Homemade tiramisu

I've just discovered that making your own tiramisu can be both simple & daunting at the same time. Simple cuz you don't have to bake it. It can be daunting due to the difficulty to get the right ingredients at an affordable price unless there's a shop at your neighbourhood which supplies baking needs.

Mascarpone cheese & whipping cream are easily available at supermarkets but with a hefty price tag. Took me a while to prep all the ingredients cuz I was foolish for not visiting the baking shop that my colleague recommended earlier.

With all the ingredients laid on the kitchen counter, I read through my colleague's recipe & strictly followed the instructions without missing a step. Instead of using rum, I replaced it with kahlua (coffee liquor). After sifting the cocoa powder generously on the mixture surface, the cake was left to chill for 4 hours or more.

Upon checking the cake, I found out that the texture was too soft & a little watery. It was difficult to cut & the sliced cake always ended up in a mess. Nevertheless, the taste was heavenly with strong coffee & liquor.

Finally, I discovered the mistake - apparently my colleague missed a step & forgot to jot down that the gelatin powder needs to be mixed with hot water before pouring into the mascarpone mixture. I only poured the gelatin powder into mixture instead. Haha. It's no wonder that the cake was too soft. Somehow chilling the cake for more than 12 hours gave even more distinct taste to the cake. And the longer chilling time allows the cake to harden a little more in order to compensate for my mistake. I'll definitely try making this again so watch this space! =D

K-pop worship

While at work flipping throught the newspapers, I came across this article titled, The K-pop cult with the images featuring TVXQ & Super Junior. While I was supposed to be looking at competitor's advertisements, I couldn't help but continued reading the article. Upon consuming the entire article, I could certainly relate to the writer's experience.

I couldn't agree more with the writer's description on how cult-like K-pop fandom can be. If you've been following my blog for the past few years, I'm sure you're aware that I was once a big fan of TVXQ or fondly known as DBSK. On a daily basis - without fail - I would stay in front of the computer for hours just downloading TVXQ stuff (MVs, songs, live performances, variety shows etc.) when I should be getting started on my college assignments.

Then, there's the hard-to-resist new album releases with several versions packaged in the coolest or most beautiful box you've ever come across. In fact, I almost owned all their CDs & DVDs and treated them as my prized collection cuz they were imported from Korea or Japan. And I had the opportunity to attend their concert twice when they stopped over at Malaysia. While I considered my sanity kept in check by hanging out at the concert venue 6 hours before it starts, my friend was crazy enough to stalk them right from their arrival at airport until the late night rehearsal before the concert.

Soon enough, 3 members of the group were plagued with a court case between their management/record label SM Entertainment for binding them to a slave contract that was too long, restrictive & low pay. Due to this, their activities were drastically reduced & I saw less of them. When Junsu, Yoochun & Jaejoong won the case, I supposed the relationship with SM turned sour & ended with a tragic split from the TVXQ to form their own group called JYJ. Meanwhile, Yunho & Changmin remained in TVXQ & continued to promote their works via SM.

As predicted, my interest for all of them wane quickly cuz I was heartbroken with the split. When the love for them was lost, whatever prized collection I have seemed like heaps of trash taking up unnecessary space. But never got to selling any of it cuz deep down inside, I couldn't. TVXQ was indeed a talented group which possess versatile voices & fancy dance moves, unlike the new generation of K-pop boybands with engineered sounds & Autotuned, churning songs after songs that are forgettable.

Unlike what the writer said, I wouldn't consider TVXQ as robots that have passed its lifespan & discarded as rag dolls. The band still lives on anyway - only with 2 members while the 3 of them took different career paths. I never regretted being part of this K-pop worshipping cuz it cheered up my life & made me some new friends (though not long-lasting). Now I'm glad that I put an end to it cuz the fandom was draining my moolah faster than I could ever imagine.

Credits: The Star, Friday 6 January 2012

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Yeah, yeah. I hear some of you are groaning & rolling your eyes, quietly telling yourselves, "Not another sequel again?". Just bear with me...this movie is worth every second of your precious time. This instalment is by far the best as compared to the first movie which is usually the best.

