Purple Passion

VN-Gal and the Drummer are supposed to take care of my place....I hope they do...and keep it clean too ;) you know how crazy I am w/ cleanliness........LOL!!

I am really enjoying my vacation....although I knew when I came back I would be really busy w/ the project....this yearly trip I make is still a family vacation where we all meet (from all over the world) to spend a few weeks together….there was no real privacy or opportunity for isolation….nevertheless, I always manage to take the “me” time away from everyone…..

I also get to hug and kiss my niece and nephew...and snuggle w/ them every night...life is good! I hope to get lotz and lotz that would last me a whole year...'til I see them again!!

Princes Bridge

King Domain Garden

Eucalyptus

Chinatown

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My dad's birthday is on the 26th....I had a deep discussion w/ "someone" over a bottle of Moet Champagne....

The fact is part of my parents do live on in me…. Parents are the first experiences that children have, so it seems only natural. I will take the best and leave behind the rest…….my parents gave me opportunities….my mother tried her very best to set up my life so that I would never really really need anything….

I have always bigger plan in my life….traveling represents an opportunity to find myself….. I really do love the freedom of going where the wind takes you... skiing in Lake Tahoe one day, snorkeling in the Bali, and then having hotpot in Singapore the next.

As for me...if I want to see if the world can treat me better is to move forward. I still remember the nursery song: The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout and got washed down ... how many times does the spider get washed down?…….but…it is still going at that sh** ever since my childhood and continues on doing it endlessly.....LOL

I know my life is not easy at times. But I have no choice-- I have to keep pushing and believing in HIM…..and His proven promise to me…that it will all be worth it. I'm rooting for HIM and HIM only….!

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I was busy preparing for Christmas.....and yeah..including shopping with friends and families....such a blast!!!!....

I got to spend time w/ my bro: E too..which is good he has started working w/ one of the Big 4 Int'l financial firms....

Tons of yummilicious food:

Sweet corn soup with basil veloute

Fish of the Day on poached Queensland Scallops, Asparagus and Confit Poratabello with Corriander Hollandaise.

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Church services were awesome......

And with a blink of an eye, there goes 2007. Our New Year's Eve was very warm and pleasant. On the morning of the 31st, I woke up and raced to the fish markets to buy five dozens of the freshest Rock Oysters, and helped my sis-in-law to prep the rest of the food. Their friends: J & K bought a WHOLE salmon which was filleted, and it was amazing to work with such a large, uncut portion of flesh (which normally is only reserved for restaurants). While I was slicing it thinly, I purposely made mistakes (or "bung pieces" we called it) just so we could keep snacking on it while we were preparing. Our collaborative menu for the evening designed to match Rose Champagne

Freshly Shucked Rock Oysters served with Champagne Vinegarette or Soy Mirin and Ginger dressing

Antipasto selection of olives, baby octopus, grilled zucchini, pestostuffed bell peppers to accompany dips of taramasalata, hommus withflat lebanese bread

New Style Salmon Sashimi (Nobu Style, where boiling hot oil is poured at the very last minute before serving so the flesh is slightly cooked)

Caprese Salad with Buffalo Mozzarella

Roast duck on julienned green mango salad with sprouts, baby grape tomatoes, thai basil and cilantro with a palm sugar sauce. Served on Chinese spoons

Salad of Baby Rocket, Toasted pecans, Nashi pear, Stilton blue cheese

Mini Wagyu burgers with tomato and onion relish, baby cos lettuce

Chinese style crispy skin Roast Pork

Selection of Cheeses: Morbier, Truffled Brie, Ashed Chevre served with baby currant grapes, quince paste, lavosh bread

New York Style Cheesecake from Yellow Bistro

End 2007 - Begin 2008 Rose champagne degustation:
Billecart Salmon Brut Rose NV
Louis Roederer 2000 Rose Champagne Vintage
Laurent Perrier 1997 Grande Siecle Rose, Cuvee Alexandra
Billecart Salmon Demi Sec NV (something sweet for the stroke of midnight)

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2007 I came down from the “HIGH” and fell out of love….I do try to embrace endings when they arrive…becz..to me they always signal the beginning of something brand new. If there were no endings, there would never be new and better beginnings. Sometimes when I am handed a chance to change, I knew what I had to do…but yet..I fight with it…I try to resist every ounce of it…..but then I get tired and accept it….and go with the flow….SOON, the world looks brand spanking new again. And there it is........the resilience and strength I don't know I have through HIM. And nobody's life spirals downwards forever. The upswing comes eventually. And I wanna be ready to grab the opportunity when it swings by, because better days are ahead - that’s HIS promise.......:):)

I love New Year's celebrations, ushering in a brand new year. It’s when I toss out all the crap, do some spring cleaning of the soul, and resolve to be a better person next year. After all, new year's resolutions are all about being a better person. And I carry that hope with my forwards without looking back. So here's to the year ahead, full of satisfying weirdness, less clutter of the soul, and more kindness all around. Hope. Its buoys the spirits, buffers the soul, and excites me about all the myriad possibilities around the corner.

I was so ready to countdown. Now who's gonna do it with me?? LOL!!!!

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Happy 2008... and what betta place to start the new year than at the beach…..
Soaking up the sun..
Cloudless blue skies.
Preparing for a mid-morning siesta
Feeding the fishes & looking for baby sharks.
But most acute of all, a year of solitude.. perhaps more than I wanted.
Let’s see what 2008 brings

BTW...my sis-in-law and I have a great time together…..despite our differences at times……we have another yr of enduring friendships... distance really has no hold over us :) I have been given by HIM a super-kewl sista!!!

She gave me this super-delish Borscht recipe

Ingredients:
Half baby savoy cabbage, finely chopped
10 x organic baby carrots, finely diced
Half a brown onion, finely diced
One clove garlic, halved in centre
One cob of sweet corn
One organic zucchini, finely diced
Ossobuco (2 pieces - around 500g)
350ml organic tomato puree
350ml beef stock
500ml water

1. Cover the ossobuco with water in a large pot and bring to the boil
2. After one or two minutes of boiling, discard the liquid (clears broth of impurities)
3. Add beef stock and water into the pot again, on medium heat, add all vegetable ingredients
4. Gently stir in tomato puree
5. Simmer for around two hours
6. Add salt, pepper and chilli oil to taste

Removed the corn, and dice the beef (ossobucco) before serving.

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Another great food:

Summer Shellfish Salad - blue swimmer crab, squid, scallops, mussels, rocket, basil cress, cherry tomatoes

And finishing it off with a bottle of Heidsieck Champagne - Gold.

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Sitting on the balcony and facing the ocean. It's a great feeling. I must have exchanged some 50 text messages...with "him".. a round-the-world trip, talking in 3+ languages... we're a riot.
So close... yet so far.

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Lastly the trip to the winery: