tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74434662045722361872024-03-05T01:00:05.955-08:00Choux de BruxellesChoux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-58834809267002552352013-04-08T03:15:00.002-07:002013-04-08T03:15:26.380-07:00A Painting a day...I am proud to say I did quite a bit of writing last week! I don’t usually have time to because I work full time but I made the most out of the Easter holiday. I started reviewing shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and you can read my reviews of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://bit.ly/Z1BZLP%E2%80%9D">Jennifer Wong’s show</a> and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://bit.ly/14IArHJ%E2%80%9D">Ronny Chieng’s show</a> on artshub. I’ve also got a review of Liberal Arts pending. For fun (and to keep myself writing), I’m thinking about reviewing the new Justin Timberblake album. It's a very interesting album and I'm still undecided about it. Have you guys listened to it?
<br />
<br />
I met up with my friend Susie and she told me she’s going to write 1000 words a day. She suggested I do the same with my painting, which I think is an excellent idea. I’ve been feeling a bit down about my painting abilities this week, only because I suck at painting food! Like I mentioned in my previous post, I really want to create an illustrated dessert cookbook and the food I painted just isn't turning out right. I know I just need to keep persevering with it. I spoke with my partner's sister who is an art teacher and she gave me some handy tips so I'm gonna incorporate that into my paintings. Susie suggested I go suss out the NGV for some inspiration, which is a great idea.
<br />
<br />
I was telling a few people about the dessert cookbook idea and I’ve been told by two people to look at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://bit.ly/Y6gVOi%E2%80%9D">Dawn Tan’s art</a>. I did a browse today and I just love of her work! Her paintings are so fun and colourful with an endearing quality to it. Dawn's art is a great example of how art doesn't always need to look real.
<br />
<br />
I was also reading a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.pikaland.com/2013/02/19/dear-students-money-isnt-the-source-of-your-problem/%E2%80%9D">blog post from Pikaland</a> about how there are ways for us to make money so we pay our bills AND do our creative projects. It's just a matter of not wasting your time and doing it. If you're spending your time whining about having no time to 'create' while watching reruns of Big Bang Theory (which was what I was doing last year), then you really need to assess how to use your time more effectively.
<br />
<br />
Anyway, I felt pretty inspired by those two blogs so I painted a portrait of a goofy Great Dane. I'm very pleased with how it turned out!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigudrnWT-BeZn_IaBMbxJJ_BAk_i5BAdGVWsJAt17cCmZxYV70_lZRmIwYcb7O5lBcPJwUq_QexXDBzjjhNR9BRUfgSkaL2lhOB_1uv9o4_S0-WcZV4jnHSbltEBJ80Nr4AkWdpqcN7tP1/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-04-08+at+8.14.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigudrnWT-BeZn_IaBMbxJJ_BAk_i5BAdGVWsJAt17cCmZxYV70_lZRmIwYcb7O5lBcPJwUq_QexXDBzjjhNR9BRUfgSkaL2lhOB_1uv9o4_S0-WcZV4jnHSbltEBJ80Nr4AkWdpqcN7tP1/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-04-08+at+8.14.02+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-47042096586030841222013-03-30T05:03:00.000-07:002013-03-30T05:24:43.126-07:00Do a lot of workLast week’s been a really good week for me, creative productivity-wise. I haven't reviewed anything in months so I'm proud to say I've submitted a review for Liberal Arts to arts hub. I’ve avoided writing reviews for performance shows because the turn around is crazy and I work full time, so there’s very little time to write a good review. When DVD reviews were up for grabs, I dived for them. It was hard starting them but once I started to concentrate more, everything flowed really well, which I'm pleased about. Watch out for my review of Liberal Arts soon!
<br />
<br />
I've also just locked off the script to my first short film! I revisited it tonight after a 2-month break from it. I've made some changes, which I think makes it stronger. I’ve started contacting a few people who I’ve had in mind for certain roles and hopefully that will get things rolling. I’m still unsure if I should get a producer or not. Some people say yes, some say no. I guess I’ll just have to see how I go. I'll definitely need a production manager though.
<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago I made some amazing little cupcakes for my friend Al's 30th birthday party and I wanted to write a blog post about the recipes. This is what they look like. I was pretty freaking proud of how they turned out:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgF6yLaY3n4Yzckd1GVX5aDGvO1MSrnMQnIeDn5wEBHEkeYxjexfUMwvNLDqNxAIFXc2u3gBrSwLnjAf60ZKu9QN1rqDY55Vg4K8vxPcvXBcoZGXaIIXD_rU_z-zrLsDDOxX9iNd3Gklqf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.56.03+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgF6yLaY3n4Yzckd1GVX5aDGvO1MSrnMQnIeDn5wEBHEkeYxjexfUMwvNLDqNxAIFXc2u3gBrSwLnjAf60ZKu9QN1rqDY55Vg4K8vxPcvXBcoZGXaIIXD_rU_z-zrLsDDOxX9iNd3Gklqf/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.56.03+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj8lNic8aRGniVaELcjdB6U5XPKQ_TTM1uvaIkMt6T-kCLGw9TkM47IxYd18fBvSA4j4P8pDNC3bPaeb_GnUGnAuozgTWXwahlY8FqjF38YXauEtg7x0QS-gYHSFlysghOnXsdVlDFVFv/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.56.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj8lNic8aRGniVaELcjdB6U5XPKQ_TTM1uvaIkMt6T-kCLGw9TkM47IxYd18fBvSA4j4P8pDNC3bPaeb_GnUGnAuozgTWXwahlY8FqjF38YXauEtg7x0QS-gYHSFlysghOnXsdVlDFVFv/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.56.18+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I had this great idea: Why don't I illustrate the cupcakes instead of taking photos of them? Then it lead to an even bigger idea: I should totes make a dessert cookbook featuring illustrations instead of photos. I started painting food this week and I've realised food is really damn hard to paint in watercolour!
<br />
<br />
Either you create something washed out like this:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXD5lky1sZApYD107JUf7tW3d2nFJQFvQVEscSLfF_9Bw1Wz76txxWHv8EBdJZgXust2UW_dtkNHs_jgPa9GLiD_TTqCf111-2xtNbf0igGApXCHRrXedOLMgF5hsAcFYIvrbj6xYjCMJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXD5lky1sZApYD107JUf7tW3d2nFJQFvQVEscSLfF_9Bw1Wz76txxWHv8EBdJZgXust2UW_dtkNHs_jgPa9GLiD_TTqCf111-2xtNbf0igGApXCHRrXedOLMgF5hsAcFYIvrbj6xYjCMJ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.26+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Or you oversimplify to this:
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQuxdKGIu5YhCc6L32ZHdSs4F022wC5Zm-nVPP-aOKMj7o5xFg732ZnsfHEWOIKlcx8I4sbHfmhjDCBERTQK-KX_DoQVP-QTqNT7vv6EtkFSCm9N-mLjyoSPxwH8X8RqUTDJxhgt4JYDF/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQuxdKGIu5YhCc6L32ZHdSs4F022wC5Zm-nVPP-aOKMj7o5xFg732ZnsfHEWOIKlcx8I4sbHfmhjDCBERTQK-KX_DoQVP-QTqNT7vv6EtkFSCm9N-mLjyoSPxwH8X8RqUTDJxhgt4JYDF/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.13+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAXQvT4HtBLpGDDsbHVX3qP_nR_FIkMPTHZvrFUWK3sMUmdVpkIhnmMFvaEIATTioYNBML2aDdKolD7El3Dw6THxidKqOIz2CwZfNomckaNoqwRd1K4YOCl1MEirCTWRjjx5fVA2LKW5j/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.37+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAXQvT4HtBLpGDDsbHVX3qP_nR_FIkMPTHZvrFUWK3sMUmdVpkIhnmMFvaEIATTioYNBML2aDdKolD7El3Dw6THxidKqOIz2CwZfNomckaNoqwRd1K4YOCl1MEirCTWRjjx5fVA2LKW5j/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.43.37+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I obviously feel really disappointed that I can't paint food very well. I guess I’m still trying to figure out my “style”. Once I know this, it will dictate how this cookbook will turn out. My problem is I try too hard trying to paint things realistically. I always have to remind myself it’s OK if something doesn’t look real. Somethings are more endearing when they look a little different.
<br />
<br />
Speaking of food painting, I found <a href="http://heegyum.tumblr.com/">Heegyum Kim’s blog</a> yesterday. She illustrates her recipes and the food she eats. It’s absolutely stunning and I’m studying some of her work to see how she does it. She doesn’t fixate of realism, but has fun with the colours and shapes. While I don’t think my painting style is like hers, it’s a great point of reference for me. I haven’t found many food illustrators so if you do know of any, please share in the comments!
<br />
<br />
I also found this quote from Ira Glass on Heegyum’s blog that I want to share with y’all. I guess it’s a reminder of whatever artform you pursue, it’s all about practicing a lot and learning through doing. I think TV and film have created this idea that if you are gifted, you don’t need to train. This quote by Ira Glass is great because it shows you just how much effort goes into perfecting your chosen art form. Think about our most esteemed athletes and musicians: they do so much training to perfect their talents. It’s a great reminder for those days when I feel dejected because I’m not drawing/writing/painting at the level I want to.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://heegyum.tumblr.com/post/33506046988/nervousexposure-a-much-much-needed" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuCh-FfBXwbCpy41EL0PRuqyukArtkzDZcCWmhlElUrY5KL6x1yqj7AQpuqEulIwP7hj0nhUoSjv684oivqv8Kv9Kp4CweapefFdcVwIwQlL5QayLVkPIN2WYovGIF8IetwCO7x_TSIh-/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-03-30+at+10.44.19+PM.png" /></a></div>
Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-34490110568488639102013-03-09T19:55:00.000-08:002013-03-09T19:55:39.076-08:00Art Attack!A few weeks ago, I did a watercolour painting course at <a href="http://www.cae.edu.au/web/">CAE</a>. It was great. If anyone is considering taking it up, I strongly recommend doing an introductory course because watercolour painting can be a little technical. I'd strongly recommend the course at CAE. The teachers are great and it's good fun.<br />
<br />
Before the course, most of the things I painted were landscapes, and I'm not very good at that. After the course, I had a look at some watercolour artists. Most of them paint landscapes but there are a few like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Nolde">Emil Nolde</a> who also paint portraits and flowers. Nolde's work is very gestural and vibrant, very different to what we associate watercolour with.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://elogedelart.canalblog.com/archives/p7130-10.html"><img src="http://p8.storage.canalblog.com/88/66/119589/41380254.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Anyway, I've started to paint more animals now. It's much more fun and you can be a bit more detailed with it. I'm not great at it but I'm getting better, I reckon. I would ideally like to paint something more colourful. <br />
<br />
Here are some paintings I've done after my painting course:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHwDtU7XBMfqip91-b091CPO30MJ9oWMpLIemyX1J914-GmaGZunk-1r0s8wSWEANWjReislbuQU-LMZUisqAaAmzE6mIzb8JHSaktA7NXomrU30LNPAFWwPFsTVulkdkdmSI0R5OBur7/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.08.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHwDtU7XBMfqip91-b091CPO30MJ9oWMpLIemyX1J914-GmaGZunk-1r0s8wSWEANWjReislbuQU-LMZUisqAaAmzE6mIzb8JHSaktA7NXomrU30LNPAFWwPFsTVulkdkdmSI0R5OBur7/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.08.21+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We played with the paints at CAE, trying to make the paints melt into each other. It looks very cool!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUSywmfxYV_ywAr62u_PiLijbWr9rQ66vr7C3E7uK9h8bmdbvG0WYLnWCyJ-5HNS7bCsX6DBRTzL7UIKsv3TvEDkYQ-JmOSJtEhsNnFp9OueFKqj7qhYIKoDnTNx4pf2u262SAJIG4Ylu/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.08.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUSywmfxYV_ywAr62u_PiLijbWr9rQ66vr7C3E7uK9h8bmdbvG0WYLnWCyJ-5HNS7bCsX6DBRTzL7UIKsv3TvEDkYQ-JmOSJtEhsNnFp9OueFKqj7qhYIKoDnTNx4pf2u262SAJIG4Ylu/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.08.43+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We learned to use salt in our paintings. The salt soaks up the paint, creating a cool effect like stars in the sky or give the effect it's snowing. The effect varies depending on the colour of the paint and how dry/wet it is on paper. For this one, my paint was a bit thicker and dryer so the snowing effect wasn't as obvious.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDZ-kNr9piERAXNg_JNhPR9eQOzabTJdW8L10OtPjLHtuDDjrGURvf8XP-FklkLHkR5fSU6WGAqDi3WwKXlh-lJGKsJIOTkvjSupRwHkDqhLX9F4AC8gGFFen_s0ZkPbGj4uiDcC_z3KB/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.07.22+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDZ-kNr9piERAXNg_JNhPR9eQOzabTJdW8L10OtPjLHtuDDjrGURvf8XP-FklkLHkR5fSU6WGAqDi3WwKXlh-lJGKsJIOTkvjSupRwHkDqhLX9F4AC8gGFFen_s0ZkPbGj4uiDcC_z3KB/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.07.22+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I was given a cretionist brochure one morning and it had some great images in it. I ended up painting these giraffes. I think it turned out really well. It's not perfecting but it's still kind of cute.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JJgNFR6wf2aS4d5TTo_5NF04yWcOKJtHb2OBblAW1DetYlpmFCFI6gC95wGpV54RCpk9LFEcm_yOplxONJXSXZE7LwcfHyhyphenhyphenf2Ewjv9aOjqpU0qZBQv1nYFMzossJXjUlf23CydfDMtE/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.06.44+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JJgNFR6wf2aS4d5TTo_5NF04yWcOKJtHb2OBblAW1DetYlpmFCFI6gC95wGpV54RCpk9LFEcm_yOplxONJXSXZE7LwcfHyhyphenhyphenf2Ewjv9aOjqpU0qZBQv1nYFMzossJXjUlf23CydfDMtE/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.06.44+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This one was a bit disappointing. I found this really cool photo of an own but I just couldn't do it justice.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii31ODabeIacracFgE5eVwouJtgXXtsEBkaxqhQc0N7e1NVfTTiFuUcVkUSCvliw2VdQRY4EfJzQTLEOSEDTYBNFDGGYuhKYocBMiAsGclGyOHyxo69KUEmHrTVLi9z4OzgWbbarniaKEZ/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.07.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii31ODabeIacracFgE5eVwouJtgXXtsEBkaxqhQc0N7e1NVfTTiFuUcVkUSCvliw2VdQRY4EfJzQTLEOSEDTYBNFDGGYuhKYocBMiAsGclGyOHyxo69KUEmHrTVLi9z4OzgWbbarniaKEZ/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.07.49+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I read article about award-winning hens and there was this photo of a stunning white rooster. I had to paint him. Again, I couldn't do it justice. It was also trickier than other animal portraits because he's white and in watercolour painting, you don't have a white paint option – it's whatever colour your paper is.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HRvgONnaEpnsvtLC6zNgbc6oZzuWtcqCLuw5pzkQX8e48tCp7QszziKZs9fRgRcJQ00sGT4uQcDU-8lUu89Fn30WZpGddTNlLJ06GuSqmSj6BhcBt-xtVh3MxDTD3QNxqGnITkx_FXLC/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.05.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HRvgONnaEpnsvtLC6zNgbc6oZzuWtcqCLuw5pzkQX8e48tCp7QszziKZs9fRgRcJQ00sGT4uQcDU-8lUu89Fn30WZpGddTNlLJ06GuSqmSj6BhcBt-xtVh3MxDTD3QNxqGnITkx_FXLC/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.05.18+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I painted this guy today. It turned out all right. I'm pretty happy with it although I wish I could paint his skin folds better.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wub1DkMpiU61OE2hoiWG-Z7QLxVxbX9xFzhLlzKfVwKHwIQqWY3ZUO9NELaIfn9HYE87niZtMUNB_dKaiggh-FDNfvltcRuHRaS9VMWAdWLJbt91QCxzlxjTFGRxXY5I1G42E5wuDU-u/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.05.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wub1DkMpiU61OE2hoiWG-Z7QLxVxbX9xFzhLlzKfVwKHwIQqWY3ZUO9NELaIfn9HYE87niZtMUNB_dKaiggh-FDNfvltcRuHRaS9VMWAdWLJbt91QCxzlxjTFGRxXY5I1G42E5wuDU-u/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-10+at+2.05.50+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
During high school I was really interested in using biro to create the illusion of texture. I decided to play with biro and watercolour. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I might do more of these later.
<br />
<br />
If anyone has any recommendation of things I can paint, please let me know! And you can follow me on instagram if you wish: <a href="http://instagram.com/chouxchoux">instagram.com/chouxchoux</a><span id="goog_1030587309"></span><span id="goog_1030587310"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-66912444011860407032013-03-04T03:29:00.000-08:002013-03-04T03:35:19.389-08:00Grow Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE11VKnxlMtPl7yPsAOmuF9eE9VpobcIM0WsquX5Jxyk_No5zPj93JI-73cu8ww8hqDbo0gEEQeT5FEO7F3GS55ntQLiuIQC5NpVRpYJTk9gg_oaNO_EZQ5x_JVt54f_TDANUWIIJ_IRPg/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-04+at+10.16.38+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE11VKnxlMtPl7yPsAOmuF9eE9VpobcIM0WsquX5Jxyk_No5zPj93JI-73cu8ww8hqDbo0gEEQeT5FEO7F3GS55ntQLiuIQC5NpVRpYJTk9gg_oaNO_EZQ5x_JVt54f_TDANUWIIJ_IRPg/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-03-04+at+10.16.38+PM.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm a bit of a late bloomer. I'm always the last one to reach certain milestones like get a full-time job and my driver's license. At the ripe age of 23, I am pleased to say I will be moving out of my safe cocoon next month to venture the world of adulthood. Hello responsibility and independence – we're gonna be great friends!<br />
<br />
It was a bit sad telling my parents I was going to move out of home. Since we have no extended family in Australia, my parents (or actually, my mum) cling on to us, not wanting to let go. It was even harder telling them I was going to move in with my partner. My parents are rather traditional. Mum wretchedly stressed I wasn't married and no one in our family ever slept in the same bed with their partners outside of wedlock. Dad just accepted it was something I needed to do. Either way, they're just going to have to accept it.<br />
<br />
I'll be moving in with Liam's housemates as well. I think it's a good idea to move in with people I know well-ish, but not too well that it could ruin friendships. I'm also just really excited about living with Liam. We've been talking about getting a place together but neither of us are financially well off enough to even rent a place for just us two. This is a nice compromise. We've found a local bar that we really like called Long Play (they do excellent Bloody Marys). I hope Long Play becomes our <a href="http://how-i-met-your-mother.wikia.com/wiki/MacLaren%27s_Pub">Maclaren's</a>. I guess you can call this "taking our relationship to the next level". It's very exciting and a little bit scary, but in a good way. Most of all, I'm looking forward to waking up with him next to me every morning. I know: SAAA CORNY. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A2mFfP1q50o" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<b>How was your moving-out-of-home experience?</b><br />
<br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-47858586770279534722013-02-18T02:34:00.002-08:002013-02-18T02:41:47.182-08:00Book vomitMy laptop carked it last week. I've had old Humphrey for about 4.5 years. We've gone through two batteries and several laptop chargers. I'm taking him to a repair place on the weekend. I'll see how much of we can save but I think it might be time to find a new one. Liam's loaned me his old laptop, which I'm extremely grateful for.<br />
<br />
During my forced computer sabbatical, I did lots of reading. I found sanity reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games_trilogy">The Hunger Games trilogy</a>. I know it's not the "coolest" thing to read at my age but I'm proud to say I fucking loved the series. I loved it so much that when I finished it, I moped for days feeling lost and heartbroken. I couldn't figure out why I was feeling so forlorn. I decided to calm myself down and watch the film.<br />
<br />
<i>Spoilers ahead, guys.</i><br />
<br />
I think what's upset me the most is knowing everyone is irreparably scarred. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter">Harry Potter</a>, Harry and co live 'happily ever after' when Voldemort dies. Katniss and co can't "go back". There is no going back: their homes have been destroyed and their relationships with each other become so strained. <br />
<br />
Katniss and Gale had this beautiful friendship and despite the love they feel for each other, it's gone because Katniss will always associate Prim's death with Gale. I'm not upset Katniss doesn't end up with Gale; I'm upset that Katniss will never love Peeta the way he has always so fiercely loved her. Yes, I've fallen in love with Peeta Mellark (falling in love with fictional characters is kinda my thing). His love felt so big and Katniss could only return a fraction of affection because she felt obligated to. Perhaps he expected too much from her. They're both so battered that they can only end up together. How can they explain what happened to them to anyone else? How can anyone begin to understand what they went through? It's so wretched! <br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm very glad the second film is coming out this year. We're gonna have some fun.<br />
<br />
I'm currently reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_Who_Played_with_Fire">The Girl Who Played With Fire</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stieg_Larsson">Stieg Larsson</a>. I've read <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo">The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</a> and watched both the Swedish and American films. I'm starting to feel the books are ruining the films for me. Is that even a thing? Can books ruin the film? It made all the twists less shocking, but I suppose it can happen when you watch a film before you read the book. I did find myself comparing the two films. Overall they're pretty similar but I think casting in the Swedish film was better than the American. However, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_Mara">Rooney Mara</a>'s portrayal of Lisbeth Salander felt truer to the book. While <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noomi_Rapace">Noomi Rapace</a> was great, she interpreted Salander as an anarchistic rebel. In a way, Salander is that but I always thought Salander was more subtle and less reactionary.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should write a comparative essay, comparing the films and the book. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-66450157560466459462013-02-04T04:44:00.000-08:002013-02-04T04:44:12.049-08:00Catching Up + Learning Age is Not an ExcuseIt's been a very exhausting day! How is it only Monday? It was one of those insanely busy days where you feel like you haven't achieved much. I'm trying hard to be as organised as I can. Last week I planned what I was going to wear each day for a week. It was great; it saved me a great deal of time!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I'm finally going for my P's this Friday, and I've told too many people about it to fail! I've convinced myself I'll go to the gym more often once I have my licence but most likely I'll just end up buying lots of takeaway. Hello maccas drive thru!<br />
<br />
Last night I went to a book launch. Liam's 92-year old grandma, Marjorie Darling Ward, has just published a book called 'Three Chords and the Truth'. You can buy it on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Three-Chords-The-Truth-Volume/dp/1479101834">Amazon</a>. It's a story set in the Australian outback, cobbled with wonderful musical references to Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen. The book launch was great. It was full of her creative writing friends, family and long term admirers. We're all very proud of Marjorie. It's just shows you how you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it. <b><u>Age is no barrier</u></b>. <br />
<br />
Over the weekend, I was discussing what to do with my hair with Liam's sister and sister-in-law. I want to go blonde this winter and since Liam's sister and mum are both blonde, I got them to drape their hair over my face to see what I'd look like if I was blonde. The result, in my opinion, looks kind of cool, but I've had so many of my friends say I shouldn't go blonde. That's not going to stop me though. I'll probably do it anyway and if I hate it then I can always dye it black. My only concern is having hair fall out in clumps. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0YUy_S27IfFurXUHWOE7tt9uMwpRDcLVVyAn78QAZ4YDHHqkBqXbRdyhcn9pJX1OVB5tM8vs-vhN9DDu7PXdmGesWYC_nmGPWBpqq6lQFiy_OSGL1dtTOAOu_P78jVY3XuyULfy3ovxr/s1600/Picture+18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0YUy_S27IfFurXUHWOE7tt9uMwpRDcLVVyAn78QAZ4YDHHqkBqXbRdyhcn9pJX1OVB5tM8vs-vhN9DDu7PXdmGesWYC_nmGPWBpqq6lQFiy_OSGL1dtTOAOu_P78jVY3XuyULfy3ovxr/s1600/Picture+18.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Also, Liam's mum, Diana, gave me a bag of her second had clothes from the 80s. I've been dying to suss out her old wardrobe, which she has horded for decades. She was quite the trendsetter back in the day! She still is, I'd say. She rocked an ivory suit at the book launch. She was clearing out some of her old clothes and handed me some "vintage" Sportsgirl and Just Jeans. It's very cool! I haven't tried them on yet but if nothing fits, I'll be passing them on to friends. The shorts are TINY. They're meant to be a size 12 but they're probably a size 4 - 6. I don't know if I'm game enough to wear the cropped top. It's so cute though! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj6DxsrktsBtdF-QLmQmoS8voUpe4mawvPT1YD3ZIHKf_1MbWgUW7FKNxYslBAcRj549Fjr2pKDXdzOdtDluzem3Lo_v5E2j8xA2svcI_IYKTqZhETgBp8wmeE8UNfZW9H1bHR_d5K7__/s1600/Picture+19.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj6DxsrktsBtdF-QLmQmoS8voUpe4mawvPT1YD3ZIHKf_1MbWgUW7FKNxYslBAcRj549Fjr2pKDXdzOdtDluzem3Lo_v5E2j8xA2svcI_IYKTqZhETgBp8wmeE8UNfZW9H1bHR_d5K7__/s1600/Picture+19.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Have you been given a special item of clothing? Please share!Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-29386544212175290362013-01-27T22:44:00.001-08:002013-01-27T22:44:42.685-08:00Clarity + Watercolour PaintingFor the past few years I’ve been freaking out a lot about where my life is heading and what I really want to get out of it. I was constantly comparing my lack of success with other people’s successes (I still do) and my life got stuck in a rut. <br />
<br />
This year I feel more clarity. I still don’t know where my life is headed and I still feel bouts of disappointment when I think about what I haven’t achieved. However, this time, I don’t spend weeks analyzing my lack of success until I burst into tears, which, I hope, is a good thing and not just a way of ignoring my issues by sticking my head in the ground. <br />
<br />
One of the main things helping me feel more comfortable with where my life is going is just doing more things. Maybe I’m just distracting myself from the real issues. This year alone I’ve read about 8 books (I read no books last year!), took up painting, listened to more new music and I’m starting pre-production with my film. They’re all small, insignificant activities but they’re keeping me positive. As for work, I’m slowly being forced into social situations, which is good for developing my “people” skills. I still have days where I just can’t be bothered making an effort, but it is becoming easier to pull myself out of those moods. <br />
<br />
One thing I want to do more of is write and showing people my work, no matter how bad it is. I have low confidence and I’m always horrified about showing people my stuff in case they hate it, but criticism is good for improving skills. So, I’m going to write more, share more and plug myself a bit more from now on. <br />
<br />
To start this process, I’m going to share with you some of the paintings I’ve been doing. They’re not amazing, they’re really just to help me with my painting skills. I’ll be taking a course in water colour painting in three weeks and I hope I learn heaps there!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTfYqsRGOD2rumG0zvUFvTpRld9Tq2EUvekQ72Xo8PD6yK7HFSHZkEam_0RNKnt1HxayySItPta165bZXBPNUHlyVL1qRVVCqS4Kffgay6Mpl2JcJi-KFOxVQ9b1JL8onD-xy2x6pMasa/s1600/Picture+16.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTfYqsRGOD2rumG0zvUFvTpRld9Tq2EUvekQ72Xo8PD6yK7HFSHZkEam_0RNKnt1HxayySItPta165bZXBPNUHlyVL1qRVVCqS4Kffgay6Mpl2JcJi-KFOxVQ9b1JL8onD-xy2x6pMasa/s1600/Picture+16.png" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the first watercolour painting I did. I didn't use the proper paper because I didn't want to waste the paper I bought on my first painting. It's a bit rough and I had a hard time mixing the paints. I was so used to using acrylics that I was rather rough with my application.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6RnVsxhdodjJejt6evR0oo1x-P6XLeshSwUsGrgzPJedKKZx2N0Jv_GH4lUyxEirdV3oCJRn5uI1gSRmHFVu3C261k57Wi6IVNXBES-3VnxUmafxMGeCkZV_IzYUll5Vw33pU4H2G7To/s1600/Picture+15.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6RnVsxhdodjJejt6evR0oo1x-P6XLeshSwUsGrgzPJedKKZx2N0Jv_GH4lUyxEirdV3oCJRn5uI1gSRmHFVu3C261k57Wi6IVNXBES-3VnxUmafxMGeCkZV_IzYUll5Vw33pU4H2G7To/s1600/Picture+15.png" /></a></div>
<br />
This is probably my favourite paiting to date. It turned out pretty well, although I think a lot of it was just a fluke! Here's the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/286330488780955358/">original image</a>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-624uBlHIkXJFbbxcQOjyt-Fgj4UXqduLflLlwuahfWCDKSFz833EH4HpHzo9bXAvxPqRVZvtRdsa8Gw7VHMGcrZU9wLJIAMKKrWu8xDm0jQbPmYSGYlhqMDu9raZxyp3-BN39Sd2eJ_/s1600/Picture+14.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-624uBlHIkXJFbbxcQOjyt-Fgj4UXqduLflLlwuahfWCDKSFz833EH4HpHzo9bXAvxPqRVZvtRdsa8Gw7VHMGcrZU9wLJIAMKKrWu8xDm0jQbPmYSGYlhqMDu9raZxyp3-BN39Sd2eJ_/s1600/Picture+14.png" /></a></div>
<br />
I wanted to try something a bit different so I painted these tree frog embryos. They didn't turn out the way I wanted but it was still a bit of fun. You can see the original image <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/286330488781000283/">here</a>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QHUNSgEfraw0vHFpcKLhAq-_5-LZNLFWL3lBPkTDeKK1D9Q8o9X7QQ_OyFHsP-NPdjezeZmVDv1rzSlNKIncjYgOtALm3hLOoI4ldtS_QRX58bs_kiqjGLxRleqKvEwxwckVQNJJH_8z/s1600/Picture+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QHUNSgEfraw0vHFpcKLhAq-_5-LZNLFWL3lBPkTDeKK1D9Q8o9X7QQ_OyFHsP-NPdjezeZmVDv1rzSlNKIncjYgOtALm3hLOoI4ldtS_QRX58bs_kiqjGLxRleqKvEwxwckVQNJJH_8z/s1600/Picture+9.png" /></a></div>
<br />
I painted this one today. I'm not very happy with it because the sky looks so boring, but the more I look at it, the more I think it's not as bad as I think it is. Here's the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/286330488781070335/">original image</a>.
<br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-29318243626695152802013-01-19T03:10:00.000-08:002013-01-19T03:10:50.962-08:00Daiso review: Japanese camembert + cheddar cracker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zKALlbkEic7JsKqxhFVIPR3j7WA2sxuEcAwDuTXL2DvYzR1Mv0ekUU1BsgkoOsUy0O8N1a28yh4kCp-OVhIsl281cQVIC0R-HtRTHBmdgJuae5brljBVdlKjxRHJd13F7HJaCYRPft3V/s1600/sunflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zKALlbkEic7JsKqxhFVIPR3j7WA2sxuEcAwDuTXL2DvYzR1Mv0ekUU1BsgkoOsUy0O8N1a28yh4kCp-OVhIsl281cQVIC0R-HtRTHBmdgJuae5brljBVdlKjxRHJd13F7HJaCYRPft3V/s640/sunflower.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My friend Nghi has just started <a href="http://asiangrocerysnacks.blogspot.com.au/">blogging</a> about snacks from Asian groceries. Naturally, I got really excited because Asian snacks just taste so good. His reviews are good fun and it reminded me of when <a href="http://polkerface.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/daiso-candy-review.html">I reviewed Daiso candy</a> last year. By chance, I stopped by <a href="http://www.daisostore.com.au/">Daiso</a> to buy a pillbox for my dog and got distracted by the beautiful colours in the Japanese snack and candy section. I decided to buy some of the snacks, rather than the candy because the last time I did that, I just felt really awful from the sugar crash. I don’t get sugar highs so my energy levels just plummet after sugar. <br />
<br />
I bought two snacks but for the sake of my waistline, I’ll only review one for now (EVERYTHING IN MODERATION, RIGHT?). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLj33zzbcMlxId3QtKbaJLG6jLGslOayLc5XErJo6i4XIaQ0irZxs1Pg8kdbXWv81gWj042EjjnqXkRB9jXdzQbOnbftTKymutHjIMwwAKz_SKcZbWLJPr__YD6OYjS3-EGjxgx5AN4h0/s1600/packet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLj33zzbcMlxId3QtKbaJLG6jLGslOayLc5XErJo6i4XIaQ0irZxs1Pg8kdbXWv81gWj042EjjnqXkRB9jXdzQbOnbftTKymutHjIMwwAKz_SKcZbWLJPr__YD6OYjS3-EGjxgx5AN4h0/s640/packet.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
<br />
I don’t know what this snack is called but this one caught my eye because it’s a camembert and cheddar flavoured snack. Cheddar is the implied flavour of most cheese-themed snacks so adding camembert to the mix certainly aroused my curiosity. I love my soft cheeses (but nothing goat, please) and was interested to see how they’d make the snack camembert-specific. Cheddar usually overpowers the more nuanced cheeses. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-d1CCh_m9BJrBMKoOM8IPJUu54q7h4bIN1f-kdF6RYqMYXFlA90_iyx9TTe7eVL-Auc-LwDb_5ZZ_CrEWVo4170D-y0rXvLUjau4T2koRsVDw68jDpn79QkzexZE3TrvYLuoqTf1-Iso/s1600/cheese+heading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-d1CCh_m9BJrBMKoOM8IPJUu54q7h4bIN1f-kdF6RYqMYXFlA90_iyx9TTe7eVL-Auc-LwDb_5ZZ_CrEWVo4170D-y0rXvLUjau4T2koRsVDw68jDpn79QkzexZE3TrvYLuoqTf1-Iso/s640/cheese+heading.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
As soon as you open the packet, the strong stench of cheese punches your nose. It’s unpleasant at first but once you’re able to recognise the smell, it mellows. A thick yet airy rice cracker is individually wrapped, dusted with an orange powder. It is crunchy but chewy, so the cracker might not be very fresh. The flavour is excellent: It has the sharpness of cheddar but hints of the musty camembert. Its strong unami flavour works well with the cheese, but part of me wants this snack to be saltier. When I finished one cracker, I wanted another cracker just to sate my salt expectations. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFgLKa1MpR16w7DtQBcomTlD23Q9oDSLedmAyeMzfK5AAyATLdwemxVmVTfCUjehUm_Idp9veQn3ESMsOllo35DyWAQlJ3KSe6tUe_6gWMyAxx-2ITx-sU7WuS4UF7oqkitaBccoHeet8/s1600/cracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFgLKa1MpR16w7DtQBcomTlD23Q9oDSLedmAyeMzfK5AAyATLdwemxVmVTfCUjehUm_Idp9veQn3ESMsOllo35DyWAQlJ3KSe6tUe_6gWMyAxx-2ITx-sU7WuS4UF7oqkitaBccoHeet8/s640/cracker.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Overall, it’s a very nice snack. However, due to the somewhat stale condition of some of the crackers, I probably wouldn’t buy them again unless I wanted to suck the flavouring off each cracker, which is what I kind of want to do right now.<br />
<br />
I have a salt problem.Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-43484140354647928362013-01-03T02:45:00.002-08:002013-01-03T02:45:37.656-08:00Recipe: Upside Down Mango Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hoqMRg663QvpizXCTmjGjR44Y3WjKI12ru7vCAG8doBu2QVY1RTFE5wHwZltMVQ00yCFa5oftGjvqA73MFljDPyfd83xabvdWn0GRD0bCrGD-nsG-QAo5zrSQWD815y9ExzGLIfv8EkV/s1600/side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hoqMRg663QvpizXCTmjGjR44Y3WjKI12ru7vCAG8doBu2QVY1RTFE5wHwZltMVQ00yCFa5oftGjvqA73MFljDPyfd83xabvdWn0GRD0bCrGD-nsG-QAo5zrSQWD815y9ExzGLIfv8EkV/s640/side.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm feeling a bit disappointed in myself. I don't know how it's even possible but I've physically gained quite a bit of weight over the short Christmas and New Year period. Yes, you can eat a lot, but usually it's gone the next day. For me, the bloatedness just stayed with me and now I possess an embarrassing belly. It juts out awkwardly! I'm trying to do some more exercise so hopefully this tub will go away.<br />
<br />
I did some baking over the holidays. I spent some time with my partner's family. He has a 2 year-old nephew and we baked banana bread together and it was bloody awesome. I went home, keen on baking some more banana bread but we had no bananas. Instead, we had loads of mangoes so an idea was formed.<br />
<br />
I give you...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgP_98rRPkngXfpcRV7Z1Xk5IVyEIt_gKoXxTliGJZbgYqGbcy_qBJRYqJvguCbodMnJ2q4pBup2JZFxQFSFrpwplUc0sqSMnvWfIeLv7ym_ZZOycfe1tQ3CxU25eIF_5ofB3HUTwjBDQ/s1600/pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgP_98rRPkngXfpcRV7Z1Xk5IVyEIt_gKoXxTliGJZbgYqGbcy_qBJRYqJvguCbodMnJ2q4pBup2JZFxQFSFrpwplUc0sqSMnvWfIeLv7ym_ZZOycfe1tQ3CxU25eIF_5ofB3HUTwjBDQ/s640/pattern.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<u><b>Upside down mango cake</b></u><br />
<br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/easy-banana-cake-L1581.html">this banana cake recipe </a><br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 large mango or 2 smaller ones<br />
175g of butter <br />
3/4 cups of sugar<br />
1 tbsp of brown sugar<br />
1.5 cups of self raising flour<br />
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract<br />
1 egg 1/4 cup of milk<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6kYJdRxs3RyA9dPmTYLSR44F3DCL6lm1noFQ6HADa6KUoQbwuo4L8KcSM0ECZEOyIqyjHokLzEfTpIuZP6Q_0aGAb3bDpuwWeHWe9PQLuLUJQmTXw6JZgY9DXqzadJQHM_UcpEmMfNMJ/s1600/cakeslice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6kYJdRxs3RyA9dPmTYLSR44F3DCL6lm1noFQ6HADa6KUoQbwuo4L8KcSM0ECZEOyIqyjHokLzEfTpIuZP6Q_0aGAb3bDpuwWeHWe9PQLuLUJQmTXw6JZgY9DXqzadJQHM_UcpEmMfNMJ/s640/cakeslice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Method:</b> <br />
1. Preheat Oven to 170C<br />
2. Peel the skin off the mango and slice mango in half. Slice one half of the mango into neat slices and set aside. Mash the other half of the mango in a large bowl.<br />
3. Melt 50g of butter in the microwave. Pour melted butter into a cake tin. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and arrange mango slices in some kind of pattern of your choosing and set aside.<br />
4. Melt the remaining butter, sugar and vanilla extract in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl or pyrex jug. <br />
5. Add butter mixture, flour and milk to the mashed mango. Stir until incorporated. <br />
6. Spray the cake tin with some canola spray and pour in the mixture<br />
7. Put it in the oven for 40 -50, or until ready. Insert a skewer into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, then it is ready.<br />
8. Once the cake is ready, take it out of the oven. Cool for a little bit then flip it onto a plate.<br />
9. Gently remove the cake tin and voila, it’s an upside down mango cake. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9wUcl1G0DknKlzLBeCuZ-FZ9gjWvgqFJhhpwT7hsfQWwCD3tZCaiNFwXv71f1zWSa18Hf_IIxlboVW2oYOhhxXx1U5eqRoAaK7jhgnyJloBAgkH5rB6bLHri5wV0JivFJoGeGEfcOmPj/s1600/mangoslice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9wUcl1G0DknKlzLBeCuZ-FZ9gjWvgqFJhhpwT7hsfQWwCD3tZCaiNFwXv71f1zWSa18Hf_IIxlboVW2oYOhhxXx1U5eqRoAaK7jhgnyJloBAgkH5rB6bLHri5wV0JivFJoGeGEfcOmPj/s640/mangoslice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Apologies for the crappy photos! I find cakes rather difficult to photograph because some are rather flat. This cake turned out really delicious. You can make all kinds of variations with apple or pineapple.
Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-85179383509266366362013-01-02T04:28:00.000-08:002013-01-02T04:46:28.542-08:00First blog post about my scriptI posted a rather effective image on my work’s facebook page this afternoon. It was one of those inspirational images/posters, but not a lame and cheesy one that’s doing the facebook circuit.<br />
<br />
<img height="640" src="http://suprhro.com/serve/creativesomething/images/creativity-excuses.png" width="416" />
<br />
<br />
I got this image off the website <a href="http://www.creativesomething.net/post/21208405622">Creative Something</a>. I find it useful because I’m always making excuses for not doing creative activities and this year I want to stop making excuses and start doing them. <br />
<br />
So today I’m going to be a bit fearless. I’m going to write my first blog post about a script I’m working on. I think reflecting on the process will help clear my head a bit and aid in productivity.<br />
<br />
The script has no title yet, but I call it The Roof because it sort of takes place on a roof. It’s still going through some rewrites, but it’s got potential. It’s a modest film about how a child watches her family go through grief. I think it’s sentimental without being sappy and it doesn’t try to solve anything. I’m at the stage where I might need a producer, but I’m not sure how I go about finding one. I certainly know a few producers but I don’t know if they’d be interested or if they’re even the right producer for it. I guess I should ask, but if anyone knows what the protocol is or has tips on finding a producer please leave a comment or send an email to choux.street[at]gmail[dot]com. I think I’m ready to start location scouting and holding auditions. I want to get this film to production stage by the end of the month. <br />
<br />
I’ve shared my script with some close friends and they’ve given me some great feedback. I hope to get together with them again after my rewrites. I guess I should also ponder the whole “directing” aspect of the production. I’ve never directed anything, and frankly, I don’t think I’ve worked with any great directors so I don’t know what to model my practice on. Most of them seem to just wing it. I see directing as a very... unmethodical practice. I’m so used to editing and filming, which is more regimented than directing, but I might be completely wrong. <br />
<br />
My homework for this week:<br />
<br />
- Do a few more rewrites<br />
- Approach some producers who might be able to help me produce it<br />
- Watch films that explore brother-sister relationships and father-children relationships, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_of_the_Fireflies">Grave of the Fireflies</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Miss_Sunshine">Little Miss Sunshine</a>. If you have any suggestions, please let me know of them.<br />
- Start paying more attention to housingChoux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-48258369866349458412012-12-25T22:35:00.000-08:002012-12-25T22:35:44.312-08:00Catching Up + Scone Recipe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBQO-R5AT5OGsCn1yg1dJ5NrocX-cXOD00WEdafdd_Ie_DqS-WewCoMBalfO4UNmwTrPxu_UiicV9bAgIxBRjLsRYQqcy9bAjM79TX5ay4a0yibrBn0OSawozRThnHENCW_W1AuFSszZk/s1600/statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBQO-R5AT5OGsCn1yg1dJ5NrocX-cXOD00WEdafdd_Ie_DqS-WewCoMBalfO4UNmwTrPxu_UiicV9bAgIxBRjLsRYQqcy9bAjM79TX5ay4a0yibrBn0OSawozRThnHENCW_W1AuFSszZk/s640/statue.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
I hope everyone had a great holiday break! I go back to work tomorrow, which I am sad about. A few days off is just not enough but oh well, what can you do. I spent Christmas day with my dad and brother. We never make a big deal out of it so it was just like any other day off, except I did lots of cooking and ate so much. I baked scones in the morning (recipe below) and made a roast. <br />
<br />
I spent Christmas day catching up on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl">Gossip Girl</a>. I started watching the show back in 2008 and my, how things have changed. The show grew more over the top with each season and I stuck by it out of loyalty even though it sometimes got incredibly tiring, especially all of Blair’s antics. I’m glad I did and I’m glad it has ended. I now need to find a new show. Any recommendations? And no, I don’t want to watch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vampire_Diaries">Vampire Diaries</a>, no matter how “good” it’s supposed to be. I just refuse.<br />
<br />
House sitting has been going well. I’ve had to come back home a few times so it hasn’t really felt like I’ve been living out of home for two weeks. The cats are lovely; Bear is really warming up to me. He even climbed into bed with me one morning and proceeded to purr like a snotty child. I found a local pub that does trivia on Tuesdays and Sundays so I’m pretty excited about this. The local <a href="http://www.savers.com.au/">Savers</a> has proven to be quite fruitful: I found a very 80s floral dress that has been helpfully altered to suit my short legs. I might head back there this week to look for some more things. I need more summer dresses.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nLkaie8DJc5hoLhvTsbQZIxQir4fIvb7RvltfVopuXZuo16fvZDzNEli5OJKkUVTdSWHCvq8eXlVkptGPBYt9m_NWhhqZkmX2_g3AvcBOBwapjHCd_zFwsQO4nDGE_JL7kQA26Cwgcyh/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nLkaie8DJc5hoLhvTsbQZIxQir4fIvb7RvltfVopuXZuo16fvZDzNEli5OJKkUVTdSWHCvq8eXlVkptGPBYt9m_NWhhqZkmX2_g3AvcBOBwapjHCd_zFwsQO4nDGE_JL7kQA26Cwgcyh/s640/Picture+11.png" width="638" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOEt_Ivq8QnMRdl8N3Tx1ZpXra6XU2pJB5lHnGwOqMK2W_hdkHNPnxOjzf735CplNNyVeWoW7st1s9jOuT8zYHEBQj3Mgy-8fcCc76OGqeOo6LTKVOS_3gNuWaeqg93xFNvItFBCUQ-s1/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOEt_Ivq8QnMRdl8N3Tx1ZpXra6XU2pJB5lHnGwOqMK2W_hdkHNPnxOjzf735CplNNyVeWoW7st1s9jOuT8zYHEBQj3Mgy-8fcCc76OGqeOo6LTKVOS_3gNuWaeqg93xFNvItFBCUQ-s1/s640/Picture+8.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Mum had her surgery this morning. She’s had to remove all of her reproductive organs. We skyped for a bit after her surgery, even though she was incredibly tired. My uncle had to hold the ipad horizontally so we could see her. It was a bit freaky: she had all these tubes coming out of her nose and she wasn’t allowed to lie on a pillow. Nonetheless, everything seems to have gone very smoothly. We’ll contact her later tonight. My uncle and aunt are in the hospital to look after her so that’s good. My uncle took a photo of her reproductive organs. They were rolled up into a ball and perched on top of a yellow biohazard bin lid. Her bits looked like a pig’s heart. <br />
<br />
It’s been a slightly sombre holiday period but I’m trying to be positive. I’ve been reading a lot this month, thanks to an awesome Christmas gift from Liam. He got me a kindle and he loaded it with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie">Agatha Christie</a> novels and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter">Harry Potter</a>. It’s been great because I’ve noticed I’ve been watching less TV and reading much more. I want to keep this up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlWkgOb5P_5pYHb3o-WFb8YnT6-j2uo1K17LWxW0sAHhCQuFlMqhIjyD_7cg46PK4ww0vrWoUPYiK4nXQ6qHxudIz9Xc2KAikgJwcPqIFo07GKgkFQxEwtbBFPo0M399_UL_cQtyYK8aj/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlWkgOb5P_5pYHb3o-WFb8YnT6-j2uo1K17LWxW0sAHhCQuFlMqhIjyD_7cg46PK4ww0vrWoUPYiK4nXQ6qHxudIz9Xc2KAikgJwcPqIFo07GKgkFQxEwtbBFPo0M399_UL_cQtyYK8aj/s640/Picture+10.png" width="638" /></a></div>
<br />
I mentioned earlier I made scones for Christmas. I’ve never properly made scones before. I remember in primary school, we made them at camp and they were hard and gross. In high school, we made pinwheel scones, loaded with tomato paste and cheese. However, I’ve never made the classic scone. I found a recipe online and tweaked it very slightly. It’s very easy so do try it out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvd5aSYHSwGWYyXGjZJGktsgNWfHB6s0BbK7_K3Q85UqWfmcvpqzg1zXWoYUHJuewTPRt1BRMqdKa0JnO02x6OCgYIFRZYA55tsqGctMdoyfnO9i2mAd_HL7plyLkHwQ0iP36gr8dLiTI/s1600/plate+of+scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvd5aSYHSwGWYyXGjZJGktsgNWfHB6s0BbK7_K3Q85UqWfmcvpqzg1zXWoYUHJuewTPRt1BRMqdKa0JnO02x6OCgYIFRZYA55tsqGctMdoyfnO9i2mAd_HL7plyLkHwQ0iP36gr8dLiTI/s640/plate+of+scones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvd5aSYHSwGWYyXGjZJGktsgNWfHB6s0BbK7_K3Q85UqWfmcvpqzg1zXWoYUHJuewTPRt1BRMqdKa0JnO02x6OCgYIFRZYA55tsqGctMdoyfnO9i2mAd_HL7plyLkHwQ0iP36gr8dLiTI/s1600/plate+of+scones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<u><b>Scones</b></u><br />
adapted from Janelle Bloom’s recipe on the <a href="http://readysteadycook.ten.com.au/7265.htm">Ready Steady Cook Website</a>.<br />
Makes 6 - 8<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
2 cups of self-raising flour<br />
200 ml of cream<br />
150 ml of milk<br />
1 dash of lemon juice<br />
Plain flour, for dusting<br />
Whipped cream and jam, to serve<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ARBwphhcRwbqEZcvzYBY4vHpxKS3zC1oQdyr9k8JgkpuFtXJN6kbahL-tSAcpA-rP_dnVu9E4cRJH4u7UJ2T0e1i1vGf32q9HFpGPmcdEEZyhLU9HMokOK4BikwYfkwgoTN7DU9aRw0n/s1600/scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ARBwphhcRwbqEZcvzYBY4vHpxKS3zC1oQdyr9k8JgkpuFtXJN6kbahL-tSAcpA-rP_dnVu9E4cRJH4u7UJ2T0e1i1vGf32q9HFpGPmcdEEZyhLU9HMokOK4BikwYfkwgoTN7DU9aRw0n/s640/scones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Method:</b> <br />
1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC (I use a fan force oven)<br />
2. Stir lemon juice into milk<br />
3. Sift flour into a large bowl and add milk mixture and cream. Use hands to combine mixture. Do not over mix.<br />
4. Spread dough onto floured surface. Make sure the dough is of 4cm thickness<br />
5. Cut out the dough using a cookie cutter and place on a tray lined with baking paper<br />
6. Put the scones in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes<br />
7. Enjoy with whipped cream, jam and a cup of tea<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuHxJlfajNo5HqZM3dmC7_JejWfMGBd-csyDGgbj-1EshrHV7habYmWyw3v-akFP7MVnTOWWCL7mAd9NsXChTsDr36b_M7cpL20QwvJOCVo0-oFv5x1OGXaaTRxI_ofbezwP0AycbZnuC/s1600/half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuHxJlfajNo5HqZM3dmC7_JejWfMGBd-csyDGgbj-1EshrHV7habYmWyw3v-akFP7MVnTOWWCL7mAd9NsXChTsDr36b_M7cpL20QwvJOCVo0-oFv5x1OGXaaTRxI_ofbezwP0AycbZnuC/s640/half.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<u><b>My Notes:</b></u><br />
<br />
- The scones came out really well. They were very fluffy and perfect. <br />
- My friend, whose grandmother made scones for soldiers in WW2, told me you need to use milk that’s been curdled. Adding a dash of lemon juice to the milk does the trick and they turned out great!<br />
- Don’t over mix the dough. My dough mixture was sticky but not wet. I think that’s a good consistency. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiVh6HCul-OsBKIJTRsbVkdgzBTwKRKbGHClWBJhv7sVpC5QSbiJfYUdyRIBidVdsOSeqZajeOOGmZS6KA207TetiBD1hIKWzIbaS3FnJyc1Cetoggo7Rw8aKmWWJp-vURrjyMztQnvP5/s1600/scone+and+jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDiVh6HCul-OsBKIJTRsbVkdgzBTwKRKbGHClWBJhv7sVpC5QSbiJfYUdyRIBidVdsOSeqZajeOOGmZS6KA207TetiBD1hIKWzIbaS3FnJyc1Cetoggo7Rw8aKmWWJp-vURrjyMztQnvP5/s640/scone+and+jam.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
What did you get up to these holidays?Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-37805287391770091602012-12-14T16:00:00.000-08:002012-12-14T16:00:42.033-08:00Today's ThoughtsI've been house sitting for two days and it's been interesting. Today is the first day where I'm spending a lot of time by myself, which is nice. The cats have been lovely. Bella is a really sweet cat. She's not as cute as Bear but she's super affectionate and when you call her she knows her name! Bear is a bit more reserved, which is a shame because I just want to cuddle him and rub his big belly. Bella likes to cuddle and head butt affectionately. <br />
<br />
I'm really enjoying this area of Brunswick and this house. It's not a big house but it's cozy and the rooms have amazing light so you can just sit by the window and do lots of writing or internet-ing. It's also really close to Sydney Rd so I get a good pick of places to eat at. I'd like to do more cooking, but since I'm not here for very long, it seems kind of wasteful to buy groceries. Ever since the awful incident with <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-27/man-charged-with-rape-murder-of-jill-meagher/4284826">Jill Meagher</a>, my friends are overly cautious about me walking around in Sydney Rd at night. After meeting up with my friends for dinner, they wanted me to text them when I got home to make sure I was safe. It's very sweet of them, and you know, I'd probably do the same thing if the situation was switched around. However, I believe violence against women mostly occur at home and are committed by people known to the victim. We should be telling the abusers not to assault and rape people, not tell women to be extra cautious. No matter how much I tell myself to be fearless and behave the way I normally do, I feel myself growing more paranoid. When it's dark, I walk home with my keys between my fingers and I make sure I'm holding my bag and not carrying in my shoulder so it's harder for people to yank me backwards from behind. I'm disappointed in myself for doing this. I guess I just like to be prepared. <br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, I hope I get to do some productive stuff this weekend. I was going to go for a run, but as usual, I've let myself down. I want to write something today and post it on hitrecord. I have a vague idea bubbling inside but I hope I can execute it well. I also want to head outside for a bit. I need to buy some shampoo and maybe a soft cheese. I found some DVDs. One of them is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Herzog">Werner Herzog</a> DVD, which could be very interesting. I saw his film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_Man">Grizzly Man</a> for my documentary course. It's about a man who was really into bears and one day while camping, a bear ate him and his partner. His camera, even though it had its lens cap on, was rolling while the bear attacked him so there's audio of him and his partner being eaten by a bear somewhere. It's a really interesting documentary. I also found the complete boxset of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer_%28TV_series%29">Buffy</a>. I've always wanted to get into that show but never did because it took forever to download. I'd like to watch it but I just know if I start watching it, I will not leave the house for a few days. <br />
<br />
Last night, the film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_on_the_Nile_%281978_film%29">Death on the Nile</a> was on TV. It's like a who-dunnit type of film. Some rich heiress is murdered and everyone is a suspect. Legendary detective <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercule_Poirot">Hercule Poirot</a> solves the murder and all is good. I was too tired to watch the whole film so I read the synopsis. It reminded be of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindaichi_Case_Files">Kindaichi Case Files</a>, which is a manga about a young detective and his friend/possible love interest who get into situations that force them to solve murders. It's actually fucking awesome. If that's what many of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie">Agatha Christie</a> novels are like, I'm so keen to read them. <br />
