-yummie life of a chocoholic-

When dreams take flight

2012-01-01T20:04:00.000+08:00

A piece of 2011 (or to be more specific, late 2010s XD) for 2012.

Happy new year!

Before...

2011-12-18T21:30:00.001+08:00

Just In Time - Nina Simone

A Waltz For A Night - Julie Delpy

Legally drunk on lullabies for the night.

The two "Before..." movies are simply enchanting. Just rewatched the sequel the other day and learnt something new. I guess with each experience gained, whether from a pleasant read or a chance encounter, we renew our understanding of life's purpose.

Looking forward to the rumoured third installation, though I'm quite sceptical about the conversation between the two characters.

I have no bitterness, my sweet...

Post-SACE update

2011-12-14T22:02:00.000+08:00

One month later, I'm officially bored. Somebody please spice up my pathetically dull life. Please? XI

I'm bored. Terribly bored.

Getting "wasted" sounds like a viable option for the holidays.

This includes blasting "The Lazy Song" off the stereo and singing along like there's no tomorrow. Tempting, no?

But, (yes there's always a but) whispers of wisdom told me otherwise.

"Seize this very last moment to enjoy il dolce far niente. Time will come when you shan't see daylight, entrapped in a dungeon filled with the stench of mildew and decaying scrolls. For eternity." Okay that's an exaggeration. But well, you get the drift.

Slacking at home seems much fun for perhaps the festive season.

But TV/internet surfing day after day?

Not exactly my idea of relaxing. At least not for three months straight. No way. :X

Yeah I know I sound like some spoilt brat, whining about the luxury of having all the time in the world.

After all, three months ago I was pretty much on the verge of being an emotional wreck, gasping for air amidst a mountain of textbooks and incomplete assignments.

I guess it's pure human nature to be paradoxical. Bah.

Before I get started with my ambitious plans for the rest of my holidays (Two months! Yes TWO months you hear me!?), let me just pump up the volume and sway to the beats of "The Lazy Song". (Don't worry, I'm still gonna comb my hair. :P)

Marks & Spencer Goodies #3

2011-12-05T14:16:00.000+08:00

15. All Butter Viennese :)))

Velvety, melt-in-your-mouth-buttery biscuits are my fave! :D

16. Pistachio & Almond Cookies :(

Too bland for my liking. Cookies are supposed to have the artery-clogging buttery taste after all!

17. Rich Tea Cream Fingers :)

Above average cream fingers.

18. Chocolate Belgian Waffle Sandwich

Waffles' slightly too thick. Chocolate filling's meh. Looks can be deceiving huh?

And this marks the end of my M&S food sampling. Overall, love the cookies for their freshness and very generous ingredients used. And I think I can no longer buy biscuits in supermarkets with shelf-life > 1year anymore. =.= (except for the local brand cream crackers XD)

Marks & Spencer Goodies #2

2011-12-02T18:06:00.000+08:00

9. Viennese Milk Chocolate Swirls : |

Slightly disappointed with the overwhelming dairy flavour. I guess I've out-grown the milk-chocolate phase.

10. All Butter Fairtrade Brazil Nut Cookies :)

Yay Fairtrade! Support the farmers!

Tasted okay. M&S's very generous with the nuts (pun intended).

11.All butter Scottish Shortbread Fingers :)))

Crumbly shortbread!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very satisfying! I can do without the sugar coating though.

12.Cheddar Mini Bites :)))

The aroma of freshly baked pizza filled the air when I opened the packet, thanks to the generous serving of Cheddar cheese.

Cheesy goodness, topped with crunchy pistachios/black sesame/onion seeds. Now where's my bottle of red wine?

13. Jam Sandwich Creams :))

Jammy little devils!

Sticky, not-too-sweet jam with cream filling sandwiched between two butter biscuits. Yum!

14. Almond Biscuits :))

Many constitute a love 'em or leave 'em relationship with almonds. Me? I'm a keeper.
Bits of almond adds texture to the biscuits!

To be continued...

Marks & Spencer Goodies #1

2011-11-21T12:45:00.000+08:00

Prologue
The post(s) took nearly 6 months to complete. I think M&S should endorse me to blog about their products hahahaha. No, I'm not affiliated to M&S. :/

***
As a cookie monster, I hereby declare Marks & Spencer goodies as my current favourites!!!!! Reason? Generous amount of high-quality ingredients + lack of preservatives (hence the short shelf life) = Crisp, crunchy cookies that are utterly delicious!

1.Scottish Shortbread with Belgian Dark Chocolate Chunks :))

Scottish shortbread = high butter content = artery clogging fat
Meh, I'll worry about that later. XD

2.Chocolate Chip Cookies :)

Nom nom nom...

One thing noteworthy is the high cocoa content of the dark chocolate chips.

The slight bitterness of dark chocolate evens out the malty sweetness of the biscuit.

3. Extremely Chocolatey Dark Chocolate All Butter Biscuits :(

Dark Chocolate contains a minimum of 50% Cocoa Solids. :O

Tasted a bit dull after sometime. Feels like eating dark chocolate with a sesat-ed piece of biscuit.

4.Dark Chocolate Digestive Biscuits :))

This is very yummy!

5.Viennese Double Chocolate Sandwich :((

Don't really like their Viennese biscuits though. Maybe chewy biscuits aren't my cup of tea.

6.Oat Crunch Biscuits :((

Chewy oat crunch biscuits ain't to my liking either.

Artistic shot of the biscuit. Looks rather delicious eh?

7.Redcurrant/Blueberry Puffs :))

"No, I can't stop at one."

The weird thing about the redcurrant and blueberry puffs is that both taste almost the same (at least to me).

The pastry layers (!!!!!!)

8.Dutch Shortcake :)))

Yum yum!!!

...to be continued

Broken strings

2011-11-13T14:15:00.001+08:00

"I saw you screaming when no one can hear. You always feel ashamed that someone could be that important that without them, you feel like nothing. No one will ever understand how much it hurts. You feel hopeless, like nothing can save you. Then when it's over, it's gone, you almost wish you could have all that bad stuff back, so that you can have the good." (We Found Love, 2011)

ll ; l>

2011-11-12T00:51:00.001+08:00

Pause ll
the clamour of emptiness.

;

Play l>
the soundtrack of endless summer.

C'est bon la vie. :)

Google Gravity

2011-08-29T11:18:00.001+08:00

Too bored? Try something new today!

1) Go to Google,and type 'Google Gravity'.

2) Click on the 1st result that appears i.e. Google Gravity

3) Wait 2 seconds. Something cool will happen!

4) Play with it for a while.

5) Then write any word in the Google search bar and press Enter.

6) Wait and see. Something even cooler will happen. Awesome!!

This is fun! :D

On second thoughts...

2011-08-24T15:56:00.003+08:00

Gonna write another blog post in an attempt to push down my previous one (which exude a sense of emo-ness that I don't fancy).

Holidays have been great so far. Lazing around at the comfort of my own home feels absolutely rejuvenating. Less assignments to work on and more time to sleep. Ah-hah!

Really agree with what Nana has mentioned in her latest blog entry. Yes, hope is what keeps people alive. Have a little faith, that's all you need to keep holding on to whatever you have at the moment.

2 songs for a great chillax holiday moment:

YY introduced me to this track which is totally amazing. What can I say? Bossa nova always have this magical effect that enchants the listeners. The flow of melody immediately sweeps you off your feet and lands you in an al fresco terrace, which overlooks the pebble sidewalk of some random boulevard in Paris*.

(* : Bossa nova originated from Brazil, though I can't help but to link it with French cafés, and afternoon tea time spent sipping coffee from dainty porcelain tea cups, sinking your teeth into mini French croissants and macarons. So please excuse my little idiosyncrasy.)

Beautiful melody, lyrics, vocals and MV. What's more to ask from Lady Antebellum? :)

NZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZNZ

Will keep D goal in mind. Everyone, FIGHTING! :D

Hiatus

2011-08-22T20:27:00.004+08:00

2 more months till SACE exam.

Going on hiatus because I needa buck up for it.

Will be back in mid-November.

Gonna leave you with my current fave song from Hebe.

(Yes Nana I'm imitating you! Stop complaining about my blog posts, unless you wanna condemn yourself! :P)

My Love。歌词很动人，轻轻触动着心坎。

旋律并不像芭乐音乐来得容易朗朗上口，但很平静，平静得有点诡异。

好比那辽阔大海，海浪不停地拍打在海岸上般安抚着自己。

浪涛击打着礁石，催眠似地一直重复着、重复着。

有时还是会害怕，还是会彷徨。

到底能否实现梦想？那未知数能让我彻夜难眠。

（值得安慰的是，这种现象在我身上已鲜少发生。）

我想，只有在今年圣诞前夕，我的命运才会揭晓。

如果慶幸我值得擁有
請感謝我被放棄過
如果欣賞我堅強溫柔
請感謝那珍貴傷口

仍旧期盼着那一天的到来。

咬紧牙关。

Sweet 18 19

2011-08-11T21:06:00.002+08:00

Had a blast on my 19th birthday (which was like, a week ago. XD)

Gonna recount the events that happened on yours truly's big day.