Oh well, not that I remembered the 2nd & 3rd instalments anyway so it would be an unfair statement from me, eh? Anyhow, when a movie keeps your eyes glued to the screen without a hint of boredom means that the movie is pretty engaging. In this movie, Tom Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt in prison while his team tries to help him escape. And then he takes on Ghost Protocol mission (hence the movie title) & embark on a journey around few countries.

What's new compared to the previous Mission Impossibles? Definitely more gadget-laden than before. You get to see Ethan & his team incorporating iPhones & iPads in their operation, not to forget some of the state-of-the-art features that are probably fictional & non-existent in reality at this moment. And you get to see really cool concept cars too. I'd have to admit that the scene where Ethan Hunt was climbing the world's tallest building, Burj Dubai was exaggerated but nevertheless, the whole movie was witty & entertaining. That's what I like - keeping the plot straight forward & not trying too hard to be too intelligent or risk failing miserably.

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com

2012 is not end of the world

Another year came & gone by sooner than we expected. Here I am sitting down in front of my humble lappie (again), recollecting all the memories (both good & bad) that happened the entire 2011. I wouldn't be doing a year in review like how it was published in the mainstream media. Or else you'll be bored as hell cuz you probably read it many times.

What I'm gonna put down here is more on a personal level. My biggest event for 2011 would be...accepting WL's marriage proposal & had been engaged ever since. It was both thrilling & scary after making such a huge decision - even more significant than when I turned 21 - cuz it felt like I'm no longer a young adult. I'm transforming to become a fine lady & soon-to-be someone's wife. Although we haven't decided a date nor laid down any plans yet, we're targeting to register by year end. Whatever it is, getting engaged is a milestone achievement for me.

Somehow for the first time, I managed to fulfill some of the resolutions I made last December. Just to recap on what I hope to achieve a year ago:

1. Get a new job
   I quit my first job & moved on to another company in a different industry. Pay was in a way better but the unfortunate thing is joining at the wrong timing.
2. Save more money
   Indeed my savings have increased after a job change. Of course, it would be great if there's a pay rise.
3. Tidy up my junk
   I did some spring cleaning & managed to clear up a lot. But it's still work in progress. =P

With so many things happening around me, I resort to one resolution for this new year - to stay happy & try to be positive. There's no better medicine than be cheerful & optimistic each day. Of course, having good financial prospects would make a happy me but I guess I can't be too greedy, right?

So, is 2012 the end of the world? The Mayans could be wrong as there's no calamity so far. It's only January so lots of things could change in a couple of months. We shall see...meanwhile, here's wishing all of you a very Happy New Year!

Augmented Reality (AR)

I was flipping through the newspapers for competitor's advertisements as part of my daily task in the office until I came across this Samsung Galaxy mobile phones Christmas ad. It wasn't their first insertion to promote their Galaxy series in white but this ad was their first to allow readers to view the Galaxy phones in 3D using augmented reality (AR).

All you need to do is download the Samsung GALAXY 3D app from Android Market. Next, launch the app & point the phone's camera to focus on the AR marker. Ta-daa! You'll see the 3D phone appear on the screen - rotatable & scalable. Move your camera phone slightly further but keeping the 3 markers within the frame allows 3 phones to pop up magically!

Using AR in thise case is a breath of fresh air from the usual, boring product ads which shout "Come buy me cuz I'm darn good". However, I thought the execution method was kind of a failure cuz you need to download the app from Android Market. For those who has an existing Android phone (excluding the Galaxy phones advertised), then it would entice them to view the AR. What about those who doesn't own Android? How is it possible to call for action from these readers to downlaoad the in order to view the 3D phone & consider visiting the shop, hence even purchasing the phone?

Perhaps using a microsite to view the AR instead of the app will be a more viable option?

Yellow Man Santa

It's Christmas time again & we're bombarded by the media with offers, gifts etc. One ad caught my eye yesterday with probably the most used QR codes ever in an ad. The advertiser is none other than DiGi's Christmas ad with a collage of QR codes forming a Yellow Man Santa.

