I've just finished 灰羽連盟 [haibane renmei; or Charcoal Feather Federation], a pretty short 13-episode anime series.
It's a very ... peaceful anime. I don't really know how else to describe it.X__X It's just very calm, yet at times does deal with anxiety-ridden scenes. [And angst, which just annoyed me.] Overarcing themes include loss, acceptance, search for meaning and so on. Not particularly outstanding in any way, I feel that this anime still holds something.. special perhaps. Something different from other anime.
The 灰羽 [haibane] are people who are born from cocoons at any age [meaning they don't have to be born as babies] and sprout wings within the first few days of birth. After their wings have sprouted, they are then given a halo and a name that relates to their "cocoon dream". They are born-again, in the sense that although they can walk, talk and interact with others, they cannot remember anything before their cocoon memories. Each of them works in the town, in an area that is completely sealed off from the rest of civilization except for masked travellers who bring things into the town from the outside world.
Even the opening theme reflects the overall atmosphere of this anime.
The drawings are nothing to scream about, though I rather liked the muted water-color-ish palette used. The animation too isn't cutting edge, nor is it outstanding in any way. In a way, I guess because of the simplicity of this anime, it makes you think about other things, and appreciate a different side of anime.
Besides 灰羽連盟, I've also been reading the back-story and first installment of the story of Requiem et Reminiscence II ～再生と邂逅～, the 2008-2009 Gackt Live!!!
It's been incredibly interesting so far, and they seem to be creating a rather elaborate plot behind the concept of the series of concerts. I know Gackt has always been terribly dramatic although I can't say I find it a problem; it's when artists put in this kind of effort for a concert that I fully appreciate it. Creating a world that is "Gackt" transports the audience to their creative realm, and allows them to better appreciate the whole concept that is created for them to enjoy.
So far it appears that the RR project was a top-secret developmental experiment supported by the Germans during the Nazi era to create cyborgs that can fight in the losing war against the Allied Powers. The story so far is written by a Japanese exchange student who was sent to Germany just before the war to study robotic engineering and ended up helping the professor in charge of this experiment. [Apparently it existed back then, don't ask me since what I read was translations...] So far it's been all background, leading up to some kind of super dramatic plot that I think sounds rather interesting at the moment. It stems from *yawn* a love triangle where one guy tries to rid the world of his love rival and so on. Not the most original background story, but if they do manage to develop more on the RR Project, it might be very interesting indeed!
Too bad I can't read half the things the webpage has, since the Japanese story is horrendously difficult and very very long. I did try but proceeded to get a headache, give up and go read translations instead. I have great respect for those translators, they must have nerves of steel, the patience of an ox, and enough time on their hands.
I hope the translators don't give up!!! There are probably going to be installments once a week till the concert begins... ;_;
I'm so sad I can't go. *weeps*
Ok. I must go do something useful! Like plan to update on Detroit, Novi and Washington DC!!! =P cheers *[-witchstone-]*
I promise I've been meaning to update on my dramatically longgg weekend last week but I haven't found the time to upload photos and whatnot. It's all up on Facebook though so you can check there.=)
Instead, I shall talk about Thanksgiving! The all-important American holiday that is followed by the equally important and greatest sale of the year, Black Friday. But though Thanksgiving doesn't mean the same to me as it does to other people in America, I guess we can also use it as a time to reflect what we have to be thankful for.=)
So. What do I have to be thankful for? There are so many things, but I guess starting a 10-item list can't hurt..
1) My family! =D 2) My friends!! =D 3) My seemingly disease-free self and bottomless appetite..=P 4) My opportunity to study in Michigan! 5) The shopping I can do! 6) The food I can cook and eat! 7) Learning more and more about life from everyone around me 8) My possessions! [My electronics.. bags.. clothes.. shoes.. ...] 9) The internet and my cell phone.=P 10) Anime Manga Dorama Movies MUSIC
See how there are so many things to be thankful for? And that list has barely scratched the surface of things I should show appreciation for..
All the material and spiritual possessions we have is something to give thanks for. And something we need to learn to appreciate all year round, and not just at Thanksgiving.=)
May the upcoming holiday season be wonderful for everyone! [And of course, finals are coming.. ;_;] And finally, may 2009 roll around well! ^_^
I shall update again.. Soon. Hehe. cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : FIND THE WAY Nakashima Mika] [mood : thoughtful] [food : braised duck!!!!!! mwahaha!]
