My Paraphernalia

My, my. The last term of this course is taking a toll on me. Obviously, it isn’t me alone but everyone else as well when you can see more heads lying on tables during lectures, increased class absence, less social activities, formations of dark eye circles and additional tantrums being thrown around.

Yeah, no kidding. Assignments, projects, reports and handouts are piling up before they can clear up; like putting a row of the whole population of China through one door, it will NEVER end! Thank god, sanity and patience are still with me.

Just yesterday I managed to finish up my part on our entreprenuership report; Site Location. Must have walked under some ladders or let a cat passed by my way ’cause bad luck sure followed around! First, the internet wouldn’t establish connection no matter how many tries, alternatives and customer help I get. Then, when you think the worst has come you get struck by a freakin’ leaking roof, one third of the top floor. Smacking my head from disappointment, I open up my closet only to find the sleeves of every shirt inside is wet from the drippings. C’est la vie, haha…

Was very lucky indeed Kee Shen, our group leader, is a very strict yet understanding person. “It’s alright, just do your best. Try to finish it by tomorrow morning yeah”. Thank you for your consideration. This fueled me up to do even better than I already planned to. Andy sayang, so sorry I gotta ask a favour again ^^

From the evening till the early morning ideas, analyzation, organization and typing progresses. The digital time hits 3.00am and it is roughly half done. Not going to go on sleepy ’cause it affects the productivity so off to bed. Was dreaming halfway, an odd one in fact till IN the dream I remembered my unfinished work and woke up with my eyes wide open. Searching frantically for the nearest visible clock or watch, it is 8.30am. fuuuhhhhh… Relieved that it isn’t too late, off to the drawing block (not literally). Guess what? My beloved other half has made this sweet picture surprise on the desktop! Shoot, I didn’t snap a photo. Yup, he’s really good at photoshop and designing.

Trying to make time without compromising quality, some things that can be ignored was indeed ignored. Afterall, I got a spirit boost from Andy A sleepy messy cute-looking fella stumbles into the room about 11am and after a hug and peck I returned to my work. About an hour and a half before the report visual check, Kee Shen called again to assure everything was done. “Yeah, and it’s actually on the way to your inbox now. Hehe..”. “Good, good.”

Weeeeee~! At last, one work done. Had a great breakfast of Wagyu pie by the boyfriend, a quick shower and to college we go. Wagyu you said? Yeah, he’s  adventurous with food and fueled by curiosity, something applausible! I had a great time staying over.

Next week, the same routine starts over again. BUT insyaallah with less obstacles and more resources.

I have cravings!

For food, leisure time and entertainment!

I miss Penang Loh Mee. I balik kampung this year and tried this very delicious loh mee at (unfortunately I’m not sure if this is correct) Green Tea house. It’s a conner-lot kopitiam near one of the Him Hiang factories. It was awesome!! Felt like getting a second afterwards. Yes, it was THAT good.

Gorgeous Loh Mee

I also crave for waffle! Ooooooooh I love chocolate peanut butter waffles, hot from the waffle-maker! Yummy yummy goodies. Watch the kilos pile on while I indulge, muahaha. The world’s unfair, everything lovely isn’t so lovely on your health.

Hot gooey molten waffles

Oh yes, not forgetting this spicy unique delicacy called the Taiwanese Sausage! apparently they are not so healthy. I’m sorry sweetheart Andy! I know it’s pork and I shouldn’t but it is really nice. If only you can join me at the stall? Firm and flavourful, here it is.

Barbequed delicacies

As for leisure time, I just wanna relax, laze around and absorb the energy around me. That happens when college is a routine and resting is occasional. I’ve always wanted to be a couch potato again. Just flipping the remote to my favourite channels, namely HBO, Star Movies, Cinimax, AXN and AFC. Relaxing yet entertaining and educational! Even better, with my sayang by my side the whole day while we pull a zombie on the box! Hahaha. I love artsy fartsy stuff too! Batik, origami, stencil, scale-modelling and decorating. It’s in me blooooood. Not to boast but I have a natural flare for arts and I am lucky to have this privilege. Last but not least, reading magazines! Yeah, there aren’t many in a months time but they’re surprisingly educational too! Can update myself as well with fashion tips and other facts such as career and health. CLEO, Women’s Weekly, Seventeen and Reader’s Digest.