<br />
What's everyone up to this weekend?Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-42299654069971178982012-12-09T02:28:00.004-08:002012-12-09T02:41:06.224-08:00My weirdly positive outlook on the upcoming week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Sse1DoukVkI4sjIQ7gkznsF6LqWnsMawkfm9puE1ysHeP_Fyd-3i_gC4RRlBjLCy0JXcZX6otj4qb2KBNfERj8b_AWgCM7QiQvVMH6BlduAm0dPyQerzoEM33IVDDapVfSCAf-LzyzIb/s1600/banana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Sse1DoukVkI4sjIQ7gkznsF6LqWnsMawkfm9puE1ysHeP_Fyd-3i_gC4RRlBjLCy0JXcZX6otj4qb2KBNfERj8b_AWgCM7QiQvVMH6BlduAm0dPyQerzoEM33IVDDapVfSCAf-LzyzIb/s640/banana.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I think these few weeks will be interesting, and a little exciting.<br />
<br />
Mum left for China yesterday and she'll be there for about two months. She will be undergoing urgent surgery and she'll have two months to recover from it. I hope everything goes smoothly. I really want to send my dad to China to be with her but we'll just have to see what his work schedule is like. I'm more than happy to pay for the airfare. It would be nice.<br />
<br />
Anyway, it's up to me to fulfill her domestic roles, but on Thursday I'll be house sitting! It will be interesting to see how my brother and father cope without someone cooking for them. Actually, my dad can cope just fine; it's mostly my brother I'm concerned about. The extent of his cooking skills is limited to boiling frankfurters and making instant noodles over the stove. I got him a book full of really easy recipes to ease into this period. I hope he uses it!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I am super excited about house sitting: <br />
<br />
- I get to experience what it's like to live alone. I went to Sydney in June and lived by myself for a week without internet or TV and it drove me crazy. There were days where I just sat on the couch wanting to get out of the house but unable to muster the energy to do anything. I'd skip meals because it was too much hassle to look for food (the kitchen didn't have any cooking utensils for me to make meals at home). This time around I'll have TV and wifi, plus I know the area so I'm looking forward to it. I think what went wrong in Sydney (aside from the "no tv and wifi" drama) was I didn't know anyone and there was no real opportunity for me to meet anyone.<br />
<br />
- Cats. I am a dog person but that doesn't mean I have an arbitrary disdain for felines. I think cats are cool too; you just can't make them love you through enthusiasm. The person I'm house sitting for has two cats. One of them is a british blue cat (think the <a href="http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/images/i-can-has-cheezburger%5B1%5D.jpg">"I has cheeseburger" cat</a>). I met him today and he's this gorgeous fat cat who is terrified of people so he hides under beds. He's the biggest scaredy cat! How cute is that? There's also another cat that has a pointier face who I like to think of as a fierce independent female. She marches about the house because she owns the joint and starts fights with the other cats. She don't need no loving but you gotta earn her love. Yeah.<br />
<br />
- I get to sleep in during the week. I'll be so much closer to work, which means no more leaving the house at 7:45am just to get to work by 9am. This means I will come to work in a calmer frame of mind because I'm not freaking out about leaving the house too late.<br />
<br />
All in all, I hope this whole experience just helps me feel better as a person and as a "creative". I'd really like to do heaps more writing (my problem is I don't know what to write about), start pre-production with my script and fiddle with stop motion. I read a blog post on <a href="http://www.accidentalcreative.com/creating/how-unnecessary-creating-changes-everything">The Accidental Creative</a> about how it's really good for us to "create" unnecessarily. I think that's really interesting. For me, creating is easier when I'm restricted, but then again, this is a really good way to hone your skills. Anyway, I think I just need a change of scenery and I feel really positive about this! I thought my TV ban would help me focus better, but it didn't really. I just went to bed before 12am, which does count for something.<br />
<br />
I've also started doing exercise this week. I went for a run on Monday. Not for very long though because I haven't exercised since I started working full time. It was really hard trying to run Monday, Wednesday and Fridays because it's so hard to wake up in the mornings. I didn't end up doing it on Wednesday and Friday. However, I went for a run yesterday and today and that went quite well, so I'm going to make it Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I just hope it's sustainable! I'd ideally like to go for a run in the mornings, do some writing and then go to work, but one step at a time!<br />
<br />
Anyway, enough from me. Hope everyone has a great week!Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-49734731736083090112012-11-30T05:16:00.002-08:002012-11-30T16:07:01.812-08:00Dinner at Bistro Guillaume<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfRbRXnoKGV6z7P2LeEdYSOL0TuK1oHoM2FZL73Sb9ZBtbBtoBKgdzoWl9rQ2nRNtEVh-lP8nSBGOEV3ZT6GrEUxvgXZgwYOl7CjbducZVgQGbc3TnmIwLRHOF0T8owXce54GWCN3x660/s1600/wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfRbRXnoKGV6z7P2LeEdYSOL0TuK1oHoM2FZL73Sb9ZBtbBtoBKgdzoWl9rQ2nRNtEVh-lP8nSBGOEV3ZT6GrEUxvgXZgwYOl7CjbducZVgQGbc3TnmIwLRHOF0T8owXce54GWCN3x660/s1600/wine.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Last weekend, Liam and I celebrated our four-year anniversary. The past four years have absolutely flown by! In the past we’ve never really celebrated anniversaries, but I wanted to celebrate this year. My friends are always celebrating milestones of their relationships so we decide to have a special dinner. Since Liam has the holy Entertainment book, we decided to take advantage of the 25% off voucher and have dinner at <a href="http://bistroguillaumemelbourne.com.au/">Bistro Guillaume</a>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g5bza1giZUcuvLLlkOdxdIczeSudT8ELQy63MvzUV3SyXKNSigBRil9xxC0QIT7xnc4j7ghLD9C3JsmVoFVYWEkAKT8b6lm-4nIjU-0kVilCQWxMPaBDsCCEJ5wqjRR3Em838ArMXevR/s1600/table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g5bza1giZUcuvLLlkOdxdIczeSudT8ELQy63MvzUV3SyXKNSigBRil9xxC0QIT7xnc4j7ghLD9C3JsmVoFVYWEkAKT8b6lm-4nIjU-0kVilCQWxMPaBDsCCEJ5wqjRR3Em838ArMXevR/s1600/table.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
If you don’t know, Bistro Guillaume is a French restaurant, owned by chef Guillaume Brahimi. Brahimi owns a bunch of restaurants in Australia, including the very famous Guillaume at Bennelong, which is at the Sydney Opera House. Fans of this year’s Masterchef will remember the contestants had to cook for 60 people at Guillaume at Bennelong, and the multi-talented Kylie was booted off. SO MUCH SAD FACE.
<br />
<br />
I’ve never had proper French food before so this was very exciting for me. I don’t really know much about French cuisine. I know country style French food is very hearty – think beef burgundy and lamb navarin. In general, I feel french food is very simple and almost rustic in its essence.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaXguiuS1hOaQROg2QWS5DT8xR1WWyywzit59XGh1XeoLUSDxFRTAh-WF3DCKEObvn9VwRyLetuUQEx0hNybd3BRdHrh6Y-Uc3JrIxhpqXvRlnT2ZRgvqKkKicwFGhrpzHdXclvMBtnj5/s1600/escargot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaXguiuS1hOaQROg2QWS5DT8xR1WWyywzit59XGh1XeoLUSDxFRTAh-WF3DCKEObvn9VwRyLetuUQEx0hNybd3BRdHrh6Y-Uc3JrIxhpqXvRlnT2ZRgvqKkKicwFGhrpzHdXclvMBtnj5/s640/escargot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
We decided to plunge ourselves in French cuisine by ordering an entree of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escargot">escargot</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persillade">persillade</a>, which is snails cooked in a sauce made of parsley, butter and bread crumbs. They came with crunchy fingers of toasted bread. I think persillade might even be the French version of pesto. Despite my aversions to lamb, offal and pork, eating snails is easy, probably because I eat a lot of seafood and I just associate the texture of snails with mollusks. The waiter presented us with two of these ceramic dishes. For a moment we thought they accidentally gave us two servings of escargot, but we realised that was one serve. The snails were very tender, not at all chewy. The persadille sauce was piping hot and very rich. The parsley almost had a grassy flavour while the bread crumbs gave it some texture. I felt the serving was too big. Liam and I would have been happy to share half the serving.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUVa0foK8H7RPyRNicFFtkGjPhV_2pVjRyKZYwaXauHmOJU0mLHgJ9F6XLrpsjPBLSPK2QEOQdqW08Dt8lznPdaDMq3cenTaPoSkRSafbxUXFPP8EzA8ZWVE5wq_3UoMiQQ0aYhMB83wX/s1600/barramundi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUVa0foK8H7RPyRNicFFtkGjPhV_2pVjRyKZYwaXauHmOJU0mLHgJ9F6XLrpsjPBLSPK2QEOQdqW08Dt8lznPdaDMq3cenTaPoSkRSafbxUXFPP8EzA8ZWVE5wq_3UoMiQQ0aYhMB83wX/s640/barramundi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Liam ordered the barramundi with carrot and ginger puree, coriander butter, topped with “pomme allumettes”, which is meant to be potato batons, but the ones Liam had are much finer and longer. Liam chose this dish because he loves coriander. In fact “love” doesn’t even touch on how into coriander he is. Maybe <a href="http://animalstalkinginallcaps.tumblr.com/post/10975735883/thai-food-mexican-vietnamese-i-dont-really">this image</a> will help. I didn’t try this one but it looked yummy and light and Liam seemed happy with it, even though he thought it could have had more coriander.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPyeBHPCmQqcK7KJNO0naLHq7xrOroITlRzmGvX3d8q5TqbBl0DXK0MnrPMQ-aVaO3aoQmy72QBED2HPhkqwEiVuGT_XJ0gBMyKn5B3Hig2Cn9fw_HP15cMz4wmMpIkP5wbtqSFF5GiQv/s1600/steak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPyeBHPCmQqcK7KJNO0naLHq7xrOroITlRzmGvX3d8q5TqbBl0DXK0MnrPMQ-aVaO3aoQmy72QBED2HPhkqwEiVuGT_XJ0gBMyKn5B3Hig2Cn9fw_HP15cMz4wmMpIkP5wbtqSFF5GiQv/s640/steak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I spent all of last week trying to decide what to order. I had my eyes set on the steak frites BUT the roast chicken with paris mash and chicken jus also sounded amazing. After a week of agonising, I settled on the steak and fries. It just sounded too good to pass up. It was a big meal: the steak was charred nicely on the outside and juicy on the inside. The bernaise sauce was buttery with an acidic punch. The fries were fantastic. Liam said they tasted like pringles, which they kind of did! They were delicious. I really liked my dish. I guess the only criticism I have was the steak had some grisly bits.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI69hRK2Pvo2dOCFXfEK826Z8qqQLbPaGEdMyPXP_1kbL1LWXmOI4e012L26uhEMplFusIfgA75EntuU6kEfZ0GgRr6Ts_7dx1FDgqW1WrdZPKwwtcmBc2_ZQ2jklViuAL1qf8RPQ6IDVe/s1600/broccolini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI69hRK2Pvo2dOCFXfEK826Z8qqQLbPaGEdMyPXP_1kbL1LWXmOI4e012L26uhEMplFusIfgA75EntuU6kEfZ0GgRr6Ts_7dx1FDgqW1WrdZPKwwtcmBc2_ZQ2jklViuAL1qf8RPQ6IDVe/s640/broccolini.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We also ordered a side of broccolini, to fool ourselves into thinking we are being healthy. The broccolini was bathed in butter and topped with toasted almonds. Yum.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZ6yMoOn_APare12EUSgVKyFmZqVfvtcctqtS3QfLcPIO1pOOUdKHegjUdG2yGcfWsNkayVIkILLtm7oqnxS5JrIjiFnZfC2TJNpz1BP2mXPzSrog2Qr4DtsT7Qeg9o1F6DjL2MBRaMed/s1600/liam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZ6yMoOn_APare12EUSgVKyFmZqVfvtcctqtS3QfLcPIO1pOOUdKHegjUdG2yGcfWsNkayVIkILLtm7oqnxS5JrIjiFnZfC2TJNpz1BP2mXPzSrog2Qr4DtsT7Qeg9o1F6DjL2MBRaMed/s640/liam.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81-uK8jIqy8QUny8qPB7Eqwgr4ltLm9gmmvIfJ4LKVNTaWBK9JuYdYGQ1PFw0q_gY9TQXEIjnSrzmKrhCXWsFuZwqB6NCzp-u5NwoFQQHzMc5kK-A-7lUqh48gzlcBI5LvmxXh3Z0khKI/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81-uK8jIqy8QUny8qPB7Eqwgr4ltLm9gmmvIfJ4LKVNTaWBK9JuYdYGQ1PFw0q_gY9TQXEIjnSrzmKrhCXWsFuZwqB6NCzp-u5NwoFQQHzMc5kK-A-7lUqh48gzlcBI5LvmxXh3Z0khKI/s640/me.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Liam and I also took some nice photos of each other. I look terrible and old; it's like I don't know how to smile. However, Liam looks great! I posted that photo on facebook and he got like a gazillion "likes". <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgMfuSHJklBoXlVtRhNxCIpxUhViXU_O2j7RPjgtzLfeVSzsmtK-IDmyiT3earQd1P9PJSBZqGSkGwtqHVXBsPyDAAdtbdK9Y1wOlAf0Ln5t3mdfIhXXVrFEfJsJXWRtOZV-i3WDNZoac/s1600/delice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgMfuSHJklBoXlVtRhNxCIpxUhViXU_O2j7RPjgtzLfeVSzsmtK-IDmyiT3earQd1P9PJSBZqGSkGwtqHVXBsPyDAAdtbdK9Y1wOlAf0Ln5t3mdfIhXXVrFEfJsJXWRtOZV-i3WDNZoac/s640/delice.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We were really full but we (OK, I) felt obligated to try the desserts. We originally set on ordering just the chocolate delice with coffee sorbet and praline. Then the waiter told us about the specials and I could not pass the opportunity of sampling a giant raspberry macaron with filled with actual raspberries. The chocolate delice was rich and heady with the earthier flavours of coffee and chocolate. Liam adored the sorbet because it tasted like it was made out of espresso. My favourite was the raspberry macaron. The sweet macaron shells were sandwiched with a tart raspberry sorbet, chantilly creme and juicy raspberries. The macaron was delicately laid on top of a pool of berry coulis. The sweet to tart ratio was spot on; it was just bliss.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1ZwQdje9_l_IsdmyHXVyTQReHZlhFkM5OE-FvgkqKa8kelhjL3Y5vj5cJcdDdBO4K-sXQuyMnDDJTTKh1jJRwJ7Y8AqK3qhd9GJSdHSzEWQUe5al57_KOrhg4Vhezpno2wLlVTpg5QBC/s1600/macaron2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1ZwQdje9_l_IsdmyHXVyTQReHZlhFkM5OE-FvgkqKa8kelhjL3Y5vj5cJcdDdBO4K-sXQuyMnDDJTTKh1jJRwJ7Y8AqK3qhd9GJSdHSzEWQUe5al57_KOrhg4Vhezpno2wLlVTpg5QBC/s640/macaron2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YlGU192zgpf33sHdV1TGSiCBv33Pdp2yDMB3RNiE4AMZ-Y1vCNRh8ZxiiN91Y6fPpnsVJ_galLojVlZiq39oxAhFzyfR5zW4Z-RNIhhU3qx0VcnSBZrezz3SXUrYQMZk8yaNhyphenhyphenUQJUU5/s1600/smashed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-YlGU192zgpf33sHdV1TGSiCBv33Pdp2yDMB3RNiE4AMZ-Y1vCNRh8ZxiiN91Y6fPpnsVJ_galLojVlZiq39oxAhFzyfR5zW4Z-RNIhhU3qx0VcnSBZrezz3SXUrYQMZk8yaNhyphenhyphenUQJUU5/s640/smashed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
How beautiful is it?
<br />
<br />
It was a wonderful evening, made even sweeter with the entertainment book voucher. It set us back $149 altogether, which is pretty good value in my opinion. I’d love to come back to Bistro Guillaume, whenever my wallet permits!
