Week 5 and going strong (ish)
It's the fifth week into my course in LCB and having been ill pretty much since I moved back to London (norovirus, arthritic wrist and a bad bad bout of flu) it's been one steep learning curve at culinary school!
How quickly time has passed and as I churn out two types of sweet creations most weeks, my ever-expanding waistline is indeed taking the hit! Of course, I resist eating everything I make and readily give it out to my dear friends (A+S, MC+Fook) and of course, my dearest darling Ongster has been a obliging guinea pig as well. It helps he REALLY likes his pastry and has no inclination to any sort of weight gain - ever!!!!
Today's an especially long day with a 9am start and only having finished with the technical demonstration of the Chestnut Charlottte by Chef Pascal at 9pm - it was a full 12 hour day. Luckily Ongster came all the way t o LCB to get me on the car as I would not have imagined how it would have felt liked if I had to drag myself and all my barang home on the Tube.
The transport system in London is becoming a bit of a joke recently and there is no one day that I do not get some sort of hidcup to my commuting journey from Gun Wharf!
We get our mid-term grading next week and I am really anxious to know how I've done so far! Let's hope all is well and on track.
To keep up to date with my creations at Le Cordon Bleu, do check out this URL link:
facebook.com/album.php?aid=45662&l=2c98c&id=573717628
25 April 2008
31 March 2008
One week into LCB and post-Easter break...
How quickly time passes when you spend most days at home.
You wake up at a leisurely time in the mornings (after sending O off to work), decide to have a nibble for breakfast, make myself a cuppa, settle down in front of the computer and surf/chat on the internet before deciding what's cooking for dinner tonight!
And today we're having lotus root soup, roast pork (烧肉），garlic stir fry 豆苗 and foo yong eggs with shrimp and peas.
The soup's on the stove now and happily boiling away...O loves his cantonese food especially soup so I try to 煲汤 as much as I possibly can.
Easter break was spent in North Devon around the areas of the Exmoor National Park. It is such a lovely part of the West Country and we had such a great and relaxing time there. Doing just the right amount of stuff, leisurely breakfasts, walks, a spot of fishing and lots of good local pub food.
I will load up pictures of the break shortly! When I can get my camera SD card to work that is!
But here's one that Arf's kindly taken in the grounds of Sir Napier Charless inn where we had a Good Friday luncheon in Oxfordshire, onroute to Devon.
One week into the course in LCB and so far, it's been fairly leisurely (the cooking, not the travelling) but the whole schedule of rush hour on the ELW bus, DLR, tube and then finally a good hearty 10 minute walk from Bond Street to LCB does take its toll on me and I was so tired after the first week! We enjoyed a huge portion of fruit salad (that was part of knife skills and sugar temperatures class) and the end of the week. Also we completed the demonstrations of the basic patisserie (creme anglaise, creme patisserie, creme chiboust, creme mousseline, creme chantilly - basically all derivatives of french cream fillings) and will be preparing them this Wednesday!!! Lots of creamy pastries to come.
I haven't got any photos to show of my creations yet but I am certain it's not for long with the number of classes I'll soon be having!
Also, cannot to wait to share with you guys the nice and tasty Eaton (Ong's) Mess O made!!! Yummmy.....
How quickly time passes when you spend most days at home.
You wake up at a leisurely time in the mornings (after sending O off to work), decide to have a nibble for breakfast, make myself a cuppa, settle down in front of the computer and surf/chat on the internet before deciding what's cooking for dinner tonight!
And today we're having lotus root soup, roast pork (烧肉），garlic stir fry 豆苗 and foo yong eggs with shrimp and peas.
The soup's on the stove now and happily boiling away...O loves his cantonese food especially soup so I try to 煲汤 as much as I possibly can.
Easter break was spent in North Devon around the areas of the Exmoor National Park. It is such a lovely part of the West Country and we had such a great and relaxing time there. Doing just the right amount of stuff, leisurely breakfasts, walks, a spot of fishing and lots of good local pub food.
I will load up pictures of the break shortly! When I can get my camera SD card to work that is!
But here's one that Arf's kindly taken in the grounds of Sir Napier Charless inn where we had a Good Friday luncheon in Oxfordshire, onroute to Devon.
