#1: Inspired by

Hi all. How's it going?

I must say, life is so much better now, what without 4-5 calls a month (which left me feeling sooo tired and constantly in a semi-zombified state) and finishing work at a really decent time (with the sun still up! Trust me, once you've been deprived of such things, they matter so much once you've given them back ;p) to squeeze in exercise, an episode or two of Castle/Modern Family/Elementary (my 3 favorite TV series at the moment) and even some studying.

I felt like writing this post because it's something that's been brewing on my mind for quite awhile now. I figured when I come across inspiring figures, there's no better way to pay tribute to them that to pass it on and spread the word.

This particular one all started a month or two ago at a memorable sleepover with my dearest secondary school friends. It was one of our most successful sleepovers in a long time because we only dropped off to sleep at about...3am? We've been sleeping much earlier these past few years due to *ahem* old age so it was amazing how we managed to stay up the latest in a long time. That was in no small part related to our entertainment for the night - episodes of Masterchef Season 4! I got totally hooked after that. But not on Season 4 though. At the side of the youtube page there were other recommended video links and there was one that caught my eye about 'Blind Masterchef' and that's when I started watching season 3 to find out more. Have you heard of Christine Ha, the season 3 Masterchef winner? She's also the first blind contestant and masterchef to have emerged victorious so far. :) And she is AMAZING.

Her story is one that's incredibly inspiring. She started losing her vision gradually in her early 20s while she was at university and just starting her foray in the culinary arts due to an autoimmune condition called Neuromyelitis Optica. Over the years as her vision deteriorated, she had to relearn everything from scratch - navigating her way round the kitchen, the use of cooking utensils and the actual cooking of dishes.

I love watching her audition segment because it's such a good introduction to her story. It's amazing how at the end she (almost prophetically) declares, "I'm going to be the next Masterchef" and it does come true. :)

After watching the entire season 3 and thoroughly enjoying it, I started trawling through youtube for other videos/interviews of hers to find out more about her story. Season 3 was a lot of fun because there were so many memorable characters (my favs include Frank - such a decent guy who always made the best Italian dishes!, Monti - just about the coolest mama I've seen on tv + she has the most wicked tortoise-shell glasses, Felix - super feisty character who said the craziest things lol) and crazy challenges that really got my heart racing along with excitement. Anyway, I spent loads of time just watching and listening to her interviews, in which she shares her experiences of rebuilding her life after learning to accept her disability. What never fails to inspire me is her sheer willpower and strength to keep at it and to always look on the bright side of things.

One of my favorite quotes from her - " Everyone in this world is dealt a different hand—some better, some worse than others—but what's more important is how you play that hand. This is what builds character. And with great character comes great reward."

And that couldn't be more true. At the end of the day, with all the challenges we go through, while we might complain about the frustrations that come along with it, at least we're growing in character and fortitude and always learning and changing. There were many days on the way to work when I would just play an interview of hers on my phone while driving and her words just gave me that lift to look on the bright side of things and to work harder at overcoming challenges instead of being afraid. Am pretty sure she said it a couple times that she's always been competitive by nature and the harder the challenge, the harder she works at something to overcome it. That couldn't be more obvious from the way she went through all those challenges in the competition and emerged stronger each time and eventually...the winner.

I know some people aren't the sort who are easily swayed by words/quotes but for me, I lap it all up because those inspiring words really can make a difference to one's mindset and attitude towards life.

Plus, how awesome is it to not just be able to accept a disability, adjust to life with it, but also move beyond it to become an inspiration to others? She's also got a youtube channel with her own series called The Blind Life in which she talks about various topics related to her visual impairment, cooking, life in general. There was one in which she shares her methods for making use of technology - tweeting/facebooking/emailing, which was really eye-opening in sharing various means that the visually impaired have to communicate.

She shares her story and other bits and bobs of life on her blog HERE.