<br />
<br />
Do you have a favourite French dish?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Bistro Guillaume</b><br />
<br />
Crown Entertainment Complex,<br />
Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria
<br />
<br />
03 9292 4751
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://bistroguillaumemelbourne.com.au/">http://bistroguillaumemelbourne.com.au/</a>
Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-57721491254359645802012-11-21T04:13:00.000-08:002012-11-22T03:11:48.645-08:00I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5r8W1vfSw9wZV2MvjDfRvcRzFZjwHplU95xplSiSZgKI-ruWko1yPJzLEQI5_cA09L3wC2pFOxJ99hjPdjJHO3Nzw-YVIzBUmIcdFg03p5dJu158RTtHuRC1JO5MYahopGMGXf5Tudfd/s1600/vine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5r8W1vfSw9wZV2MvjDfRvcRzFZjwHplU95xplSiSZgKI-ruWko1yPJzLEQI5_cA09L3wC2pFOxJ99hjPdjJHO3Nzw-YVIzBUmIcdFg03p5dJu158RTtHuRC1JO5MYahopGMGXf5Tudfd/s640/vine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Sometimes not sleeping enough really affects how the rest of my day turns out. A seemingly manageable dilemma can become very stressful. I got very little sleep the other night and yesterday morning I was so tired I
could barely open my eyes. I felt nauseous and close to tears. <br />
<br />
I work in a job where good customer service is a really important. I really strive to make sure every single customer has their issues sorted out immediately. This can become very demanding but when I'm in the right frame of mind, I can do it well. I try really hard to make sure everyone gets what they want or at least a very agreeable alternative, but not every situation turns out like that.<br />
<br />
There have been three times in my working life where a customer has reduced me to tears. The first time was when I was working in retail and this woman was being
very unreasonable and demanding and I had to get security to drag her out of the store because I felt very threatened. The second time, I had to deal with a very aggressive customer over the phone. That affected me so much I was semi-hyperventilating. The third incident was yesterday.<br />
<br />
I had a really angry customer call me yesterday morning. I could understand why he was angry and I was doing my best to help him and explain what was happening but he just became more and more frustrated. It got to the point where I was starting to take his words personally and I too, was becoming frustrated. We ended the conversation on reasonable terms but I felt like I had been in a battle; I was trembling all over. When I hung up the phone, I bolted to the bathroom to cry.<br />
<br />
I'm not a very assertive or confident person and when I am confronted in these situations I crumble. When I'm angry, I've conditioned myself not to scream and shout. I end up internalising it and it leaks out as tears. I'm getting better at managing these situations (I didn't hyperventilate this time). I understand I need to learn how to not take it so personally. I'm really trying my best to problem solve as efficiently and as fairly as I can. <br />
<br />
However, sometimes I feel, as consumers, we don't realise people working in customer service are just doing their jobs and most of them are really trying to help us the best they can. We get so caught up with our own demands we forget we are talking to someone real. Some people take the whole "the customer is always right" mentality too seriously and assume they are entitled to be dicks to people serving them. We don't realise our words can really hurt someone. Imagine having the power to ruin someone's day, make them dread going to work the next day and remember this very incident for the next few years, if not for the rest of their working lives. I don't ever want to be responsible for that.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying all people are angry and threatening. In fact the majority of people I deal with have been reasonable. Sometimes the customer has every right to be angry. However, sometimes I think they are so angry they want unleash their anger on the person working in customer service. When it gets to this point, it's becomes a matter of power. If someone in customer service spoke back to angry customers in the same tone, they would get in a lot of trouble. We need to be more considerate of how we voice complaints and how we speak to people in customer service. They, at the end of the day, are just trying to help you solve your problem. <br />
<br />
What are your thoughts? Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-2864104339400812842012-11-20T04:30:00.000-08:002012-11-20T04:41:15.605-08:00Day 2 of TV Ban: Boredom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyeqdc-qYRRpctmbnKwU0RhYTMk_Fq0nIW96_-0-DbTSXYbIdpXgL1oL1cvH99Tiym_bS9ytPhFRFXLJ-xQsK0spiMFGWshsws0u2ZEwoXbgZD3taU6j57oqvAW-agTfgwwuuCObuhkLQ/s1600/brisbane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyeqdc-qYRRpctmbnKwU0RhYTMk_Fq0nIW96_-0-DbTSXYbIdpXgL1oL1cvH99Tiym_bS9ytPhFRFXLJ-xQsK0spiMFGWshsws0u2ZEwoXbgZD3taU6j57oqvAW-agTfgwwuuCObuhkLQ/s640/brisbane.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
So this is my second attempt at a TV ban. This time I'm banning TV from Mondays to Thursdays. I gotta start slow! I'm going crazy though, and it's only the second day of the ban. I am just so bored. I suppose it doesn't help when I've got nothing planned this week after work and I'm too tired to even accost friends to hang with me. I just feel physically and mentally lethargic, although I was really proud of myself yesterday because I concentrated really well at work and got a lot of things done. Yay! I just wish I had the same concentration levels after work for my own activities. I'd like to write my Alien review sometime soon! I've got my boyfriend pestering me about it so hopefully that should help. Hmm.<br />
<br />
Last night's procrastination included reading the <a href="http://120dollarsfoodchallenge.com/">$120 Food Challenge blog</a>. It's full of homey recipes and I just enjoy the way Sandra writes. Recently, Sandra made a hamper of yummy food for fellow blogger <a href="http://carlyfindlay.blogspot.com.au/">Carly Findlay</a> to brighten her spirits while she was in hospital. Not only is this such a lovely gesture, but Sandra has put a lot of thought into what foods are best for people feeling unwell. You can read about it <a href="http://120dollarsfoodchallenge.com/2012/11/19/in-hospital-send-hamper-stat/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
So tomorrow is will be my 4-year anniversary with my boyfriend. We've booked a table at <a href="http://bistroguillaumemelbourne.com.au/">Bistro Guillaume</a> on Sunday night and I am super looking forward to it! I'll bring the nice camera with me so I can take photos and maybe to a quick review post or something. YAY FOR PROJECTS. I've checked out their <a href="http://bistroguillaumemelbourne.com.au/menus/">menu</a> and I really want to order the steak and fries. It just sounds amazing, as do their desserts (chocolate delice COME AT MY FACE), although their macarons cost $6, which is a bit dear. Actually, everything on their menu is super dear. Steak and fries cost $50, so that better be some legit steak (I'm sure it is). <br />
<br />
I've been reading a lot of blogs about creative inspiration and productivity. It's mostly for work, but I do find some of the articles are really useful. The problem with them is you can end up reading a lot of them and not do any actual work. However, sometimes it does help to read a few just to feel inspired. I'd recommend you check out:<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.marieforleo.com/">Marie Forleo's website</a>. She's a super sassy and fun marketing strategist who offers tips on productivity and motivating yourself. She does Q and A Tuesdays so people can ask her questions. It's just awesome. I love the community on her website.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://creativeboom.co.uk/tips/">Creative Boom</a>. These guys have some great tips for freelancers. If you're interested in social media, productivity and want tips on dealing with clients, this is a good one to check out. I think stand out post for me is the one they did about <a href="http://creativeboom.co.uk/tips/how-to-recognise-prevent-and-deal-with-burnout/">experiencing and dealing with burnouts</a>. If you're having a tough time, please read it; it might be helpful. <br />
<br />
- <a href="http://www.kerismith.com/">Keri Smith's website</a>. She's a writer full of fun ideas to get your brain in creativity mode. Plus her website just looks cool. Check out her post on <a href="http://www.kerismith.com/popular-posts/100-ideas/">100 ideas</a> to generate creativity. <br />
<br />
I'll probably post a few more later in the week! Hope these come in handy!Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-78908777832515959322012-11-10T06:29:00.001-08:002012-11-10T06:29:37.456-08:00Photo Blog: Chicken Pad Krapaw + Thoughts on reviewing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjeaLGk-CJqP7ASR215IcTfLOKtfk5atU4P6JGpezHnE7mJGxIZg6p5QIRtLJM5brLG6a7LAVg74snpgfHapxDzqGOotzyzrfUNm7bk_pi4xo4b0rlu70egIf7jpviKSUcvk1KRvLWRNk/s1600/ladle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjeaLGk-CJqP7ASR215IcTfLOKtfk5atU4P6JGpezHnE7mJGxIZg6p5QIRtLJM5brLG6a7LAVg74snpgfHapxDzqGOotzyzrfUNm7bk_pi4xo4b0rlu70egIf7jpviKSUcvk1KRvLWRNk/s640/ladle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Being a former film student, there are a lot of “classics” I have not seen. This list includes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_%281997_film%29">Titanic</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial">ET</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schindler%27s_List#Cast">Schindler’s List</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shawshank_Redemption">The Shawshank Redemption</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight_Club">Fight Club</a>. For me, I can’t just sit there and watch film after film; I need to be in the right frame of mind. I tried to watch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchorman:_The_Legend_of_Ron_Burgundy">Anchorman</a> the other day and I just couldn’t get pass the first 5 minutes, even though the film is meant to be hilarious.
<br />
<br />
I’m currently going through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_%28film%29">Alien</a> Quadrilogy. I have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Resurrection">Alien Resurrection</a> left to watch. Once that’s done, I’m going to put on my reviewing cap on and review all four films. I’m enjoying them a lot. I thought I’d hate them because I’ve never been that into science fiction. Although, I did enjoy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_%282007_film%29">Sunshine</a>, but I don’t know if that’s just me being enamoured by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cillian_Murphy">Cillian Murphy</a>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk8ytUem3-GydXd8qVRdFCo7BA-i1cOh8MNoO6z_qeUpbuo5B95PoEOkDIZKf6AepwBxrNMxNRVGeZlpPGg7XIHYeiCNokieCJONtJtl9yxCublXpkhTDSJNPldkLA24yWnx-GNTinHwV/s1600/peas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGk8ytUem3-GydXd8qVRdFCo7BA-i1cOh8MNoO6z_qeUpbuo5B95PoEOkDIZKf6AepwBxrNMxNRVGeZlpPGg7XIHYeiCNokieCJONtJtl9yxCublXpkhTDSJNPldkLA24yWnx-GNTinHwV/s640/peas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I sometimes struggle with how much I reveal in my reviews. I read a bit of <a href="http://www.avclub.com/">AV Club</a> and while I enjoy them, I would never read them before watching something I’ve been looking forward to because I find they reveal too much or assume the audience has already seen whatever it is they’re reviewing. This is all fine because they want to generate discussions and interact with their readers. Sometimes to go into a bit more detail, you need to assume the audience you’re writing this review for has seen the film. If it’s merely to express if people should see it then, it really restricts you. When I review shows for <a href="http://www.artshub.com.au/">artsHub</a>, it’s for creative consumers who read reviews to gauge whether a show is worth going to (a balanced mixture of opinion and light analysis) and I find that kind of review to be quite tricky to write. I guess it’s all about practice.
<br />
<br />
I’ve never reviewed films before so this is going to be interesting. I mostly review comedy and theatre shows. I think reviewing a film or a TV show takes a lot more time. Some of the “how to” guides I’ve read on film reviewing recommend we watch the films more than once if possible, but I guess that just depends on how deeply we want to go into it.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgav4F1HPK4rb6AhYMs1g6MumRIC7w3D1I9f6Xbtujza8Cz7FdhrURD0E9Zpkyhz9a3gDWaQyJbYKn1UkUNgXdk3MvKVSGs-rDrd8fmgAQ93_qsvXEY6_fr2NJaLsm8YJa64tVcvbCHgvyI/s1600/basil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgav4F1HPK4rb6AhYMs1g6MumRIC7w3D1I9f6Xbtujza8Cz7FdhrURD0E9Zpkyhz9a3gDWaQyJbYKn1UkUNgXdk3MvKVSGs-rDrd8fmgAQ93_qsvXEY6_fr2NJaLsm8YJa64tVcvbCHgvyI/s640/basil.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
On a completely different topic, I’m going to post up a recipe. My partner’s brother in law is Thai and ever since Liam and I started dating, I’ve taken on a keener interest in Thai cuisine. It's now my favourite type of food.
<br />
<br />
Since I’ve got a luscious bunch of basil growing in the backyard, I thought I’d use it today. The problem with growing basil in an Asian household is Asian cooking rarely uses basil. The only Asian cuisine that uses basil (that I know of) is Thai. They use holy basil, which is a bit different to the sweet basil we have here, but holy basil is so hard to find so sweet basil is a good substitute.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UM1AM7mOHyGIZFsb0t2-I35IXfoIQIa8eEBucAvqm54QvvHtRu1ipfsN3gsOIjVQ7lHT0PvO1vVLkh35G-MkQBrK1dkp7gAfQQig3bX3HwoVY3wg5uMHKuWKwvLZsBQhBRvo0jh3Ogze/s1600/garlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UM1AM7mOHyGIZFsb0t2-I35IXfoIQIa8eEBucAvqm54QvvHtRu1ipfsN3gsOIjVQ7lHT0PvO1vVLkh35G-MkQBrK1dkp7gAfQQig3bX3HwoVY3wg5uMHKuWKwvLZsBQhBRvo0jh3Ogze/s640/garlic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The recipe below is for a chicken pad krapaw, which is a chicken stirfry with basil. It’s very easy to make and when made well, it’s absolutely delicious. The one I made today was not as nice as the ones Liam makes, but I think I know where I went wrong with this one so the next I make it, it will be uh-muh-zing.
A lot of restaurants offer this dish with random vegetables in it, which I absolutely hate because it’s not meant to have any vegies in it. If you wanted to be healthy and add vegies to it, it should either be some capsicum or string beans, not a medley of carrots and broccoli.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid01mjouCCTZ58_RNydGrVP_pqkK_0rUVe7lE3mLYZf23Xo17ufo0NkZisPZIHnlqFfmc0W8EtFCGy8f-tKnBZVt0PddLfF9d14IXhLaGTFv8rFf1awEskEA3Vk7iX51ss0ljvDgAlY6oU/s1600/spring+onion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid01mjouCCTZ58_RNydGrVP_pqkK_0rUVe7lE3mLYZf23Xo17ufo0NkZisPZIHnlqFfmc0W8EtFCGy8f-tKnBZVt0PddLfF9d14IXhLaGTFv8rFf1awEskEA3Vk7iX51ss0ljvDgAlY6oU/s640/spring+onion.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<u>Chicken Pad Krapaw</u><br />
2-4 serves<br />
<br />
Ingredients:
<br />
<br />
6-8 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped (the more the better)<br />
2 red chillies, thinly sliced (I used dried ones today, which didn’t have enough heat)<br />
1 onion, thinly sliced (I used spring onions today)<br />
2-3 chicken breasts, cubed (I sliced them into strips but cubes soak up flavour better)<br />
1 Tbsp of oyster sauce<br />
2-3 Tbsp of fish sauce<br />
2-3 Tbsp of soy sauce<br />
1 bunch of basil (the more the better)<br />
Steamed rice, to serve<br />
<br />
Heat up some oil in a pan or wok. When it’s hot enough, add the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry them until onion has softened and the garlic is starting to crisp. Add the chicken. Stir for a bit and then add oyster sauce, fish sauce and soy sauce. Make sure to coat all the chicken. Have a taste of the sauce and add more oyster/fish/soy sauce if required. You can add a bit of sugar if you want it to be sweeter. Add some water if you think it looks a bit dry. Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the stove and stir in the basil. Voila! You have a delicious stir fry. Serve with some steamed rice.
<br />
<br />
Like I mentioned before, I used dried chillies instead of fresh ones. I’d recommend fresh chillies as the dry ones aren’t spicy enough. Fresh chillies also add a bit of colour. I also used spring onion instead of onion. I’d recommend you use onion for a bit of texture. I picked a few basil leaves from the backyard, and I wish I used more. Basil is such a fragile herb. It has a subtle yet distinct flavour and it doesn’t keep well. If you add the basil during the cooking process, the basil flavour will disappear. It must be added at the end, and make sure you add lots of it!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PB2pATjGnXu1RujfWCzpIfBgFroWDszyd7pzwZPvNzedsbTiiiiJsGjyjOkU8D5iwKzjmozKp9nCmMh3FaHy0IFE-kKnh8itrDrMVojLTOpaKQIxQixP9jX75YYP7Ox-vzU-55feKFd6/s1600/dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PB2pATjGnXu1RujfWCzpIfBgFroWDszyd7pzwZPvNzedsbTiiiiJsGjyjOkU8D5iwKzjmozKp9nCmMh3FaHy0IFE-kKnh8itrDrMVojLTOpaKQIxQixP9jX75YYP7Ox-vzU-55feKFd6/s640/dish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<u><b>What is your favourite cuisine?</b></u>
<br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-30268254053590938382012-11-05T22:25:00.001-08:002012-11-05T22:25:35.558-08:00Having a phat chat with my blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xrci0ad348ymBdmvSLNyapr14A67Dl2XJ8XVUT_ns4Q9ceUDYSqVmpmadepVDTo50z1CP8wc2Es3ORyKV19P_UHawm2Dskqtw0b1DKaqHDqAxMSbOtfnRATEKaT6ut2Fz5OTD0jy1K-q/s1600/tiffany.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xrci0ad348ymBdmvSLNyapr14A67Dl2XJ8XVUT_ns4Q9ceUDYSqVmpmadepVDTo50z1CP8wc2Es3ORyKV19P_UHawm2Dskqtw0b1DKaqHDqAxMSbOtfnRATEKaT6ut2Fz5OTD0jy1K-q/s640/tiffany.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I’ve been fairly absent on this blog. When I do blog, they’re half-arsed posts with no significance. When I publish them, I just want to remove them straight away because I’m embarrassed by the lack of effort I’ve put into the post and the terrible quality of my photos. I think the only post I’m remotely proud of is the <a href="http://polkerface.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/photo-blog-red-velvet-cupcakes-herb.html">last one</a>, and that’s because I really liked how the photos turned out and I had so much fun grading the colours. However, content-wise, it feels a bit vapid. <br />
<br />
I’ve started volunteering my reviewing “skillz” to <a href="http://polkerface.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/photo-blog-red-velvet-cupcakes-herb.html">artsHub</a> this year. I had lots of fun at first, but I became so daunted by my opinion being “wrong” (which is silly because opinions are supposed to be neither right or wrong) or my writing style is crap that I started writing less and less, which has extended to blogging less as well. I think it’s just been a mixture of very low confidence in my skills, fluctuating emotions due to many quarter century crises, intense self-deprecation and the inability to find inspiration. <br />
<br />
I’ve recently started reading singer/songwriter <a href="http://rosewintergreen.com/">Rose Wintergreen’s blog</a>. It’s chock full of great tips on how to improve general web presence and how to inspire creativity and productivity, and contains personal insights on her creative process. I feel so much better after reading her blog; I feel more motivated about writing in general. <br />
<br />
One of her <a href="http://rosewintergreen.com/post/25396527920/top-tool-tuesday-clarity">blog posts</a> mentioned how knowing why we are blogging can help us stay motivated and focused. She asked us to answer three questions about our blogs: Why do we want to blog? What do we write about and who are we blogging for?<br />
<br />
I thought this would be a good exercise for me to put all this stuff in perspective, give me and my blog a bit of direction. Here goes:<br />
<b><br />Why do I blog?</b><br />
<br />
I blog to help me improve my writing and photography. I’d also like to be a part of the online blogging community and make some blogging friends. <br />
<br />
<b>What do I write about?</b><br />
I want to write reviews of films, TV, music and food with a good measure of reflection on the creative process, my life and share travel stories. I’d like to eventually extend this to opinion pieces about topical issues. <br />
<br />
<b>Who do I write for?</b><br />
<br />
This one is tricky. I write for myself but also for people who might be interested in the topics I’m interested in such as film, TV, food, music and creativity.<br />
<br />
I'm sure my answers to these questions will change next month, but at the moment, I think I'm in a good space. <br />
<br />
<b><u>How do you stay focused with your blog? </u></b> <br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-12613829712939213132012-11-04T04:24:00.001-08:002012-11-04T04:38:17.878-08:00Photo blog: red velvet cupcakes + herb garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXJhCxR3NIEo28AqKCQYme8n3exvs56lQR1Ig9W7jPtiPaInb0nLI6mKVnFJA9DEpSocYgydTrchqUBX-IhDMJpYCKeHnLYg6AzGde7FHfwvHV-gtjN26xYHxG1lEfDjY-3dDrTEEQPk7/s1600/momo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXJhCxR3NIEo28AqKCQYme8n3exvs56lQR1Ig9W7jPtiPaInb0nLI6mKVnFJA9DEpSocYgydTrchqUBX-IhDMJpYCKeHnLYg6AzGde7FHfwvHV-gtjN26xYHxG1lEfDjY-3dDrTEEQPk7/s640/momo2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h6>
Momo chilling out after a haircut and bath.</h6>
Today has been a decent day. I went to yum cha with my mum, had a good chat with her about moving out, my career prospects and traveling. I've told her I'm pretty keen to go traveling for six months and just be a bit more independent. I just need some change and do some really pretentious activities like "work on myself". Places I've been thinking about going to include San Fransisco, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore, but nothing is definite. I'm not sure if I should go alone or go with people.
