Happy 牛 Year

The 牛 year was ushered following a warm, memorable and lip-smacking reunion dinner that all of us concocted.
All being a first timer celebrating CNY away from home…
Not being with family…
The feeling of being home-sick was swiftly swept away by the enthusiasm of whipping up a feast in rejoices of CNY 2009!


*Dong Dong Chiang* *Gong Xi Gong Xi* playing in background

牛 Year Eve
The whole day was occupied. From grocery shopping to arranging furniture and ang pao decos. Housemates and neighbours were some busy bees :)
Some did ang paos artwork.
Some were getting the ingredients organized.
Some were deep-frying with effort.
Someone bought tulips to embellish the flat with spring atmosphere.
Someone bought clementines as the GF misses them badly.



We miss our super moms’ cooking.
We miss our family dearly.
Nonetheless, making out the best of what we had is precious.
Besides, one of my bestie Velix was here!




Behold, the reunion dishes highlights:
Credits to Jeannie for crafting out the meaningful Chinese label for each dish…. *claps claps*
Credits to me…. For complying with her, making up English explanations that fit. *hope it does* ;P



黄金遍地 : Affluent & Plentifulness
Sesame balls with red bean fillings




年年有余 : Abundance & Prosperity
Sweet and sour fish fillet





哈哈大笑 : Joyous laughter & Happiness
Deep fried curry flavoured prawns






宫廷之宝 : Majestically Loved
Kung Po Chicken





大名鼎鼎,包你满意 : Utter Contentment
Jeannie’s signature dish.
Stew Chinese cabbage wrapped with mushroom, carrot, assorted meat of fish, prawns & pork, garnished with mushroom & dried scallops gravy, with fried crabsticks.






迎春接福 : Welcoming the Spring & Good Luck
Lo Mai Kai Fan (Glutinous Chicken Rice)
Heal my cravings for Lo Mai Kai!! Thanks Jacinta! :)





情意绵绵 : Inspiring Love & Affection
Seafood Noodle
We actually used spaghetti for this. It tasted like yellow (egg) noodle :)




三阳开泰 : Good Fortune All Year Round
Grilled Lamb





龙马精神 : Hale & Hearty; Fit as a Fiddle
Red dates, Dried Longans & White Fungus Dessert.
Ichiban!




Note: All Chinese names were given to accommodate the dishes in Cantonese. Hope you guys can get it. Haha…


1st day of CNY
117 of us (my class) put together another PARTY using most of our flats to greet local students, staffs and lecturers, showing off our culture and what we do best during CNY. Yes. EAT.
Each hall has at least 10 dishes, and we have like…. 6 halls!
So much food. So much fun.

the guests enjoying...

2nd day of CNY
Dished out another meaty dinner and Velix’s Fa Diu Chicken was awesome!

Long-missed-Hakka Noodles with minced pork, anchovies and mushroom

Marmite Chicken

Fa Diu Chicken

Wishing this New Year will lift me up to where I wanna reach.
Missing everyone back home.
Once again, Happy 牛 (NIU) Year!

Paris Part IV & Happy CNY!

Chinese New Year is just a few days away!
Feeling of missing home just grew more intense.
I believe most of my friends do.
What to do?
Will be starting our final semester on the very first day of CNY itself! What a wonder! *pouts*

What’s more different this year will be, we’ll get together whipping up our very own reunion dinner. Let’s hope we’ll be amazed by ourselves. Being far away from mummy’s cooking gained us credits of becoming good cooks.

Btw, in conjunction with the days of the Year of Ox drawing near, we would love to share our final post on Paris, bragging out the colourful and delicious dishes that all Chinese emphasize (色香味聚全). However, in a Korean way… Korean food ;P

Corean.
A newly opened Korean eatery located just 10 minutes away from the Pyramides Station.
It was actually an unintentional visit. Thanks to the French restaurant nearby being closed. Aromatic odour lured us in.

Starters:

Kimchi



Pickled weed



Bean Sprouts

Gyoza

Mini Pancakes

The Carbs:

Beef Bibimbap (love this to bits!)




Seafood vegetables with rice
Seafood was fresh and the thickened gravy just went well with the rice.




These servings costs 28 euro.
A number with stoke of luck!



Brought up 2 SharE would like to wish our everyone,

moments with Big Ben, London (more snapshots soon!)

