 The Nobu Cookbook
3 Emily Luchetti A Passion for Desserts
4 Alice Medrich Pure Dessert
- Anime/Manga
1 Rurouni Kenshin
2 xxxHOLiC
3 Tsubasa -RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE-
- Proficiency at Japanese!
- Learn French for Food!

Links

My Flickr Page
spoonerisms*inc a food blog (by wendy & I)
my translation blog

witchstone...
follow me on Twitter

Checklist: EAT!

The Common Grill, Chelsea
The Black Pearl, Ann Arbor
Good Girls Go To Paris Crepes, Detroit
Bella Ciao, Ann Arbor
Craft, NYC
Momofuku, NYC
Alinea, Chicago
The French Laundry, California
Goto, Singapore

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