<br />
<br />
I will be house sitting in December, which I am very excited about. My old tutor from uni is going away for the Christmas holidays so I'll be looking after his house. I'm actually just really excited about looking after his cat. He's such a cutie! He's the same breed as the I Has Cheeseburger cat. This will be a good opportunity to taste test the whole "living alone" thing, albeit a bit more comfortably than most "living alone" situations.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6vC3wdi1ppPwQVMgRg89h7opJlGuZdSODi5knXO79CsSIg_7f-7h79lIP8ZAgBW1oh1t-WSptYAkMxqoJuE0ATfSHi-J1JoUutR6JjSTO6mCyGj1pauVKc5Yc41PaxTj1fv4hhCxHFip/s1600/basil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6vC3wdi1ppPwQVMgRg89h7opJlGuZdSODi5knXO79CsSIg_7f-7h79lIP8ZAgBW1oh1t-WSptYAkMxqoJuE0ATfSHi-J1JoUutR6JjSTO6mCyGj1pauVKc5Yc41PaxTj1fv4hhCxHFip/s640/basil.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScrMjSEYJB7tQkN3Zrwax67ttAVY3mFCgXdtKAcilzAsaJAmyYWBzhAEOgzpAkX2xYrEWsNjw3ByfxpR5jQgmS6-tRYBB6GrNvL4Q-BIiWwnCA7nnDu3XBAtWGxKTCjbpdgBY6gaS4Cot/s1600/coriander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScrMjSEYJB7tQkN3Zrwax67ttAVY3mFCgXdtKAcilzAsaJAmyYWBzhAEOgzpAkX2xYrEWsNjw3ByfxpR5jQgmS6-tRYBB6GrNvL4Q-BIiWwnCA7nnDu3XBAtWGxKTCjbpdgBY6gaS4Cot/s640/coriander.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww6fAPUFlSToMcXi6zaE2xrkKF3bwiQ_O9DWXPy8TBrzjI_pFgJsbGl5xezEz-JYl6MeVgNs2fbqOgEmuNlo8QnyLg_Q-bze7BrHodlMISunB5yO8pfGwlwGCMYYntEFY5EWb4hfBNKnX/s1600/mint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww6fAPUFlSToMcXi6zaE2xrkKF3bwiQ_O9DWXPy8TBrzjI_pFgJsbGl5xezEz-JYl6MeVgNs2fbqOgEmuNlo8QnyLg_Q-bze7BrHodlMISunB5yO8pfGwlwGCMYYntEFY5EWb4hfBNKnX/s640/mint.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
My herbs, photosynthesising. They've been doing really well! I made salad with mint and basil from the garden the other day. It was very exciting. The coriander is still quite "young" so I'm waiting for them to bloom a bit more before I start using it. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QBoWrCuVd2TOV3UxTqCN-Qyadm8hs9Ykd1T0FRzo_zqGVedm6XgIyhcdSx7y-2tHXH1Q15DqobdnPVOiCIgHNSigugMF8HlnK4iEIK7Q4LxY7BfmLWz7X2a3R-p9yadqPdAnt0Vf_Znt/s1600/batter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QBoWrCuVd2TOV3UxTqCN-Qyadm8hs9Ykd1T0FRzo_zqGVedm6XgIyhcdSx7y-2tHXH1Q15DqobdnPVOiCIgHNSigugMF8HlnK4iEIK7Q4LxY7BfmLWz7X2a3R-p9yadqPdAnt0Vf_Znt/s640/batter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I made a batch of red velvet cupcakes today. They turned out all right, although can I just say icing cupcakes takes some serious skill! I would have liked them to be a little redder. I'm thinking next time I make this, I might actually use beetroot juice instead of milk, or do half milk half beetroot juice. I read on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_velvet_cake" target="_blank">wikipedia</a> red velvet cake was sometimes made using beetroot juice, which enhanced its red colour. My vegan friend says vegan chocolate cake sometimes has beetroot juice, which makes it very moist. <br />
<br />
I used the recipe from <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/26697/red+velvet+cupcakes">taste.com.au</a> because it didn't require a mixer. I also halved the frosting mixture and used apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar because I didn't have any vinegar at home.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs2ArxRs0y5IppxwCX_8Lti_DokUxOYtwsJLWqcJAtE58lOxx27tiGF6NU2U9ehs8MiltTPtkhq-iVD_i2Pt0RVJbai-fUOwsBmRNStVrl8Mns0aITlr-0g0BJ5vnbs8kt0zV-9ClYzcH/s1600/tin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs2ArxRs0y5IppxwCX_8Lti_DokUxOYtwsJLWqcJAtE58lOxx27tiGF6NU2U9ehs8MiltTPtkhq-iVD_i2Pt0RVJbai-fUOwsBmRNStVrl8Mns0aITlr-0g0BJ5vnbs8kt0zV-9ClYzcH/s640/tin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhy9FQ-HPnlnwHbbycrGWmBhZOfZAK9lZnKBjaFVI0u_eNg1Qq4vgmmmDEN1xcYfT0YvOBJcpFmG3gUClwLp3gi8sSVc4DJD8rY3vlQhFzxDvZxW5VA9JN2AlbMYzwKVDvY6UJnKosTqU/s1600/cupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhy9FQ-HPnlnwHbbycrGWmBhZOfZAK9lZnKBjaFVI0u_eNg1Qq4vgmmmDEN1xcYfT0YvOBJcpFmG3gUClwLp3gi8sSVc4DJD8rY3vlQhFzxDvZxW5VA9JN2AlbMYzwKVDvY6UJnKosTqU/s640/cupcake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoIJyK-hEODa3uGFNGrKnwIHSG_SC6Ijpz39M4r609TdlyUXv08cNMFLuzXeqccHUbEFKnjCdqSBmdew6K1U0wVY4ZInhRDoTTceHlQ05-TsFzZCVdvWhUjdGIHAQ1-Wwu2ouU0iPNJZf/s1600/cupcake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoIJyK-hEODa3uGFNGrKnwIHSG_SC6Ijpz39M4r609TdlyUXv08cNMFLuzXeqccHUbEFKnjCdqSBmdew6K1U0wVY4ZInhRDoTTceHlQ05-TsFzZCVdvWhUjdGIHAQ1-Wwu2ouU0iPNJZf/s640/cupcake2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOd04nfCdPRNH4Fr7CKYwrN0tpIuIfJ52BgE2mL7MqeF2JGYwLUAHjFp7sjczCIvKObf03jFHfH8iNRo9knlgVUQooSZSXYb3V7BdB6778JcddCJ7KjvsyUjqhr9Bv2vovnRew7aeCK40/s1600/frosting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOd04nfCdPRNH4Fr7CKYwrN0tpIuIfJ52BgE2mL7MqeF2JGYwLUAHjFp7sjczCIvKObf03jFHfH8iNRo9knlgVUQooSZSXYb3V7BdB6778JcddCJ7KjvsyUjqhr9Bv2vovnRew7aeCK40/s640/frosting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Rustic icing on cupcakes! I think it might be because I didn't beat the cream cheese frosting enough. On a different note, I'm looking forward to the public holiday on Tuesday! I don't have anything planned yet, but just the thought of sleeping in makes me happy.<br />
<br />
<u><b>What plans do you have this week?</b></u><br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-70473770804987864382012-10-29T04:22:00.000-07:002012-10-29T04:22:12.866-07:00Cambodian Wedding Part 2The second day of the wedding was split in two. The first half of the day was the rest of the traditional Khmer wedding stuff: more blessings from the monks and exchanging of vows. The evening was dedicated to the reception. At most weddings, you hire out a function room for the reception. But when two very wealthy families unite in matrimony, they hire out all the function rooms.
<br />
<br />
Guys, I’m talking about 4000 people attending the reception.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl82NrOZ-_KwbYXBhAcyIpSNs0VEBQCce3kr09lajUS7upcXO14y6W-asHQFNoRx1lmeK5JfP9R7e_G5S9ApGPLxP95ioijEYxXGJiM4SuBzHT47bncdSdvKI5LBnnHl_myvTy3g-DhyS9/s1600/dining+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl82NrOZ-_KwbYXBhAcyIpSNs0VEBQCce3kr09lajUS7upcXO14y6W-asHQFNoRx1lmeK5JfP9R7e_G5S9ApGPLxP95ioijEYxXGJiM4SuBzHT47bncdSdvKI5LBnnHl_myvTy3g-DhyS9/s640/dining+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFS7jh9nEk8XJICKvi1U3dMMcTE86yHuzjgdvRywUOWPL39kFEmFAWF32AZ42qm-kmlzumVFe1z6IHPKh9sxqkX6Xlrpd7eQtxNQNmxHpS4xFBAsKRTV7wrbUYwLX9TZJXDGxpre1SPYb/s1600/dining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFS7jh9nEk8XJICKvi1U3dMMcTE86yHuzjgdvRywUOWPL39kFEmFAWF32AZ42qm-kmlzumVFe1z6IHPKh9sxqkX6Xlrpd7eQtxNQNmxHpS4xFBAsKRTV7wrbUYwLX9TZJXDGxpre1SPYb/s640/dining.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkXpL4JznR70u2OioebnDdeiPsiW04HWHuNxI5kkvx8KNuUnZZlG__hZgNloMkynoG8WdWmiQkTZHm816bQk1f9YG_0j3xyzbxjtqc5IM4BTdvBs32G-E17QQNU5Lg252_2Cik2AZSm6y/s1600/DSC07130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkXpL4JznR70u2OioebnDdeiPsiW04HWHuNxI5kkvx8KNuUnZZlG__hZgNloMkynoG8WdWmiQkTZHm816bQk1f9YG_0j3xyzbxjtqc5IM4BTdvBs32G-E17QQNU5Lg252_2Cik2AZSm6y/s640/DSC07130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Yeah.
<br />
<br />
I was told I had to wear a gown to the reception. I don’t own gowns. All gowns are longer than I am. I stood next to a tall guy the other day and I was the same height as his elbows. HIS ELBOWS. That’s how short I am. I ended up borrowing a dress from Liam’s sister, who bought the dress at some op shop. It was such a plunging neckline I had to wear a boob tube underneath. Paired with my over the top hair and the clashing eyesore of turquoise and lime, I looked pretty awful. But it was OK. I was having fun.Al looked gorgeous in her cobalt gown, which apparently cost her $300!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVcEYRKlxbLx47G6wyY6KH3SYdv8-R1osbC_63hFpAii86UTCqSzuCMZhhbuzB6PclOdeXjxOF82ZGICgPmVtZHe40It0vRs_1PkU0Il7VvOQyiBW4aV7fYVYt2M3R0If0QPbBVvYaWUG/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVcEYRKlxbLx47G6wyY6KH3SYdv8-R1osbC_63hFpAii86UTCqSzuCMZhhbuzB6PclOdeXjxOF82ZGICgPmVtZHe40It0vRs_1PkU0Il7VvOQyiBW4aV7fYVYt2M3R0If0QPbBVvYaWUG/s640/3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
There were some stunning dresses on display, and sadly I didn’t take any photos. My camera is shocking in low light situations (as you can tell by these atrocious photos). The dresses the younger women were wearing were much more westernised. Think tight-fitting fishtail gowns dotted with sequins and $80K emerald necklaces. Pretty fancy stuff.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh1By8AqZE9G22LZwgqycCiNWIk34P9UbaPHuzBmwdckpLKl9G2uhzXHfH8pcLiYvWp_0JD4SsiJZ8W1eZlBNWaKCtdEg6b4ct7It-HZuRhKegLTj-LaJ8X6chDtZ1SZ-1czU3Y4YNf3Y/s1600/DSC07155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh1By8AqZE9G22LZwgqycCiNWIk34P9UbaPHuzBmwdckpLKl9G2uhzXHfH8pcLiYvWp_0JD4SsiJZ8W1eZlBNWaKCtdEg6b4ct7It-HZuRhKegLTj-LaJ8X6chDtZ1SZ-1czU3Y4YNf3Y/s640/DSC07155.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The reception was a boisterous yet contained affair. There was lots of dancing, singing, eating and drinking. The lights were so dim I couldn’t take any photos great photos. Some of the food presented that night included a curry, prawn and mango salad, scampi and suckling pig (I should say, a suckling pig at EVERY table) and ABALONE! It was pretty amazing. Al and I made the mistake of stuffing ourselves with the entrees and we could barely finish all courses, which was a shame because all the good food came at the end! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU7NQhggXmcHulCfhSpkuHmvc92_yfVycfnxa-Mo_VSMWdn6m01lHYVx7mV_hZdMnFahx0Y89UXbNsBk1yMjRdBZNKB9m7Vmc18iQBCsfjtEnnSPB26UAKTF3015wVGWbOBlqRoL7mES5/s1600/DSC07160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU7NQhggXmcHulCfhSpkuHmvc92_yfVycfnxa-Mo_VSMWdn6m01lHYVx7mV_hZdMnFahx0Y89UXbNsBk1yMjRdBZNKB9m7Vmc18iQBCsfjtEnnSPB26UAKTF3015wVGWbOBlqRoL7mES5/s640/DSC07160.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpH9qou2K9-jlltTRMHpy75GObYC0eg_WoP7-zs2c444J_H-VCfbui0RXijGyXJvdEZbYMKB-ejwSxQvCLcYBtupmWDTp0z4nP4YBE_G3B4wFjJ6oEkUHD5HEYYsofq-2GGDsD6NgHCTeH/s1600/DSC07165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpH9qou2K9-jlltTRMHpy75GObYC0eg_WoP7-zs2c444J_H-VCfbui0RXijGyXJvdEZbYMKB-ejwSxQvCLcYBtupmWDTp0z4nP4YBE_G3B4wFjJ6oEkUHD5HEYYsofq-2GGDsD6NgHCTeH/s640/DSC07165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I can't remember what else we did. All I remember was we drank a fuckload of scotch (18 year-old Chivas, actually), and enjoyed good conversation with everyone. I also got to witness some Khmer traditional dance. It is such a contained and orderly dance, very poised and uniform. The dancers softly move their feet to the beat while their fingers delicately arch backwards. It’s fascinating to watch and impossible to mimic.<br />
<br />
Later on, when everyone reached a state excessive drunken stupor, some brave young souls jumped on the gigantic stage and belted our some Khmer songs. I am super partial to karaoke so was half keen to sing but also not drunk enough to not care if I was dreadful. One of the groom's friends coaxed me to come on stage with him and we screamed something into the mic along with some of his other friends and the bride and groom. <br />
<br />
All in all a good night. I think by this stage, we were pretty exhausted by all the wedding activities. I can only imagine how exhausted the bride and groom must be. The next night was the last night of the wedding. We were told it was going to be a very chilled out affair at the groom's house so I was looking forward to a chilled out Khmer BBQ of some kind with close friends and families.<br />
<br />
Oh, how wrong I was! But I'll talk about it in the next post.Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-60140549511397243602012-10-24T03:49:00.000-07:002012-10-24T03:49:07.508-07:00Cambodian Wedding Part 1So I’ve realised a post about the rest of my trip to Cambodia is long overdue. Just to remind you, I went to Cambodia in May this year to attend a wedding. Al, my boyfriend’s sister-in-law (his brother’s wife) is half Cambodian and one of her half sisters was getting married. Al urged me to come to Cambodia. At first I was really hesitant to go because I’d be a stranger at the wedding. I mean, even Liam wasn’t going to be there because he couldn’t take time off work. But after some convincing, I said yes and I’m so glad I did.
<br />
<br />
The wedding was a 3-day epic. Think of the fanciest wedding you’ve ever been to and multiply it by 100. The night before the wedding, we went to visit Al’s family. Their house was still in the middle of construction – adding exquisite drapery and chandeliers to the house etc. By the next day the whole street was transformed into a dining hall, decked out with round tables, plump chairs and a red carpet. The street was tented in PVC, zipped up to trap the air-conditioning (yes, there were about 12+ air-conditioners!).