I finally bowed down to pressure and finished the whole series of 機動戦士ガンダムSEED [Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed; or Mobile Suit Gundam Seed] based on the highly recommended pushing by Mr Wang.=P
And I am absolutely not disappointed by this extremely famous and popular series. It's pretty ancient [vintage: 2002-2003] but not as ancient as some other anime I've watched in the past.. =P
It might be a mecha-anime which did not appeal to me at first.. In fact, the reason why I had chosen not to pursue this series was because of the mecha factor. But after watching Code Geass [another semi-mecha series], and after much persuasion, I decided to settle down to watching it.
The story revolves around several main characters although the auxiliary characters are actually sometimes equally important and contribute a lot to the main plot. The main characters are [by the way, my spelling of their names are super arbitrary because I'm basing it on sound, as well as whether it looks nice in English..=P] Kira Yamato, Asuran Zara, Frey Alster, Rakusu Klein, Maryu Ramiasu, Mwu La Fraga, Kagari Asuha, Rau Ru Kuruuze, and... I think you get the idea. There are a lot of characters in this show.
Basically to cut a long story short, the story is set in a world called the Cosmic Era which has been split into 2 factions: The Earth Alliance comprising of so-called "Naturals" and ZAFT comprising of "Coordinators". Naturals are people just like you and I, while Coordinators are actually genetically-modified Naturals. Because the Coordinators have superior abilities thanks to genetic modification, the world was split apart and now a war between the two factions has ensued. However, because ZAFT created a N-Jammer to prevent nuclear attacks, nuclear war has been prevented. They utilize machines to fight, of which the most superior are robotic suits called GUNDAM.
Basically, while I love the whole story because it makes you question morals and principles and human behavior and whatnot, I found the first bit a little slow. It picks up at around episode 30 though, and goes uphill from there! =D I've realized the importance of the first slow section though, it really helps you to build the world of Gundam in your mind, and draws you deeper into the whole concept. Once you get through the whole introduction to the concepts and ideas within Gundam, you can fully appreciate the whole series even more!
The mecha battles kind of bored me though, especially when everything started repeating because I guess it saved them a lot of money? =S I preferred the whole human drama aspect of the anime which played out behind all the battles and fighting.
They also managed to create many enduring characters since they are very realistic [personality wise at least, their intelligence levels are definitely unrealistic..]. And there were some annoying characters that gave me all these moral conflicts about whether I wanted to like them or not. Haha.. =D
In all, I find this series rather hard to describe because it's so multi-layered and so complex that it's difficult for me to really place a finger on what made it so fantastic. All I can say is that the series really speaks to you, and despite the mecha bits that were really pretty boring, the human interaction said so much more.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about this show was the music they chose to use. Especially the ending themes.. They contributed greatly to the whole atmosphere of the series! =D =D =D And if you study the lyrics, I feel like the songs weren't just chosen for the music that suited the mood, or also for the lyrics that suited the situations in the anime. Kyaa!~ The insert songs as well, were extremely effective [especially when subtitles were provided to explain the songs.. Which was useful because I felt like the songs were pretty significant] in conveying emotions and thoughts of the characters.
Thoughts?
The ending of Gundam Seed made me sad and happy all at the same time. I don't know how to describe it.. On one hand, it's so tragic you can cry, but on the other, you're happy about what has happened at the end that you don't quite know how to respond... I can now understand why this is such an enduring series and why so many people wax lyrical over Gundam Seed. I still don't get the appeal of Gundam Wing though, that one bored me to death.
Next up? Gundam Seed Destiny!!!
I have such a backlog of anime to finish, it's not even funny. X__X
So today was our Singapore Food Festival, one of our biggest outreach events to the wider community in the University of Michigan.=) I think one of the great things about studying in a place with so many different cultures residing together, is that you are able to learn so many new things about other cultures. ^_^
But anyway, seeing as Xinyi and I were totally ambitious, we volunteered to make Nasi Lemak, which is a crapload of work if you don't want to kill yourself on the actual day itself. The East Quad people and myself made Nasi Lemak with Ted last year, but the amount we made was much less than what we prepared this time so.. It was hard work indeed.X__X
Starting on Thursday, we started our prep... Our Nasi Lemak might not have consisted of a lot of stuff, but it was a lot of work in totality: - Rice - Ikan Bilis - Peanuts - Sambal Chilli - Omelettes - Cucumbers - Keropok
See! (T_T) Making the chilli was fun, but the amount of chilli oil that was produced was kind of scary..X__X Still, I thought the chilli was actually quite yummy, just really really spicy. [Everyone can testify to that I think!] And the keropok was fabulous for snacking on while cooking [and singing along to songs on the computer..] and so was the ikan bilis + peanut mix!! =)
Our fabulous keropok!!! =) Frying it is a very calming activity because it's so repetitive [imagine standing in front of a work full of hot oil, and having to fry a whole box of keropok keropok-by-keropok].
