2009

embarking a new job, feeling emotions i never thought i would have, going through pain & agony of the misses in life, tying a tighter bond with family and friends and knowing a life's turning point is round the corner....i wish...and wish so hard that 2010 would be a better year and i think it will be.

happy new year everyone!

going to have a new year's day breakfast date with D.
somewhere new, somewhere fresh, somewhere nice....to start 2010.
it's going to be better...i can just feel it!!

friends are not about being fat or thin, rich or poor, pretty or ugly, well dressed or not, but the connection and bond that you blossom and the relationship that you've foster which comes from deep down your heart.

to all my dearest friends, here's wishing you a merry merry christmas!

Song shared by 5pf & water

the season of GIVING

this year there's more craft work to my wrapping. it was tiring but i really enjoyed myself and was happy just looking at them. hopefully they bring some smiles to the recipients.

the red taped ribbon is from osaka and the wrapper is from bangkok. i finally got to use them for my favorite friends' presents. realised that these tapes are sold in some craft shops in Singapore now. Not special anymore, but still...i love them. nice?

the name tags are made of canvas paper and i punched them using the xmas tree punch i just got recently. was also happy the alphabet stamps and stamp pads from Kodomo Inc came to use. these stamps are really marvelous in quality and adds a personal touch to these presents.

ooohhh...this was tough...so tough. the theme this year for dbs gang's xmas gathering was japan-nese. there will be japanese food, drinks and decor ..and we had to wrap the presents in japanese theme too. boy was it hard to decide what to do since the real jap materials here aren't cheap. a roll of japanese printed paper could cost at least S$15!! so with the sakura craft punch i had, i decided to make something simple using the japanese origami papers and glued them on a recycled box i got from muji. with the simple gold ribbon, i thought it looks almost perfect. well, the picture here doesn't really do it justice.

the 3D sakura flowers made with love. hee!!
merry xmas!!

love this!

always good to think of something outside of work-related stuff during a bad work day....and this would definitely help. found at www.style.com

it's therapeutic!

i wish i could show you what i'm doing this weekend. but i don't have my camera with me as i've left it at D's place. i'm almost done with xmas shopping and have been busy wrapping presents since yesterday. it's actually quite a joy. i love doing crafts and with the time you spend creating a "look" for the presents and having it finally done is REALLY satisfying. i've completed wrapping 21 gifts and got about 5 more to go for now....it's tiring but i find the process therapeutic...ho ho ho!! i'm so looking forward for xmas and to see the happy faces when the presents are opened!

Holang migrated to Blogspot!!

Tsu Yee's online shop have migrated to blogspot! Easy browsing and great stuff she brought in this time. If you miss out in the last launch, be quick this time. A personal message from her below.

Hi

Thanks to all your feedback, support and encouragement, I've finally been persuaded to start a blog as a platform for the second collection of my online shop. After spending a couple of exhausting days taking photos with my self-timer to catch the sunlight in the shorter winter days, my blog is finally ready for public viewing. So, here it is: http://holang22.blogspot.com/ .

This collection is from the USA and I love every piece. As I'm having a tough time deciding what to keep/sell, I'll price the items only if anyone expresses any interest in them. As a rough gauge, the prices should range from S$50/70-S$180/S$200. The higher price range of this collection is due to the fact that these are well-made designer/preppy luxe clothes. I have got them at what I believe is a good price and will certainly try to pass on the savings to you. If you are keen on any of these items or need more details (including pricing) or clearer pics, please drop me an email at tsuyee@gmail.com and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Happy Browsing!