When midnight struck, Nalini, Kim Kim, Loo Loo, Yennie and Teng Teng barged into my unit and surprised me with my very own care package (plus Wan Ri who's already in the house, minus YY who fell asleep and Adrian who obviously can't enter girls' hostel). Love love love all these goodies. Thank you guys for being so thoughtful!!!

Got the awesom-est birthday card I've ever received from darling Cheryl the next morning.

Card from beloved Cheryl! Thank you sampat roomie! :*

It looks like some P&C FBI folder hahahaha.

Another card from the care package gang :)

Sat for math quiz in school (I know right, so irritating to have assessments on your big day), and had dinner celebration at Secret Recipe (the best that I can get here, heh.). Went back and forth between Skype and MSN with wifey in attempt to get better resolutions of camshots of each other. Line wasn't very good on that particular day so didn't really chat much. Tsk tsk. Anyway it was great seeing wifey on webcam, and also showing wifey Wan Ri's bf a.k.a Adrian. :) For the first time Adrian became so shy hahahahaha.

My wifey's so cute in bob! Thanks for the skirt again,

though I'm not gonna screw the dress code!

After dinner, I was supposed to attend Grand Dinner Committee meeting with dear Nana. We climbed upstairs to the common area (where the meeting was held) and I commented on the area being unusually dark. When we turned around the corner, people broke into the birthday song all of a sudden. My mind went totally blank. I was surprised with a birthday cake (And I did not realise that Nana, Wan Ri, Adrian, Loo Loo, Fion and Yennie were complotting with the rest behind my back all along. Sobx. I felt so dumb ><)

Thank you also to CC, Leroy, Annie, Liang Kooi for the surprise. :)

Highlight of the day: Whipped cream fight! :D And so I ended up attending the meeting with rather "creamy" hair even though I tried to wipe the whipped cream off. XD

War paint!

Thank you so much to everyone who've wished me in person or via sms-es/phone calls/internet...

and...

thank you to Kehoe and Pathma for the very "exclusive" birthday song wish...

last but not least...

thank you so so so much to everyone who made my day, especially to Nana who took so much trouble to get my care package, Wan Ri for all the complotting, and Cheryl for the awesome birthday ~~card~~ folder. :)

Random picx of July!

2011-07-31T11:48:00.000+08:00

Crunky!

"Happy time to you" :)

This tastes like those Glica sticks coated with a generous layer of chocolate and crushed almond.

***

O Gourmet @ Bangsar Shopping Centre. My fave bakery for some delish Danish pastries. It's even better than Hiestand Swiss Bakery @ Bangsar Village :D

Tried the Turkish Baklava. It's a type of dessert made of "filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey" (Wikipedia, n.d.). Since it's on the sweeter end of the scale, it's best matched with a cup of tea.

I had the ones filled with chopped pistachios and macademia nuts.

Totally forgot their names.

***

Azuki (Red bean) Cookies. Doesn't taste like red bean though. o.O

Matcha Vanilla Cookies. These taste delicious!

I wanna go

2011-07-10T17:50:00.000+08:00

... all the way, taking out my freak tonight.

Random picx of June!

2011-07-01T14:15:00.001+08:00

Life falls back into routine as the new semester starts.

Faced with an endless cycle of assignments, quizzes, tests... :O

Uniqlo tags. Like.

Caplico Stick from Cheryl.

The cone is completely filled with strawberry cream.

Feel's like eating Glico Strawberry Sticks but 100x better because of the rich creaminess.

Bio lab session. Had fun peeling potatoes.

It was so fragrant till images of McD French Fries popped into my mind.

Pestered my lab partners for French Fries and they attempted to stuff my mouth with raw potatoes. *Sad face*

Artistic 'nuff?

~~Mayan~~ Potato Civilisation.

The aftermath.

Down the winding path

2011-06-15T15:33:00.000+08:00

There are some things that I wish would happen right now. But patience is a virtue, huh? So yeah, gonna stay put and wait.
Yes, wait.

Swedish Baked Products

2011-06-06T13:28:00.000+08:00

What pops into your mind when you see the word "Ikea"? I bet it's definitely images of Scandinavian modern style furniture, or flat-packed DIY furniture.

I myself am a big fan of Ikea, not so much of the furniture (Me thinks some of the furniture designs are unsuitable for humid tropical countries) or the meatballs.

It's actually because of my favourite section in Ikea, which is none other than the Swedish food market! My only gripe is that there's very little variety of baked products displayed on the shelves.

To-die-for cookies with hazelnut cream filling!!!!!! A must-buy every time I visit Ikea.

(Ignores the term "highly fattening".)

Swedish crispbread. Slightly hard because of the whole rye flour ingredient.

Though they definitely taste healthy.

Orange Thins. Yum yum! The cappucino flavoured thins (in black packaging) are not as tasty as the orange ones as they are a tad too sweet.

P/s: The oat cookies are super delicious as well. (Somehow I lost the pic that I've taken, but I just have to mention it here because they are yummilicious!)

Cookies

2011-06-04T11:36:00.000+08:00

One thing I like about Japanese cookies is that the illustrations printed on the packaging highly resemble the products. You get what you see, y'know. (Unlike some fast food franchise with excessively air brushed food picx in their posters. Cheat my feelings. XD)

Matcha cookies.

The chocolate chip cookies are very delicious.

This is addictive! Butter biscuits coated with milk chocolate.

Thin, crispy cookies. Coated with a generous layer of toppings.

Get what I mean by illustrations that reflect the real product?

Random Picx of May!

2011-05-30T07:11:00.001+08:00

TWG Tea :D

Very thoughtful. The tea bags are hand sewn!

Love 'em all!

Rainbow (?) cake.

Pizza Al Funghi & Pollo @ Alexis Bistro & Wine Bar

- Mushrooms + mozarella + white truffle oil + feta cheese

View outside hostel room.

Love the pic. It has this inexplicable nostalgic touch.

Red Dot Design Museum

2011-05-22T14:58:00.001+08:00

Any contemporary design fanatics would have heard of Red Dot Design Award, which is one of the most coveted design awards.

So I've visited the Red Dot Design Museum at Maxwell Road some time ago, which was a very enriching experience.

The museum is housed in a colonial style building which used to be the Headquarters of Singapore Traffic Police, and showcases Red Dot awarded products from all around the globe. Of course, this museum is considered a miniature compared to its counterpart in Essen, Germany.

The iconic red paintwork. :)

Nostalgic red mailboxes.

Love the silhouette of the lamp and the shadow casted on the floor.

Just another boring *yawn* lamp? Take a closer look!

It's actually modelled after the concept of a piano keyboard. The independent units will turn on/off by tilting them.

No more awkward moments in the cinema! Now you can share the arm rest with the stranger next to you with this brilliant design.

Dyson Air Multiplier Fan (without blades). Has become quite common these days, available in our local market already. Saw it at Empire Shopping Gallery just the other day.

This clock is awesome! Reading the time in a written statement, how cool is that? I wonder how they program QLOCKTWO.

Nespresso capsules!!

And here's the Nespresso coffee machine!

Gull-winged Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The real car is exhibited in Germany. :/

Glowing bathtub, anyone?

Or a glowing sink?

4-in-1-Schuh (Shoe). Mule, low shoe, booty sneaker or boot? Your pick.

Some products are available at the Red Dot Design Store.

Sherbet Velocommute Bike, with a fully restored 1970s Ishiwata racing frame, redesigned by Vanguard into a stylish summertime ride. Beautiful!

Guess the price? A whopping S$ 3103!!!

Hello ~~rabbit~~ tote.

Interesting dishware.

*Disclaimer: I do not own any industrial design right, and the pictures above are purely for personal entertainment purposes.

Fly Away - F.I.R.

2011-05-22T01:09:00.001+08:00

假期时凭着要digitalise音乐收藏的借口忙里偷闲，把好久好久以前的CD都rip到laptop里。

听着十二，三岁时的流行歌（英华掺拌，当时本人正从听芭乐歌转型到很hip的abc音乐），在无形中整理了思绪，也对自己的梦想重新定义。呷一口以旋律为材的心灵鸡汤，在那久违的音符间找寻我在旅途中不慎遗失的热忱，唤醒沉睡已久、最原始的自己。

Sometimes looking back at one’s past is the best way to reflect on one’s actions and ensure that one is staying on the right track.