Along the same lines of being inspired, I just HAVE to share this other video that I just watched today. ;) After being introduced to the series, Begin Japanology, by my boyfriend (who is also a huge fan of all things Japanese), it's something I turn to whenever I fell like relaxing AND learning (so I don't feel tooo guilty about the slothing heh) and there are sooo many interesting episodes. This one is about Japanese Juku or cram-schools but towards the end of the episode (definitely start watching the segment from about 8:30 in Part 2!!), they talk about special schools that cater to teaching mainly adults who might not have had the chance for a formal education. The lady featured is, Fusako Ito, and her story is another really inspirational one. After having contracted polio at a young age, she was not able to receive a formal education and was illiterate for most of her life until she started going to the special juku. After 8 years of studying, she was able to write an entire 53 page essay about her life, entitled, "I'm Glad that I'm Alive". I just feel that it's amazing how lives can be changed...enriched, with learning.


PART 1

PART 2

I dare you to watch that portion when she reads her essay out loud to her class and not at least tear up a little. ;') Because I certainly did. It's often the older generation who treasure things like education because a lot of them might not have had the opportunity when they were younger. Reminds me of my Ahpo (my grandma who is my absolute favorite person in the world) who never fails to ask each time I visit her, whether I'm studying hard or not. And if I make even the slightest complaint about how work is tough or studying is annoying, she'll start launching into her memoirs of how her primary school education was cut short due to WWII. And of course, I'll be reminded of just how lucky I am. 

I suppose at the end of the day, I'm always being reminded of how all that I have is a blessing. Work may be tedious, (overly) challenging with so much studying/learning involved but...these are things that will always enrich me and make me grow as a person no matter how annoying/frustrated it might make me at the beginning. Yet sometimes, these are things that others crave for and wish for themselves. So I guess, instead of facing each day thinking, "oh man so much work to do", I should be telling myself, "ok, there are so many people to help today. Leshhhgo!" There have been many times when I've thought that maybe this isn't the right career for me, but after watching things like this and being reminded of how a little help/volunteerism can go such a long way to making a positive change in someone's life, I just end up thinking that no matter what, I would've eventually wanted to go into a profession which involves helping others in a direct way. If not, I'd probably get quarter-life crisis hitting a lot harder if I were in some other more financially driven line. That said... time to think about volunteering eventually. ;) 

Wow, that was quite a long post. But I couldn't help share those thoughts. I'm often filled with gratitude by things like these (who would've thought a video would have triggered all these musings eh?) and yet at the same time...I'm grateful for these daily reminders.

Anything that you've been inspired by? I'd love to hear about it. :)

In the meantime, have a great rest of the week! Saturday's coming in ... 3 days time.

xoxo

Home-Cooked: Wolfberry-Logan Tea

So. Incredibly. Thankful. For this long weekend. X)) 

And by long weekend, I mean finally being able to get a day off on the Hari Raya Haji holiday on Monday. It's the first time in agessss since I've been able to get a day off from work on a public holiday. I think the last few public holidays I've just always been on call or post call so I've always envied people who observe regular working days and get their public holidays off by default. Well, the stars have aligned and tomorrow, I'll be able to completely ignore my phone/alarm and savour those incredible moments in that place somewhere between sleep and waking, comforted by the thought that I'll be able to snuggle in deeper beneath the comforters until I'm fully rested. < br/> It's been so long (as always, I know ><) since I've last updated. Somehow it seems that when life gets busy, there are just too many things to think about doing and taking the time out to blog feels like a luxury that I can enjoy when I'm completely at ease and feel like I have the time to carve out and savour. So I'm making use of the opportunity now. 

I've been reading and listening to talks about mindfulness and its benefits towards health and one thing that's stuck with me, is how so many simple things in one's life can add up to make it richer, fuller, healthier. One of the most basic things would have to be food. If we pay attention to what we put inside ourselves, we can ensure that we're nourishing ourselves with the foods that will make us healthier and happier. Because being healthy is the foundation for living the best life we can live. :) I truly believe that. 

One of the drinks I've recently learned to make is Wolfberry-logan tea. I used to order this at Cedele when after awhile I realized that all the ingredients are things that I've seen in supermarkets so, in the spirit of Ahpo (my adorable grandma who always believes that anything in the restaurant can be made at home. Which is true most of the time in her case because she's a domestic goddess), I figured I should try to brew it myself and take that bit of wellness back home to be enjoyed. And boy, was it easier than I thought! 