Massive amounts of ikan bilis were sacrificed for a noble cause. [If not us, it would have been some other less worthy person who might not fry it as deliciously as we did! =P]
The case of the leaping fish!
Guo Lu hard at work... We all took turns to cook stuff not to worry.=P I wouldn't torture GL like that! Haha.. And plus, it's pretty fun.=)
Our prep work!!! Haha.. Ginger.. A LOT of shallots.. The already prepped ikan bilis + peanut mix sit patiently like the rice that awaits delicious additions!
Our completed nasi lemak rice, sitting in the tray and ready to be transported!!! =)
Stack after stack after stack of omelette quarters.=) [We used 60 eggs in total! This is about half... I think?]
Because all of us were kind of hungry from the miserable lunch we ate [although Guo Lu's chicken thingie was REALLY good.. though spicy.. =X], we made a stack of pancakes!!! ^_^ They weren't fantastic though, which leads me to conclude that pancakes are a lot harder to make than expected.
Our stall!!! ^_^ Sadly, Chenli and my brother are missing from the photo [as am I. But o well.].. Nasi Lemak!! YAYYY!
The model plate we assembled. ;D Helps people visualize what they're paying for more easily!!! Haha.. Doesn't it look happy???
We almost ran out of rice, so Xinyi had to make more at home. =D At the end though, we were giving away food for free! =P I can assure you, Singaporeans love keropok, it was the fastest item to go..
We did pretty well overall though, and made a pretty profit.=) That pleased me greatly, but for the amount of time, energy, and manpower that we devoted to this, I think it's not really worth it after all. =( Still, when people came to tell us that they REALLY liked it, or if they kept coming back for more chilli, it made me happy! ^_^ Hehe. And also, when I invited a lot of my non-Singaporean friends to come and they actually came, I was really happy!!! Haha.. My Japanese friend brought his daughter, and she is so cute.xD xD xD
Ahh. I'm so tired and I'm aching all over from all this cooking.X__X I am now utterly convinced that cooking a lot helps you lose weight because not only do you use a lot of muscles to cook, but you also are so tired, you aren't really in the mood to eat anything!!! =P
Ok.. The last part isn't technically true since err I was really hungry just now and kept stealing food from other stalls..=P
We have loads of tamarind leftover from making the chilli. I wonder we can do with it? Hmm..
cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : 枫 周杰伦] [mood : extremely exhausted] [food : keropok? I don't want to smell like like keropok, ikan bilis and egg anymore!]
So tomorrow is the Singapore Food Festival [actually today, but it's erm EARLY today so I still consider it tomorrow..=P] and we're halfway through the prep work! We've already fried our ikan bilis, roasted our peanuts, fried our keropok, made the chilli [I think it smells awfully spicy but everyone says it tastes good so...] and bought all our ingredients. Tomorrow, we just have to make the rice, omelettes, slice the cucumbers, and season our ikan bilis-peanut mix! ^_^
I am so tired but.. I think it'll be a rewarding event.=)
Anyway, from the ever resourceful Chenli [and accompanied by fabulous knowledge from Xinyi and Guolu - the resident Chinese experts], I've discovered the origins of the powerful Chinese search engine, 百度!
辛弃疾 - 青玉案
东风夜放花千树，更吹落、星如雨。 宝马雕车香满路。 凤箫声动，玉壶光转，一夜鱼龙舞。
蛾儿雪柳黄金缕，笑语盈盈暗香去。 众里寻他千百度；蓦然回首，那人却在、灯火阑珊处。
"百度" originates from the last line of the poem - it's also the nicest line of the poem and resonates within you with loads and loads of meaning. [In other words, I didn't understand it at all, especially the most important parts of the sentence. AHEM.] According to Guo Lu though, the first part is made up of descriptions.=)
But thanks to the kindness of my friends, [they refused to translate the whole thing, apparently it's rather complex] I now understand the last line and boy do I feel smart! =P It's a very nice line though, rather inspiring.=)
众里寻他千百度；蓦然回首，那人却在、灯火阑珊处。
I always marvel at how beautiful the Chinese language can sound and mean, and I wish I had studied harder at it. ;_; I loved learning 唐诗 though, so maybe I would have been more interested if we had done poems instead, and learnt it for fun rather than for exams all the time..
