Love Exchange

Disclaimer: This is not a review of the television drama Love Exchange. This entry is the sole opinion of the writer.

I think I'm becoming one of those archetypical “师奶” (housewife) who can't go through the day without TV drama. I would have finished watching TVB's Love Exchange in three days - I forced myself to slow down because if I finished the series, I would have no dramas to watch for a couple of days until I get hold of the next episode of currently aired Moonlight Resonance!

I'm down to the last two episodes of Love Exchange. So far, I've found it to be an entertaining watch. There are a couple of sub-plots / character(s) that I didn't care for - Tracy Ip's one-dimensional character as the rich daddy's girl Sophie. I fail to understand how a 20-something year old beautiful, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, accomplished, seemingly intelligent, woman could be so appallingly pathetic when it comes to love. Sophie seemed to have it all - an intellectual Paris Hilton - and yet she is Play-Doh in her husband's slimy hands, choosing to ignore her husband's unfaithfulness and wrong-doings. The crowning glory to Ms. Sophie's beautiful head is - shock horror - she's actually a NICE rich girl.

Her most memorable line from her lacklustre performance:
"I don't mind (my husband's) philandering, as long as he knows the way home."

I don't think many - if any - rich girls would act this way. Hey, if I were a beautiful rich girl, why should I tolerate any nonsense from anyone?

I could have done without Sophie's insipid character or Tracy Ip's acting - frustrating to watch and a blow to feminism. I don't even consider myself a feminist. :P

Enough ranting from me. I'll get back to watching Episode 19.

UPDATE: HK police investigation was portrayed to be some sort of a circus - laughable. Best character portrayal - Crystal Tin. The twist at the end was a bit of a surprise, but not a shock. The ending - realistic enough.

Verdict? Better TVB drama of recent times. Some parts were reminiscent of older dramas (e.g. the scene where Sophie's father rolled down the stairs and became a vegetable), but I can't be able to pinpoint which, perhaps it's because scenes get rehashed so often that it's difficult to keep track.

Now that I have finished the series, perhaps I could go about doing something more constructive. Banking? Grocery-shopping? The list goes on.

Love Exchange

I'm having one of those "oh another day, what am I going to do?" type of morning. I have had many of these mornings in recent times, more so when I anticipate a change in my life. I think I'm one of the lucky ones who have inertia rooted deep into their beings - I think I'm quite resistant to change. Ironically, I probably have gone through more change than the next door girl.

On the other hand, I dislike monotony. I loathe to do the same things over and over again without having even the slightest change to the routine. My life, at this stage, it monotonous. Wake up, laze around, get dressed for work, catch the train, work, go home, cook / order take-away, shower, eat, watch TV / DVDs laze around, sleep. Sometimes I try to pick up a book or magazine to escape from the routine, by the time I get to it, it's almost time to end the day, and start again. :P

Yes, I'm having one of those mornings, where I sit and ponder the mornings prior to this. The only difference to this morning is I've decided to air my thoughts on the World Wide Web.

I need to get changed for work.

Congratulations

PY has become an elite member of Registered Pharmacists of NSW. For those who do not know, registration is a grueling ordeal. Nearing the end of 2000 hours of supervised practice, one must pass both the written and oral components of the examination before the Pharmacy Board is satisfied that one may be let loose onto the community. Or the other way around. Into my second year of being let loose, I realise that there are some prized customers out there who derive morbid pleasure out of seeing a pharmacist being put in her / his place. However, this could arguably be my sole opinion; the Board obviously thinks that the community is a herd of meek lambs. :P

We went to Azuma as Chifley Plaza for dinner on Saturday 09/08/2008. KT has been itching to try out this one chef hat Japanese restaurant. We have PY to thank for the golden opportunity!

Pre-dinner entertainment

I would call this an entree: deep-fried prawns with home-made tartar sauce and Ponzu dipping sauce - yummy, but PY and I both agree that the prawns were not too fresh.

Of course, we had more than just the prawns - we then went on to have the yummy Azuma specialty - deep fried flounder fillets with Ponzu dipping sauce - the flounder pieces were like M&M's - they melted in my mouth! :P Don't forget the sushi, soba, and tempura ramen - all very yummy, and I was left wanting more!

Yes, the Pièce de résistance - the famous Double Bay ice-cream extravaganza - we ate so much ice-cream that night that I couldn't be able to tell the difference between the many different flavours!