Best Regards,

Tsu Yee

holang22 : what's in my mailbox today?

after a long day at work, a parcel for me in my mailbox would be the only reason to smile. recently, my friend set up her online fashion shopsite. being well travelled, the items she carries are quite exclusive and definitely interesting.

i got a piece from her and received it today. am sooooooooooo happy with it!! it's the white butterfly blouse and it comes with a inner grey racer back. i luuurrvveee it!!! go check it out!. oops, it's sold out! wohahahaha...lucky me.

the items come in limited pieces, so be hot on your heels/toes and check out her shop here now!
you can email my friend, Tsu Yee at kkity0904@hotmail.com for the items you wish to buy.

quick quick, while stock last!!

it's fish day!

we had sushi craves and were at tampopo, liang court last night. since we will be staying home all weekend, cooking meals would be nice. we popped by at mediya and as usual were excited over their fresh food. going for the healthy choice, D was browsing at the fish corner near the sushi counters and decided on the cream snapper! our 1st try. tada...the result!

it wasn't difficult to flip the snapper while pan frying since the meat was rather firm and it tasted sweet on its own. my 1st attempt to cook the asparagus with ponzu soya sauce proves to be a risk worth taking. yummy woh!

pan fried buttered cream snapper
sesame seed oil grilled chicken liver
stir fried asparagus with mushroom in ponzu soya sauce & mirin

this is a instant clam miso soup. it is packed in a cup and all you need to do is to pour in the hot boiling water and mix in the small pack of miso paste and clams. stir it and wala! there you have a nice bowl of hot soup anytime of the day! it's surprisely tasty.

instant clam miso soup

crushing....too...

it's nice to know that friends get hitch and bring the circle of friends bigger like one big family. maybe this is the beginning of more to come...

if it is all because of looks...
think twice...

little chefs

just looking at these 2 little chefs makes me happy....read more here...

方大同 Nothing's gonna change my love for you

it's hard to forget...
still feeling the heartbeat...sometimes...

Vogue: September Issue!

Catch the amazing talents of Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour!

The September Issue.

2Unfold Leather Laptop Bag

by hard graft.

shoes

Ndeur.


Christian Louboutin glass shoe.

a small touch...for home

Metamorphosis by Ian Blasco.
Sliced by hand out of 16 layers of expanded polypropylene foam - much like styrofoam (though denser - its volume is built out of thousands of tiny tubes rather than crappy crumbly balls).



Piet Indoor Stove by Fredrik Hyltén-Cavallius.



Embrace by John Green.

Kazuki Takamatsu

Japanese visual artist... discover more here.

UP again!

500 balloons at Tower Bridge, London! PR for the wondeful movie, UP.

it's nice getting up early in the morning, going for pilates with D.... then having lunch at our latest favourite japanese restaurant in Orchard Central, then heading back home for a lazy afternoon power nap...then going through assignments.. and then watching a heart-warming movie while having dinner together.

to me, this is a perfect sunday.

Lunching in again.
Sliced fish noodles again.
Second time this week.
I need a good dinner tomorrow.
Where should it be?

While the building was shaking, we were in the midst of a meeting with our boss.
Instead of asking us to leave, we continued with our meeting.
I was thinking, if the building were to collapse due to the tremors of the earthquake in Sumatra,
I will have to die with my fellow colleagues whom I see 50% of my time.
That would be quite a regret.
But then again, there will never be a good way to leave this earth…ummm

inhale...exhale

oh..had my first pilates class with D today. we've decided to commit to a weekly exercise regime from now onwards. after all as age catches, you tend to get fatigue and restless more easily. so as a means to a healthier lifestyle, we took up pilates for a start. this course we signed up focuses on the back, neck and abdomen muscles. it also involves alot of stretching and tension movements to loosen the muscles which would create better blood circulation. what i thought i could do..and did do in the past, i found it harder to do today...eventhough they were simple stretching exercises.

with the start of this regime, it made me realised that it's been quite a while since i last stretched...exercise...and felt this healthy. i'm happy we took this up...and we felt really good after the class!

inhale....exhale....

Classy Urban Girl

looking for accessories? you can find them at ClassyUrbanGirl! started by my friend as a hobby, she have decided to share her love and passion for accessories to all you gals out there. please check out her blog for her ready-to-wear designs. and oh, customization can be done too.

happy shopping!

it works!

is this my dose for a migraine-free good night sleep? it seems to work!! dinner last night was simply fantastica!

happy me

if only i had brought my camera out today. great lunch, ok dinner and great shopping harvest from muji. since there are no pictures, i'm not gonna talk about the lunch today. will introduce you guys to the food at orchard central next time...perhaps during my next gals' day out...

umm...had a nice and casual day....happy..