Before you judge that it's just another ad with exceptionally lots of QR codes, indeed you're wrong. The unique part of these QR codes is that each code is different, hence every scan directs you to a completely unique gift downloads or should I say offers. Way to go, DiGi & the agency who created this!

W.I.N Training

Upon receiving an email from HR earlier this year that I'm required to attend the last batch of camp training, I had mixed feelings. First, I was esctatic about the fact that I'll be skipping work for the sake of work. Haha. However, I was quite disturbed & concerned with the condition of the camp we're bound to stay. There were so many what ifs:

1. What if the toilet/bathroom is dirty?
2. What if we need to sleep in tents?
3. What if there're creepy crawlies crawling into our tents?

As the date looms closer, I started to panic for the worse & secretly hoped that the training for my batch will be cancelled due to poor weather conditions. However, knowing that this would never happen; we still rode the bus ride to COPE Adventure. In case you wonder where this camp is, it's situated next to the popular Ampang Look-out Point overlooking the KL night scene.

Upon arrival, we were ushered by the trainers to the multi-purpose hall which resembled the hall back in my high school.

After registration & a short briefing, we were taken to our assigned tents for the 3-day stay. When our tents came to sight, we were kinda scared that the tents would collapse anytime judging from the worn-off fabric outside & the rickety poles which hold the tent together.

What was surprising is that the tent was built on solid cement with tiles. And can you imagine sleeping in tents with air conditioners included? For once, I felt like we're given 5-star treatment in a camping zone. The only prob is we don't get to sleep on soft mattresses but on canvas beds like those in army camps.

In a nutshell, the activities arranged for the 3 days training which covered both indoor & outdoor was pretty interesting as it aimed to instill the team spirit & cultivate leadership skills among all participants. Some outdoor activities were physically challenging & even had me ended up with a sprained finger. Jungle trekking was indeed exciting cuz we had to cross through muddy terrain & small rivers under the heavy downpour. I have to agree whole heartedly with the trainer that every jungle trekking experience is different. Despite fearing for leeches crawling into our track pants, we learned basic survival skills ie starting a fire, building a shelter etc.

During our stay, there was no complain on hygiene cuz the toilets plus bathrooms were clean. Food was awesome with lots of variety & menu change every day. You wouldn't believe if I said that the food was as good as hotel buffet, perhaps even better some hotels. On the last day, we had such a great time that we didn't want things to end so quickly. Friendship was forged & with status quo stripped off, everyone treated each other equally with much respect & honour. We left with a heavy heart but hopefully the lessons learned from the training can be applied & practised in our daily lives - whether it's at home or work. Below are some of the snapshots I took during my stay at camp.

Training cabin

Signboard

Boys' camp at dusk

The woods nearby our camp after dark

Puss in Boots

Need I say more? This movie is full of thrills & excitement that it never failed to keep me glued to my seat. If you're wondering what the story is all about, it's about this orange cat called Puss who wears a pair of boots just like character in the fairy tale book that we're all to familiar with. The plot is a spin-off which revolves around the cat's adventure before appearing in the Shrek franchises.

As usual, the story is nothing new but its humour is still able to bring a smile to your face. I personally felt the 1 1/2 hour duration is just right, ending on the right note which keeps the story simple & straightforward. I don't see any potential in a sequel for this. And I'm crossing my fingers that wouldn't be any. Or else...*guh*

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com

Engaged!

I was excited that WL is finally returning from his business trip. I anticipated a fancy dinner with him cuz he texted me to dress up nicely. He picked up from office & immediately drove straight to downtown KL. For the first time, we were having dinner at a really posh restaurant called Illido KL at Jalan Mayang.

We were the first to arrive at the & was ushered to our reserved seat by the restaurant's general manager. While WL went to the washroom, I took out my phone to snap some pics since no one was looking. Not like the restaurant forbid any form of photographing but the location was so prim & proper that it made me a little wary of do's & don'ts. What I really like the about the restaurant that it's peaceful, making it easier for us to chat among ourselves.

We ordered an appetizer, a pasta dish & poultry for main course. Instead of being a little romantic by drinking wine, I ended up drinking orange juice while WL opted for beer. Cuz I'm a sucker & will always be one at anything alcohols. The waiter served the appetizer dish which looks like a small piece of fruit on an oversize plate in front of WL.