有些歌，以前听了没什感觉，现在听了却很有fu/共鸣。然后觉得音乐真神奇，能让时光倒流，听者好比置身从前。

突然在想，我都还没19岁就酱有感触，那50年后听着老歌（现时的流行乐曲）岂不是心海暗流四处涌现？

还有，那天跟室友聊天。她跟我要The Beatles 的Yesterday。我告诉她我不是很喜欢这首歌，因为太emo了，一不留神便会陷入负面情绪的漩涡里。若一个人只把希望寄托予从前，那有多悲哀！所以这首歌，我甚少播放，虽然这首歌的melody很好听（因为真的会触动很多不必要的情绪）。

P/S: 辛弃疾说得真对。

Makan makan in KL!

2011-05-18T19:20:00.001+08:00

Howdy peeps! It's time for me to tantalise your taste buds with pictures of good food! :D

Strawberry mochi from RT Pastry House,

filled with red bean paste, real strawberry and whipped cream.

Marutama Ramen @ Farenheit 88.

Gosh look at the runny egg yolk.

Nama Karatshi Ramen. The stock is very delicious! *slurps*

Char Siew Gohan! The charsiew's well-marinated.

Canton-i serves the best egg tarts in town!

(And that's the only thing I've ever eaten from this restaurant.)

The pastry crust is very crispy!

Also tried T Forty Two's macarons. They're currently substitutes for the authentic Laduree macorons which have been on my to-eat list since forever.

There's chocolate, passion fruit, strawberry and pistachio flavours.

My favourite flavour's pistachio. The macaron shells are baked to perfection.

One bite into it and the meringue crumbles.

However the filling was quite a disappointment (except for the pistachio-flavoured one).

Can't resist cam-whoring with a macaron XD

I-CODE

2011-04-03T20:26:00.002+08:00

I-Code was pretty fun, allowing us highly-stressed students to catch a breather.

DSLR can actually make plastic-bag carrying more glamorous than usual. o.O

And that's my dearest Nana! <3

A "geisha" giving out Japanese sweets. Her kimono's beautiful!

Cute mascot from MYCAT! :D

By the end of this post I think you can get the hint that I've not exactly blogged much. In other words, I'm currently in this phase where my real life is much more happening than the virtual one. Imma be on hiatus for quite a while, so I shall see you when I see you again (during the holidays I reckon).

Till then.

The climb

2011-03-29T16:43:00.001+08:00

Sometimes I feel like B is the new failure, A- the new pass and A+ the new A. And I feel like a below average student.

Well, that's healthy competition I guess.

Random picx of March

2011-03-18T14:18:00.005+08:00

Nespresso! Love the assorted colours of the capsules.

Didn't have the espresso machine so we used a coffee press instead.

Colours! Great for notes and doodles. I wish they're water-proof though.

Gay of the month. XD

The city skyline on a wet Monday.

火车情缘

2011-03-14T18:49:00.004+08:00

她对火车的迷恋，更多像是一种凭吊，一种对记忆的祭奠。（夏忧紫 2011）

***

And this is how I feel about music.

The Cookie Museum

2011-03-12T20:53:00.008+08:00

Bought cookies from The Cookie Museum from Esplanade last December. So I've tried them nearly 3 months ago and finally had time to blog about 'em. Procrastination tsk tsk.

The Cookie Museum serves original handmade cookies, and has been voted for the best cookies in Singapore. Their signature floral flavours include English Lavender and Madeleine Rose. Feeling adventurous? Then go for the more quirky ones like Nasi Lemak, Laksa and Hainanese Chicken Rice, just to name a few. Nah, I would rather eat the real dish then flavoured cookies, despite being a cookie addict.

The sales lady was very generous with the samples. She kept on giving my friends (Sin Loo, Jackie and Su Qi) and I samples after samples of cookies. Some of the flavours I've tried are Cherry cola and Ikan Bilis (anchovies), which were quite ok. The ikan bilis one tasted a bit weird though. It just doesn't taste like how a cookie's supposed to be.

Love the Victorian portraits on the packaging.

This is probably the healthiest cookies I'd ever had. No eggs, no butter and low sugar? What else can you ask for from these sinful delicacies?

In terms of tastiness, I find the Othello Choc Chips so-so, it lacks the "Wow" factor. The macademia nuts were quite hard. Slightly disappointed.

However, the White Almond Truffles (Shaped like truffles, thus the name.) were very very very delicious!!!! I like how these "truffles" are butter-free, yet they still taste so good! The sliced almond was very crunchy and "nutty".

Oh, and had I mentioned that the cookies were extremely fragrant! Not as fragrant as the freshly baked pastries but they do outshine the imported ones! (Think : western countries)

Anyway I really want to try the Madeleine Rose ones next time, although it's a big splurge considering that they're just cookies.

MUST. REFRAIN. FROM. EATING. TOO. MUCH. OF. 'EM. ><

Update

2011-02-28T00:00:00.009+08:00

Morning folks! It's 12a.m. so it's the start of a new day right?

Had cereal for breakfast/dinner recently, because I believe that night is the start of another new "day" which unleashes our wild side. Not.

Hokay, so I'm currently saving up for something, which explains my thriftiness.

But I can't tell you what's that something because I strongly believe that it's a taboo to tell people about events yet to happen, as it may cause unfavourable outcome. Not being superstitious here, just trying to play it safe. Rest assured, I shall inform you when I'd finally get my hands on it.

BTW, it's AUNZ Week(Australia and New Zealand Week) at INTEC for the next few days. Imma get really busy with the schedule. And yes I'm looking forward to the strip tease performance by the one and only (urm, make it two) Leo Chong and (gay) Larry! Woots! I'm so glad to be in charge of AUSMAT Got Talent now!

Cheers!

2011-02-21T14:57:00.000+08:00

For the past, good or bad, are pieces of whom you were, engraved in you. Keep them as accessories lest you forget the wrong turns you took.

Goodbye Columbia

2011-02-20T15:08:00.007+08:00

Serena van der Woodsen:

"I thought I could start over. But it turns out college is just high school with more expensive books. There's no starting over. No matter where I go, whatever I do, my past seems to follow me."

(Gossip Girl 2011)

Tangs' New Year Paper Bag

2011-02-12T14:40:00.001+08:00

I really like the paper bag from Tangs Deparment Store.

The reason? It's super duper kawaii and cleverly executed.

The floral designs resemble the ones on Japanese origami paper. It's like a paper bag that's folded into shape using many pieces of origami paper. But when you take a closer look, you'll notice that the various patterns are printed on a single paper only. The designer had definitely put in a lot of thought into this paper bag!

Bunny of Abundance!!!

Bunny ears! Look at the intricate floral patterns!

The two bunnies resemble the works of traditional Chinese paper cutting.

*Random*

KLCC at night and me in front of Tangs. :D

CNY nom noms

2011-02-11T16:15:00.001+08:00

The Chinese have this saying that goes like this, "Bread is everything"

（民以食为天）.

Admittedly, food does play a very important role in life. It is one important element that connects people during celebrations or special occasions. Thus it's no wonder that the reunion dinner on Lunar New Year's Eve is taken very seriously by the Chinese, in terms of gastronomy of course.

Every year my grandma will cook a feast, whipping out dish after dish of supreme excellence.

And I'll have a great time binging on delicious homecooked meals, savouring the taste of spring.

Lemon grass chicken curry, Shark's fin soup (I'm guilty for consuming it, but I only had it once per year ok?)

Sweet and sour chicken, Steamed fish

Pig's trotter with vinegar, Fat choy (black moss) and dried oyster.

Fat choy is a homophone for "Fatt Cai", so it's an auspicious sign for those who consume it as they will gain prosperity.

Homemade "lobak"(minced chicken) and abalone,

both are my faves and must-haves for CNY. :)

No, this can't be eaten. It's my niece! So cute right?

Drooling some more. I wonder what she'd seen?

Trinkets

2011-02-06T22:12:00.000+08:00

I read about this quote and pondered about its validity.

"Those who love oldies are the ones who are lonely".

Does having a special interest in songs sang by old or dead people reflects one's state of mind?

I agree that certain tunes do trigger one's memory, which in turn sweep them off into a whirlpool of reminiscence. As for whether you feel the blues when your ears pick up that familiar melody, that's another story.

I suppose when you're blasted by music with senseless lyrics, your ears will need some recluse every now and then. After all, you can't feel like P. Diddy every morning, let alone 24/7.

Sometimes I feel the creeps. Imagining yourself listening to a deceased humming to you.