Ah, entertainment. *raises eyebrow mischieviously* MOVIES!!! I miss watching movies in the cinema. Reminds me about watching Rec. Not a good one to watch before a family reunion dinner, be advised. Maybe even a musical or play. I always wanted to go to the performing arts centre or the Philharmonic Orchestra in KLCC. Sounds grand and wonderful.

I want to write more but my shutting eyes won’t allow me so off I go. Besides, how many people blog in the middle of an early morning? Haha.. Only Andy and I? Hmmmm… Oh ya Andy, you can write about what you asked me before =) I trust you!

Yes, I’ve noticed it tooooo… Sorry ladies and gentlemen out there who I’ve offended directly or indirectly.

One of my new year’s resolution: Stop Reduce the obscenities.

Frequent ones are :

- F*ck

- *sshole

- Sh*t Wait, I think this is generally acceptable.

Rarely spoken ones are :

- “Genitals”

- B*stard

- Mother *ucker

Hahahahaha….

Here’s the catch, folks!

Taylor’s College Culinary students of batch 27 is having a Food Promotion in conjunction to our graduation. Read all about it below.

Be a Mark of Distinction

Chap1tre

Chapitre 1, also meaning Chapter 1 in French, is a grand one night only exclusive fine-dining dinner incorporating gourmet food, outstanding service and love for cuisine.

The brilliant 7-Course dinner consists of ratatouille, pan-seared scallop and foie gras, garden bouquet with turkey slices, stew of marinated beef cheek, citrus lemon sorbet, French vanilla slice and almond macaroons.

The feast will be complemented with an array of home-produced “wine” to pair with your meal. It is simulated to taste uniquely authentic.

Not only will you be accompanied by live music performance, but as well a mesmerizing illusionist act.

It is truly a one and only encounter with sensual pleasure and luxury delivered with sincerity and passion.

Enter the atmosphere this 21st of February.

Andy, your feng shui advice seem to give me more trouble than steering them away.. What was his little piece of suggestion? To remove this nice shiny key chain from my handbag as it can cause harm indirectly. Hmmm…

A cute gift

The following days, misfortunes drop by. Cough, a stye in my eye and the door went over my little toe. It was bloody painful ok! Awwww, but he was just trying to protect me.

Anyways, feeling too uncomfortable to look at the computer’s bright screen for too long, I decide to bake some macaroons. Had to try this recipe with a different method, all for my group’s entrepreneurship assignment: Macar00n.

Result? First tray tasted good but looked like a disaster. All three trays were left to dry in an air-conditioned room for about an hour. Unfortunately, this way dried out the sides so they stick to the baking paper allowing no room for the ‘foot’ to develope. Second tray onwards were not bad after the edges were moistened to allow axpansion. Quite lovely in fact. The best thing? No candy thermometer needed as we will be using the French meringue method but getting results alike.

This is the Recipe, after alteration:

Dry part -

Ground almond      125gm                                                       Icing sugar           125gm

Wet part -

Castor sugar                     125gm                                            Flavouring & Colouring         A/N                                         Cream of tartar                 1/2tsp                                          Egg whites                        120ml, After aging process take 90ml (Age this uncovered in a refrigerator on a clean wide plate for about 3 days. This process evaporates the liquid in the white allowing the albumen to be concentrated. More will be explained later on.)

Method:

Before you start, cut your non-stick baking papers to fit your baking trays and draw circles the size you want on the underside to pipe your meringue’s shape consistently later.