PY is worried that she might not get a job - I worried too when I first started out - but I'm sure she'd have no troubles in finding one, and I'm hoping that it would be the "big break" - a wonderful start of a new chapter in her life. Here's to you, my friend. :)

Congratulations

Longing

I long for,

Familiar faces, familiar voices, familiar sights, familiar sounds,
The best fish porridge in the world,
The smell of Swea'D,
The giggling in a dim room,
Dark room and glow-in-the-dark butterflies,
Sleeping side-by-side,
Garden full of plants,
The Yamaha in the living room,
Late night ghost movies,
Dinner at a favourite restaurant,
Chinese New Year,
Birthday celebrations,
The hugs, kisses,
The encouragement,
The warmth,
The love.

Longing

The Art of Chocolate Soufflé

I have heard of the story of Soufflé. Temperamental concoction of egg whites, but oh-so-delightful to the palate. How could I resist trying out the recipe in Australia Vogue Entertaining + Travel (April / May 2008)? I could not. I was in the mood for a challenge.

Soft butter, to grease
75g caster sugar
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
4 eggs, at room temperature, separated

The ingredients were simple enough. Nothing exotic or intimidating. I have seen recipes calling for Dutch cocoa or dark couverture chocolate. Where do you suppose I could get Dutch cocoa from? The Netherlands? Even though Sydney is truly a cosmopolitan city, I doubt our friendly Coles' or Woolworths' stock Dutch cocoa. Try SELECTED delis. Never mind.

Back to the Soufflé project.

Step 1: Grease and coat the insides and rims of four ramekins with a generous amount of butter, then caster sugar. I remember what Matthew McConaughey said in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days". "Frosting". So the insides of the ramekins looked like they've been frosted. Beautiful. Put the ramekins on a baking tray. Done.

Step 2: Preheat oven at 200 degrees Celcius. KT was using the oven to toast the garlic bread whilst I whisked the egg whites. Done.

Step 3: Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. Whisk in the 4 egg yolks one by one. Remove mixture from heat. Done. The mixture looked good enough for me to stick my finger in it for a taste, but I resisted the urge and risk of Salmonella poisoning.

Step 4: Whisk egg whites to soft peaks with an electric mixer. Electric mixer?!! I resorted to physical violence with my trusty stainless steel, manually operated balloon whisk. After much huffing and puffing, the soft peaks deigned to form.

Step 5: Whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen up the mixture. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites until just incorporated. I interpreted that as to handle the Soufflé mixture with the same care as you would a priceless antique. Done.

Step 6: Divide mixture among ramekins, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until risen. 10 minutes later, I reckoned they were done.

Comments on this recipe:
I could have whisked the egg whites more. I read other recipes on the Internet, and those recipes called for stiff peaks as opposed to soft, drooping peaks. Some recipes also suggested the use of a "binding agent" e.g. cream of Tartar or a pinch of salt to help stabilise the soft peaks, then to add sugar to the egg white mixture prior to whisking to form stiff peaks.

Some recipes also suggested to add butter and/or heavy cream and/or sugar to the chocolate mixture, perhaps to produce a more rich Soufflé. I wonder if the addition of such heavy ingredients would impede the rising of the Soufflé, hence needing the egg whites to be whisked until stiff peaks are formed.

All the recipes I searched on the Internet suggested longer cooking times, some as long as 26 minutes. A vast difference from the 8 to 10 minutes I operated on. The end-result should be a outer crust, yet still "jiggly" Soufflé core. Hmm...

The only way of mastering the Art is more research, practice, and trial and error.

Until the next practice session, I bid the Soufflé au revoir.

The Art of Chocolate Soufflé

Dearest Papa

Dearest Papa,

Thank you for always being by our side, guiding us through good and bad times with your 'seng mok'-ness.

Thank you for being understanding and patient with us, even when we try your patience, and, most of the time, it's difficult to understand us.

Thank you for taking care of us, cooking us the 'best fish porridge in the world' and cleaning up the mess after us dirty piggies.

Thank you for the family trips, getting us together as a family to see the world.

Thank you for showing us the world and how you see the world, so that on our own two feet, we know how to face the world.

Thank you for sending us out into the world, yet letting us know that home is where we can always return to.

Most of all,

Thank you for being the best Papa in the world, and the best man, too, for we know, that in this world, there is no better Papa than you.

Dearest Papa

We past the point of no return when we showed our tickets to the usher. As I sat down on my seat, my heart skipped a few beats.

I have listened to recordings of the Phantom of the Opera musical countless times during my first and second years in Sydney, so much so that I could memorise each and every word, both dialogue and songs. When the film version came out in 2004, I was ecstatic. The ultimate dream was to see the musical for myself, and my dream came true when KT said that he bought tickets for the 5th of July!