One week into the course in LCB and so far, it's been fairly leisurely (the cooking, not the travelling) but the whole schedule of rush hour on the ELW bus, DLR, tube and then finally a good hearty 10 minute walk from Bond Street to LCB does take its toll on me and I was so tired after the first week! We enjoyed a huge portion of fruit salad (that was part of knife skills and sugar temperatures class) and the end of the week. Also we completed the demonstrations of the basic patisserie (creme anglaise, creme patisserie, creme chiboust, creme mousseline, creme chantilly - basically all derivatives of french cream fillings) and will be preparing them this Wednesday!!! Lots of creamy pastries to come.
I haven't got any photos to show of my creations yet but I am certain it's not for long with the number of classes I'll soon be having!
Also, cannot to wait to share with you guys the nice and tasty Eaton (Ong's) Mess O made!!! Yummmy.....
12 March 2008
La-la Land so far...
It's been close to 2 weeks since I got back to Lala land and things have been going fairly smoothly. I've settled into O's cosy pad, suffered from a week-long's worth of norovirus (aka projectile vomiting virus -ouch!), went to LCB to collect my uniform and equipment, cooked and attempting to feed O well.
I must say I am fairly happy with the progress! Though there is still more unpacking to be done and I am not FULLY settled in yet but these things take time and I guess I have been far too anxious to want to get it done and dusted. BUT we've even booked a Easter holiday break! So I guess that isn't all too bad given I have only been back for a forthnight or so.
We've even hosted our first dinner for friends - had Foo-Morley over and we're due to have A & S over as well for dinner next week! So cannot wait really!!!!
O's been very good - nursing me back to good health (read: appetite) whilst I was ill, taking me grocery shopping (my fav past time), new mattress shopping ; just everything to make settling into his pad a little easier.
I cannot help to think that I am one lucky girl!!!!! Let's see what's cooking for dinner tonight ??
It's been close to 2 weeks since I got back to Lala land and things have been going fairly smoothly. I've settled into O's cosy pad, suffered from a week-long's worth of norovirus (aka projectile vomiting virus -ouch!), went to LCB to collect my uniform and equipment, cooked and attempting to feed O well.
I must say I am fairly happy with the progress! Though there is still more unpacking to be done and I am not FULLY settled in yet but these things take time and I guess I have been far too anxious to want to get it done and dusted. BUT we've even booked a Easter holiday break! So I guess that isn't all too bad given I have only been back for a forthnight or so.
We've even hosted our first dinner for friends - had Foo-Morley over and we're due to have A & S over as well for dinner next week! So cannot wait really!!!!
O's been very good - nursing me back to good health (read: appetite) whilst I was ill, taking me grocery shopping (my fav past time), new mattress shopping ; just everything to make settling into his pad a little easier.
I cannot help to think that I am one lucky girl!!!!! Let's see what's cooking for dinner tonight ??
27 February 2008
Last Day in Hong Kong and the minutes are ticking by...
The sun's shining very brightly today, as I made my last mini bus journey from CWB to work. And as the bus meandered along Garden Road I stared and took in HK at it's finest.
A clear cool day seeing these towering blocks reflect the sunlight as they creep up onto you, a sense of buzz and excitement went through my veins. This feeling is strangely familiar - very similar to the day I touched down in Hong Kong not too long ago!
Things I've grown to miss of HK : massages, usual group of friends, the abundant taxis, chinese herbalists, Central Market, GREAT, Pacific Place, Far Yuen market in Mongkok...and countless more that my overloaded brain cannot take in for the moment.
I've truly adopted this transient city as a place I've known and lived in. It's quirky corners, the issues/things people are obsessed of in this country...countless really!
Who knows? I might be back to live in this country in the very near future!! Let's see what fate brings....
The sun's shining very brightly today, as I made my last mini bus journey from CWB to work. And as the bus meandered along Garden Road I stared and took in HK at it's finest.
A clear cool day seeing these towering blocks reflect the sunlight as they creep up onto you, a sense of buzz and excitement went through my veins. This feeling is strangely familiar - very similar to the day I touched down in Hong Kong not too long ago!
Things I've grown to miss of HK : massages, usual group of friends, the abundant taxis, chinese herbalists, Central Market, GREAT, Pacific Place, Far Yuen market in Mongkok...and countless more that my overloaded brain cannot take in for the moment.
I've truly adopted this transient city as a place I've known and lived in. It's quirky corners, the issues/things people are obsessed of in this country...countless really!
Who knows? I might be back to live in this country in the very near future!! Let's see what fate brings....
21 January 2008
童話故事 - my story
Good things eventually happen to good people and happy positive people attract! THAT's a fact...I attest to it.
Cliche as it might sound but you have to truly believe in it for it to happen to you! And all I can say is, I am so glad I was always hopeful and never gave up!