oh...and i'm gonna begin my xmas shopping list and hunt soon!! woohoo!
are you starting yours yet?

just steak for lunch

it's always nice to have something on the table once you get up from bed... =)
a healthy choice of mushroom, asparagus and baby potatoes to add variety to the red wine marinated tenderloin.

thai style steam fish

great! how timely. couldn't blog for the longest time using D's Mac and it seems like the whole blogger platform's upgraded. am able to read blogs page to page by simply scrolling. so i'm able to write about the new dish i made today.

it's the beginning of my 3 days leave and we went to cold storage early this morning. decided to try making the thai style steam fish. bought a snapper and some simple ingredients - chilli padi, thai fish sauce, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass. all you need to do is to steam the fish together with the ingredients. we thought it tasted great! will add more chilli next time to kick in the spice for the dish...

maybe the rainbow is meant to be upside down...
not meant to be found ...
not meant to be connected ...
ever ...

梅艳芳 : 下輩子別再做女人

i tear everytime i sing this song ...

作曲:陳小霞,  編曲:屠穎
監製:,  填詞:易家揚

女人　我親愛的姐妹們
你經過千山萬山水之後　得到了怎樣的男人
辛苦了　女人　療傷是你的本能
與其在回憶之中心疼　還不如早一些清除傷痕

下輩子別再做女人　我們這一生苦的很
別為了一個吻　你也肯　去愛上某一個負心人
下輩子別再做女人　快樂的時間少的很
在愛情中打滾　誰是你最後的愛人

nice relaxing day...rest days are never enough...
give me more please....

Naturally...

By : clara del portillo + alejandro selma from Spain

More Paper Artists

By Russian advertising agency Doberman and artists Alexandra Zaharova and Ilya Plotnikov.


Hunter Stabler

Benja Harney (and his idol: Thomas Demand who creates whole paper interiors; see sample below)

I’m immensely feeling I’m in the twenties!

to market to market!!

wooo...i don't mind this as my grocery shopping trolley...interesting stuff at Williams Sonoma...

Up UP and away!!

though i enjoy watching Russel, the "fei zai" in the movie UP, by Pixar but it's Carl Frederick's love for Ellie that made me shed a tear or two...

for that I know that my adventure book will be filled with lots of fun, surprises and joy, especially when i have D and Bbit being part of it...can't wait for more adventures ahead!

sewing

i've been meaning to blog
but either Blogger is letting me down or the usb reader is acting cracky
so i can show no pictures.
actually, what i wanted to post is the books we've gotten over the long weekend.
D got lots of different types of reading materials and for me,
i got myself 2 reference books for sewing things for home, fashion etc.
i want to make myself a carrier bag.
like a paper bag with short handles that could rest on my albows and
big enough for me to bring my stuff on fridays...
it seems so hard to find such bags outside...
i'm quite determine to make it...hopefully i can find time to start and complete it.
wish me luck!

i've been meaning to blog
but either Blogger is letting me down or the usb reader is acting cracky
so i can show no pictures.
actually, what i wanted to post is the books we've gotten over the long weekend.
D got lots of different types of reading materials and for me,
i got myself 2 reference books for sewing things for home, fashion etc.
i want to make myself a carrier bag.
like a paper bag with short handles that could rest on my albows and
big enough for me to bring my stuff on fridays...
it seems so hard to find such bags outside...
i'm quite determine to make it...hopefully i can find time to start and complete it.
wish me luck!

There are 3 classes of people :- Those who see; Those who see when they are shown; Those who do not see.
~ Leonardo Da Vinci ~

i like to think that i belong to the class of those who see...

Oxtail & Pork Shoulder Ragu Bolognese Linguine with Wild Rocket

Had only prepared this once before, as it took at least 12 hours to prepare, which means that one had to start 1 day prior to having the dish for dinner. As expected, the first time we had this version of bolognese, it was simply a culinary epiphany, not unlike the kanpachi experienced at Daichi, Isa, Japan. Ever since, we had not eaten the dish outside of the house, as we realize most that were available paled in comparison. But recently, we discovered a somewhat similar version at Spruce, rich too, but not as complex as Heston's version. The Spruce version was good still, just different. Based only on her culinary intuition & genius, 5pf was able to replicate the Spruce ragu flavour just by her 'feel.'