Trapped inside a space where black records are all the rage. It's like you've just travelled via time machine by accident, and stumble across another dimension of the world which is yours, and only yours to keep. Maybe that's why they say oldies are for lonesome people, because there's only you and no one else. You can be reassured of a place to seek solace, rain or shine. It's a mentally taxing journey to reach there, yet you still insist on the trip. Sometimes, it gets too heavy and feels like a self-induced torture. Like you still puff away happily, although you are conscious about your third stage lung cancer.

How funny is human nature!

Happy bunny year!!!!

2011-02-03T19:12:00.002+08:00

Went CNY shopping in town. Really like my clothes, with love from Gap, Espirit and Uniqlo. Yeah I'm a fashion slave. XD

P/S : Okay so CNY ain't just about clothes. Went back parents' hometown and was very shocked at how old my grandma had turned. And I started panicking and worrying about her well-being. Because she dyed her hair previously, the sudden sight of her grey hair made my heart cringed.

I wish I can freeze time and preserve her youth, but aging is inevitable. Sigh.

执迷不悔

2011-02-02T20:48:00.002+08:00

王菲的歌，好听。

There's always the presence of uncertainties. I don't know how I'm going to reach my destination, but I know I'll eventually, one way or another.

2011-01-30T19:46:00.001+08:00

Garrett Popcorn & etc.

2011-01-29T21:32:00.006+08:00

Garrett serves the best popcorn I've ever tried. No kidding! It's fully coated with caramel and every single popcorn is crunchy!!!!! I'll never ever go back to cinema's popcorn again.

Fox's Melts Viennese Chocolate.

Chocolate filling sandwiched between soft dough cookies.

White chocolate macademia nut cookie dad got for me from

The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands.

The nuts' very fragrant!

Looking back, you realise that it doesn't matter anymore.

2011-01-27T22:11:00.003+08:00

Once Upon A Milk Shake & Awfully Chocolate

2011-01-25T00:20:00.001+08:00

Imma combine two eatings into one post this time round due to lack of time. Currently busy with college. (Quizzes, tests, assignments, proposals etc. on my to-do list.)

Visited Once Upon A Milk Shake @ Maxwell Chambers to try their famous milkshakes(Duh!).

Wanted to try Serious Maple (a concoction of maple syrup and cereal) but it was unavailable during my visit.*sulk* So I had Chocolate Truffle Castle instead, made from their signature chocolate truffle ice cream and milk. The milkshake's very thick and creamy, but it gets a bit too overwhelming after a few sips. By the way I like the decor of the shop (esp. the clock!).

(dark chocolate) ice cream from Awfully Chocolate has a rich chocolaty taste (quoted from the Koko Krunch ad, hah!), and I managed to polish the (big) scoop of ice cream without feeling sick.

The chocolate cupcake is ok. Fluffy texture, very strong chocolate flavour but it's just chocolate-flavoured. Nothing awfully chocolate there.

Wanna try their famous cold poached chocolate next time.

P/s : And I just realised I haven't had my weekly chocolate fix. XD

Royal Copenhagen Tea Lounge

2011-01-14T20:14:00.004+08:00

Dropped by RCTL a few times during my visit(s) to Orchard Rd. It's a small hideout tucked away into a corner of a department store, overlooking a small stretch of Orchard boulevard. It's famous for serving western delicacies on exquisite Royal Copenhagen porcelain tableware.

Had breakfast there around 10a.m. (imagine Orchard Rd. at 10 in the morning!) To my delight, the streets was pretty empty at such early hours. That means no throngs of people attacking the stores and brief peacefulness to kick start the day.

Tried their signature scones, served with Danish strawberry jam, butter and whipped cream. They're warm, with crispy crusts and light, fluffy texture. The only complaint is that the scones ain't buttery enough.

Coffee was served in a cute lil Christmas cup. :)

Also had Cream of Layer. Looked pretty tempting right? But I was pretty disappointed as there's frost on the icing. :( Looks can be deceiving huh?

Nevertheless, the Danish Butter Cake' s a real winner.

Crispy crumbs and creamy texture proves to be a killer combo.

Yes I love butter and yesh-i-don't-care-if-it's-fattening. XD

The baked cod I had the other day was very good. Melt-in-your-mouth fillet with crispy fish skin served with french beans wrapped in turkey bacon and mashed potato. Yum!

Afternote : Gonna make more visits to try out their cakes, especially those buttery looking ones. :D

Cookie Monster Strikes Back!

2011-01-08T22:56:00.000+08:00

Cookies from Netherlands and Japan.

And all the way from Belgium. Mmm...

Tea time!

2011-01-03T22:28:00.001+08:00

Earl Grey flavoured mini Chocolate Log Cake, Pain au Chocolat and

English muffin at (guess what?) Ah Teng's Bakery!!

Green Tea Latte.

It's the start of another semester at INTEC. Hello again to college life. And this explains my lacklustre effort in elaborating my captions. XD Okay bye!

MMXI

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

~snowyblue~

Live Laugh Love

2010-12-31T15:13:00.002+08:00

So cute! Can't resist the kawaii-ness of the teddy bear!!! XD

~snowyblue~

Mama In The House!

2010-12-29T19:30:00.001+08:00

The very occasional home cooked meal I had when mum's around. :D

Salad with dips (sesame oil+vinegar, yoghurt, peanut butter), Stir-fried tofu with mushrooms, poached broccoli, steamed pumpkin, boiled egg and brown rice. Yum!

~snowyblue~

SG with darlings

2010-12-27T23:24:00.001+08:00

Finally met up with my dearest Jackie and Su Qi whom I've not met for almost a year. Laughed like mad people while we carried out our little role-playing game. Sorry, inside joke. I shall sum up the trip with photos and captions, alright?
Orchard Rd. (ION & Takashimaya)
Taking lotsa picx with super tall christmas trees, and also sculptures reflecting the birth of Jesus.

Purple lights inside the huge Christmas tree in front of ION Orchard.And the iconic Raffles Hotel.

Ah Teng's Bakery! Hah, never knew my wifey owned a bakery.

Chomped down Chocolate soufflé @ Max Brenner Chocolate Bar. It's one of the best molten chocolate cake I've ever tried! The outer part's crispy and the inner part's warm and soft.The chocolate "lava" is not fluid enough to flow freely, which means I get to savour every last bit of the chocolate syrup. Rounding it all up is the vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate crisp balls, which completes the "hot and cold" gourmet experience. Gosh I'm making myself hungry! >.<Left our mark on the floating ball that will be thrown into the waters @ Marina Bay.Visited CHIJMES. Spot the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands?
Singapore Flyer & the Esplanade. Also took our family portarait with a metal sculpture in front of some random building @ City Hall.
P/S : Credits to Jackie for the beautiful pictures.
~snowyblue~

2010.

2010-12-23T19:05:00.000+08:00

Two 'O' one 'O' has been a very fruitful year. Earning a contract with the government. Taking gastronomy to a whole new level. Making new acquaintances and keeping old ones. Strengthening family ties. And most importantly, having fun wherever I go with my loved ones. :)

There're triumphs and pitfalls. The mistakes that I've made, I prefer to call them "repeated experiments to verify my hypothesis on life". On the other hand, the victories are positive outcomes that favour my hypothesis.

I've learnt a lot from people I've come in contact with, and am grateful for the memories (both good and bad ones) left behind. Many came into my life. Some stayed, but most only made a short visit. I've learnt that I can't make people stay. A few attempts can be made, but if all your effort proved to be futile, then by all means, just let it be. In that case, the only thing you can do is to cherish whatever you have at that moment. At the very least, you've no regrets because you've given your best shot.

Talking about shots, here are some snippets of my life in 2010.

P/S : In case you're wondering, the illustration of the hare and the tortoise is my Computer Studies final project. We're supposed to produce an animation. :D
~snowyblue~

:)

2010-12-19T22:00:00.001+08:00

Eating pints of Häagen Dazs is so shiok!!!

~snowyblue~

Good Reads.

2010-12-08T12:14:00.000+08:00

~snowyblue~

And food @ USS

2010-12-06T14:35:00.003+08:00

They resemble the one from Shrek!

Let's see, Turkey Bacon with Cheese and Egg. Yum!

Chicken Croissant. The mushroom soup's delish!

Devilish Chocolate. It was okay.

~snowyblue~

Universal Studios Singapore #2

2010-12-04T16:09:00.001+08:00

Gloria is the new sexxay!

Remember this guy from "Madagascar"? :P

A closer view of the cute skeleton. XD

This ride is still not available. :( Damn!

It's called "Madagascar : A Crate Adventure", if you're interested.

We saw Po from Kung Fu Panda, was going to approach him for a pic, but then...

...we saw Chaplin just across the street opposite Po. Like mature adults, we decided to take a photo with Chaplin instead. XD

One of the gift stores.

