Love affair...with Wagyu...

With the deluge of affairs that people are having nowadays...I also have my own fair share.  But my affair is predominantly with Wagyu...the love of my life... :)

Had these mini Wagyu sliders @ Prive last night.  They were so good, that I didn't want to share them with anyone.  I want Wagyu all to myself!

As for other love affairs....I think one of them is called Ice-Cream....

Things I wanna do in 2010...

It's kind of late for New Year Resolutions, and I never keep them anyway, so I will just call them things I want to do in 2010.

Work has been really busy and again, I'm feeling very demoralized and just not happy with it.  While mulling over all the unhappiness, I suddenly thought of rollerblading.  Don't ask me how or why it happened, it just did.  I had an image of a VERY SLIM me blading in Hawaii in board shorts and bikini top only!  Wuahaha....yes, and that was how I've decided to blade again!

But first, I need to convince J that he should take up blading too!  So that I have someone to drive me to East Coast :)  And I gave him the image of blading on an Hawaii beach with bikini babes all over the place, and it worked like magic.  The blading classes will be my Valentine's Day present for him.

That settled, now I have to look for my blades!  I think they have rusted beyond repair though - what a perfect excuse chance to go buy NEW blades.  My ang bao collection next week will be crucial to fulfill this aspect!

Since my last fall down a slope while blading years back, I've had phobia of blading and basically just stopped.  And being vain, I didn't wear my knee guards, and they were literally shredded when I fell :(  I've truly learnt my lesson and will wear those guards from now on, no matter how fat they make my thighs look.

And so I was happy after deciding I will take up blading again.

After work, I decide to go check out some shoes and *ah hem* lingerie at Robinson's.  I walked past Raffles Hotel on the way to City Hall, and couldn't resist going into LV.  I was looking for the Alma Vernis bag in Marshmallow - but because I was carrying my Naraya bag, nobody bothered with me.  

As I was leaving the shop, I noticed the personalized Speedy, and hey presto(!!) I had another idea!  I will buy that speedy with my new initials after my baptism in April.  SVR - Shirley Vera Rahardjo.  I love it!  Ha!  Now I just need to decide if I want the coloured stripes in the middle or at the side.  Most probably I will get them in the middle, a la the Morris Mini cars :)

That sums up my two things to do - well, the 2nd thing is nothing much to do except for forking out the $$ for it.  But these two things are what I would like to achieve this year. 

Blessed Tuesday and may the Lord grace me with more ideas throughout 2010.

A wedding...

is supposed to be a joyous event.  But I quickly realized that it is just a money making "contract" for the service providers.

Went to Sheraton Towers yesterday for their "Wedding Workshop".  I was quite taken by the Grand Ballroom, and naively thought that I could try to negotiate to have the ballroom for like 22-25 tables on a weekend instead of the required 30 tables.

The "wedding consultant" refused to budge and only offered an alternative for me to hold a lunch event instead of dinner.  Why would I want to compromise on possibly the most important day in my life?

We have not settled on a date, and the wedding consultant said we can give her a fixed date by next week before the contract is sent to us.  "Contract"??  This is a scary word indeed.  Why am I signing on a contract for my wedding dinner reception?  The word is just so cold and clinical - non of the joyous, airy fairy dream wedding that I have in mind.  It really puts me off from holding my wedding there.  The wedding consultant didn't seem very interested as I guess they are booked every week, and has no lack of clients.

Maybe I read too much "Martha Stewart Weddings" and watch too many chick flick movies - where dream weddings are the norm.  Or am I just being unrealistic?  I mean, how do other people do it?  Does everybody end up with the wedding of their dreams or they are just throwing a wedding dinner for the sake of having one?

Right now, I really feel that my own wedding is out of reach.  I don't even know when I will get married - heck, J has not even proposed!  Maybe I should stop planning, and thinking of having a wedding in the near future.  I always envision going to bridal boutiques, florists, and other wedding related places with a bling on my finger.  And the sales girls will see the bling and exclaim that it's sooooo beautiful and that I'm a lucky gal.

Nope, it ain't gonna happen....yet...I hope...

On the other hand, I don't want to pressure J to propose and buy bling for me in our current situation.

Ok, will lay off any wedding related stuff for the time being until things are more stable, and I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Pokka Cafe, Hong Kong

It's 4pm, we were hungry and thirsty and feeling kinda warm on this sunny November day.  Then I realised we are near Pokka Cafe in Causeway Bay - hurrah!

This cosy Japanese Cafe always uses nice tableware with clean cut lines, which added a touch of classy atmosphere to the whole experience.

I ordered the iced coffee and it came in a tray with the milk and sugar syrup in separate glass containers.  The best part if the ice-cubes are actually frozen coffee.  So you will not get diluted coffee as you slowly sip it to while away the afternoon!

I wish more places does this.  The only place I know who does that also is Pasta Cafe (which has been renamed Domani), because they are operated under Pokka too.

Mom ordered the hawaiian sandwich - pineapple, ham and cheese in between baguette.  I didn't touch it because I'm not a fan of pineapple!

After deliberating for awhile, I decided on the Japanese style pork spaghetti and boy was it the right choice! :)  Totally love the savoury and slightly tangy taste of the sauce.  The pork slices were tender and juicy, and the spaghetti has soaked up the delicious sauce!

I could eat this everyday!  It is very appetizing because of the tangy sauce.

I'm going to visit Domani soon, and hope that they have the same spaghetti there!  *cross fingers*




Pokka Cafe
Shop No.1, G/F, Family Square,
No.9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong 

Hello 2010...

The first 3 days of 2010 passed by in a blur.  Most of the time was spent lounging around at home and reading - just finished another masterpiece by Wilbur Smith, "Assegai".  Ok, the ending is kinda lame, but I enjoyed it anyway.

I don't know why but I've been very bad tempered and impatient as 2010 approaches.  Maybe I am afraid to face what 2010 has in store for me?

This year's greatest wish for me would be to get the keys to my house.  Can't wait to have my own kitchen where I can start to cook and make use of all the cookbooks I've got.  I'm no Nigella Lawson but I just love to cook, even if it's just to cook for myself.  Whoever tells you that it is difficult to cook for one - they are wrong!

I have always cooked for myself, and I kind of enjoy it as I can be as sinful as I want; adding all the butter and mayonnaise in copious amounts, or I can be as simple as I want and just have a simple salad.

Now that I've wrote my wish down for 2010, I'm starting to feel excited about it!

I seriously wonder if anyone ever read this blog, but here's a Happy 2010 to anyone who happens to read this! :)