1. Ensure the almond is fully ground. Strain and chop the rougher bits finer if necessary. This will affect the texture and cooking process. Dry them by leaving it in a warm oven for a while to dry out any moisture if any.
2. When the almond ground has cooled down, mix it with the sieved icing sugar and leave aside.
3. Now, add the sieved cream of tartar, flavouring and colouring to the whites then slowly whip to incorporate everything.
4. When a lot of froth (floating bubbles) covers the top, pour in 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue whipping.
5. When most of the whites have turned into foam, add 2 more tablespoons of sugar and whip again.
6. When the sugar granules have dissolved, add 2 more tablespoons of sugar. Repeat this process until all the sugar is in the mixture.
7. Keep whipping the whites until it is shiny, smooth, thick and sticky. It is ready when you can lift up a dollop of the mixture in your whisk, draw an 8 and the figure stays clearly visible on the mixture for about 10 seconds.
8. The final crucial step; folding in the mixtures. Always put the lighter ingredient into the heavier one and in this case, the almond ground goes into the meringue.
9. Be swift and fold in only 3 times. Separate your dry part into 3, use your whisk at first to incorporate everything. Repeat again with the remaining parts until the batter is even. Now, change to a spatula and scrape through the middle, sides and bottom to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed in. It is ready for the oven!
10. Put the lovely batter into a piping bag fitted with a round-hole nozzle and snip off the tip when you are ready to pipe. Cover the remaining batter with cling wrap on the surface to avoid skin forming or minimize air escape.
11. Bake at 130 ˚C for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Check on it at 15, break it apart and see if the middle is gooey and firm but not runny. This is what you must look for. Voila!

Bafore and After

The perfect macaroon, a traditional french almond cookie, has a ‘foot’ (the sponge-look edge that sticks out at the bottom), a shiny smooth top and a cheway marshmallow-like inside.

Commercially, many ways are used to make macaroons less sweet or more stable. Some of it are letting it age in the refrigerator, using isomalt (industrial sugar) or albumen powder (egg white powder), making italian meringue.

Nowadays, macaroon producers keep their macaroons in air-tight containers in the freezer to let the flavour, colour and texture develope.

Oh well, that’s all for now! Stay tuned, folks.

P/S: not for the feeble, my whisk actually broke in the process.

I’m on the brink of going crazy and explode. All for what? Trivial things that only I understand.

Are you making me green-eyed on purpose? Why are you always doing that? Can’t you just leave some people alone? The world isn’t only about you. Have some sensitivity and rationality, man.

And you. I don’t know what to say about you since it’s been said a million times already. Do you want me to get a heart attack or commit suicide? Why must you do that everytime? Can’t you just leave those freaking b*stards ’cause they’ll f*ck off finally?

And me. Ughhhhh. Why can’t you just stick to your plans? Do whatever you plan on achieving. Don’t procrastinate or let other less important things hold you back. Map out your own future. Others are already doing it for all you know. Why wait? They don’t give a damn. Go for it.

God. So occupied with so many issues. Important, unimportant. Urgent, trivial. Point is. . . everything is so damn frustrating and needs to be fixed or resolved on its own. Hopefully soon.

Ah yes, the 26th of December 2008. Only a few more days to new year 2009. Wow, time passes faster than it sounds in phrases. Many plans ahead involving my  beloved friends, family and my sweetheart.

Two plans tomorrow alone. Cacthing breakfast with Andy then meeting up with the ladies (aka my high school best friends)! Poor Andy, down with viral infection yet still have to pack for his sweep to Pakistan tomorrow morning. I’ll be missing him so much; hugs, kisses, jokes, sarcasm, small talk and warm hands. However, I’ll be having one of his shirts as colateral while he’s away! *muahaha* Don’t know if I can take his long absence very well ’cause I’m so accustomed to him being around my family and I. He won’t be back till the second day of college Term 6, which is a week away. Bollocks, ONLY a week away! Anyway, back to the story. Hope he’ll get well before the flight. Pills, people, pills!

After the lovely Hong Kong chee cheong fun breakfast, I’ll be taking my friends Diyanah, Uma and Kavithaa to (in King Julian’s style) The Golden Triangle! Sadly Sathiya can’t come along with us as she is on a job. It’ll be immense fun looking at the lineup of things to do:

• Relaxation (nail, facial, massage)
• Movie (Bedtime Stories, Yes Man, Bolt)
• Shopping (clothes, accessories, shoes, beauty products)
• Lunch + chocolate break at Theobrama’s!