The key ingredients in this drink are - dried red logans, wolfberries (or goji berries), white lotus seeds, and dried logans. They're often used in all sorts of chinese dishes and desserts and are each supposed to have tons of health benefits (if you believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine and how foods all have 'hot'/'cold' properties to balance out your yin and yang. I would love to learn more about it just to understand it as a part of culture but I can't say that I completely espouse it since I would need to have some hard core scientific evidence to back it up eh? But I do believe that even if something can't be explained by western science...doesn't mean it ain't true. :) To each his own and...everything in moderation. 

A little more information about the ingredients:

1. Wolfberries/Goji Berries 

These are incredibly nutritionally dense. Not only are they loaded with vitamin C, they contain iron, calcium, zinc and other trace minerals as well as beta-carotene which promotes healthy skin. Plus, they're rich in anti-oxidants, help boost the immune system and improve your eyesight as well. That bit about the eyesight seems to be something that's popular in the TCM world because it's something I've heard about from my grandma since I was a young girl (wondering what those funny little red seed-like things were in those soups she'd make for me). 

Fun fact - Goji berries can be eaten in their dried form by adding them to trail mix, oatmeal or muesli mixes and can be mixed into your smoothies too. Mmm I'm thinking banana/blueberry and goji berries smoothie. (The colour might turn out funky though because of the orange shade of the berries. But it's worth a try ;)) 

2. Red Dates 

These seem to be a real powerhouse in the TCM world. Apparently it aids in the digestion and absorption of food plus helps with insomnia and menstrual cramps.

Other ways of cooking red dates - in porridges (red date and lotus seed porridge actually sounds really decent) 

3. Logans 

Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Improves skin tone! 

4. White lotus seeds 

Good source of protein, Magnesium, potassium. Traditionally thought to have calming properties which can help with insomnia or restlessness. 





So here goes. 

Ingredients: 
(From left to right in a clockwise manner on the plate)
10 White Lotus Seeds 
30 Seedless dried red dates 
15 Dried longans (in the centre of the plate there)
10 - 15 Wolfberries 

You'll soon realize that actually, the beauty of this drink is that every is up to you to decide. The quantities of the individual ingredients can be varied according to your preference. The best part is, you don't even need to add in any additional sugar because the dried logans already have their natural sweetness. So if you like it more sweet, just throw in a few more of them! Or if you want, add honey instead of refined sugar for a natural sweetener. 




Method:
1. Bring about 1 litre of water to a boil. 
2. Cut the red dates in half to allow for the nutrients to seep into the water a little easier. 
3. Toss in all the ingredients. 
4. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat. 
5. It's ready when the taste is to your liking. :)

And if you let it simmer longer, the flavors become more concentrated so you end up with a smaller amount of liquid at the end (mine served about 2 small cups) but you can always re-use the ingredients a second or third time until the flavors finally get boiled out. 



Hope you enjoy this drink! Trust me, it's super easy to make and you'll immediately feel a sense of calm wash over you. Drink it anytime of the day but I think it's best taken in the evening with that glorious dusky sunlight. 

Ok, time to rest my eyes now. ZZZ. Have a great weekend. 

xoxo

for the soul #1: Sophie and Lyla

I thought I'd take a slightly different approach to this post. Not an influx of photos for one. :) But just a few things on my mind I wanted to share. Namely, great songs and great books! Music and books have got to be the great loves of my life. Along with a few other things but these two always rate highly no matter what the rest of my life is like. 