Oscar statuettes up for grabs. Anyone? :)

That cute little boy has rosy cheeks OMG!

Can't resist the charm of Donkey. Haha!

Monster Rock show. It's a mini, mock-Broadway musical, where the casts churned out songs like Low, Nobody, My Prerogative etc.

Hello to Kid's Meal!

We are happy victims of consumerism. Yeah, sad but whatever.

Picture with our "Idol of the day", Woody Woodpecker.

Yep, last pic of the trip.

In conclusion, USS is obviously a product of Universal Studios Franchise, which explains why some of the attractions in the theme parks are exact replicas of the ones in Florida or Japan. It also takes up a relatively smaller land than USJ, thus visitors will miss out on a few cool rides like The Spiderman Ride, Back To The Future Ride and E.T. Adventure. Little kids would prefer USJ as it features Hello Kitty, Snoopy Studios and Land of Oz, which are not available in USS. Though the architects did a pretty good job in cramming quite a number of attractions in the limited space available.

Verdict : To avoid situations where you have to kill time by riding the same roller coaster ride repeatedly(like us), you might want to postpone your trip to USS till 2012, as a lot of thrill rides are not open to public yet. :D

~snowyblue~

Universal Studios Singapore #1

2010-12-03T18:20:00.004+08:00

Visited Universal Studios (USS) with my dearest BFF, Phoebe and her family last Monday.

This is my second time visiting Universal Studios, the first time being in Osaka, Japan(USJ).

Naturally, I was very excited because I get to tour one of the best theme parks in the world again. Since I've been to two different Universal Studios, I shall make a comparison between them.

No trip to Universal Studios is complete without a picture in front of the huge globe.

Though this one does not rotate. The one in USJ does.

Popcorn, anyone?

Entering Far Far Away. Spot Puss In Boots?

Took the Shrek 4D Adventure(Also available in USJ). Awesome show with air emitting from the chair, "spiders" crawling around your feet (thanks to calf-level tickling device) and water sprinkled to the audience. The technology's similar to the Terminator 2 : 3D ride I had in USJ.

Spot Ginger Breadman!

Blondie from the 1940s.

Hollywood Zone, a replica of Hollywood Boulevard in LA.

There's also one in USJ, but with rides.

End-of-year must-have in every theme park/malls : Mega tall Christmas Tree.

Look at the many Puss In Boots and Ginger Breadman!!! The Puss In Boots look like they're hanged. XD

Sweet!

What do they mean by "unnecessary noise"? ;)

Subway! And the red bricks shout "New York"!

Entering Sci-Fi City. Was very disappointed as all the adult rides there are closed(!?). Both Battlestar Galactica roller coasters that were supposed to be the two most thrilling rides (the red and blue tracks) are unavailable due to technical glitch. Apparently the seats were shaky and have to be closed just 1 week after it was opened.

Jurassic Park Zone in USS was the exact replica as the one in USJ. Took the Jurassic Park Ride for the second time. The one in USJ is better as we plunge down from a higher level (Probably because the land in SG is smaller, thus affecting the available space for the ride, which in turn causes plunging levels to decrease in height. XD)

That's right, we're in Ancient Egypt! (Not available in USJ)

Took the Revenge of The Mummy indoor roller coaster ride for not once, not twice but THRICE!!! The lack of stimulating roller coaster rides explains our enthusiasm to take the same ride again and again. It was a "scream fest" (Phoebe Cheong 2010). We sat at the first row during our first and third take on the ride. Frankly speaking, I was scared till death the first time round as we dropped backwards, ascended a lift hill launched at 45mph, entered through a huge fog-filled skull of Imhotep (the antagonist), dropped down (Highest drop - 39ft) and launched again at high speeds repetitively, all in total darkness, with the occasional fly-by apparitions. There were moments when I feel like I was going to be thrown out of the ride(especially during steep drops), but the tug of the seat belt reminded me that I was safe.

Craving for some adrenaline rush? Then you should totally try this! Though you might not want to take this ride after a full meal, as we witnessed people puking after taking the ride.

Somebody... Help!!!!!!!

Far Far Away again!

Dronkeys!!!!

The tomb of the King of Far Far Away. May you rest in peace.

The castle looks suspiciously like the Disneyland ones. Hmm...

~~Hollywood~~ Far Far Away Walk of Fame?

I like to move it move it, I like to move it move it...

To be continued... :)

~snowyblue~

It's all about Ruffles!

2010-11-12T19:33:00.009+08:00

I was never a fan of soft toys.

Believe me, when you have sinus, the last thing you want to be near to is a soft toy.

They trigger your mucus glands like nobody's business, seriously.

But my perspective changed when I found Ruffles a.k.a. King of The World, the only exception. (Paramore playing in the background XD)

I don't know why but Ruffles is SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!

It has this ultimate "X" factor of a superstar soft toy.

So you heard it right, this post is especially dedicated to Ruffles only. (Yes, Ruffles only. Cheryl Tan you're not included wahahahahahahaha)

He accompanied me while I was studying maths late at night...

(I've no idea why he's posing with hands on his waist o.O)

Is a good ~~tree~~ bear hugger...

*coughs* trying to make my mini teddy bear act like a koala bear. Oops!

Poses au naturel, like Heidi Klum...

Makes funny noise...

And acts like an A-lister... (Notice the evil grin?)

How can I NOT like him!? XD He's just so adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmm... I think he doesn't like siew pau.

***

Random shots unrelated to Ruffles

Cam-whoring at 1a.m. LOL The night is young darling.

BTW, that's my very pretty housemate Fion. Everybody say hi!

My Nokia 5800 has gone cuckoo recently. Some of my photos are corrupted and sometimes I can't even save the pictures I've taken. :( This photo is the result of my gila phone. (I did not use any software to edit it, but it's over-exposed and somehow cropped.)

Bookmark I got from the Korean Fair at INTEC. It reads, "Yen Ling, Fighting!"

We even get to try the traditional Korean costumes to cam-whore.

Me and Chiu Xian whom I've known in KMPh. :)

~snowyblue~

SPCA

2010-11-12T19:04:00.002+08:00

Have you ever wondered what happens to stray dogs and cats?

Visited SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) at Ampang Jaya, Selangor in October as Ko-PLN's social service module (extra-curricular activity). In case you don't know, SPCA is an animal welfare organisation that provides temporary shelter for abandoned pets before they find their second homes. They receive 7000 animals per annum and re-homes 1,200 of them. Shocking, huh?

Taken from the bus. Love the clouds that morning.

Yep, we were very close to downtown.

Pathma a.k.a. future vet was very excited about this trip. Right, Patsy? ;)

The centre was divided into 2 sections, 1 for the dogs and another, the cats.
Or else it's gonna rain cats and dogs. XD

We were separated into 2 groups as the Malays can't come into contact with dogs. At the dog section, we helped to replace the soiled newspapers in the cages with new ones, refill water and serve meals. The dogs are served a mixture of rice, meat, canned minced meat and dog biscuits during lunch time. Do you know how much of rice is consumed by the dogs for each meal? A whopping 10 bags of rice!!!!!!! Surprise, surprise! Imagine how much of SPCA's fund goes to the food. Luckily altruism still exists in our society. :)

My favourite dog there. :)

The dogs were very friendly as they basically "attack" you with their enthusiasm.

Saw a German shepherd that had swollen eyes with pus due to eye infection. Really pity it.

And I saw an albino dog. It has snow white fur and slightly pink eyes.

Gosh innocent eyes so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A meaningful day. :)

***

Random shots unrelated to SPCA

In the evening, from the window of my room.

At the staircase in INTEC. The cat was lazing around in the hot sunny afternoon.

~snowyblue~

Delirious joy

2010-11-06T20:54:00.006+08:00

Yeah, I'm officially on Tumblr. Had an account since last year, but was too lazy to explore Tumblr. But now I'm there! So, hello world!!!!

My Tumblr Page

Of course, I'll still blog here, where I rant and blabber about my life.

Tumblr will be the corner where I share whatever that I find interesting/mind-stimulating/artsy/cutesy etc. from Tumblr world (since that would be much easier and convenient for yours truly).

Stay hooked! :)

~snowyblue~

Random picx of October #2 (The Loaf, Hiestand Swiss Bakery, Hokkaido Ice Cream)

2010-10-23T14:02:00.001+08:00

It has been a year since I have relocated in KL. Although I've moved a few times, some places remain in my heart.