So excited already! It’ll be slightly different than usual. Best of all, lots of chit chat, hehe. Bet Andy will always be at the corner of my mind the whole time. And yes, he’ll be one of our topics too! Anyway, looking forward to meeting the ladies again after such a long time. A mix of super good, worry, sad and excitement feelings.

Will keep you guys posted ’bout our activities tomorrow. Already 2am plus and my lids seem to be heavier by the moment. Don’t want no Bean-with-toothpicks stunt here so better retire to bed now. Good night!

How could I have been so blind all these while? Just realized that blogging is a great fantastic wonderful way to keep up with friends while jotting down your own memories! Nowadays, dropping by my friends’ blogs is a thing I like to do especially when I start feeling really lonely missing them and wondering what roads have they taken down the path. I can keep up with my friends (although it’ll be a BIG challenge after not catching up for so long) and still spend time with my sweetheart.

Guess what? I had a super (hold on! Gimme a minute to find it on Google. . . Hah!) supercalifragelisticexpialadocious time! Thank you darlings Andy, Vincent and Hadi! Who would have thought this up-tight, strict, so-called proper lady would go berserk and by a strange turn take charge on Christmas Day terrorism. Let me fill you in.

It all started at 7pm 25th December 2008. Andy’s phone rang, it was Vincent planning on celebrating Christmas at a hot place. “Wanna come along? It’ll be fun!”. Hmm, sure, tell that to my parents. Haha. That’s what I thought at first before I leap from joy when my mum casually agreed to let me be out till 1pm plus! Two words: Bollocks! Miracle. On the way from Shah Alam to Subang Parade for a feast of Japanese at Sakae Sushi, we bumped into Adrian and Seh Ming. Soon did Andy recognise them from their ‘uniquely’ placed headlights. Head count: 6 time-bombs on the way to Hartamas/Bangsar.

Had a blast at Sakae Sushi. Wonderful food, checked. Brilliant atmosphere, checked. Amazing company, checked. Disappointingly slow service, checked also-lah. Poor place with miniscule workforce. We splurged all out; salmon sashimi, unagi kabayaki, cold savoury soba and many plates of lovely sushi.

The salmon was absolutely surprising! It was so fresh that it tasted milky, refreshing and firm. Andy was no doubt in love with it (can’t keep his hands away from molesting the mouse to place more orders). So off we go to meet Vincent and Hadi at the Mentari parking lot. Jeng jeng jeng~

Car-pooled to the place and after a few times navigating through the popular (high-crime zone - foreseeable WAR ) streets, Andy decides to equip the Christmas Day platoon with 3 petite cans of foam snow spray. “Don’t let them see it! Keep your weapons low, guys. We don’t want to attract any unwanted attention”. “YET!” I was thinking mischievously. Vincent and Hadi: “So, these are for defense purpose-lah?”. Let’s think of it like paint-ball. Must give take and give-mah!

Unbelievably found a parking spot at a street next to the battlefieldroad. Everyone anxiously looked at the digital clock on the dashboard which says 11.45pm. “Only 10 minutes more wei. Better stay inside first”. I personally have never seen a community of Indians this large before here. They were filling the lanes everywhere. Many were selling the hazardous cans while one was umm…selling flowers. Yes, you said it. W-e-i-r-d.

11.55pm. “Ok guys, start shaking!” and the car moves. The soldiers have bewen told to wind down the window JUST a little bit, enough to allow the foam out. Ding ding ding~ First round. ‘Hey, look!’ never sounded so generic. Fingers were pointing practically anywhere anyone with a workable can was standing. This is it, I thought. About to reach the end, hell breaks lose. Pssssssssssshhhhhht…. Left side of the windscreen is covered in snow. Adrenaline filled me to the very end of my feet. Anything goes: I opened the window slightly and squeezed the shit outta my can. Bbbz, the window goes up again.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAhahahahah!