Today has been a pretty awesome day off. Was able to spend time with my mum and dad at a yummy dimsum lunch after which we all got back home and K.O-ed in bed for an afternoon nap. I looooove restful afternoons like that. Then I wanted to get some books from Kinokuniya but of all days in the year, it happened to be closed today for stock taking. -__- But oh well, at least I was able to get some bread from DonQ (which has really yummy mentaiko baguette and sweet potato-sesame bread among others ;p) and make a mental note of a very nice pair of shoes which I might be tempted to get... soon. I'd really wanted to get more of Sophie Kinsella books. Yes, I am an avid reader of her books, especially her Shopaholic series. ;) I know so many people look down on chick lit but seriously, who really cares? If you haven't read her stuff, you're missing out on a great bunch of books that can really brighten up your day especially if you're going through a dry spell. They just make me so happy. I think this would appeal more to the female readers but a good light hearted book can be enjoyed by anyone. It's sort of a cycle I go through. Every once in a while, perhaps when I'm hitting a snag at work or just feel a little down about things and need a pick-me-up, I tend to gravitate back to books like these that provide such an enjoyable means of escapism. Of course my favorite would have to be the first one - Confessions of a Shopaholic, but the second one, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, makes me all tingly with excitement inside at the thoughts of NYC. :) Someday soon hopefully. It's been too long. I just read Twenties Girl in the span of maybe 2 days? It's that easy to enjoy and difficult to put down once you get started. The next few books I'll be getting will definitely include I've Got Your Number and maybe some of her earlier 'Madeleine Wickham' works like A Desirable Residence or The Wedding Girl. :) Excited to get my hands on more of these titles. 

Here's a little interview she did that will give you a little introduction to the world of Becky Bloomwood. 

 



After starting this new rotation, my days have all sort of become jumbled up because of the shift work. There's no clear distinction between weekdays and weekends though I still feel that thrill when it's Friday night, mainly because then everyone else will be free for possibly some fun over the weekend. But at least there's quite a bit of time now for me to make use of for exercise, reading and relaxation compared to the way things were last time so I'm grateful for that. The first week was tough because whenever I had to go to work at 12 noon, I'd end up feeling so groggy and sleeping all the way till 11am that I'd do hardly anything but sleep-work-eat dinner and press repeat. Now I've gotten a little better and have been semi-successful at waking up earlier to go for a jog in the morning which REALLY helps in so many ways. :) I've come to realize that when you do something good for your body, its effects do ripple down throughout the day/week and it makes all the difference. At least when I'm at work I feel more energised and happy that I've gotten some exercise in already and I've done what I can do to keep myself healthy, so whatever else happens during the work day... I'm in a pretty good position to deal with it. And I like that feeling. :) That said, I'm winding down tonight but putting together a new mixed cd for when I'm on the road. I love these moments that come around every so often (maybe once in a month or two?) when the music that's been playing in the car has gotten a little stale and I've collected enough Shazam tags on my phone for a new CD. I've got a habit of listening to the radio (the only legit one nowadays is Lust 99.5. It's got a great selection of Indie music and DJs that keep inane chatter to a minimum! :D) and then Shazam-ing a song whenever it catches my ...ear. A couple of songs on the new mixed tape would include: 

 1. Drunk - Ed Sheeren 

I know this isn't a new song but...it's so addictive! X) And soulful. 

 2. The Fisher King - California Wives

I think I might've come across this song in Books Actually. It's the sort of song that I could listen to while lying in bed for a quick escape from my thoughts. 

 3. Light All My Lights - Seeker Lover Keeper

Kept hearing this on the radio. Isn't it pretty addictive too? 

4. Love Will Take You - Angus and Julia Stone

Oh my word. This one's just plain sweet. Was it really featured in Twilight?? Cos I keep seeing that association on youtube. ;p Whatever. A good song's a good song. 

 5. Shoestring - Lyla Foy

And this, has become one of my favorite songs since one or two months back. :) I did a little weekend getaway to Langkawi with my mum and would listen to this song over and over in the wonderfully luxurious hotel room with its fluffy pillows and fantastic air conditioning while escaping from the heat outside. Listening to this always brings me back to that gorgeous space and peace of mind.


Any good songs or books you've enjoyed recently? 

Alright, off to wind down for the night. Praying for more of these days. For you too. 
XOXO

Springtime Escapades #1

Hi all!! Gosh, it feels like it's been AGES since I've last blogged. And I mean ages. Seems like there's always so much happening in life all the time. For one, I've finally finished the arduous first year of work post-graduation which has historically been the toughest one for everyone who's gone through it... I'm so relieved that part of my life is over. I've started on another rotation now and while the hours are definitely more erratic, I've started to really appreciate the shift work and the beauty that comes with being able to do things in the hours before and after the shift ends. It's definitely an art ending work on time since there are times when things need to be followed up on or handed over at the last minute but I'm slowly but surely getting the hang of it. 