Omg! I love Gackt's new song!!! Although I don't much like that weird Soviet-looking-uniform clad dude because err. He's just kind of random. Knowing Gackt though, there's probably some deep, philosophical meaning behind it but for that, I guess we'll have to wait for interviews and stuff to come. ;)
Gackt - JESUS Omg. He is so kakkoii!~ But don't you think he's totally channelling like, the R&R thing? Probably has some upcoming connection to his Requiem et Reminescence tour II coming up?? =)
I thought about it since he's dressed in like, shirt, pants and red tie which reminds me of R&R a lot.. And also the weird dude in the PV? He's dressed in a R&R looking uniform too.
Also, I'm very proud of Gackt. For once, his grammar is correct!!! *weeps tears of joy* xD xD xD But gosh. I cannot get over how much I like this song.. And how much I miss his music.=P
As everyone knows, I adore anime. Like, adore. And so, every so often, the most adorable OPs and EDs are used, accompanied by kawaii animations! So I thought I'd share them here.^_^
Mr Raindrop from Gintama
I love this particular ending theme!!! It's so cute!!! =D =D =D And it's in English, so everyone can understand it! The band, Amplified, is from Hong Kong but was discovered by Sony Japan so they released their albums there. ^_^
Soramimi Cake from Azumanga Daioh
Azumanga Daioh is cute, retarded and oh so entertaining when all you want is to kill your brain cells for a bit. ;)
Do You Want To from Paradise Kiss
Another English songs! We're on a roll today.. The song is originally by Franz Ferdinand as many people would know.=) I thought that this song and the style of animation didn't really suit the elaborate fashion style of Paradise Kiss but maybe they wanted to convey the wacky world that they all live in, a world that is contained within the regular world, yet at the same time is something unique to them.
Galaxy Bang! Bang! from Galaxy Angel
Ahhh I have fond memories of this absolutely hilarious and completely retarded show. It wasn't something I specifically picked to watch but it was showing on AXN so I watched it anyway.=P It's enjoyable like Azumanga Daioh, as long as you chuck your brain out of the window first.
Hare Hare Yukai from Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu
This provided much amusement at the end of every episode of this entertaining yet slightly thought-provoking series. Originally shown out of it's original order [on TV, it was aired in the "Haruhi" order, on the DVD release it was shown in the correct "Kyon" order], it makes the whole show even more interesting!! xD Haha.. I love the dance. It is too cute.
And totally made for cosplay. HAHA.
Ooh I love nice anime songs, I realized however, that most the animes I watch have beautiful songs but melancholic/not cute OPs and EDs. Sadness. The songs themselves are a huge draw though. And I think that's what counts. ;)
I've thought of my winter template already!! Now to see if it is executable.. X__X Sigh. And o yes. Studying? I have to do that too.
Winter Drinks: Yuzu Tea, Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate!
Hello
Winter slowly makes it way in in my fantasy land, in reality, winter has plunged down on Ann Arbor with a vengeance, as if annoyed that the long Fall had delayed it's grand entrance significantly. Such is our fate to be located so far from the equator, and so near the north pole. Thankfully, being in an area where people adapt to the climate with warming drinks, we are most fortunate to discover some yummyness!
On a cold cold day when all you want to gain is warmth in your fingers and toes, a deliciously rich and decadent Hot Chocolate from Starbucks would be your best bet. ;)
Lately I've been indulging in their Signature Hot Chocolate, available in original as well as seasonal flavours (Salted Caramel and Hazelnut). So far I've been totally staid and have only tried the Signature Hot Chocolate.. However, I think I have a long winter ahead to try the other 2 flavours which sound absolutely delicious! =D The hot chocolate is not too milky, and is rich with a delicious dark chocolate aroma. It's not too sweet either and you can choose what kind of milk you want: the standard is 2% but they also have fat-free and whole milk.=D If you do come to the US, be sure to try them out!