Pity you, dude. He was half covered in snow spray which according to Vincent smells like an old cellar when dries. DAMN. It was f*cking fun! Andy was disappointed in his 2 other mates who missed out the targets as they were in full kaku mode. “What’s the matter with you man??” Vincent and Hadi didn’t see it coming. “One more round! One more round!”. I don’t go this mad much so when I do, you better join in! Here we go again…

Ding ding ding~ Round two. End of the road and as expected the poor dude sprayed the car again. I rolled down the window, unfortunately a wee bit too much this time. Yes, you’ve guessed it. Bloody hell! I’m sorry man, guys. He pointed the nozzle right into the car and squeezed. Might as well call me a pavlova now ’cause I’m white all the way from top to chest. Wriggled like a caterpillar bathed in aerosol I did, while cursing. I did pull the window switch but it didn’t seem to move. Shit, the car. Andy was shaking his head sadly. I know the guys at the back defended the tank too. Wonder what happened back there. “No more, that’s it” Andy snapped.

Called Adrian and Seh Ming he did. These guys pulak, macam jadi pakar sesat jalan only today. From Section 9 to CenterPoint instead of Hartamas. Sweat.. Everyone was talking bout the incident earlier and bombarding me with the hows. Sorry-lah. Then Hadi revealed something (I wanna put some extremely vulgar words here) funny: in his shy-shy soft tone, “I actually sprayed them that time but…I didn’t wind down the window so it kinda went onto the screen. Eh, it went inside my mouth also ok..”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA……..

I seriously have not laugh this hard for a very, very, VERY long time. The same goes for the guys as they became rapid-moving accordions that produces laughter, not music. Joke of the decade. High fives people! Great entertainers they are. Got the cars together after a million calls and we started attacking them with the remaining white fart gas. Oh well, NBTD then. Dangerously manouvering the roads while aiming the little but loaded bazookas. All the way to Alif restaurant at Mentari business park. Took supper, chatted the night away then left gloriously at 1.40am.

This is one really, really great night that I’ll never forget. No other Christmas celebration can ever erase this from my memory courtesy of Andy, Vincent, Hadi and not forgetting the MIA but vital stuntmen Adrian and Seh Ming. My most unforgettable experience of the year.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh……

Spending time alone has never been this fun for so long! Grandma’s home, watching dramas on Wah Lai Toi or AEC like every other Chinese folks would. Mum and dad are out at work so to Times Square I am sending Wai Shen to. Took her passport size picture at FotoPermai which were quite reasonable. 4 copies for RM12! Hmm.. Even better, you can collect them in 2 hours time. After that, we head on for TS. Should have listened to you Shen ’bout using the highway and not the alternative road. Actually was just lazy to queue up at the Pudu roundabout but what do you know! Right after passing by Jusco the freaking traffic jam started, all the way to Pudu! DAMN. So much for saving time and effort. Poor Shen, gotta endure lateness, again. Haha..

So, drop her off and move on to Jusco for my very own shopping spree! So glad I did that ’cause I brought back many gifts, for myself! *muahaha* Super happy I got these fabulous shirts at a bargain! Walking for 3 hours and fighting with myself for choices is worth it.

5 decent pieces totaling at RM76:

1. Purple T-shirt at RM10
2. Black T-shirt at RM10
3. Olive Green T-shirt at RM10
4. White Blouse at RM23
5. Red Blouse at RM23

The plain purple and black shirts have nicely fitted necks and short-sleeves with body hanging to the waist. As for the olive green shirt, it has a beautiful seamed sleeve. The white and red shirt both have deep round necks (which makes me look slimmer for god-knows-why) and small floral patterns at some corners. They are hip-long. All of these shirts are slightly body-hugging.

Man, Chic Avenue shirts at RM10 and Ti.Zed shirts at RM23. A bargain I say! By the way, the cloth and colour quality is fairly brilliant.

What I’m trying to say is… tis the season to shop! Don’t miss out Jusco Maluri as clothswear is one of their domains. That’s all for today gentlaman and gentlewoman =D (Going to head down to my second home now: Tesco Midah! Geez, got grocerries to buy mah… *horns emerging* heh heh heh)

Oh ya, one more thing. Snatch thieves are still around victimising the innocent unsuspecting out there so please, be very alert.

Chao!

Here it is, folks! Take a good look.

Options, people!