Battle of the devils

The white devil didn't make it.

fifteen Melbourne (part 3)

More pics after transferring from PE's memory stick. Behind us is where all the magic happens - the spooning and the forking =P

JK enjoying the tiramisu and deep-fried dough.

The very very nice hazel nut and chocolate torte. You can't have enough of this babe but don't eat it with the tiramisu. It'd overpower the tiramisu. The tiramisu itself it softer while the torte much stronger.

It's not really a big place but the decoration and setting is really classy and sophisticated. Luv it!

Just one last note - I didn't get to go to the boi's room. They actually use graffiti to paint the doors to the toilets. Creative eh?

fifteen Melbourne (part 1)

Thanks Mrs. Yeong who helped us take the shot. From left: PJ, SS, PE, JK and me. The restaurant is actually camouflaged by the wooden doors so we did pass it the first time. And luckily PJ made it just by the cut.

They are letting us wait no more!!! We can go in finally - the first customers of the (second) day. I am sure PE loves the pink shade.

I have forgotten to take a pic but as you go down the stair, you could see the part of the open kitchen and the salivating smell just engulfs you.

Fifteen is an international foundation to help disadvantaged street teenagers. It aims to help them earn a living and learn skills by training them to become chefs. Of course, fueled by the passion and nakedness of the internationally famous TV chef Jamie O, this is the fourth fifteen restaurant in the world. Its predecessors are London, Cornwall and Amsterdam. The fifteen Melbourne is actually manned by another TV chef, who has also involved himself in fifteen London and used to make appearances on Channel 10's "Ready, Steady, Cook", Tobie Puttock.

Very very unforunately and disappointingly that JO had already gone back to the bloody UK! So I couldn't get him to sign the recipe books.

fifteen Melbourne (part 2)

The "bible"to some good food. I think we all looked like a bunch of "mountain monkeys" (Hokkien translation: meaning people who have never out in the civilisation) with the taking pictures and high-pitched conversation.

The bar - which is very unique as it's an open one. As you can see, people can side face-to -face instead of side-to-side. Shame we didn't have a drink but it'd be a bit too luxurious to have liquor when it was still day! You'll see me back soon enough.

Camera's doing a good job - PJ seems to have materialised out of the opening behind her.

me & my fish stew which was yummy - very seafood-ish. Tasted very sweet (not sugar). And btw I don't think I can be a waiter looking at the way I hold the plate.

They have different menus daily as to train the chefs - therefore we were allowed to take the menus! And Tobie signed them! I got 2 as JK didn't want it. =)

Busy snapping pics all the way - that's the master mind behind - Tobie Puttock (you're welcome to think otherwise). We were initially so shy to ask him if we could take a pic but WTH. He's very friendly, at least on camera. It's the FIFTEEN's concept to have an open kitchen as people can see the chefs preparing wonderful dishes for the patrons.

The organic food they serve just taste superb considering the chefs that cooked for us have just been trained not too long ago. I look forward to going there again. Unfortunately the dinna bookings are taken up till the end of January now; only lunches on weekdays are still available. So if you wanna find out please ring 1300 799 415.

Adultered Taste

I am sooooo addicted with this snack - I have had so much of it (I could finish 6 bars in a row watching Friends) until I can't taste it now. Still that doesn't stop me.

oops I tag it again - 3 things

1... Things that scare me

• Being away from family, friends and lovers
• Getting fat and unfit
• Cancer

2...People who make me laugh

• Friends
• Myself when I have dreamed about something stupid like dreaming my pubic hair all turned white after I discovered a strand of white hair

3...Things I hate the most

• Receiving utility bills in the mail
• Smoking 2nd smoke
• Loud people and ipods in a train/tram/public transport

4...Things I don't understand

• That how come so many people are obssessed with faith and religion and use that for own survival
• Why am I still scared about certain things
• How come my jelly belly is still there after 100000 sit-ups a day?

5...Things I'm doing right now

• This?
• Thinking about weather tomorrow
• Listening to "The Hardest Part"

6...Things I want to do before I die

• Travel to as many places as I can, Europe being top of the list
• Look very presentable and sexy when THE ONE is right before me or behind me =P
• Spend as much time as possible with my parents (isn't that like before they die? Oh whatever)

7... Things I can do

• Listen to my friends (and sometimes bitch too)
• I can pass everyday
• Read Harry Potter and watch Friends again and again and again and again

8... Ways to describe my personality

• Warm hearted, passionate, emphatic and generous (all subject to my rules and regulation though)
• Vain
• Controlling

9... Things I can't do

• Snorkel/dive
• Build muscles (not yet?)
• Stop my sweaty glands from pumping everytime it's hot or I am nervous

10...Things I think you should listen to

• Your Mom
• Your heart
• yourself

11...Things you should never listen to

• Like all political leaders
• Gossip (yea right! I love that!!!)
• me

12...Things I'd like to learn

• Swim properly as in have a formal proper swimming lesson
• Ride a motorcycle
• Speak in French/Italian/German/Spanish fluently

13...Favorite foods

• Anything from the Mom's kitchen
• Gimme seafood anytime
• Citrus Fruits and berries

14...Beverages I drink regularly

• Tea
• Fruit Juice
• Water

15...Shows I watched as a kid

• Transformers (so excited about the upcoming movie)
• Thunder Cats
• The sound of music, always!