I really must carry through with my promise soon and make vats of Pierre Herme's hot chocolate recipe.=D
Another drink that has caught my heart is a big mug of warm Apple Cider. Unlike the alcoholic, fizzy European version, American apple cider is very much like apple juice, with spices if you like.=) Ubiquitous during apple season [it's ending as we speak. Allow me to weep tears of sadness.], apple cider is another warm drink that will lift your spirits with its sweet yet fragrant taste.
Typically made from apple juice only, you can mull it with spices like cinnamon for an even more delicious drink! I have apple cider sitting in my fridge right now.. Maybe I should warm some up and throw a stick of cinnamon in! =D Available at cafes in Ann Arbor as well, this is one thing I've been indulging in besides Hot Chocolate! xD [A healthier alternative maybe?]
Finally, it's time to return to our Asian roots and indulge in Yuzu Cha! [Also known as yuzu tea, yuju cha] Made from honey and yuzu peel + pulp, this is a marmalade like mixture which brightens up your day instantly when you add hot water in for a soothing, sweet drink.
I think this makes a perfect drink during any season: with cold water and ice, it's a refreshingly spritely drink in the summer; with hot water and a spoon to dig up the peel and pulp, it's a soothing and fragrant drink in the winter. ゆず茶 or 柚子茶 as it is known in Asia, is something I've been dying to buy for months but I never knew how it'd taste. Then when Xinyi became my guinea pig and bought a jar, we all discovered heaven! =D The next week, I promptly trotted down to the Asian supermarket and bought a jar.. on sale to boot! Joy! =D
All images found through the power that is Google.
It's supposed to snow soon. =( I've been staying home to study so that I don't have to expose myself too much to the cold... xP I love the cold, it's just no fun when you might be falling sick.xP It's supposed to snow tonight!!! I hope it snows after I get home from the Stats review...
ETA: 1638hours: IT SNOWS IT SNOWS! I'm actually excited right now, contrary to what I said earlier.. Joy! It's so pretty! =D It's November.. It's about time it snowed!
cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : Viva La Vida + Lovers in Japan Coldplay] [mood : yuzuyuzuyuzu!] [food : Chicken Porridge, Cabbage and Yuzu Cha!]
Omg. Typing all that Japanese out and trying to think of gramatically correct sentence has taken a toll on my brain. I think sleep is in order. cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : when one can stay awake when it's silent, concentration on your work improves dramatically] [mood : tired] [food : nabeyaki udon! xD]
It was unseasonably warm today and is supposed to continue for the rest of the week! I for one, welcome the sunshine with open arms.=)
Anyway! Here are some of the movies I've seen recently:
Clockwork Orange After hearing about ultra-violence and the Korova Milk Bar, I had pretty high expectations for this film.. And truth be told, I wasn't blown away by it but it did evoke many interesting moral questions and some feelings of disgust [for those idiot friends, and the violence]. The violence wasn't as bad as I expected, I think it was more of the way the scenes were carried out in a very theatrical fashion that disturbs you. Plus the whole psychological training thing was awful and the final rejection from society that made the whole thing seem like such a farce. We also got into a whole discussion about Classical Conditioning, being the Psych students we are..=P
Overall, it's a pretty good film though I don't know if I'll watch it again. It explores interesting issues and is also presented in a very unique manner [from the setting, to the dress, to their language].=)
パプリカ / Paprika I had been dying to watch this when I was in Singapore and it was first released, but I didn't manage to find the opportunity so I had to watch it here instead.=) [Thank goodness for someone's LCD screen! xD] Paprika had an interesting premise about the creation of a device where you can enter a person's dreams and help them solve their problems through that. However, when the device falls into the wrong hands and the subconscious is invaded, things can definitely go awry.. The beautiful soundtrack and superb quality of animation definitely aided in the fantastic presentation of the story which was pretty solid in my opinion.=D
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and the theme song is STILL stuck in my head because it is just that catchy. Some scenes were pretty disturbing because of the depiction of how humans can become, but the issues that they were trying to address were fascinating and I will rewatch this film for sure.
Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium Starring the ever-wonderful Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman, this film was enjoyable from start to finish. Using a magical toy store as a backdrop, it explored the perennial issue of believing in a "child's world" of magic and fantasy and dealing with the reality and groundedness of an "adult's world". The wonders of the Emporium capture perfectly a child's perfect playground, with anything they could ever want. However, the looming of Mr Magorium's departure grounds the movie and lends it a more serious note. What I liked most though, were the excellent performances and great soundtrack that really appealed to me and worked well throughout the movie.