Talking about which, how can I not introduce you to some of my favourite eateries in town? :D

1.The Loaf (Pavilion/Empire Shopping Gallery/Bangsar Village/Langkawi)

A Japanese-style bakery owned by our former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir. This franchise started in Langkawi back in 2006. (Hey, Tun Mahathir's gonna need some interesting activities to keep him occupied in his golden years!) The Loaf is based on a traditional Japanese baking techniques, and the Grand Chef who oversees the baking is from Japan. Trust me, they serve really good bread and pastries.

They are in small portions but fill you up easily. There's little "air" inside, the inner part is completely filled with yummy fillings! BTW, that cake-like thingy in the plastic bag is a madeleine(citrus flavour). Their financier is also real good.

2. Hiestand Swiss Gourmet Bakery, Village Grocer, Bangsar Village

Quite a lot of Caucasians shop here. And I've noticed that they prefer loaves of multigrain bread or other healthier options like sour dough bread, ciabatta and foccacio bun. Whereas asians like me mostly go for more sinful delights - Danish pastries!

Tempting much? :)

Notice the huge scone?

Say hello to loaves and loaves of bread!

3. Hokkaido Ice Cream, The Gardens

This relatively new hang-out spot in town is a new venture of the Zanmai Group, right next to Hokkaido Ichiba, also a new concept from the company. Wanted to try the waffle but I've heard critics about it. Anyway, I ordered double scoops without any other toppings so that I can truly savour the taste of Hokkaido ice cream.

Hokkaido Melon and Japanese potato flavour

White Peach Sherbet and Matcha flavour

Rich Vanilla and Black Sesame flavour

Niagara (Hokkaido Muscat) Wine Sherbet and salt caramel.

The Black Sesame and Matcha flavour was good, although they are quite normal.

The greatest surprise would be the salt caramel flavour. I used to frown upon salt caramel flavoured popcorn as my aunt likes it(Only available at cinemas in Singapore). Now I know why she prefers salted over sweet caramel flavoured popcorn.

~snowyblue~

Empowered

2010-10-08T12:14:00.004+08:00

Attended a talk for NZ-bound medical students yesterday.

Got a lanyard with "Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences of University of Auckland" printed on it.

Yeah I'm superficial enough to feel excited over a lanyard. XD Please excuse me. *coughs*

As I watched the introductory videos on Auckland and the faculty in University of Auckland, it dawned on me that this is what I want in my life. Living in a peaceful city with breathtaking sceneries and exploring all the different possibilities there(think adventures like bungy jumping and glacier walks). I am blessed to be on this trail, working towards my dream which would otherwise be non-existent if I'm not offered a placing here in INTEC.

Though it's gonna be a long route ahead for me. Cheers!

~snowyblue~

"Give a girl the correct footwear

2010-10-08T10:49:00.001+08:00

and she can conquer the world." - Bette Midler

~snowyblue~

It's OOOCTOBER!!!!!!!!

2010-10-07T08:31:00.000+08:00

The owner of this blog has been piling up lotsa stuff on her dish.

The Student Association of AUSMAT, INTEC organised a Raya Celebration for the Muslims, and as one of them I have to perform on stage with the other BODs.
Never imagined myself rapping on stage in front of the whole AUSMAT population but thanks to our 1Malaysia bureau a.k.a Shekinah, me and Leroy did the Malay rapping part. XD
Anyway, the whole organising process was very fun, despite being slightly kecoh as it's our very first major event. Kudos to our advisor, Mr. Ke$h and all the BODS for putting up the show. :)

More and more quizzes and tests ahead, and also our end of semester exam.
Imma have my nose in the books and embrace my inner geekiness.

On a side note, I can't believe 2010's gonna end real soon.

Current cravings :
1. Watch "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps" (wanted
to watch WS:MNS ever since Jia Rong told me about it in June).
2. Play The Sims 3. Struggling with my Sims' addiction.
3. Enough sleep so that I'm energised to studayyyy.
4. Some bossa nova.
5. MACARONS!!! Oh blimey I'm so gonna get diabetes for my extremely sweet tooth! XD

~snowyblue~

Escapade

2010-09-27T20:54:00.003+08:00

Celebrated our English teacher, Ms Farrah's birthday at the bowling alley with Te Whanga-rians today.

Had epic fun with my crazy classmates in a massive whipped cream attack and bowling competition. It's a tight game between Team "Masuk Longkang" and Team "Terjun Longkang".

Izzat and Jan invented the new method of bowling, by kicking the ball into... the gutter. XD

Kuih raya+Roti John+Secret Recipe's Chocolate Cheesecake+Soya milk = Great makan spree.

Bio quiz tomorrow. Oh no!

***

Really love Hebe's soothing voice.

This is my favourite track from her debut album. :)

Makan @ Bangsar! :)

2010-09-27T00:21:00.000+08:00

Went on a makan spree @ Bangsar during the weekend.

Am enjoying my relationship with good food. :)

1. Hiestand Swiss Gourmet Bakery @ Bangsar Village

I love their Danish pastries. Very delicious (and fattening, of course XD).

Corn Croissant, Cranberry Custard Lattice, Apricot Bar, Miniature Almond Strudel and Maple Walnut Plait!

Mini Hazelnut Bar, Chocolate Roll and Pain Au Chocolat. Yummay!

Chocolate multigrain cookies. So fragrant and crunchy!

Bisou's cream-based cupcakes, Chocolate Dementia.

With compliments from CLEO magazine.

2. Poco Homemade Cafe & Atelier (Poco 2.0)

It's located quite far from the main road, but I guess that's why customers can enjoy a peaceful afternoon tea there, away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan. Love the cozy ambience of the restaurant with retro decorations and Bossa Nova as background music, serving home-y Japanese fare.

Enjoyed my meal with Carla Bruni playing in background.

Poco Homemade. The ink stamp is so cute! XD

Chicken Katsu Curry Don + Miso Soup(not in pic). The chicken is fried to perfection, crispy, succulent and not greasy at all. The portion in the pic is halved because I shared it with my mum.

Chocolate Molten Cake!

We ate it from the top because we don't want the chocolate lava to spill out.

The lava was slightly too starchy but overall it's good as bitter dark chocolate is used.

Homemade tofu cake. Mild cheese flavour and smooth, velvety texture of tofu with a twist of matcha, plus the crispy cookie crumbs base. Very delicious.

Green Tea Soya. I never knew that matcha and soya can be such a perfect combo!

Love the handkerchief menu with cute illustrations and retro prints at the back.

3. Opus Bistro

Tucked at a quiet place in Bangsar, Opus Bistro serves great Italian dishes at a reasonable price.

Mum and I chose the set lunch which includes a starter (soup of the day/salad), main course and dessert (cake of the day/ mini fruit platter), all for a cost of RM26++ per set. Quite worth it I would say.

Had complimentary bread with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar dip as starters.

Thought Gianni's @ Johor Bahru served better bread.

Also had pumpkin soup which was creamy and peppery. (Didn't take the pic because the presentation was... well, plain.)

Roasted chicken tossed with salad.

Mini sirloin steak. Tender and juicy. Like!

Linguini Funghi Carbonora. Creamy pasta with strips of beef bacon and mushrooms.

We had Orange Almond Torte for dessert. The tangy orange flavour goes well with almond but there's a bit of floury aftertaste.

Will definitely come back again for more taste of Italiano, and also to try out other restaurants at the same row as Opus Bistro. Stay tuned for more updates!

P/s : Suddenly miss Gianni's food so much. I miss the thin crust pizzas. Yikes! XD

~snowyblue~

When life have so much to offer,

2010-09-23T12:50:00.000+08:00

how do you pick from the colourful array of delectable goodies?

~snowyblue~

Italiano!

2010-09-07T13:59:00.002+08:00

@ Ros Marino, Johor Bahru :D

Smoked salmon and avocado salad

Bruschetta

Angel hair pasta with clams

Lamb shank

Mushroom and ham pizza

Cheese platter for dessert! Cheddar cheese, blue cheese and ?(maybe made from goat's milk).

Tiramisu. A bit too watery for my liking.

Apple tart. Yum-may!!!

~snowyblue~

MERDEKA (x7) !!!!!!!!

2010-08-30T16:09:00.003+08:00

Happy 53rd birthday to my dearest tanah air MALAYSIA!!!!!!!!!!! :*

~snowyblue~

We came, we saw, we shoot! :)

2010-08-28T15:48:00.006+08:00

Went to KLCC with INTEC mates, Jayn and Min Xuan yesterday.

Enjoyed shopping for food, food and FOOD! XD

Interesting facts.

Fact No. 1 :
There are many tourists from all over the world, so you hear different types of languages spoken by people surrounding you.
Fact No. 2 :
The sight of hundreds of white collars walking on the pavement during lunch time is overwhelming.
Fact No. 3 :
There's a huge crowd even for a weekday, as if the boutiques are giving out freebies o.O
Fact No. 4 :
The supermarket in Isetan sells a lot of Japanese cookies and cooking ingredients. And there's Royce too!
Fact No. 5 :
Kinokuniya rocks!!!!!