One thing that was really amazing that I managed to do before my first year of work ended was this - a family trip to Japan for for Sakura viewing! :) It's something that's been on my bucket list since forever and it was amazing how my whole family happened to be keen AND available for the trip at the same time. I was a little apprehensive at first because you know how these family trips can be... and we hadn't taken one complete family holiday in what 10 years? So I was definitely a tad worried at the start... but thankfully, my dearest boyfriend Donald stepped in and helped with the planning at the last minute which was an incredible help because if left to me, I would've decided on train routes and attractions upon arrival in Japan itself (as is the spontaneous and easy way to do things but often only works when traveling alone and not with family ;p)... so that definitely saved the trip. And in fact, it turned out soooo well. Far better than expected. :) Which goes to show that often times we worry too much about things in advance when really...if we focus on making things work out in the moment, they usually do. 

Here are some shots on film.



Our first sighting of Sakura! Along the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto. It was such a lovely moment; finally getting the chance to appreciate the beauty of those gorgeous flowers. Unfortunately we had arrived there in that golden period right before sunset (one of the most beautiful parts of the day any other day except the one which we wanted to enjoy the sakura in good photography lighting lol). I could feel the light slipping by by the second. It was that fleeting. So we got along snapping as much as we could, doing random Philosopher poses (my dad's cool that way ;)) until it was way too dark and we had to resign ourselves to going off for dinner instead. 

I could've spent a whole afternoon there, stretched out on a grass patch/bench with a thermos flask of green tea in one hand and a sakura mochi in the other. Ooo that's a plan for the next time.



A sushi platter at Bikkuri Sushi. I'm sorry but this is one place I would NOT recommend going to. It was our first day in Tokyo and my sis had been craving sushi for dinner (and this was after our tea time snack of Ippudo Ramen which was EXCELLENT) so we'd gotten a recommendation from the hotel concierge for a sushi restaurant in the neighbourhood. They pointed this out to us and it looked really legit from the outside. But there has to be a problem when the tempura turns out to be better than the sushi in a Sushi-ya. It was such a disappointment because I'd been looking forward to some delicious slabs of melt-in-your-mouth quality Ootoro. But when it turned out to be stringy-er, requiring more colossal teeth strength than expected... I'd say, try to find an outlet of Sushi Zanmai instead. When Donald and I went to Tokyo last year we actually stumbled upon Sushi Zanmai by accident and ended up going back there another time during our stay for some really awesome (and decently priced sushi).



Bento on board the Shinkansen to Kyoto. X)) Don't you love a beautiful bento? Of course, nothing beats a freshly made, hot one but these are so amazing for their variety, convenience and sheer aesthetic. It was hilarious seeing my dad get so excited about his train bentos but he was right - how often do you get the chance to enjoy a bento on board a train? It's worth devoting some time before the train ride selecting just the right one.



At our cooking class in Kyoto. :D This is something I'd highly recommend going to if you happen to be travelling to Kyoto! In fact, I would probably want to do it again in another city just because it's so fun to see how the Japanese cook even the most basic dishes. I'd booked a session for my family for a Vegetarian cooking class at this guesthouse called Roujiya (and conveniently did not mention this to them till they arrived heheheh. My dad got a shock when the sensei asked, 'how long have you been Vegetarian?'. I could almost hear the thump of his jaw on the table. He'd be a 100% carnivore if it were up to him) and due to the limited slots, ours happened to be at 2pm and we rushed there after arriving in Kyoto itself at about noon. It was such fun! The sensei, Kaori, was dressed in a lovely kimono and spoke really great English. There was even a substantial hand-out about the basics of Japanese cooking. Did you know that there are so many rules that govern the sort of dishes served in traditional Japanese cuisine? Everything is seasonal and tries to obtain a mix of Yin and Yang foods. Even the sort of small dishes used are selected based on their appearance and suitability for the season (e.g. flower shaped dish for the Spring season). Back to the photo - these were little rice crackers used for our chopsticks practice. Turns out almost everyone except the Swedish guy in our class had been holding their chopsticks wrong for donkey years. ;p I certainly have been. But it works.