It's a really good film that isn't the least bit contrived and is really joyous to watch. The storyline really pulls you in and allows you to enjoy the Wondrous Emporiu from the whimsical opening sequence, to the final ending credits.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas I finally got the DVD and I finally sat down to watch this classic in stop-motion films! In a similar vein to Corpse Bride, this animation is full of song and dance, as well as dramatic moments that are sure to appeal to everyone. The thing about Tim Burton films is that they are always a bit dark, so I don't know how appealing it is to parents and kids but to me, I really enjoyed it. Despite how gruesome and gory things were depicted, they were always depicted in a humourous or cute manner so they kind of contrast and create an interesting image! I am also a complete sucker for musical films so thumbs up for that! =D
This is a film I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed as a post-Halloween movie and is something I wouldn't mind watching again.=D Plus the DVD extras are fantastic!!! Haha.. I wish they had created some videos of the other worlds located within this universe of The Nightmare Before Christmas [like of Easter, St Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day] though. Those would be so interesting!
Ahh. I love watching movies and examining them a little more in-depth.=D I'm looking at this class for next semester on Japanese Cinema, we'll be doing films from Kurosawa Akira and other excellent Japanese filmmakers. I hope I can get that class.. It looks really time-consuming but so fun!! xD xD xD
The Singapore Food Festival is coming up next week and I have 2 exams on top of that so it'll be busy busy busy this whole weekend and next week!!! =(( Hopefully I will actually be able to sleep over Thanksgiving..
cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : Byakko No Hirasawa Susumu] [mood : tired. so tired.] [food : sweet and sour pork... *reaches into the heavens*]
YX: O yarr! I keep forgotten about the different time zones.. X__X They still confuse me. Sigh.
So today [well, yesterday really.] is a historical moment in US history and I'm somewhat glad to be almost a part of it! The polls were open all of today for people to vote, and everywhere someone was either urging me to cast a vote [impossible obviously] or people were discussing their votes [and the longgg policies poll] and what they thought the results would be.
Campaigns have been going on for weeks, urging people to vote for Obama or McCain and campaigns simply to urge people to step up to the polls and cast their votes. The political spirit in people here somewhat inspired me... Why aren't people in Singapore as excited about it? Is it that our political environment is so much less exciting that people don't get all worked up about it?
I think it's a cultural thing really. =S
After Obama was declared President [I watched some of the counting of the ballots on TV... during the SSA meeting..-_-"], people took to the streets, cheering and screaming at the top of their lungs in excitement about Obama's position. Then as my friend drove by [we decided to check out the excitement..=P], we saw this huge crowd gather in front of the President of the University of Michigan's home and they were cheering away. The enthusiasm and spirited feel from the people for one election was really quite amazing.
On TV, people all gathered in central locations all over America to await the decision of their vote. I think it's this personal feel of control that make people more concerned about what the decision will be. Like, if I feel that this directly concerns me and that I can change the situation by sharing my voice, then it would be something that I would take notice of and care about.
Maybe that's what Singaporeans are lacking somewhat, a feeling of ownership over their country's own political future.
The New York Times:
Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday, sweeping away the last racial barrier in American politics with ease as the country chose him as its first black chief executive.
...
“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” said Mr. Obama, standing before a huge wooden lectern with a row of American flags at his back, casting his eyes to a crowd that stretched far into the Chicago night.
“It’s been a long time coming,” the president-elect added, “but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.”
This part of the speech was pretty inspiring.=P Maybe what the world needs now is change. The crumbling financial sector and food horror scares from China have shattered people's beliefs and whatnot. Change is good. Sometimes.=P
“The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep,” said Mr. Obama, his audience hushed and attentive, with some, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, wiping tears from their eyes. “We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.”
Exciting times ahead! =) And since I'm here, I might as well try to learn more about it.=P
Sam: Haha.. Thank you!!! =D I think it's be too short for me though.=(
YX: How come your time difference is so huge?? O__o
Wendaye: I can't access the link! =( Not a member SORRY. And YES. I totally DIED from how cute the panda hoodie was.xD xD xD I need to be more creative next Halloween.. And I would like to know who Blair Waldorf is? =X I only know one witch Blair and she's an anime character..