The lights went off. The theatre plunged into darkness. A single strike of the gavel transported me into musical nostalgia. For the first time I was able to piece together sound with sight. The stage setting did not leave me wanting, and each scene left with me a curious sensation that the Phantom did not only lurk on the stage, but also in the theatre. I found myself looking for the hiding Phantom in each scene!

The ending moved me to tears. The Phantom of the Opera is a tale of yearning of love unrequited. The part where the Phantom waled out "You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the music of the night" wrenched my heart.

The cast was brilliant, in that each person gave a unique interpretation of his/her character that made the character more believable. I loved it that Christine part sobbed part sang to convey frustation and helplessness. I loved it that Raoul was portrayed as the knight in shining armour, with a hint of simple-mindedness about him. I loved the dramatic Carlotta and Piangi, although I hoped that Carlotta could have been more dramatic. :P I loved the pairing of André and Firmin lending comic relief to the musical.

Needless to say, it was the Angel of Music who was the shining star. His expression when Christine kissed him at the ending was priceless, comical even.

I'd love to see the Phantom of the Opera again!

Red Herring News

Frankly, I am sick of following the sham they call news in Malaysia. Not too long ago, we were astounded by the news of soaring fuel prices, price increases in groceries and what-have-yous, and now this red herring - bad history repeating itself.

Politics is not a profession one would want to get involved in if one aspires to go down the straight and narrow. With the way things are going, it's utterly disgusting.

There are more vital issues to address in Malaysia, such as national security, rise in cost of living against income, issues that would make Malaysians proud to be Malaysians, and yet these are downplayed by the PG rating. Power-Greedy.

If the so-called leaders do not put our best interests at heart, what hope do we have for our nation?

Red Herring News

Nam Nam Father, poor Old St. Michael's needs more than dusting!

I know. It's been over a month since I wrote something. It's blogger's block. :P So many things go through my mind every day, I reach for the computer to write them down, and when I begin to, my mind draws a blank.

I suppose I should update on the current happenings in my life. Yes, it has been nearly three months since I moved. So far, it's been good. I love the quietness of the new place, and although I have to make mad dashes to the city for grocery and errands, it's a good change. I do miss Broadway, though. I miss the convenience of being so close to the city. I miss going to Harris Farm and shopping for weird and wonderful foods. Just Saturday KT and I went for a shopping spree at Broadway for groceries and necessities, and we were waiting for a taxi to cart our shopping home, and we happened across a new yum cha place where Mamma's Kitchen used to be at. Yum cha from 10am to 10pm. Imagine that.

Father gave us a tour of "poor old St. Michael's". It seems that since the majority of us has left St. Michael's, it has begun to collapse. Literally-speaking. The engineers came around to assess St. Michael's state of disrepair. The roof has begun to peel off in certain parts of the college, due to the collection of rain water on the rooftop. The room where PY and I have stayed for more than three years smells musty and dank, with water leaking from most parts of the ceiling.

Father showed us each and every room that has been affected, and I felt as if I was on a tour of a delapidated historical building. I almost expected to see a sad ghost around each corner. St. Michael's is too quiet, so very different to when we used to stay there, running up and down the stairs, shouting and jumping around in our room, cooking in the kitchen, singing in the bathroom whilst have a shower, watching the Australian Open in the TV room, playing mahjong.

As Father showed us the tree and bamboo plants he planted thirty years ago, I was overcome with a wave of sadness, so intense that I wanted to cry. Even now, I cannot help feeling nostalgic for the happy days we shared at St. Michael's. Old and rundown though it has been, it was our fleeting home.

All Things New

Today is my birthday.

I am 27 years old.

It is also the first birthday in 6 years that I get to celebrate with my parents.

It is also the first birthday in the new apartment.

Yes, I have moved into an apartment. It's quite new, us being the second lot of tenants to move in since two years ago, if I'm not mistaken.

More about the apartment in another entry.

I celebrated my 27th year with a mask on my face. No, literally. I put on some facial mask on my face quarter to midnight, thinking that before midnight, I would have washed it off well before midnight and my skin would feel good and refreshed. At midnight my roommate burst into the room with a friend and they had a cake for me. I still had the mask on, and whilst they serenaded me with the birthday song, I entertained them with bits of dried up mask falling off my face. Not very appetising.

The cake, on the other hand, was very yummy. Taro-flavoured. My favourite.

I should be getting a move on to meet my parents.

All Things New