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70Dmtz-DU3Dmu-AIvKjyUoxAfxPB-aZYJhvhMjp5Fhn17VWWkiYVIO-r0KYhprgSqsCuphRZfm-cDSxEJ_rJb7GeyYahrRHJmRJoukK_0w5uZbgyxvJdVxdgQxM2kyL8QrM75eTMA855I/s1600/DSC07055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70Dmtz-DU3Dmu-AIvKjyUoxAfxPB-aZYJhvhMjp5Fhn17VWWkiYVIO-r0KYhprgSqsCuphRZfm-cDSxEJ_rJb7GeyYahrRHJmRJoukK_0w5uZbgyxvJdVxdgQxM2kyL8QrM75eTMA855I/s640/DSC07055.JPG" width="640" /></a>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGaNCgZKzn6R0xAQsUo1yxRyOrhktYLs_GtQYwKh9jM8ca5RMSsMo3lZ9srs8kirAxZVGTGWNBGDRiH4x-n4DuKZcwQGRwVAW3wVY3mCATd0bBkWBUGmKWjN63UvMmYiCyhiCejxAEAjw/s1600/DSC07092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGaNCgZKzn6R0xAQsUo1yxRyOrhktYLs_GtQYwKh9jM8ca5RMSsMo3lZ9srs8kirAxZVGTGWNBGDRiH4x-n4DuKZcwQGRwVAW3wVY3mCATd0bBkWBUGmKWjN63UvMmYiCyhiCejxAEAjw/s640/DSC07092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlxABtPPytZHRpyBcdxO3uUFO9SYlevOqDoJ-ERc9o3UTU5LwYM-bGUE3EwY5LwR0ibpuvaUXS6m-JMO0rwyJw9fhigPgyfhQgixasrin6O057flSdicaE0MhP5eXvH0qzTHpc5zVJCG5/s1600/DSC07051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlxABtPPytZHRpyBcdxO3uUFO9SYlevOqDoJ-ERc9o3UTU5LwYM-bGUE3EwY5LwR0ibpuvaUXS6m-JMO0rwyJw9fhigPgyfhQgixasrin6O057flSdicaE0MhP5eXvH0qzTHpc5zVJCG5/s640/DSC07051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Earlier that day, Al and I went shopping for a dress. She wasn’t keen on wearing her traditional dress but she couldn’t find anything she liked. I looked around and found this black dress, which had a pleated skirt. We also got our hair and make up done professionally at a salon the hotel receptionist recommended. It cost me roughly US$12 to get my hair, makeup and nails done, including tips. The lady who did my hair was wonderful and I tried to tip her well. I LOVE my hair! My fringe is so bouncy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5NNwkUXJFFUfGItt9aGrBA4IJqh7D4BNG5SV6chA_kkOnDJ0N609_bHkzpe85F8P4hPYAuU3M8Jf7X5pkEFlQ_UD3PUgW3_ML6G87x3iVuXQkyQ_s8Bp4-dAB0rQFq30VYS0jZAe-f_z/s1600/DSC07047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5NNwkUXJFFUfGItt9aGrBA4IJqh7D4BNG5SV6chA_kkOnDJ0N609_bHkzpe85F8P4hPYAuU3M8Jf7X5pkEFlQ_UD3PUgW3_ML6G87x3iVuXQkyQ_s8Bp4-dAB0rQFq30VYS0jZAe-f_z/s640/DSC07047.JPG" width="640" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vgWUpvM9nRM9W6l7D0IKOkySnmkYrr5Z_9BGmhbmT9gh5m1lA4n_Q2YNfKIiwsDeFKvu4Qc76Ynibh_dSkPKZpUbz_X-MOuXhW1J4jSKFcXBh2lOw-niSj03aY2gspheT4dPESooSPjL/s1600/DSC07057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vgWUpvM9nRM9W6l7D0IKOkySnmkYrr5Z_9BGmhbmT9gh5m1lA4n_Q2YNfKIiwsDeFKvu4Qc76Ynibh_dSkPKZpUbz_X-MOuXhW1J4jSKFcXBh2lOw-niSj03aY2gspheT4dPESooSPjL/s640/DSC07057.JPG" width="640" /></a>
</div>
<br />
The first day was a bit like a “giving away the bride” ceremony. This ceremony actually went for 1.5 days! The bride and groom were blessed by the monks, exchanged vows and the prime minister of Cambodia and his wife even made it to give them their blessings!
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsuVZbBD4GlTb_7HlS5imUXj41pn7uzVgffvV5T1iyht2prCUkjQ1iYK2RLmcHrLeLQiwV-UJAXiKHTRDB71uQ7ECvFHT-iWfa5vpcs7DKrQuQ9pshHmKsaADdyS3O9FUIVJxJfTPYvNK/s1600/DSC07102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsuVZbBD4GlTb_7HlS5imUXj41pn7uzVgffvV5T1iyht2prCUkjQ1iYK2RLmcHrLeLQiwV-UJAXiKHTRDB71uQ7ECvFHT-iWfa5vpcs7DKrQuQ9pshHmKsaADdyS3O9FUIVJxJfTPYvNK/s640/DSC07102.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-NlAIC0qw8eBLEmFsTso6maxsj77CFFKIC8-YWNObfEoTXdbieCmamC-nGZ9QuGAuJ_HG3k2A5kxQMC-6zVJOZIFH7DPlxmYARc-7LN6Z-TbszxC8D75v1siaJgqSR9H3dUrWercy5P0/s1600/DSC07060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-NlAIC0qw8eBLEmFsTso6maxsj77CFFKIC8-YWNObfEoTXdbieCmamC-nGZ9QuGAuJ_HG3k2A5kxQMC-6zVJOZIFH7DPlxmYARc-7LN6Z-TbszxC8D75v1siaJgqSR9H3dUrWercy5P0/s640/DSC07060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT8gQvn7t7D4B8syCQ0cwLHmLgTGcNniy4E0L0M-2AT6i4XefqfqNAO3WGnCWK4n0XGgRqimv2JB4qTby7ef4YJrIFzT4vNoASaoC99-DDaOTvijyV75RxHclcNUGVUmxDYGbGbSm3iNq/s1600/DSC07113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT8gQvn7t7D4B8syCQ0cwLHmLgTGcNniy4E0L0M-2AT6i4XefqfqNAO3WGnCWK4n0XGgRqimv2JB4qTby7ef4YJrIFzT4vNoASaoC99-DDaOTvijyV75RxHclcNUGVUmxDYGbGbSm3iNq/s640/DSC07113.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
One of the highlights of going to the wedding was seeing the Khmer dresses. There were some amazing silk dresses. Khmer dresses are almost like the Chinese qipao, except it’s a top and a skirt, not a dress. Al had a custom-made lilac number on. The styles of dresses were roughly the same, some of the older women had more elaborate details and decals on theirs
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCH5G5CIV93E0-wrTeijGKFce4BFCdEShTA8RlnN5aU5npKqDyMQ37cGjTpFOw5BBbppIhWa0WTqEIA-wszjDmpHKJR27EpYaXQmX1VQbC9QRccAsVYvtJRLUtQRqF1absqdjxNP13wQf/s1600/DSC07062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCH5G5CIV93E0-wrTeijGKFce4BFCdEShTA8RlnN5aU5npKqDyMQ37cGjTpFOw5BBbppIhWa0WTqEIA-wszjDmpHKJR27EpYaXQmX1VQbC9QRccAsVYvtJRLUtQRqF1absqdjxNP13wQf/s640/DSC07062.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ag_QUzuh1JE-qbMGP6fLqOxKW9dAqo9u32-ANIB4RXwoAtu3Rrx_YT6YmcDOfqNTJRp0RTLxHwniSorSnce9pW7ZtsmpNSojjJsLiEFT0_JwoBRhC4_0jPxkU7NRooygqtmeevZUoK7e/s1600/DSC07067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ag_QUzuh1JE-qbMGP6fLqOxKW9dAqo9u32-ANIB4RXwoAtu3Rrx_YT6YmcDOfqNTJRp0RTLxHwniSorSnce9pW7ZtsmpNSojjJsLiEFT0_JwoBRhC4_0jPxkU7NRooygqtmeevZUoK7e/s640/DSC07067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrEQ6_lPwdJgdKiZW3wTW7OrB2hN5CZl4XzkvOEE2tyfa67F0jPcsGO24mz-UqhkOtbGZw_-r54Y3GFxdUm8bh_x1ecE0LzqHh34CX0uXxwJVWq3ndIj3QiYi94j8mU-AVGt8Co9bgbGy/s1600/DSC07079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrEQ6_lPwdJgdKiZW3wTW7OrB2hN5CZl4XzkvOEE2tyfa67F0jPcsGO24mz-UqhkOtbGZw_-r54Y3GFxdUm8bh_x1ecE0LzqHh34CX0uXxwJVWq3ndIj3QiYi94j8mU-AVGt8Co9bgbGy/s640/DSC07079.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcRxzyafbo4dniArEQcWnn08ptRidfczqUYyoXwMuh3gH73ujjDOd6gOhkU5__IYtj8tCzQ-HfvnwyVtAWh3IYEQtWyWHYH-2Z5A4RXfi8XAtaN7eJMWkEA3u_Lh3ZRnXVUQsrSIv8huy/s1600/DSC07104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcRxzyafbo4dniArEQcWnn08ptRidfczqUYyoXwMuh3gH73ujjDOd6gOhkU5__IYtj8tCzQ-HfvnwyVtAWh3IYEQtWyWHYH-2Z5A4RXfi8XAtaN7eJMWkEA3u_Lh3ZRnXVUQsrSIv8huy/s640/DSC07104.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
It was a very long process, lasting several hours. It wasn’t necessary for people to be there for the whole ceremony. In fact the tables outside were set up with food for any hungry patrons. There were people there whose jobs was to offer drinks to everyone while they wait. The actual room where the ceremony took place was tiny so flat screen TVs were hooked up in the dining areas, streaming the ceremony.<br />
<br />
Here are some shots of the wedding food. Not great photos because I was too busy eating everything. The food below was the spread for the whole 1.5 wedding ceremony. The food we had wasn’t exactly fine-dining, but there was so much of it! Think tables brimming with tasty traditonal, home-cooked dishes. I find Khmer food has a lot of Chinese influences. Think soy-based stir fries with ginger. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu2ORjuUqV5xlxJfolH75YYi0CxUaNugJQ_ZLreG_c4Z3HPOaW9Xe8SxFK4OzqljxB_-Vlu3izQp1WXhRu73fnXorcMxIJViH8UrpHkDMBOWGMG50idkJz-CcNIX4c-WSM1xCWufCIqWY/s1600/DSC07071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu2ORjuUqV5xlxJfolH75YYi0CxUaNugJQ_ZLreG_c4Z3HPOaW9Xe8SxFK4OzqljxB_-Vlu3izQp1WXhRu73fnXorcMxIJViH8UrpHkDMBOWGMG50idkJz-CcNIX4c-WSM1xCWufCIqWY/s640/DSC07071.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Pickled vegies. Its salty-acidic flavour is very addictive.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiFZpXJp9-jb3FMh1IQ_feNpVxnLOkUBQ4QAWD8NeZacGqbYBgULUdBv_qIlfW_Da14sPgTxn51Yu9ctS6xHdO6_Nlht1BmJ16zbjJQXzl7qMPuw8j3ZydXP-Ftd0iiFNRgPP0GFucnSx/s1600/DSC07072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiFZpXJp9-jb3FMh1IQ_feNpVxnLOkUBQ4QAWD8NeZacGqbYBgULUdBv_qIlfW_Da14sPgTxn51Yu9ctS6xHdO6_Nlht1BmJ16zbjJQXzl7qMPuw8j3ZydXP-Ftd0iiFNRgPP0GFucnSx/s640/DSC07072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Some sweet egg rolls, probably made with lots of coconut cream.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbjMl1aSSimcnGJS0XkESX2OsbDLah77QMWggJKkHBHfO12bgrIM4tClDTuabw1SlUThvZ8lyxIGGKjxolh6ELBzxoJNFM9l3_fjm33whgYYnLxwZjadKgKCnnuErejRjKTvooURtl8Ex/s1600/DSC07073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbjMl1aSSimcnGJS0XkESX2OsbDLah77QMWggJKkHBHfO12bgrIM4tClDTuabw1SlUThvZ8lyxIGGKjxolh6ELBzxoJNFM9l3_fjm33whgYYnLxwZjadKgKCnnuErejRjKTvooURtl8Ex/s640/DSC07073.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Something wrapped in banana leaves. I didn't get a chance to eat that one.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ-zdSY3EzUxsY6Hb7cZa99Bbe60ZOy7jQo-UHm1rA9ZjU4b-57Z_9JLvsbgjbjpgE7amnsI-oJdUKYxPNQ6xlYejpMujRvLXNHKdZWOhUrwHVX1IO2CX_yLx8LERMau8VHyRVV_yDvpU/s1600/DSC07074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ-zdSY3EzUxsY6Hb7cZa99Bbe60ZOy7jQo-UHm1rA9ZjU4b-57Z_9JLvsbgjbjpgE7amnsI-oJdUKYxPNQ6xlYejpMujRvLXNHKdZWOhUrwHVX1IO2CX_yLx8LERMau8VHyRVV_yDvpU/s640/DSC07074.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Deep fried fish drenched in a sweet and sour sauce. Very tasty but nothing too amazing. It was a very tasty piece of fish. It actually reminds me of the fish my mum makes at home, except she makes a chinese salt and pepper version with allspice and lots of onion and garlic. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhWwT-_7cOQg1O8mo8ni9iFr13XnYv5c9IsOSBjx52DAtyljdU60CKgD3qaYPLiutRclnMuNIFPAYZaXstqEmL8i1agN6DIimVsR5VjrkJZmDl10boaVGvpFHkdxG8rzZcWBQLoozQarA/s1600/DSC07075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhWwT-_7cOQg1O8mo8ni9iFr13XnYv5c9IsOSBjx52DAtyljdU60CKgD3qaYPLiutRclnMuNIFPAYZaXstqEmL8i1agN6DIimVsR5VjrkJZmDl10boaVGvpFHkdxG8rzZcWBQLoozQarA/s640/DSC07075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Roast duck in some kind of soy-based sauce. I don't remember this one too well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc2kfpvt60I643ggCScpBNTwoYuT2sogtLups3DGjLw7FMR_Sd6PaCac59PZeIUZ8EVwsyOoG8eArqwlKcjUue2VT7MEqiTdjI9Nl-OjwcfsKtl_GMrJYsOZbzigl9v8cTt_HIqYf19co/s1600/DSC07076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc2kfpvt60I643ggCScpBNTwoYuT2sogtLups3DGjLw7FMR_Sd6PaCac59PZeIUZ8EVwsyOoG8eArqwlKcjUue2VT7MEqiTdjI9Nl-OjwcfsKtl_GMrJYsOZbzigl9v8cTt_HIqYf19co/s640/DSC07076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOR6kU5lCwAnChMuodTpYfyiPn3hVaCoIr5HWeR1pjFzt4K4cJ6R6wnSgHr6Yb0WolOAeWed2haHkX-Ec8mPFSV2VoDCFaqUadP7T09ZXcmVmKTu1wZvMoueN6pQCjcoP-43ySs-j-boQ/s1600/DSC07077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOR6kU5lCwAnChMuodTpYfyiPn3hVaCoIr5HWeR1pjFzt4K4cJ6R6wnSgHr6Yb0WolOAeWed2haHkX-Ec8mPFSV2VoDCFaqUadP7T09ZXcmVmKTu1wZvMoueN6pQCjcoP-43ySs-j-boQ/s640/DSC07077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Steamed dish of prawns, squid and pork, topped with a mop of coriander. I felt this dish seemed quite Chinese. I had a bit of the prawns and it was nice but nothing exciting.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbw7JheNPSWyAs0N3uvfSj0P0U11Jmpl6OPW1rZl5cXd8xMpC0n4OYtUoFa1tHlNWjSibPZ2-GY-g74MbYwQ4_vvY3pbvSRg_mtTH3DoDL-HHLaxcKzWi2KrKmIPFBecxnYmPnU_UH25w/s1600/DSC07117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbw7JheNPSWyAs0N3uvfSj0P0U11Jmpl6OPW1rZl5cXd8xMpC0n4OYtUoFa1tHlNWjSibPZ2-GY-g74MbYwQ4_vvY3pbvSRg_mtTH3DoDL-HHLaxcKzWi2KrKmIPFBecxnYmPnU_UH25w/s640/DSC07117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Deep fried battered bits of pork. Al really liked this. She said it went really well with the dip (pictured below).
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHjKfBcn1fcka76v5Z7HkJiASLqli1TKlioKMcpnp7zJg2iRG67Sd7jw38MtRxMp99hvlI-gXbrUAtQZf7cTjNjp6Hz_VlyiQlqa7Erb2PYbLhNQro3LmfnT2bYarnmrbvkHZLJpkXX0b/s1600/DSC07118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHjKfBcn1fcka76v5Z7HkJiASLqli1TKlioKMcpnp7zJg2iRG67Sd7jw38MtRxMp99hvlI-gXbrUAtQZf7cTjNjp6Hz_VlyiQlqa7Erb2PYbLhNQro3LmfnT2bYarnmrbvkHZLJpkXX0b/s640/DSC07118.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Spicy fish sauce with bean sprouts. This was a very addictive dip that went really well with the meats. It wasn't too sickly sweet and packed a decent garlic punch. The bean shoots gave it some texture. I could have eaten it on its own.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Yw5fYSUdmlIdcAqT8mSaRyvwHtMw8oP8Zc-h8sI8zd9-VuKHOgQ_MkYjRGPFPXAk9cB1vOHZ-RwMVnM-6vA4EZPyAfyRdz2A6H41mPgFT-R67Mve2NiPq0D9-rfjobaXaYhrecHeD3wF/s1600/DSC07119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Yw5fYSUdmlIdcAqT8mSaRyvwHtMw8oP8Zc-h8sI8zd9-VuKHOgQ_MkYjRGPFPXAk9cB1vOHZ-RwMVnM-6vA4EZPyAfyRdz2A6H41mPgFT-R67Mve2NiPq0D9-rfjobaXaYhrecHeD3wF/s640/DSC07119.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Some kind of omelet. I think it had minced pork and wood ear mushrooms. I didn't have any.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwuISpfDFrZ-oVqMJipQc4RYhWR5ZOEPvTtVtkGr-1G940pPgp6fkpHd6H3U9EOjd4uCs2WIsbCQDMFh5fvn7bBbky7sGLOEjd_ky0eIkRU20j9TUMuTMZlwuoyP8Q7htbPSXb1IU6obn/s1600/DSC07120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwuISpfDFrZ-oVqMJipQc4RYhWR5ZOEPvTtVtkGr-1G940pPgp6fkpHd6H3U9EOjd4uCs2WIsbCQDMFh5fvn7bBbky7sGLOEjd_ky0eIkRU20j9TUMuTMZlwuoyP8Q7htbPSXb1IU6obn/s640/DSC07120.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Standard spinach stir fry with garlic.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTmiJAFybCoVDSN6CF725olU_bfHZhPe5pewKy64pslDwH3mNBD2O8OG8wSdqm8afD9-3GobmDeNS0vurqU21MNJbkxJUtdGLlebOElFKRRoAlBqHn25f69AePJMqqNGjM2ZBF7iNjPuF/s1600/DSC07122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTmiJAFybCoVDSN6CF725olU_bfHZhPe5pewKy64pslDwH3mNBD2O8OG8wSdqm8afD9-3GobmDeNS0vurqU21MNJbkxJUtdGLlebOElFKRRoAlBqHn25f69AePJMqqNGjM2ZBF7iNjPuF/s640/DSC07122.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This nasty piece of fish was so yummy. Speared with lemongrass, its flesh was so tender and sweet. I think it must have been grilled. Its tough skin acted as a steamer. It went so well with the dipping sauce with the bean shoots.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vF3fU4h5M8uD3G2O6swW-csq3zHV5p0mrT2O-jWiZp1P6q4rt5AQsNyBi-shFU9aIJProK2TFh4Yjgq81_1DpM2X2imSUaQlmSYxXbQhVXQMRBQZdHjuA8V3MDw4z1JIGQvBLYW94yEF/s1600/DSC07123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vF3fU4h5M8uD3G2O6swW-csq3zHV5p0mrT2O-jWiZp1P6q4rt5AQsNyBi-shFU9aIJProK2TFh4Yjgq81_1DpM2X2imSUaQlmSYxXbQhVXQMRBQZdHjuA8V3MDw4z1JIGQvBLYW94yEF/s640/DSC07123.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The full spread.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pd8Bqo5iaUChCB6_zwC2vomQNPSWzuPf219NkwGtFrK5ZcZ_yRev-e4pXfnA7uZJGrfAX9nZpVW8iy6qLWzG0BYnlfVLYeMKf53tSSr_lCc15Hz_uUcecDCaFZslDXwrPd1NGVGqh5y-/s1600/DSC07124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pd8Bqo5iaUChCB6_zwC2vomQNPSWzuPf219NkwGtFrK5ZcZ_yRev-e4pXfnA7uZJGrfAX9nZpVW8iy6qLWzG0BYnlfVLYeMKf53tSSr_lCc15Hz_uUcecDCaFZslDXwrPd1NGVGqh5y-/s640/DSC07124.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
These are a dessert. It was a bit like lotus seed paste encased in agar agar. Very delicious. All the photos I took of the insides of the dessert were too blurry. Damn my amateur camera skills!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I feel this post is getting quite long. It might be time to end it. I'll post a few more about the other wedding ceremonies and all the touristy stuff I get up to. I hope you enjoyed this! Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-60356606136564718112012-10-20T23:12:00.000-07:002012-10-20T23:12:23.190-07:0010-minute word vomit exercise #1I'm trying to do this thing where I write non-stop for ten minutes with minimal editing, just to get myself writing.<br />
<br />
Here it is: <br />
<br />
<i>The other day, I was asked “What are your hobbies?”<br />
<br />
I realised I had no answer to this question. I have interests, activities I enjoy but there’s nothing in my life I would proudly declare as a hobby. I don’t think there’s anything I enjoy so much and do often enough to be a hobby. Maybe I’m over thinking this. I mean, gardening is great fun and I try to do that every weekend. I like writing too but everything I write is not very good and always unfinished. I think I’m giving this too much thought. What’s sad is I don’t have time to do the thing I love such as writing, making films, editing, drawing and blogging. I think it’s a shame. I wish I had that burning feeling inside me that makes me want to write about something super passionately. I think I get that feeling sometimes, but it easily extinguishes itself, and I just feel stuck. I’m concerned I don’t have anything burning I need to discuss. What is wrong with me? How do people break away from this? How do people stop watching TV? I really related to the new episode of Parks and Recreation. Tom Haverford is banned from social media and Ron Swanson is trying to help him through it. He realises how addicted Tom is to social media and asks Tom why does he need to be constantly distracted and Tom says it’s because his real life isn’t great at the moment. I feel like that’s exactly what’s happening to me. I’m trying hard to not to distract myself but it’s really hard.</i>
<br />
<br />
<b>Other stuff:</b>
<br />
<br />
I reviewed <a href="http://www.pottedpotter.com.au/" target="_blank">Potted Potter</a> the other day. It's a show about condensing all 7 Harry Potter books in 70 minutes. Check it out <a href="http://www.artshub.com.au/au/news-article/reviews/performing-arts/potted-potter-192306?sc=1">here</a>.
