I finally opened it and find a variety of pralines inside. I have tried a few but I decided to keep it to share it with friends. Too sweet for the tooth!

It is beautifully packaged. Awfully sweet. Always recommended with a cup of tea or coffee, unless you can take just the sugar rush on its own.

I think the beauty of cupcakes is that it can be eaten during tea time with a group of friends while sipping a cup of hot English tea. Maybe redbush tea, if your friends wish. I would opt for coffee, perhaps. On the other end of the spectrum, cupcakes make the most wonderful birthday gifts as well. It is sweet, simple and most likely to be well received.

Err.. Yes. I watched this ‘Seducing Mr Perfect’ starring Daniel Henney. I just think it is typical ‘fairy-tale’ sort of story line. There are some interesting points embedded in the movie.

For example. Don’t feed his ego. Don’t pick up the phone. If he is really looking for you, he will call you a few times.

I mean.. playing hard to get? Bleah! I don’t know!

Having said that, I had this really sweet pavlova while watching.

Okay la.. I shall just award the COTD to Daniel Henney.. just because I haven’t blogged COTD recently.

This 31-year-old dude is an American with Korean blood. Despite speaking very little Korean, Henney became a household name through the South Korean hit TV drama, My Name is Kim Sam Soon. Following his success in Sam Soon, he has continued to work as a professional actor.

There you go!

I subscribe to Jillian Michaels’ newsletter which gives various tips on how healthy living. Today’s Be My Organic Valentine article is quite interesting.. so much of the “organic” buzz going around among us. Every time I look at the ‘organic’ label, I will be laughing secretly. It is just so………… you-know-who!

Yums!

But if you are in London craving for this ‘kiao’.. it is extremely expensive to get the materials (presumely, in Chinatown?)…

How do you then do the cheapskate budget way?

A couple of days ago, I learnt that there is something similar in the western world. It is called tortellini.

You can cook it in broth or just do it the ‘kolok’ style. It has meat wrapped in pasta ’sheets’. I think it is quite similar to wanton/kiao/dumplings. I think it affordable, simple and makes a good meal. Toss them with extra virgin olive oil, some oyster sauce (don’t forget you’re chinese, after all), soy sauce, basil and pepper. Sometimes, you can also add some colours to the dish. Long beans can do the greens while tomatoes give the vibrant redness.

Improvise your meal. Stretch the dollars!

From Innocent drinks

I must admit, the pages were depressing. The author, Linda Grant wrote about coping with her dementing mother. She wrote about her family, her relationship with her mother and the frustrating times when her mother was diagnosed Multiple Infarct Dementia. What really struck me is the very fact that everything is real. It is not a fiction I was reading.. it was a real story.

Having the setting in the UK connected me. Familiar places like Liverpool, Bournemouth, Waterloo, Hackney, Islington.. at least I could have a visualise these places on the map in my mind.

As depressing as it may sound (”devastating at its core” on the front cover mentioned), I think this book is a good eye-opener to the real world. Really, without memory, we are nothing.

I am inspired to write too.. I enjoyed the writing style in this book. But ’til then, it is slumber..

Good night!

It took me some good few weeks to finish reading it. Initially, I found the book hard to follow.. I could not really grasp the chrono displacement (or was it ‘impairement) concept. I was a bit at loss reading. It was only nearly half way through that I understood and everything became clear.

After finishing a good read, I decided to ‘feast’ at the movie.

This is one of the rare ocassions when I actually read a book before watching the silver screen version. I can now understand how hard it is to fit every single ocassion or event from a book into a movie. They left out many subplots such as Lucille (Clare’s mother)’s death, Ingrid (Henry’s former lover) and how his feet were amputated (??).

Having said that, a movie can just be 2 hours long, anyway. A book which I read for 2 weeks warped into the screen for 2 hours. How much more do you want?

Honestly, I do not know which is better.. the book or the movie.. you take the pick!

The title struck me. I really, really need to learn to love others at this point. I am always meshed up with negative thoughts about certain something.. it is hard to love. It is so hard. I am trying, but I get crushed many times. I get poked back and then I feel so demotivated. Discouraged.

I placed an order on Amazon and they have just despatched the book. Hope to have a good read for 2010.

Happy new year!

It definitely tastes quite nice! I think I should start drinking more tea. The tin is so cute and exquisite. Lovin’ it so far! Shall drink this brew while reading a time traveller’s wife book.. yes, Audrey Niffenegger’s book.