I was expecting for a similar dish on my table when restaurant GM brought the plate & placed right in front of me. Instead of the red piece of fruit, I saw a sparkling diamond ring in the plate. I was stunned & surprise for a moment; barely able to open my mouth to speak. WL came over to my side, knelt down & uttered, "Will you marry me?" with a bouquet of roses.

What a surprise!! Feeling all fuzzy warm inside & almost tearing up, I hugged him tightly & said, "YES!". WL slipped the ring & snugged perfectly into my right middle finger. The diamond gleamed brightly each time the light passes through it. The restaurant staffs applauded & congratulated for our engagement. With that, the waiter proceeded to serve our orders, carefully observing us finishing our meal before serving the next plate.

Our first order was Brodetto all’Anconetana (‘Ancona’ Style Seafood Soup) with huge, juicy clams. Yum! =)

The next appetizer came which is called Fritto di Calamari con Insalata di Patate (Crispy Fried Calamari with Warm Potato Salad).

As for main course, me & WL ordered very two different dishes. I stuck by the usual pasta while he opted for poulty.

Linguine con Vongole e Limone Candito
(Linguine with Little Neck Clams and Preserved Lemon)

Petto d’Anitra con Albicocche e Amarene
(Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Apricots and Morello Cherry Sauce)

After dinner, we went upstairs to enjoy the KL city view. I wouldn't call it scenic cuz it was partially blocked by nearby skyscrapers. Nevertheless, the Petronas Twin Towers & KL tower were still visible.

We decided to indulge in a slice of Tiramisu while enjoying the view. The cake looks delicious but texture was a little too soft to my liking.

The dinner was expensive but what more can I say - it was expected from a fine-dining restaurant. It was a good experience to be able to dine in such a premium location for the first time. Knowingly a common girl like me wouldn't know how to appreciate exquisite dining for the 2nd time. I will always remember this night as the day WL proposed to me. Thanks & love always, my hubby-to-be. =)

Address:
ilLido Italian Dining + Lounge Bar
183 Jalan Mayang (off Jalan Yap Kwan Seng)
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:
+603-2161 2291
reservations@il-lido.com.my

Opening Hours:
Lunch & Dinner
Mondays to Fridays, 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Mondays to Saturdays, 6:30pm - 10:30pm

Bar
Mondays to Saturdays, 5:00pm to 1:00am

Dress Code:
Smart casual

Links:
http://www.il-lido.com.my/

Not really a rest day

Yesterday was the 2nd time I took leave this month in an effort to clear some of my near-expiry annual leaves. It was supposed to be an opportunity for me to take some time off from work & rest.

However, things didn't turned out as expected cuz the metal bar for hanging clothes in the closet had finally gave way. To remove weight burden off the metal bar, I removed some clothes & folded them. Others were hung together with only one hanger cuz I somehow assumed that less hangers would probably mean less weight.

I was wrong. As a result, the metal bar collapsed several times leaving the clothes piled up in the closet. I packed again & repeated it thrice until my back ached. Instead of taking a nap, I ended up tidying the room cuz I couldn't stand seeing dust sticking around.

Being allergic to dust is not doing good either. In the end, I caught a cold - going to bed with a sniffling wet nose was a horrible feeling. Gah! Thankfully Panadol saved my day~ There's only one thing is missing...my baby WL ain't around for the whole week & I feel lonely. =(

Ricetaurant, Bangsar Village II

It was Friday night - so happened that I drove WL's car to work. I finished a little late about 7pm & by the time I arrived at WL's office to pick him up, it was almost 8pm plus due to traffic jam after a heavy downpour.

As usual, it was my duty to think of the location for our dinner. Since both of our stomachs were growling out of hunger, I suggested to eat nearby. And off we headed to Bangsar Village II to dine at Ricetaurant. I've been wanting to try the food here which is part of The Big Group, also known for its Canoodling & Plan b. This restaurant takes on a similar concept with Canoodling that it serves only a certain food - anything rice.

Starting off with the menu, the design is really unusual. The set menu looks like a report card sheet from school.