Our final assortment of dishes. We had made mini sushi balls (apparently so small because they're meant for Maiko (Geisha apprentices) to eat or nibble at so that their immaculately done up makeup/lipstick doesn't get smudged), cucumber + yuzu paste sushi, plus a yummy Japanese cucumber and sesame paste side dish. It's amazing, the amount of effort that's put into these seemingly simple dishes. And what amazed me was the attention to detail - the sensei was like, 'put 2-3 of these small leaves for decoration into your soup'. 2-3 only. Not more, not less - for optimal aesthetic.



Cutie cat spotted outside our cooking class ryokan.



Takoyaki man! I kept seeing him at the same spot near our hotel in Kyoto (really near the main Kyoto station too) but he'd always give a big X sign whenever I approached. ;p Did he mean 'no photos allowed' or did he mean 'not selling anymore'. I never saw him serve anyone either so... I'm more inclined to think it was the latter. ;p



Our walk along the Kamo River in Kyoto. <3 One of my favorite parts of the trip. You can't go to Kyoto and not walk by the Kamogawa without falling in love with it. We didn't have much time to spend there because dinner was looming and my dad had to rest his back but we did manage to get quite a lot of lovely family shots at the same spot. :) I just loved seeing the Japanese relax along the river with their picnic baskets and blankets...That's the life. 



I would've wanted to have gone further down the river to the stone steps shaped like turtles' backs which you can step on to get across the river. But that was a little further down. Once again, plans for the future. 



One of my favorite afternoons from the trip was when we were in this restaurant in Nara. We'd just arrived that afternoon and were going to take our time at the National Park chasing deer. But before that, because we were all too famished, we stumbled into the nearest restaurant from our ryokan. And this was it - a soba place that also specialized in Kuzu, a type of Japanese arrowroot, that's usually made into jelly form (like a softer version of Konnyaku), often topped with molasses or kinako powder. Wayyy too much like jello to me. And it wasn't even easy to eat because it was much softer and more slippery compared to typical konnyaku jelly. >< So after that afternoon, I was more or less done with Kuzu. But the best bit was after the meal, when we were admiring our full bellies, enjoying the moments of contentment that come with being on a holiday and not needing to rush to the next destination...and the sun came through beautifully through the shuttered windows. It was one of the best moments. 

Needless to say, there were too many great moments on this trip. And looking back...I'm so glad we were able to do this family trip together. We didn't even get those huge family squabbles that often accompany any holiday abroad. Doesn't it seem like the older you get the harder it is to do things as a family together? But it's something I'm going to try to devote more time towards. 

Oooookiee...time for a snooze now. It's my day off. And I'm trying to make the minutes stretch out as much as possible. X) 

Have a great week ahead! 
xoxo

Home-Cooked: The All Time Fav - Banana Bread

One of my favorite things to bake would be BREAD. :) Granted, it often requires the longest waiting time because it usually involves proofing for an hour or two till it's doubled in size and so on... but the feeling of punching and kneading dough with your bare hands...very cathartic. That said, there are other bread recipes that don't require that sort of time/effort but can still give really yummy stuff such as BANANA BREAD. I like to throw in blueberries into the mix because they taste so good together! One time I was a little more ambitious and added strawberries into the mix but then I realized that unless you are gonna eat all of the bread up on the same day or the next day latest, it gives a really moist (that turns soggy quickly) bread because of all the moisture from the strawberries. Blueberries + walnuts are a safe and delicious bet.

I usually try to get recipes that are on the healthier side with less sugar (once I see more than 1 cup of sugar involved which can't be cut down to a smaller portion I skip on to the next one) and more substitutes like applesauce. You can try THIS RECIPE over here for starters.