Jayn & me

@ The Apartment. Jayn's holding the candle, while I attempt to extinguish it.

With Min Xuan (Met her in kmph).

Fountain!

Back to studies. Ciao!

~snowyblue~

The Fungus Channel - Demonstration

2010-08-24T20:39:00.000+08:00

You don't need no entertainment when you have such epic classmates.

~snowyblue~

Food for thought

2010-08-23T13:53:00.005+08:00

Read an illustration book drawn by an artist based on the teachings of Buddha.

I find it very meaningful and applies to every religion.

Master Hua said :

"Don't become attached to your blessings, because once they're exhausted, you'll have none.
Accept all the suffering that comes to you, because once you've endured it all, you will suffer no more."

~snowyblue~

Cupcake! :)

2010-08-19T09:00:00.001+08:00

The flamingo pink clouds, signifying a fresh new start for me and a whole lot of scholars in INTEC. Taken during orientation week.

Delectable by Su @ The Gardens. Famous for designer cakes and other delectable goodies.

Gosh I'm a sucker for sweet sugary dessert.

I'm paying for the whole experience. Like the packaging with a ribbon handle.

Ta-Dah!!!! The cupcakes are so cute!!!! I can't bear to even remove them from the box.

These are different from the normal cupcakes because they look uber exquisite and taste real good. The cake's moist and it's not too sweet even with the fondant icing, which is made of sugar paste, unlike the usual cupcake franchise stores that sell dry cupcakes with cream-based icing.

Me likey the sheep. Only got to choose 1 character and 2 "normal" ones

*sad face* , although they are not really "normal".

If I'm not mistaken, the blue colour one is dark chocolate with chocolate ganache, the pink one is vanilla with lemon curd filling and the turquoise one has peanut butter filling.

Talk about sugar rush!

7 Sins of Chocolate. 7 layers of guilty pleasure -

truffle, nibs, cocoa, gianduja, mousse, cake and dark ganache.

OH SO KAWAII!!!!! Too bad I'm going to nom nom nom it. *evil grin*

~snowblue~

SAMSA Election

2010-08-03T22:52:00.003+08:00

~snowyblue~

Ultimate Fun!

2010-07-25T22:39:00.002+08:00

YEAH!!!!!!!!! :D

The frisbee team got 2nd-runners' up in INPRO.
Still need lotsa drills but it's a great start!
GO AUSMAT!!!! :)

P/s : Can't believe I didn't get tanned. Only had freckles. :X

~snowyblue~

Neoprints time!!!!!

2010-07-18T22:40:00.004+08:00

Taken @ Sunway Pyramid.

Larry the Mr. face-is-too-big!!! Ahahaha!!!

~snowyblue~

INTEC

2010-07-18T21:36:00.003+08:00

Hi folks!

I've officially started my classes here in INTEC, which is populated by brainy scholars and a minority of FAMA-sponsored students.

Classes here are less hectic than A levels for the 1st Semester, which explains why I've been hitting the town every weekend. At least for now.

We have 8 hours of English lessons, 5 hours of Physics, 4 hours of Computer Studies, 2 hours of Biology and another 2 for Chemistry. Seems like we've just change our major to English and literature. Haha! XD

For our batch, the classes are named after lakes in Aussie and NZ. My class is Te Whanga, though it's written as Tewhanga in our timetable. Which sounds like people swearing when it's pronounced without the spacing in between. Classmates are very friendly. The guys brought their lappies to class everyday without fail so that they can make good use of the collegel Wi-Fi. We watched Zombieland when class was cancelled. :))

Hostel is in a rather pathetic state. Two cockroaches visited our house during orientation week. How cool is that? Though I'm glad I'm roomies with the sampat Cheryl, and housemates with Wan Ri and Fionseca. We've just named our house the Hawaii Resort. Okay, pretend like I didn't mention it.

Also meet crazy friends like Annie, the very manly (and sometimes very cute) C.C., Chai Yeen, Cheu Hwa, Zu Yen, Sin Loo's housemate Yen Nee, Li Yun, Nalini, Kim Kim, Larry, Adrian... ... A few matrik friends are here as well like Chao Mei(pronounce in Chinese), Tuck Hong and Min Xuan.

Living in Seksyen 18 caused me to lead a very unhealthy lifestyle. At least in terms of food. Imagine being surrounded by mamak stalls and fast food chains. I've been eating roti canai and fried chicken as dinner, with ice teh tarik as supper. Not forgetting our pasar malam day on every Monday, where we get to choose from a range of local Malay delicacies like kuih muihs, satay, nasi ayam, apam balik... ... Nope I seriously prefer veggies much more than meat but I don't have much option. And I'm too lazy to steam my own veggies. Salad is out of my list because we don't have a fridge.

Luckily there's a recreational park next to my hostel, where I can jog to shed off the extra kilos.

Weekends flew past quickly. Gosh I must stop slacking!

Bye!

~snowyblue~

Ferrero Garden

2010-07-16T23:27:00.000+08:00

Bought Ferrero Garden during my SG trip. I wonder why we can't get them from our supermarkets. *sulk*

Made in Germany.

*anticipation*

I like the paper cup that matches the colour of the foil.

Garden Almond- Crisp wafer specialty with an almond filling

Garden coconut- Coconut covered wafer with almond filling

Garden Pistachio - with almond and pistachio filling

The packaging's airtight so the wafer's still very crispy.

Garden Hazelnut - taste like Kinder Buendo.

Garden Walnut

This series is different from the usual ones. I like Garden Hazelnut the most, and i think the pistachio ones taste a bit weird.

~snowyblue~

Chocolate Research Facility

2010-07-13T00:01:00.001+08:00

Bought some chocolate bars from Chocolate Research Facility @Wheelock Palace, SG.

Look at the counter! There're 100 flavours of chocolate to choose from!!! From Apple syrup, Stout and Caramel sea salt to more exotic ones like Sichuan Pepper, Tiramisu and French Vanilla. I was SOOOO tempted to buy the whole store!!!!!!!!

They also sell chocolate-inspired lifestyle merchandise like books, mugs and plates. I love the table lamp the most! The stand is shaped like melted chocolate.

The highest percentage of cocoa contained in chocolate sold is 76%.

Totally agree! :D

Like the vintage packaging.

Gosh look at the chocolate bar!!!!! I wonder if they come in XS or XXL.

YUM! The milky yellow colour thingy is white truffle.

Check out their website! HERE

~snowyblue~

Shah Alam

2010-07-12T23:13:00.004+08:00

View from my room @ Concorde Hotel.

I see gigantic buildings everywhere. o.O

Stunned.

~snowyblue~

Final new start!

2010-07-07T00:18:00.002+08:00

Greetings from Shah Alam!
Am enjoying orientation week which is much much better than the kmph one with my other crazy buddies, including my roomie coal-black Cheryl. :) Think almost sufficient sleep, air-conditioned hall and classes and very cool facilitators.

Gonna hit the sack now. Bye!

~snowyblue~

FIFA World Cup

2010-07-03T23:43:00.003+08:00

A snapshot I'd taken at Orchard Road during my SG trip with Taylorians.

People gathered outside restaurants and bars to watch the matches for free.

Guess it's a win-win situation for both men and women.

Ladies go shopping, whereas guys watch football at Orchard Road. :D

~snowyblue~

Smile!

2010-07-01T19:31:00.000+08:00

Something I saw from a stationary shop.

It's a notebook. I like the cover! So hilarious!!!!!

Q: Everything men know about women?
A: Blank. XD

~snowyblue~

Big apple+a dash of golden sands

2010-06-29T23:29:00.003+08:00

Watched Sex and the city 2 with darling Phoebe today.

It was a bit shocking to see quite a number of guys in the cinema watching this film because I thought it was supposed to be a GIRL thing. I guess they are either :

1) gays who are into girls' fashion or;

2) they are after the S-E-X part

Sadly, we're in Malaysia and it is an unspoken truth that even though a film is rated as PG-18, there's actually no bed scenes.(Ironically, the title contains the word "sex"). As a matter of fact, our Lembaga Penapisan Filem did a great job in keeping movies clean.

Anyway, back to SATC 2. I had a great time feasting my eyes with chic fashion and sophisticated home decor. Obviously you don't expect these kind of films to offer you meaningful, awe-inspiring life lessons, do you? Yeah, the storyline's a bit blah and it's practically a hollow shell coloured with splashes of bright hues, with a bit of over-the-top blue conversations, but who cares? I'm after the theatrical sets and most importantly (drum roll please?) the LABELS. :D

And did I mention that it was really hilarious when Miley Cyrus and Samantha wore the same dress to a movie premiere in the movie? Fashion faux pas!