So, 2 days ago, we celebrated Halloween with the Hong Kong and Taiwan Student Associations at a huge party in Trotter House.. Then carried on the Halloween spirit with a screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas at my house! xD
I baked a fabulous [if I do say so myself.. No pictures though. I forgot! =(] chocolate cake plucked with great foresight from Pierre Herme's Chocolate Desserts, which I purchased for [nearly] a song on Amazon. The texture was surprisingly light and fluffy for a cake that resembled a brownie. And although I used Ghirardelli chocolate [premium chocolate for a poor student such as myself.. Valrhona or Scharffen Berger will be saved for when the parents are around.=P], the chocolate flavour was intense and lovely [no brilliantly delicious Valrhona notes but still] and the cake wasn't too sweet. The best thing about it was that the cake was chocolatey yet light, so you didn't feel too full after eating it. Delicious!
Anyway, speaking of Amazon... I love Amazon! And I hate it at the same time. My love-hate relationship stems from their absolutely fabulous deals on cookbooks! All sorts of cookbooks! But ESPECIALLY my weakness: The dessert section. It's terrible! The prices are too amazingly fabulous to resist [especially when you consider the price of cookbooks in sunny ol' Singapore]. When my parents come over, I am buying a crapload of cookbooks and bringing them back to Singapore.=D =D =D
O dear. I got sidetracked by food once again! xP So. Where was I? Oh yes. Halloween!
Before the 2nd half of my costume arrived, I was simply goth girl [without the black lipstick.. Forgot to purchase that.xP]. Haha..
My witch's cape didn't quite work out as planned, but it did act as a good coat! Haha..=P I love the hat!!! xD Thanks Lihui!!! Me with the East Ann's animal farm and a very sexy devil..=P
Cookie attack!!!
Apart from the obvious purpose of Halloween celebrations [you get to dress up in whatever you like! You get to take endless photos with your friends! You get to eat endless amounts of candy!], there was also a Haunted House, a live band [Go Shuying! xD] and a clubbing dancefloor in the basement.=D
But we mainly kept taking photos.=P Haha..
The witch and her 2 black cats!~ Meow~
A piglet and a witch! xD Haha.. Kawaii~ I loved East Ann's animal farm! So cute! xD
Best Witches! xD I love American Halloween candy.. Kawaii!
And in our extension of Halloween..
We watched Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas!!! =D =D =D It's gruesome and disturbing yet cute and enjoyable. Haha. =) And the songs helped in making it a very entertaining show. I think I can see why it's such a hit around Halloween. And the characters are really like, lovable because they endear themselves to you in a good way.^_^
The story was tied together well but I thought the romance was rather contrived..=P
So Halloween weekend is drawing to an end.. And Daylight Savings Time has been put in place. We are now 13 hours behind Singapore.^_^" The further away you are, the more distance you feel from everyone there...
Coming up in my next post: Movies I've been watching lately! Stay tuned. ;) cheers *[-witchstone-]*
Finally! Here's my update on my Fall Break trip to Toronto and Niagara Falls! We were extremely lucky and experienced superb weather while we were there.. Sunny skies, not very cold and pretty days everyday! =) We left on Friday afternoon, and reached Toronto late Friday night.=) Then we explored Toronto on Saturday and went to Niagara on Sunday, finally arriving back in Ann Arbor late Sunday night.^_^
In the tunnel that brings you from Detroit to Windsor in Canada! =D
The 2 backseat passengers who were bored while in the immigration line! =P
The flatlands that were our first view of Canada.. We drove through this totally flat, lifeless stretch of highway where no streetlights exist and where the stars were brightly twinkling in the sky because of the complete absence of light pollution. It was quite beautiful, but at the same time rather lonely.=)
When we reached Toronto, we got rooms at this backpacker's hostel in the entertainment district before walking over to Chinatown for a bite to eat. My supper! =D Char Siew Wanton Noodles!!! xD xD xD I want more char siew!~
Our pork ribs at dimsum the next morning.=D =D =D Whenever we go to big cities, the first thing everyone hits is dimsum..=P
After breakfast/lunch/brunch, we started walking around Toronto on our self-planned walking tour.^_^ Our first stop?
Kensington Market! It's a nice neighbourhood filled with organic grocery stores and other quaint stores..