Recipe by: Heston Blumenthal, chef-owner of the Fat Duck
Shopping for ingredients: takes about 1-2 hours
Preparing ingredients; measure, cut: 3-4 hours
Sauce base, initial time: 6.5 hours
Tomato compote: 3 hours
Combined sauce, subsequently entails a further: 2.5 hours
Final additions to complete sauce: 10 minutes
Pasta: 20 minutes

Star Anise (Crushed)

LOTS of Red Onions

Coriander Seeds, Cloves & Star Anise (Crushed)

Truss Tomatoes on Vine (cherry & large; use core & vines too)
*Baby Roma Cherry Tomatoes on Vines, highly recommended when available

Tarragon & Italian Parsley Wrapped in Japanese Leek

& A Few Others...

The tomatoes were skinned through blanching in boiling and then ice water baths. Juice was extracted from the umami-rich core membrane and seeds. Roughly chopped & placed on a sieve, some salt was sprinkled over, while a bowl below collected the best juice from the fruit. The vines were soaked with the juice in the bowl. Separately, the tomato flesh was diced.

Star Anise & Onions slices were lightly browned (technically caramelized is only used when sugar is present), after which the former was discarded.
This combination is a flavour-booster for dark meat like beef.

The finely diced Celery, Carrot, Onion, Garlic were cooked in another pot till soft, after which the Onion slices, Spices and Whole Milk were combined with it in a large pot.

Pork Shoulder cubes & minced Oxtail were quickly browned.

So was the remaining parts of the Oxtail. All the meat were then added to the large pot above.

Deglaze the pan with Oaked White Chardonnay (eg, basic label Wolfblass Chardonnay) wine to extract all the flavourful browned (maillard reaction) bits. Reduced to 1/2, then add to the large pot above.

Top up with water, ensure liquid covers throughout the long simmer. Remove the cubes of Pork Shoulder and finely shred, then return to pot. PATIENCE.
6 Hours for this sauce base to be ready before been combined with the tomato part of the sauce.

The Tomato Compote was prepared in another pan, combining the Tomato flesh and juice, more Onions and Garlic, and Fresh Thyme & Bay leaves.

2 Hours later, the tomato compote develops a vibrant hue. Add Olive Oil and stir fry about 10 minutes to add a roasted note. Stir frequently. Strain and retain the golden Tomato Compote Oil, set aside for coating the pasta later.

Once both the sauce base and tomato compote were ready, they were combined in the large pot, left to simmer for another 2 Hours. The tomato compote pan was also deglazed, with the Chardonnay reduced in 1/2 and added to the large pot. This was good for about 4-5 servings.

SAUCE FINALE
Remove herbs, spices and oxtail bones, and stir in Unsalted Butter (best if European-style, with high butterfat content) and the Leek/Tarragon/Italian Parsley. Off the stove, and let the sauce rest for 5 minutes, then remove herbs.

Add Sherry Vinegar, and a touch of Aged Balsamic Vinegar to balance the richness of the sauce.

Finish with a generous fine grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese. Get the real stuff, rather than those labelled 'parmesan' cheese. Better yet, get a slightly aged version - veccio.

PASTA
1/2 Hour prior to the meal, the pasta could be prepared. Use this proportion for every serving: 100g pasta+1000ml water+10g salt. Rinse with cold water once al dente (still a slight 'bite/crunch' left in the middle of the pasta), then coat with Tomato Compote Oil and Unsalted Butter and reheat pasta briefly.

*if fresh past is used, as was the case for our meal, the cooking time is only about 2-3 minutes, a fraction of the time taken for dried pasta.

BON APPETITO!
Plate pasta and ragu bolognese sauce together with the Wild Rocket Leaves. Garnish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano, which also pairs beautifully with the latter.
After about 19 Hours, you'd get the Oxtail & Pork Shoulder Ragu Bolognese Linguine with Wild Rocket. Savour it with Freshly Juice Pineapple (eg, S&W Sweet 16), Granny Smith and Fuji Apple on the side. Bon Appetito!