Now the people that I tag, Winnie Wong (your 2nd post material?), Sherly and Anglene? Sorry Moon and Eelin - you guys don't blog as much anymore now do you?

野火烧不净，春风吹又生 -- CT5烧干净，让我心清静

I can't begin to tell how relieved I was when the invigilator announced the paper concluded earlier today. All the hardwork (well maybe not as much as complaining and procrastinating. whatever ~hehehe~) had paid off I guess. Pretty sure I won't score 100% but I think I can hold up an exemption certificate in November.

Can't imagine if I have to do it all over again in April. From the girl whom I talked to before the exam started, full-time working people may need a couple of attempts before they pass a paper. So I hope I can pass them while I am still at Uni. She brought a stack of notes to exam and that reminded me of something I hadn't done for so long. Chances are no matter if I am well prepared or not for an exam, I normally won't bring any materials to the exam venue. Firstly it's cumbersome but more importantly I doubt I can enforce anything anymore at that point of time. I could only stuff it up and confuse myself even further.

Recalling my life coming back to Melbourne in the end of July - starting with PJ's medical situation and later my own (on a much much much smaller scale however), I haven't really stopped studying when I am not working and working when I am not studying. I didn't have much of a life outside that. I feel that I have lost a lot of friends and potential ones too. It felt like taking 6 subjects at the Uni and working at the same time. And I often ignore a couple of them as I simply can't manage. So my mind is telling me it's time to pick up where I left of but my brain is saying otherwise?

Mom's made 薄饼for my brother today. Miss them all.

Looking forward to "The Devil Wears Prada" next week.

This Time I Know It's For Real

Love the Young Divas!!! They are hawt! Look at Paulini - her stage presence is fantastic, given she's the most experienced of the lot. Really swaned out since 2002. Gotta go get the single myself!

a cuppa tea & a panda-to-be

Burning the mid-night light bulb now (come one - old saying needs to be updated also right?)... Essay due tomorrow. I am very cin-cai now... Hope to finish it tonight, no matter how long it takes I am gonna finish it and that'll be it!!!

I dunno since when my standard dropped so much... You might wonder too... Last-minute work seldom appears in my dictionary. But I guess I agree more with adaptation and do best with what you are given.

Part of my mind and concentration do wander across the Pacific and the South China Sea. Parents have been having disagreements and denial about my youngest brother. Youngest and at such I-don't-care-what-the-fuck-you-say age. Plus most, if not all his friends, are of the same background. Parents live a busy life + youngest + no one else to interact with but the computer. What a price to pay huh? Something which someone still denying, but maybe he has his reason I don't know.

I am just blaming myself now. What could I have done? I am just torn seeing Mom in such a difficult position. It saddens me so much so that I am fighting against my tears from welling up in my eyes. And my cousin, akin to sister, the rude behaviour from my bro that had unmistakenly broke her heart. If I were at home maybe these things wouldn't happen. 远水不能救近火。

I am not wishing anything bad for my bro... Maybe it'd be better if he wasn't borned. A child shouldn't be brought to the world when the parents would not be able to bring up the child properly and give him/her everything s/he would need. It's not just unfair to the child but the problem and heartache that could do damage to the family as a whole.

And I really think, everyone should PASS a parenting course before s/he has a child to bring up. Not just to manage the child but also the parent's own emotional and psychological needs.

*Hugs go to Ma*

我爱薏米水

Somehow over the course of my 凉茶slash糖水 making for PJ in the past few weeks or month has made me fall in love with 薏米水。 It's very simple to make relatively to the other few that I make too. Just some winter melon cubes and some barley into the slow cooker and it's done in 2 hours or so. But beware of the barley you use - only Malaysian Ayam Brand 洋薏米 is trustable by my tongue.

The others I make include (Moon's 真传) of 3-date 凉茶, namely black dates + red dates + honey dates; colours wise black-red-brown. They have to be seeded otherwise would be heaty (again this word doesn't exist in the English dictionary) instead of cooling.

Also another favourite of mine is 龙眼水/longan drink. Oh I bring my longan all the way from home, which has been brought in from Golok, Thailand. Very nice but can't boil for too long - the fruit loses its springy-ness. I also sometimes add red dates to the longan and it will become even tastier - 龙眼红枣茶。Yum Yum....

All these hot herbal drinks are very nice especially in winter... Just a mug in my hand and a teaspoon sipping away watching TV or something... 最棒的幸福也。

Missing the red and green bean soup by Mom... I will never ever make anything close to what she does.