X)) Don't you just love the taste and colour of blueberries? They're probably my favorite berries to use in baking. Raspberries tend to be a little too tart and need the sweetness of say...lemon curd to go along with them. And for strawberries... well when they're sweet and juicy I just love to eat them as they are instead of baking them. It's a dream of mine to go berry picking one day! I would just have a field day picking, eating, snapping photos, maybe baking them into a pie after...So many dreams. <3  

Plus this recipe is a good one to start with because from here you can add in your own variations - Banana Oats Bread... Banana + Oats + Walnuts Bread... Banana + Chocolate + Walnuts Bread... MMM. 

Here are some of the Banana Breads I've tried (over the course of the past few months of course ;p):

1. Banana Walnut Oats Bread 

2. Banana Chocolate Bread 




It's highly possible that I might have eaten these last Banana + Chocolate ones too quickly or packed 'em up to give to someone hence there are no other photos ;p. But isn't the combination of banana and chocolate just irresistible? 

All ready to bake some banana bread now? Let me know if you've got some combinations for Banana bread (or any kind of bread for that matter) that you like and would recommend!  

More next time! 

xoxo

matcha love: Matcha-Lemon marble swirl pound cake

Oh Matcha. Matcha matcha matcha. Show me a person who doesn't love matcha and I'd like to bring him or her to a place to enjoy matcha in all its wondrous forms. Ochacha (my favorite matcha cafe) would be a good place to start. Seriously, there are times when I entertain thoughts of perhaps opening a matcha themed cafe next time. Of course, I'd probably try to throw in a few healthy dishes that can be eaten for lunch/dinner but there would also be some really funky matcha latte art involved. Now to first figure out how to make a proper matcha drink. 

That said, I could love Matcha for the calming effects it has on me or for the fact that it's got a gazillion health benefits - it purportedly improves memory and concentration, boosts your immune system, increases energy levels, ups your metabolism rate (and hopefully burns off those calories at the same time), and improves your cholesterol profile. More than enough reasons to start drinking it on a regular basis if you ask me. One thing I love doing is incorporating Matcha into baked goods because it just makes it seem a tad healthier. ;p So far I've tried Matcha Shortbread Cookies , Matcha financiers (post about those to come soon!) and most recently, Matcha and Lemon pound cake. Pound cakes are probably the easiest to bake for me. Cookies, I have some trouble with because I find it tough to get them crispy AND thin at the same time. But with pound cakes, all it needs is a good batter, into the oven it goes and within 20-30 minutes, a thing of beauty/major yum emerges.






(Matcha and lemon marble pound cake, with hot green tea on the side, of course ;D) 

I remember baking these on a late Sunday afternoon and by the time these came out, it was that golden hour between 5 - 6 pm, with the Sunday dampening down its golden rays and the neighbourhood quietening down as people start getting settling down/ready for dinner. It's probably one of my favorite times of the week. Give this a go with THIS recipe from Joy the Baker, whose recipes, I might add, have always worked out really well. :) I probably cut down the sugar content to half or two-thirds and it still tasted really good. I might add more matcha the next time I make this just to give it a stronger flavour. And thank god for youtube because I'd never marbled a cake before but I learnt how to with this video. Tell me how it works out if you try this too! xoxo

this place called home

One of the books I'm currently reading now is "What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast". Yeah, I'm that kind of person. I kinda have a weakness for self-help/improvement books because I do think that the mind can influence everything in life. Basically it's about how people utilise and make the most of their time. With weekends for example, while most people would want to just laze around on the couch and while away their time catching up on movies with a 10 hour marathon, there are people who make it a point to plan out their weekends so that they don't waste them away. (According to the book, because I sure don't harbour quotes like these in my mind at any one time) Anatole France once wrote, "Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another". I suppose that has a ring of truth to it. But mainly if the alternate form of labour is something one is passionate and enthusiastic about. Then through indulging in it (even if it might be challenging or tough in itself), one would find a sort of pleasure from having achieved something, if not external, then internal peace of mind at being able to do something for oneself.
For me, it's a constant struggle. Work gets so tiring that most of the time all I want to do is lie in bed during my free time/sleep in on the glorious mornings when I don't have to work. Almost always, I'm still trying to figure out how to make full use of time - to cherish it, relish it and yet not get stressed out by its finiteness. It's a different form of stress, because once you have it, the thought that it could slip away adds to the burden of not wanting to while it away thoughtlessly. Ever felt that way? 