Though I think the first one was better, because it showcased more clothes. (Who can forget the scene where Carrie modeled for Vogue's photo shoot, right? Wedding gowns, one after another, from labels like Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior... Flashlights and couture, the perfect vogue combo.)

Overall, go for it if you're a fashionista. This is reserved for a relaxing afternoon with your girlfriends, not for the machos though. I feel that guys will actually snore through the movie, since there's practically no "thrilling" scenes. And please do not have any unrealistic expectation for the content because this is NOT Cannes Film Festival. :P

~snowyblue~

Toy Story 3

2010-06-23T20:44:00.002+08:00

Movies with Jia Rong @ CS just now.

Gosh, Toy Story 3 was uber funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't stop LOL-ing throughout the film!!!

And the "Day and night" clip played right before the movie starts is so original!!!!!!

The toys made my day! Pixar animators are awesome!!! :D

~snowyblue~

SG trip with Taylorians

2010-06-20T21:13:00.011+08:00

Decided to blog about my trip to Singapore with Adelaide, Wan Yee and

our tour guide/"that guy", the SG educated Wei Li.

Met up with them at City Hall, and we went sightseeing around the central business district.

Later we took a bus to Marina Bay Sands. Passed by the Double Helix Bridge.

We were not allowed to enter the casino though. *sigh* So much for being young. XP

Saw a Lamborghini at the traffic lights.

Being a guy, our tour guide a.k.a. "that guy" Wei Li got all hyped up and wanted to take a shot of it.

Just then, Murphy's law spring into action. A small lorry drove next to the Lamborghini and blocked it from our view. Wei Li's mission failed. XD

Later they went to Science Centre, whereas I decided to hang out at The Sweet Spot to enjoy my afternoon tea (because I've been to Science Centre for at least 4 times).

We met up again at Orchard Road and had dinner there.

Our last stop was the Singapore Flyer. Didn't went up due to time constraint.

Enjoyed the city skyline at night, though it kinda reminds me of Victoria Bay in HK.

*PhoTos.pHotOs*

Raffles Hotel, oldest hotel in SG. Really like colonial-style buildings!

Marina Bay Sands. Looks so surreal up front o.O

CHIJMES. A former convent converted into a dining haven.

The stained glass windows are beautiful!

Even couples take their wedding photo shoots here!

Magnificent columns of the chapel!

A Roman cathedral right opposite CHIJMES.

Singapore flyer. Blame my dumb dumb camera phone for the poor effects.

Group photo take 1!

Group photo take 2!

~snowyblue~

Ferrero Rondnoir

2010-06-10T23:30:00.012+08:00

Had been eyeing this latest addition to the chocolate family since January.

It was launched in 2008 actually, but was only introduced in Malaysia in late 2009.

It's crispy on the outside, with a very smooth, tantalizing dark chocolate center. No nuts inside.

If you're a bitter dark chocolate fan (no pun intended) you'll definitely love this.

Though if you prefer milk chocolate with a nutty feel, I think you'd better stick to Ferrero Rocher.

White chocolate fans should totally go for Ferrero Manderly.

On the other hand, if you enjoy milk chocolate and a nutty feel without the crispy wafer shell(for the pleasure of melting chocolate in your mouth), opt for Mon Cheri.

My favourite? All of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha!

Well, Mon Cheri is still my favourite among all of them. It actually tastes the same as Ferrero Rocher, without the wafer shell that encased the roasted hazelnut at the center. Which means I can just pop it into my mouth and enjoy the sensation of melting chocolate tickling my taste buds. Unfortunately, they don't sell it separately, which is such a total bummer. I wish I could actually purchase a whole box of Mon Cheri, instead of buying a box of mixed chocolates. And half-forced to consume Ferrero Manderly later.(White chocolate is my least favourite type of chocolate)

Happy eating!

~snowyblue~

Escapade #2

2010-06-08T13:55:00.010+08:00

More pictures from my Sungai Lembing trip, taken using my camera. Which means higher resolution and better effects. :D

See the round, white thing?

That's the moon, still hanging on the sky when the sun's about to rise.

Rainbow-colour moon halo. Like.

See the contours of the hill?

The moon's glowing so brightly that night.

Sunrise. Looks like a glowing egg yolk to me.

Ohayo gozaimasu!

This is also sunrise. So beautiful right?

But why the sky makes it look like sunset =.=

~snowyblue~

Escapade

2010-06-05T01:31:00.005+08:00

Went sight-seeing in Pahang with my family last week before I return home.

Felt rejuvenated after the trip. :D

Some places I've visited:

Gua Charas.

Have to climb the stairs to reach there. A lot of stairs.

All the way up the hill.

The effect's amazing even using my dumb dumb Nokia's camera.

So beautiful!

I thought I can only see caves like this in Eastern Malaysia.

Sunlight showering the cave. You can even see streaks of light beam clearly.

Think it's perfect for films with medieval settings.

There's a sleeping Buddha's statue and some "statues" of Hinduism in the cave. Prayed to Buddha and also to the Jala Lingam(a stone which the Hindus believe evolved from a god). Went through the Hindu rituals when praying to the Jala Lingam. Great experience!

***

Sungai Lembing.

Where we stayed, since the other motels' rooms were occupied.

Yep, it's the building of Hakka Association in Sungai Lembing.

A Hakka staying in the building of Hakka Association.

Such coincidence. Haha.

The view from our room.(Window is tinted so the scenery looked rather dark.)

Basically the town is surronded by the Lembing hill.

小城故事的感觉。

At night, I lay on bed, watching the pearl-white full-moon hanging on the star-lit sky.

Somehow I could see the contours of the hill because the moon was shining so brightly that night!

Doze off while enjoying the breathtaking scenery.

It was such a wonderful experience I must admit!!!!!

Peaceful little town. Away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities.

***

Teluk Cempedak. Seaside!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Like sandy beaches. Parents went to buy vanilla sundaes from McDonald's, leaving me alone to "frolic" in water(Not really frolicking, more of soaking my feet in water). Sad case. XD

The very famous siew ba（烧肉) in Sungai Lembing. Ate it while it's hot. The meat's succulent. The best I've ever tried. Must-try if you're non-Muslim.

The signboard showing us the way to the shop.

Makes the siew ba look like some tourist attraction.

Haha. I think it is anyway.

***

The second day, we woke up at around 4.30a.m. for our expedition up the Lembing Hill!

With torchlights in hand, we climbed up the hill.

The reason why we're climbing at such an unearthly hour in pitch dark is because we wanna...

WATCH SUNRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reached the top of the hill around 5.20a.m.

And guess what, there's approximately 100 people on top of the hill, all waiting for the moment.

So yeah, the sun is still "sleeping" when we reached the top. So we waited. And waited.

And waited.

Breaking dawn. Finally!

Sun starting to peep out from its nest.

Mesmerizing! Was on cloud nine, like literally!!!!!

Bird's-eye view. Ah, beautiful town of Sungai Lembing!

~snowyblue~

Chickien soup for the soul

2010-05-31T22:42:00.004+08:00

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"

So cute! We should look into the mirror and say this to ourselves every single morning!

Instant boost for self-esteem!

~snowyblue~

KMPh

2010-05-31T21:22:00.005+08:00

Yep, I've officially quitted KMPh and will undergo a 1-month ~~hibernation/rotting/~~vacation program at home. XD

Enjoyed my third and final week there by chilling in the library,

watching Astro's CNN, BBC, travel & living and hitz channel in the TV room.

Also made full use of the sports facilities by cycling around the campus and played squash with some strangers.

My hostel.

Will miss jogging on the tracks.

Living in KMPh definitely ain't a bed of roses. Think cold showers early in the morning, cleaning up the insects' carcasses in my room daily, aircons in the lecture hall which break down occasionally and puddles on the floor(where did the water come from anyway?), flies in the cafeteria(and man, that's a lot!), too-strict dress code, library operating hours that's too short... ...

Though I've met a bunch of awesome friends from (almost) all over the country. Friends from Penang to Kelantan to Sarawak. We've gone through quite a lot of stuff in a very short period. The orientation week alone is so full of drama, right buddies? *wink*

I'll miss my dear friends in KMPh, 2H14, my roommates, the outings to Kuantan, the sports facilities, the waffles and curry puffs... ...

And all the best to the 2 convent girls, Gawry and Li Shan in KMPh.

Jiayou to Li Shan for KAKOM!!!!!!!!

Take care and I'm sure both of you will score 4 pointer!

~snowyblue~

:D

2010-05-26T20:45:00.001+08:00

~snowyblue~