恭喜发财
Happy Chinese New Year!
May the Year of the OX bring ever-lasting happiness, good health, wealth and good fortune!

Magnifique Paris - Part III: Desserts

Desserts in Paris.
What could I express more other than imposing and lovable?

An authentic sweetheart.
The Macaron.

Macarons from PAUL

Strolling down hand-in-hand at the Champ Elysees was eye-opening and amorous accompanied with gentle cold wind brushing against our cheek. After an authentic French breakfast, we passed by quite a number of shops selling colourful macarons on the Christmas day. Though not all the shops and boutiques are open, many people and locals were spotted sauntering around this street.

Louis Vuitton was open though.
I went shopping at LV. Correction, window shopping.

1. The Macarons from Laduree.



No regrets, every bite was sweet in a right way. Variable flavours with acceptable taste.
6 macarons + the small package = 12.50 euro

Flavours:
Pink – Raspberry
Green – Pistachio
Beige – Peanut
Yellow – Mango (don’t taste like it though)
Black – Liquor
Brown – Chocolate



Chris and I fancied peanut, liquor and chocolate the most!

Laduree also offered a wide spread of other colourful and appealing dessert. You wouldn’t wanna take your eyes off them, I’m sure. The bakery also extends to an eatery in the same lot serving French cuisine, with another Laduree boutique above. Very sophisticated.



We had to queue up to at least 30 minutes to get our sweet sharings! Lots of people at all hours! Reminds me about J.Co Donuts in KL, this was much more.

It was Chris’s birthday and I bought him something.
A French Mont Blanc for 5.50 euro.




Laduree
75 Avenue des Champs-Elysees
75008 Paris
Visit: www.laduree.fr



2. Haagen-Dazs

Waffle delight for 11 euro
Cookies and cream with cappuccino caramel truffle overflowing with hot chocolate sauce and almonds, on a crispy waffle. A sinful crave…




Haagen-Dazs
49/51 Avenue des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris



3. Christmas market at Champ Elysees

White wooden little huts selling food, desserts and accessories.

More desserts!

4. Gelato from Forum de Halles

2 parfums (scoops) for 3.90 euro




Some highlights of the day:

Loitering around Champ Elysees




Camwhoring at the Arc de Triomphe

The Grand Palais

One more week till CNY.
No reunion with family this year. Pity…
Burdened with lots of deadlines. Double pity…
Planned a reunion dinner with friends and am looking forward to it.
Went skiing yesterday and was nearly blown away by the super duper strong snow storm!
But Chris and I enjoyed! Weee…

More updates.. soon!

Magnifique Paris - Part II

We are still not getting over Paris yet.
Edifices like the Eiffel & the Louvre blotted this city firmly with great prominence.
A must visit for most of us right?
How could we miss them.

Museum.
One is attention-grabbing, interesting.
Two is still spellbinding. Sorta.
Three’s too many. Mind-numbing.




Musee du Louvre
NOT just a museum.
Exhibiting superlative artwork and masterpieces which most of them I do not really comprehend. Still I try to make some grasp out of them. Doesn’t really work though.
Me.. No sense in art. Big sigh. I still love its exterior better *doink*




Mona Lisa. Surrounded by a huge crowd trying to get some shots of the Da Vinci SMILE.


More shots on the Louvre.








Moments when getting out of the well-known museum was spent looking for a place for lunch. Ended up in Veng Hour that serves Chinese food. Have no idea what tempted us in but we just entered and were happy with it.
Noticed that most Chinese restaurants in Paris are managed by Cambodians.



Chinese fried egg noodles, Fried rice (price by grams!) and Thai styled Fish – approximately 12 Euro.


Veng Hour
11, Rue Cossonnerie
75001 Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 40 39 93 97


Another makeup of Paris: the Eiffel Tower

Scores of lights twinkling each hour!

After taking hundreds of photos ;P
We marched hand in hand towards the Christmas booths nearby to heal our hungry tummy.

I want food!

Breads, Cookies, Cakes, Macarons. All were eye & appetite opener. But the aroma of some French snacks seized our preference for it.

Saucisse au couteau & Tartiflette au Reblochon for 7.80 Euro.
Grilling sausages and cheesy potatoes with pickled vege & onions. Inviting.







Next up: Desserts in the City of Love.
Romantic notions instantly pop into the mind when mentioned Paris, the gem in France's tourist crown.