But I digress. One of the things recommended by the author was to create a list of 100 Dreams - things to work into weekends so that each one becomes meaningful and not wasted away by the time spent deciding what to do. One of the things on my list would have to be Photography + Exploration. Ok that makes two. But they would have to be hand in hand. In the past few weeks whenever I go out with Donald, we try to explore areas that we haven't been to before in SG. I tend to bring my darling Minolta along while he snaps away with his iPhone5. It's great that he's into photography a lot more now because recently he's discovered the wonders of Vscocam and has been making full use of it in Instagram. ;p (Do check out his Instagram feed and follow along because he's got some great stuff there. *coughshamelesspluggingcough*) It always feels like there are so many places to explore, so many bits of SG to (re-)discover. And even if it's walking by the usual places like Orchard, sometimes it's so dang fun to put on touristy sunglasses. New perspectives always keep things fresh. 

So here are some snapshots of my SG. :D 



Random parrot outside a store in Jurong. This one was uncharacteristically...quiet.



Outside Necessary Provisions, a cafe which is apparently really good but EVERYTIME Donald and I have gone there in an attempt to indulge in coffee/a good meal, we've always been thwarted by 1. overcrowded cafe (and they actually did not let us in because they said it was too crowded!) 2. random closing hours 3. trouble outside about 20m away requiring us to call the police (but that's a story for another day). The long and short of it is that we have no managed to get inside...yet.



While walking along Tanjong Pagar after lunch one day.



One of THE coolest, most bad-ass Uncles by far. This guy is just plain awesome. He must be 70 or 80 years of age but by gosh is he FIT. He's always outside Ngee Ann City (at least I've seen him there during the weekends), swinging those humungous hooped beads, sometimes two at a time. He's been featured in the papers a number of times for his fitness regime heh. And when he needs to take a break (probably a toilet break), he just leaves his belongings behind, bucket full of cash/donations included. That's the trusting spirit that's so hard to come by nowadays. One day, I hope to be as daring, healthy, energetic and bold as this dude. I could wax lyrical about him the entire day. X) And he always gives the best poses.



I just adore him. And my sis actually managed to get a free lesson in bead-hooping from him the other day! Will need to find out her story soon.



Ohhh the smell of roasted chestnuts. One of my favourites. :) Managed to catch this chestnut selling uncle outside Liat Towers one evening at Orchard.



House of Tau Sah Piah in Balestier. Really tasty stuff! This was during the CNY period too so those snacks were perfect.



Coffee bean wholesaler in Balestier. Another smell I adore/which excites me but I'm still a tea guzzler more than coffee.



In the gorgeous Plain Vanilla cafe. My only qualm would be that the air-conditioning does not extend to the customer-eating space! If it did, it would be quite perfect. Because the cakes/pastries/cupcakes are DELISH.



Along Haji Lane, there's a vintage clothing store called Dulcetfig which is probably now famous for having 3 resident cats (well at last count, there were 3) in the store. If I ever had a store, I would get my future French Bulldog, Kong, to be the mascot.



One of the few times that cats make my heart melt. :)



Steeples Deli! A family favorite from way back in the day. I have many fond memories of this place. My dad used to bring my sis and me for weekend breakfasts/lunches here all the time last time. And without fail, I would get a classic beef burger (well done for the beef, because well, I was a kid) and a chocolate milkshake. And each time, I would polish off the entire thing. I had a humungous appetite (and belly) at the time and for some reason I used to think showing off how much I could eat was something that would score me brownie points in my parents' eyes. ;p That place had the best smoothies ever though. Rich, creamy, thick...cold... I don't eat beef anymore so if anything I would go back for a smoothie. And they have incredible Rueben sandwiches too. SIGH. <3 (It's at Tanglin Shopping Centre)



Mr Dapper Cat lost in his own thoughts in a store in Tiong Bahru. When I first came across it, I honestly thought it was a statue because it was so still. Until it shifted ever so slightly. Made for a good model.

Going through these photos and all those memories was actually pretty comforting. :) More next time! xoxo