So what's the story then?
It all began with a "casual date" to the British Museum to see the terracotta warriors! (who said museums were boring?). Then there was Christmas baking and NYe cooking...the rest is history!
Of course, a lot of encouragement from those around me helped (thank you Fook, MC, Linda, EK, Leons + Keens) but most importantly, I am glad for O to let me into his life and share the times that are coming ahead of us!
Good things eventually happen to good people and happy positive people attract! THAT's a fact...I attest to it.
Cliche as it might sound but you have to truly believe in it for it to happen to you! And all I can say is, I am so glad I was always hopeful and never gave up!
So what's the story then?
It all began with a "casual date" to the British Museum to see the terracotta warriors! (who said museums were boring?). Then there was Christmas baking and NYe cooking...the rest is history!
Of course, a lot of encouragement from those around me helped (thank you Fook, MC, Linda, EK, Leons + Keens) but most importantly, I am glad for O to let me into his life and share the times that are coming ahead of us!
24 December 2007
"Lala" Land - ing
I am back in lala land. Honestly, it's where I feel my heart belongs - at least for now that's how it feels. It's been an exciting few days visiting old friends, new babies, discovering Postcard Tea's T is married (Congrats!!), knowing there are people out there genuinely missing my lovely baking creations.
That feels just so good....
I cannot wait for my Christmas baking session at O's. (thank you thank you). Sleepless nights (partly jet-lag, partial excitement of Christmas baking) has kept me up in my cosy warm bed and now I am blogging away at 9am on a Christmas eve! Hehe....
Did my grocery shopping at my favourite W, cutting our snowflakes icing and later on today visit LCB, Borough market and using a brandnew oven (honestly I feel so honoured) to kickstart Christmas baking!!!
Also, I had a fantastic day yesterday. It's been the longest of time I had felt so happy (from within) with simple pleasures in life...let's hope I start to have more of days like these in the coming new year!
With this, I end this entry today by thanking MC and Fook for all the "tips", encouragement, teasing and shaking their heads in disbelief that I sent my grocery list on email (coupled with a text to say, read email)...enough said!
I am back in lala land. Honestly, it's where I feel my heart belongs - at least for now that's how it feels. It's been an exciting few days visiting old friends, new babies, discovering Postcard Tea's T is married (Congrats!!), knowing there are people out there genuinely missing my lovely baking creations.
That feels just so good....
I cannot wait for my Christmas baking session at O's. (thank you thank you). Sleepless nights (partly jet-lag, partial excitement of Christmas baking) has kept me up in my cosy warm bed and now I am blogging away at 9am on a Christmas eve! Hehe....
Did my grocery shopping at my favourite W, cutting our snowflakes icing and later on today visit LCB, Borough market and using a brandnew oven (honestly I feel so honoured) to kickstart Christmas baking!!!
Also, I had a fantastic day yesterday. It's been the longest of time I had felt so happy (from within) with simple pleasures in life...let's hope I start to have more of days like these in the coming new year!
With this, I end this entry today by thanking MC and Fook for all the "tips", encouragement, teasing and shaking their heads in disbelief that I sent my grocery list on email (coupled with a text to say, read email)...enough said!
20 November 2007
Life is not a bed of roses
When you have to make the right decision, sometimes "right" metamorphoses itself.
What's right in your heart might not be right to the head. And sometimes, the math just does not add up.
(in more ways than one!)
When you have to make the right decision, sometimes "right" metamorphoses itself.
What's right in your heart might not be right to the head. And sometimes, the math just does not add up.
(in more ways than one!)
Thoughts have been racing through my mind, causing insomnia most nights, only aided by foot massages that you can get for not very much money over here in HK (I swear they really help you to sleep better at night and nothing is worth more than a good night's sleep). However, when daybreak comes, I hardly action on those thoughts.
This, frustrates me immensely. It's almost too large an inertia - way too big for me to handle and manage, that's weighing down on me....it makes me tired, lifeless and lethargic.
Yet somehow I am struggling so hard to keep afloat, to feel alive, to maintain this mindless existence of nothingness and triviality.
I am seeking the simple pleasures in life - contentment and happiness. And so far, lady luck has not been with me. Often the simplest things are the most difficult to obtain, which is why we much rather focus on the complicated, hoping the simple "goes away", but really it does not.
Atlas! I am generally optimistic and am still waiting for that fairytale, that 童話故事 to happen.
What does not kill, only makes you stronger.
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