Then we turned and headed south toward the touristy areas of Toronto! =)
A picturesque Fall scene near Rogers Centre and the CN Tower! ^_^ We were also surrounded by these apartments that look like they came right off the artist impression page of a real estate company's pamphlet..
CN Tower in it's full [and very tall] glory against the blue Canadian skies! ^_^
A view from the top! The scenery is gorgeous.. But the best views were blocked due to the strategic placement of the cafe! xP
Being retarded at the outdoor viewing area.. Haha..=P The views [and the wind] were amazing though!! ^_^
After leaving CN Tower, we headed for the harbourfront! ^_^ It's gorgeous!!! Plus, it was a beautiful day and the sunlight was reflecting off of the gentle waters.. =D Pretty!
=) There were a couple of yachts/ships docked there as well..
After this, we walked to the Hockey Hall of Fame which erm.. Didn't really interest me.. But we also walked to the Air Canada Centre! Home of the ice-hockey team.=) [The Rogers Centre which we walked by on the way to CN Tower is home to their baseball team.=P] What a sports-filled day.
We then entered the old part of town and went to check out St Lawrence Market! It's bustling and busy, which I adore and all the stuff there looks fantastic!!! =D Haha..
Walking north..west? toward the Old City Hall, we paused to take photos! ^_^ This is the old city hall, the new one is very much uglier.. Doesn't it look like a nice and grand old building?
Right next door is Nathan Phillips Square which is located in between the new and old city halls! =D It's a very pretty square and they were holding the L'Oreal Fashion Week there when we arrived.^_^
And on a nearby street is the ginormous Eaton Centre which is a shopping paradise. It is ridiculously large!!! We took an hour just to walk around...
After we walked through Bloor-Yorkville [located near the University of Toronto and the Royal Ontario Museum], we then headed by subway to Greektown!! =D There we feasted on amazingly good Greek fare..^_^
Our appetizer plate: Garlic Pita [so good on its own!] with 4 kinds of dip: Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Fish Roe with Potato [sounds terrible but it was absolutely delicious] and tzatziki [or however it is spelt]. Everything was delicious! Even the baba ghanoush!!! Haha..=D And I understand now why regular yogurt can't replace greek yogurt.. The texture is totally different.xP
Another appetizer: The delicious fried calamari with tzatziki and freshly squeezed lemon juice! These were fried to absolute perfection!
We ate lamb, quail and Greek sausage with the most yummilicious rice and potatoes after those appetizers.. And although stuffed, we still went for dessert! =D Haha..
Ok, seriously. Greek food has the most UNPRONOUNCEABLE names. So unpronounceable in fact, that I can't even remember how it's spelt!!! xP So this is yummy filo pastry baked to perfection and filled with custard, before being dusted with sugar and cinnamon.. Mmm.xD
Loukmandes or whatever the spelling is, I love these!! xD They are cinnamon-dusted honey-syrup soaked balls that are like donuts and spurt out their gloriousness when you bite into them.. Mmm!
This cafe has really delicious hot chocolate and this thing called Greek coffee which is.. Unique. At best. =P
Our breakfast the next day!!! Char Siew MADNESS.=P
After finishing breakfast and buying some groceries from Chinatown, we then set off for Niagara Falls!!
On the way is Wine Country! So we passed by a lot of beautiful vineyards and even sumptuous views of the Lake.=D =D =D
Niagara Falls! Every town has a sign like this.=)
Upon arriving in the town of Niagara Falls, our sight senses were totally invaded by tourism!!!
Thankfully, the main reason for being there was still beautiful.^_^ And just as majestic in Fall as in Winter! =D This is Horseshoe Falls.=)
Your humble writer submitted to tourism and decided to take the Maid of the Mist.. It was an experience indeed!! =P
Posing like the tourists we are in front of America Falls!! ^_^"
America Falls and Bridal Veil Falls! ^_^
Rainbow Bridge! It links the USA and Canada! =D Its arc looks just like the many many many rainbows that appear around the falls.^_^
One of the last few pictures I managed to snap before my camera's battery died...
After that we drove back home and rotted in the car for an hour, waiting to get through the immigration line.. ^_^"
It was a beautiful and very scenic trip overall. =D And the food was great!!! Haha.. cheers *[-witchstone-]*
[music : The Girl in Byakkoya Hirasawa Susumu] [mood : satisfied with dinner!] [food : 三杯鸡]
Jiamin: Omg. I changed it super long ago!!! Did you not notice?! *hurt*
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!