Take a look at the ala carte & beverage menu...it's an exercise book with small, little boxes that I used to scribble all the complicated Add. Math calculations.

Did it ever cross your mind that a menu would look exactly like an actual exercise book? Even the multiplication table is at the back.

I ordered kung po chicken with rice while WL called for braised ginger duck with rice. I didn't manage to take any pics of our orders as we were too busy gobbling our food. Anyways, the food was mediocre & too pricey. I personally preferred Canoodling's just right next door even though it's not any cheaper.

I'm not sure if I would pay a 2nd visit but I certainly have no doubts about dining at Plan b instead.

Address:
2F-29, Level 2
Bangsar Village II
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:
03-2287 1566

Opening Hours:
12:00pm to 3:00pm daily
6:00pm to 10:00pm daily

Links:
http://www.facebook.com/TheBigGroup
http://www.thebiggroup.co

Birthday surprise

I was invited to attend a birthday surprise organised by WL's "cousins" for their father's 70th birthday. It was held at Marco Polo, a Chinese restaurant at Wisma Lim Foo Yong. Upon arrival, I was equally surprised myself cuz the decor & set-up at a medium size private room gave the impression that it's a mini wedding reception rather than a birthday celebration. I found it amusing =P

The party turned out to be a pretty big affair with families, close relatives & friends being invited; amounting to about 120 people in total. When the birthday "boy" arrived, everyone stood up & applauded loudly. A few of us were busy snapping away with our cameras.

The choice of dishes were the usual 8 course dinner & it tasted pretty okay.

The children of the birthday "boy" prepared a short slideshow to reminisce the good old times. It was short & cheesy but still sweet anyhow. =) I quite a number of pics throughout the night but I'm not gonna upload all here as it's all on Facebook. Nevertheless, I just had to post this pic of WL cuz he looks so adorable. =D *melts*

Cargill-Nestle Sports Carnival 2011

When WL told me that he'll be representing his company together with his teammates to participate in a sports tournament, I was more than eager to provide the ever-needed moral support. He was casually practising for several months with some of his teammates during our weekly badminton sessions.

Tournament day has finally come & I was all ready with my new camera to snap WL & his team in action. We gathered at WL's office at 7am before heading to FRIM, Kepong where the tournament will be held. While waiting for the rest of the members to arrive, I couldn't help but started warming up with my D5100. Indeed shooting at different hours of the day does give the photo a different feeling. See how the early morning blue sky cast a deep blue hue as the sun slowly rise from the east.

When we arrived at FRIM, I was surprised to see so many visitors were there for their morning walks or jogs. While WL & his colleagues went to warm up & prepare for the tournaments, I walked about nearby but not too far from the sports hall in case I got lost. With my camera in hand, I took some random pics of the surroundings.

And then it was WL & his teammates warming up before their badminton game while I busily snapped away.

A group photoshoot before the tournament officially begun.

Sadly, WL & team was shortlived due to lack of practice & this allowed the opponenents to win easily. Without further adue, WL continued with the next sport - table tennis. He & his teammates fully utilised whatever time left to practise as much as possible.

Before the game commenced, all participants were given a short briefing about the rules & who they'll be playing against.

And the the games begun...

Luck was not at WL & his teammates side; or should I say the lack of practice had rendered the team less competent compared to Nestle's stronger team. Anyhow, the 3rd & 4th doubles in WL's team managed to win their opponent...in the end, Cargill was deemed the winner for table tennis category.

The Cargill volleyball team was a strong contender to Nestle's who was lucky to have a group of co-workers showing their never-ending support for each other. Yet again, lucky wasn't on our side as the weather condition was less conducive causing Cargill's team to lose focus. Not ot mentioned, many of them were already exhausted from the earlier games in which they also participated in. Nevertheless, I personally thought it was a good game to watch. =)

As all-round winner for table tennis, team Cargill received a medal! Yay~

Just look at WL's silly grin after receiving the medal. How adorable~ XD

Phew! What a long day it had been...WL kept telling me that if only they came more prepared - both physically & mentally - the outcome would've been more satisfying. They'll have to wait for next year then.