<br />
<br />
I finally made a stop motion video that's longer than 8 seconds. Check out the newest one I've made:
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="385" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/50925532" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="700"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i><b>What do you do when you're stuck in a writing rut?</b></i> Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-46754356125589355402012-09-01T04:50:00.001-07:002012-09-01T04:50:49.628-07:00Things I've been doing on the internet<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Reading Thought Catalog</b></u></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X-9LqfyByqTRME0Tr3J8PPQeG93A-ireH5xqi1Xx2p0HKMTVEitJ8SKQLxvPz-5KZKIKlmayYDYpMHng3nZSwF8dz8wxNvsD39V_l0spUglU74cXgRfxal0Ow6naGFm_uaAxYdhilzTj/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X-9LqfyByqTRME0Tr3J8PPQeG93A-ireH5xqi1Xx2p0HKMTVEitJ8SKQLxvPz-5KZKIKlmayYDYpMHng3nZSwF8dz8wxNvsD39V_l0spUglU74cXgRfxal0Ow6naGFm_uaAxYdhilzTj/s640/Picture+11.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I’m a bit late to join the TC bandwagon and I think people have angrily jumped off it, frustrated with the quality of posts. It sometimes seems like the purpose of TC is to churn out as many posts they can each day rather than focus on quality. However, that doesn’t mean the articles/essays on TC are crap. The majority of them can be mediocre, entertaining enough to sustain your attention and make you chuckle internally. The rest are either really good because they’re insightful and witty, or terrible because they lack a point. I know TC is not the pinnacle great writing so if anyone has recommendations of other online publications similar/better than TC, please leave a comment!<br />
<b>Do check it out:</b> <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/">http://thoughtcatalog.com/</a><br />
<b>Writers to check out:</b> <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/author/gaby-dunn/" target="_blank">Gaby Dunn</a>, <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/author/ryanthoughtcatalog/" target="_blank">Ryan O’Connell</a> and <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/author/stephaniegeorgopulos/" target="_blank">Stephanie Georgopulos</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Using Spotify</b></u></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJKOeBFUcY0qZR8e_2-FR-y7YMfEYjP53YZwadjUWe_KGGEX9irCjkK0Vp7mIvjAOg6cPywJhmdVRw678fca-KMSlf_Y-eZxUMOgN8prSaZwPjbSUpWkDk5mWHpukSA8pVBsnxiCH2iKo/s1600/Picture+12.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJKOeBFUcY0qZR8e_2-FR-y7YMfEYjP53YZwadjUWe_KGGEX9irCjkK0Vp7mIvjAOg6cPywJhmdVRw678fca-KMSlf_Y-eZxUMOgN8prSaZwPjbSUpWkDk5mWHpukSA8pVBsnxiCH2iKo/s640/Picture+12.png" width="640" /></a></div>
I’ve been using Spotify at work, which has been great because it means I don’t have to clog up my work computer with .mp3 files. Spotify can compile a genre or artist specific playlist for you to enjoy so it’s great for discovering new artists. I’ve been listening to lots of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Glover" target="_blank">Childish Gambino</a> and just discovered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wale_%28rapper%29" target="_blank">Wale</a> (Yes, I’m going through a rap phase) through the 'Rap' playlist. I’m still figuring out what else Spotify can be used for. I’m looking into the playlist function so I can make a digital mixed tape for Liam (saaaa romantic). I’m also thinking of incorporating the playlist into some future blog posts, but we’ll see. I’m concerned the posts might be too self-indulgent and vacuous, but I’ll work on that. At the moment I'm just using the free version of Spotify. It has a few ads but oddly it doesn't bother me very much. I suppose the only criticisms I have about Spotify is you can't listen to one song on repeat (if such a function exists, please direct me there) and their database of artists, while huge, doesn't have everything. I was looking for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupe_Fiasco" target="_blank">Lupe Fiasco</a>'s band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Cartoon_%28band%29" target="_blank">Japanese Cartoon</a> on Spotify and couldn't find them.<br />
<b>Download the app here:</b> <a href="http://www.spotify.com/au/">http://www.spotify.com/au/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>hitRECord</b></u></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfHFHp8hjlnQwG3xRrer4TCltJIukQGKBtmT35pXSmKyK38s1jWiVMvjVZJvhvI1F7Ps0X6ZQ43p4X0PIymjqejb80NlR_tkWX0nTQ4YY1m88tDYstXoDMKa7AB8Opb4mAg5_3mygDyez/s1600/Picture+13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfHFHp8hjlnQwG3xRrer4TCltJIukQGKBtmT35pXSmKyK38s1jWiVMvjVZJvhvI1F7Ps0X6ZQ43p4X0PIymjqejb80NlR_tkWX0nTQ4YY1m88tDYstXoDMKa7AB8Opb4mAg5_3mygDyez/s640/Picture+13.png" width="640" /></a></div>
hitRECord is an online open collaboration site where you can contribute your own work (film, music, writing – anything creative!) and collaborate with other artists to turn their/your creative works into something incredible. I haven’t collaborated at that level yet because I sadly have no time to do it, but I’ve started posting a few things on my page (like my <a href="https://vimeo.com/46224981" target="_blank">paper crane video</a>). At the moment I’m just using it as a space to exhibit a bunch of my own “work”. What I like about it is it’s a space to contribute anything creative – video, music, art, writing etc. I’d like to see my account as an online work-in-progress portfolio. Oh and did I mention hitRECord is the baby of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Gordon-Levitt" target="_blank">Joseph Gordon-Levitt</a>? <b> </b><br />
<b>Collaborate here:</b> <a href="http://www.hitrecord.org/">http://www.hitrecord.org/</a>Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-47233663273545881072012-08-04T06:25:00.000-07:002012-08-04T06:25:59.726-07:00A slightly sad segue into stop motion experimentation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifLM2AOKaKGBYDqoUvUSStLCXFTJlJzohSnJ0SYFjy9BYNOfzPoz_qEHcO1UO3bPeazkG6PX3NehHoNSw4JKvEXIO5XyTumgsIqGE4jkpFC-vVvXHfYs-YYDxiu-2in9sbuhUTCYRCy8/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQifLM2AOKaKGBYDqoUvUSStLCXFTJlJzohSnJ0SYFjy9BYNOfzPoz_qEHcO1UO3bPeazkG6PX3NehHoNSw4JKvEXIO5XyTumgsIqGE4jkpFC-vVvXHfYs-YYDxiu-2in9sbuhUTCYRCy8/s640/blog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
It’s been ages since I’ve posted anything. Honestly, I don’t really know what my blog is and I constantly feel apprehensive about what I post because I have so much self-doubt and anxiety at the moment. I feel like I’m going through “something” and I get very down. But I also feel like these thoughts and feelings aren’t warranted because there is so much to be grateful for. Sometimes things are fine, and I’m able to handle whatever is thrown at me. Other times it’s very difficult to will myself to not breakdown. <br />
<br />
Most of the time I literally feel worthless. I also feel I’ve lost all motivation to improve, learn and challenge myself and be “creative”. I feel so stunted and drained at the moment. Sometimes, it’s just easier to live in some “safe” lull where I just watch endless amounts of TV and I end up just feeling incredibly resentful towards myself. I really want to stop this but it’s strangely difficult to do. I’m working on this but part of me thinks I might need to get some help. <br />
<br />
Lately, to keep myself sane and make myself feel better, I’ve been fiddling with some stop motion video. I’ve made stop motion a few times before, but each time has been really jittery. I was thinking about what I could do to create a short video of smooth stop motion. It dawned on me that there are 24 frames in 1 second of footage, which means I would probably need 24 images to create one “smooth” second of footage. <br />
<br />
I decided to test this out using origami as my focus. I wanted make it look like a piece of paper was folding itself into a paper crane. Great idea, right? Well, not really. This was my first attempt.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="330" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/46179359" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="600"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
My first mistake was using a rather unreliably tripod. I bought one of those bendy tripods and thought I’d use it for this experiment. The tripod wasn’t strong enough to hold up my camera so whenever I went to take a photo, it moved slightly. <br />
<br />
Another issue was the paper I used to make this paper crane was way too big for my first attempt at 24-images-per-second stop motion experimentation. It took me a good two hours to fold a piece of paper in half. I grew frustrated and quickly made the paper crane. The bit with the paper crane moving around was done as an after thought and I think it was the best part of the video because it looks kinda cool. Score. <br />
<br />
For the next video, I was determined to make a full paper crane. I think this is my favourite video so far because it does look kinda cool. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="330" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/46224981" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="600"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
This time I used smaller origami paper. This also took ages to do and I grew frustrated by the end of it, which you can tell by the hurried-ness of the end of the video.<br />
<br />
Last night I made another video, this time using my Victoria Beckham barbie as my subject. I wanted to see if I could create smooth movement with a doll. I wanted make her walk, turn her head and wave. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="330" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/46881079" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="600"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
I think this video is all together very rushed. I probably should have spaced out her movements better in order to make it seem less rushed and jittery. What was difficult this time around was the movements are really hard to measure out. Normally with paper, you just fold bit by bit. With a doll, making her walk bit by bit is really difficult and so that’s probably why it looks so rushed and blurry. <br />
<br />
I’ve actually made another video focussing on the walking. I think walking is hard to appear natural because you have to also take into account the weight that’s placed on each foot as you walk. I’ve tried to do it in this new video but it’s still not very good. <br />
<br />
I think for my next video, I might bring in another Barbie doll and actually try to not only piece together smooth movement, but incorporate pans and actually cut together a bit of a story. Hopefully that will help me create a video that’s longer than 8 seconds!Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443466204572236187.post-88908839930231230912012-06-23T19:50:00.000-07:002012-06-23T19:51:24.717-07:00Teppanyaki InnIn our family, we have really goofy birthday celebrations. The birthday person gets to choose where they want to have dinner and we always have cake at the end of the night and sing happy birthday etc. I’m sure most people do this, but I find it especially goofy because we don’t invite anyone else along. It’s like a sacred family ritual. I guess this is because we have no other family in Australia. All our relatives are overseas. Growing up, I never had cousins to hang out with or look up to. I didn’t have grandparents to dote on. So when we have birthdays, it’s pretty special family bonding moment. <br />
<br />
A few Wednesdays ago was my brother’s 17th birthday. He had been thinking about teppanyaki for ages but didn’t know where to go. I remember years ago, my mum had teppanaki at some fancy restaurant on Collins street so we went there. Turns out this teppanyaki restaurant is <a href="http://www.teppanyaki.com.au/index.htm">Teppanyaki Inn</a>, the same place <a href="http://www.ichigoshortcake.com/2011/12/teppanyaki-inn-collins-st-melbourne-the-oldest-teppanyaki-restaurant-in-australia.html" target="_blank">Jenny from Ichigo Shortcake</a> blogged about a few months back, so I got really excited. <br />
<br />
I was told our reservations were at 6:30pm, but when I rocked up around 6:45pm, the waiter said our reservations were actually for 6pm. We ended up having to wait till about 7:30pm. By the time we were seated, we were all getting hungry. <br />
<br />
I ordered a Sapporo beer and mum ordered some warm sake. I have to say I’m not the biggest fan of sake. I thought I liked it but when I had some that night, I found it very difficult to drink. Maybe I just wanted something refreshing to drink. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203360/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="sapporo by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="sapporo" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5039/7429203360_eb29ffd044.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203542/" title="sake by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="sake" height="500" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/7429203542_91a47b9a11.jpg" width="331" /></a>
<br />
<br />
We had a look at the menu and decided on four meat sets: the beef, the beef and seafood combination, the seafood, and the chicken and seafood. It sounds like a lot of food but when you think about it, one set is meant for one person.<br />
<br />
Our awesome teppanyaki chef started off with some potatoes. These have been boiled to a slight mushy state whilst retaining the shape, then fried on the grill. This gave the potatoes a soft, fluffy interior and a crisp exterior.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203868/" title="potatoes by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="potatoes" height="331" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5151/7429203868_d345bbeff4.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
She also fried up a load of garlic, turning them into crunchy, golden chips. The oil was then saved for cooking the other meats.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204256/" title="garlic by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="garlic" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8165/7429204256_c275c27087.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204682/" title="fried garlic by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="fried garlic" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/7429204682_9403e8c30e.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Mushrooms were fried to a delicious limp state and then she started on the seafood.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204002/" title="mushrooms by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="mushrooms" height="331" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5315/7429204002_8a13caf2da.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
First, it was the prawns. The separated the heads from the bodies then left the heads to char and crisp up.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203732/" title="prawns by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="prawns" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7429203732_e2b68cd510.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429205230/" title="cooked prawns by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="cooked prawns" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7429205230_ab583010d5.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
We also had some perfectly cooked squid and salmon, then plump orbs of scallop.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203170/" title="scallops by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="scallops" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7429203170_1b1a6b7b0c.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
This was all accompanied with some yummy dipping sauces. The first one is a sesame one, which was creamy and nutty. The other one was a simple soy-based sauce. They also gave us a small platter of pickled cucumber, probably to cleanse the palate from all the meat.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204890/" title="dipping sauce by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="dipping sauce" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5458/7429204890_3ee3362081.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<br />
The seafood was amazing. I think what I love about Japanese food is the flavours are so simple and clean. It's all about the quality of the ingredients and letting them speak for themselves. We had the dipping sauces to accompany the meats, plus a wedge of lemon. The lemon came in this awesome lemon squeezer!
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204130/" title="lemon by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="lemon" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7429204130_cb56c3689a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429203034/" title="seafood plate by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="seafood plate" height="331" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/7429203034_13f97653d5.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Next up was the meat, we had some chicken which was cooked in some kind of sweet teryaki sauce, followed by some spinach, which I don't have a photo of.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429205366/" title="chicken by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="chicken" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/7429205366_e5aaa8a9ea.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
Then came the yummy beef. We ordered two kinds of beef: the wagyu sirloin and the Tasmanian tenderloin. While I enjoyed the wagyu, I have to admit I liked the tenderloin more. It tasted juicier to me, and was so good with the sesame sauce.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429205544/" title="beef by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="beef" height="331" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7124/7429205544_ea310e5b2b.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429205058/" title="cubed beef by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="cubed beef" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8145/7429205058_9711c52911.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
That was the end of the meal, but my brother was still hungry so we ordered some fried rice, which was OK. I'm not one to order fried rice when I'm out because it's so easy to make at home. Whenever I do order fried rice, I just feel guilty and disappointed. This one was a little different. This one used a dark soy that gae the rice a nice dark caramel hue. It also had hand minced bits of beef, carrot, garlic and shallots. It was nice but nothing all that special. I guess it's made to accompany the rice so you don't want to the rice to over power the meats.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204392/" title="fried rice by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="fried rice" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7429204392_8bda872530.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63281074@N03/7429204558/" title="fried rice in bowls by choux_choux, on Flickr"><img alt="fried rice in bowls" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7429204558_bb90d0d728.jpg" width="500" /></a>
<br />
<br />
If you've never been to teppanyaki before, I'd highly recommend Teppanyaki Inn. It's a very sophisticated dining environment so you could potentially do first or second dates here. Plus, the don't throw food at you and make you catch it with your bowl, which I know some places do so that's a plus if you don't like that kind of experience.
<br />
<br />
If you've been to any other teppanyaki places, do share!
<br />
<br />Choux Chouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02684821898424751341noreply@blogger.com2