Kuih jagung

I haven't blogged for a while due to the fact that time has been quite a challenge for me. However, I am finally getting a little balance in my life since I've been working from home for 3 weeks. After this it is back to the crazy and hectic travel schedule. Being at home brings out the devil and I find myself craving for some sweet treats. I decided to make some corn custard (or kuih jagung) since its the easiest thing to make and I don't really need that many ingredients to start with. It turned out pretty good and I wanted to make sure that I don't forget the recipe whenever I feel like making this again:

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of Bird's custard powder
1 can of Del Monte creamy corn
1 can of evaporated milk
3 cups of water
1 cup of sugar (or 1.5 cups if you like it sweeter)

Method:
1. Mix the custard powder and water until it is completely dissolved.
2. Transfer the mixture into a pot and add the creamy corn, the evaporated milk and the sugar.
3. Use low heat and stir the mixture until it thickens. Make sure you are constantly stirring it because it can get stuck to the bottom of the pot.
4. When it thickens, transfer the mixture into a cake pan.
5. If it looks a little lumpy on the top, just put a little water on top of it and smooth it out.
6. When it cools, transfer it to the fridge.
7. When it is nice and firm, cut and serve.

MAKAN!!!!

Merry Christmas 2011

Can't believe how time flies! Merry Christmas to everyone! Only one more week till a new year.

Adele and Las Vegas!

Yay! I'm looking forward to a fun weekend in Vegas and to see Adele - a wonderfully talented singer with an absolutely gorgeous voice. We managed to get tickets on the day it was released by getting 4 of us to try to book it online and simultaneously call the booking number. Luckily one person got through and managed to get tickets for this show.

A girl's weekend is usually going to be a super fun-filled weekend with lots of delicacies (food and other things... ahem!). But of course...

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

The Hunger Games trilogy

I just love picking up a book and end up getting totally absorbed in it. I have to say that I really enjoyed this series. It revolves around 16 year old Katniss Everdeen who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where North America once existed (hmmm, what happened to Canada?). Panem consists of a capitol with 12 districts and the Hunger Games are an annual televised event (think of Survivor, Big Brother, etc) where the capitol chooses one boy and one girl from each district to fight to the death.

Although this book is targeted for young adults, it is pretty entertaining for whatever age you may be. Of course, a movie is currently in the works and is estimated to be released in 2012. Can't wait to watch it!

My past year and happy birthday to me!

My birthday is coming up and I was just thinking about how I spent my year. I felt that my year felt pretty much the same but when I think about all the things that happened, I guess it was another year of growth.
My highlights:

Korean curls

I permed my hair
Never thought that I would do something like that but it helped when trying to grow it out. Probably the easiest hairstyle I have had in a long time.


Yosemite - May 2010

 Yosemite and Rachel's visit

It was a beautiful place and it was just so amazing to catch up with a beautiful and wonderful friend. I would definitely go there again in a heartbeat. We also had loads of fun in LA and Rach's Dallas and Chicago visit. Come back soon Rach!

The Carnival Ecstasy - July 2010

My first cruise - the Carnival Ecstasy
We were supposed to have one stop at Cozumel, Mexico but ended up being a cruise to nowhere due to a huge hurricane-like storm in Houston. Our drive to Galveston was treacherous and we even had to stop on the side of the road because we couldn't see anything. The cruise was fantastic though, fabulous company, lots of racous laughter, superb food and just good old fun.

At Soldier Field, Chicago

Concerts!!!
Managed to catch Bon Jovi twice in the same year and amazing performances by the Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban and Kid Rock too! Didn't get to go for the U2 concert due to Bono's back injury. Maybe this year!

New bob

Straightened my hair
So I spent $100 to perm my hair and then $150 to straighten it back. Moral of the story, don't mess about with your hair! I have to say that I am liking the long bob.

Team Jacob shirts

 Twilight - Eclipse and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1

As per tradition, Steph and I got our Twilight t-shirts and our Harry Potter gear for the movies. The acting in Twilight got from bad to worse - however, the movie itself was at least better than the first two. I did not fall asleep this time! Also, we appeared on Fox news the next morning as the fans that watched the midnight movie on opening night.



Griffindor scarfs



The long anticipated Harry Potter movie was excellent. I just love the books so even if the movie is not as good as the books, it still transports me to the wonderful world of wizardry. Only one more movie to go. What will Steph and I obsess over next?

Working for beads in NOLA

New Orleans

My first time in NOLA and it was fabulous. Good company, good food and just good fun. Walking along Bourbon street with 'hand grenades' and daiquiris and 'working' for beads. We managed to get loads of beads with out flashing our assets. Haha... pretty ingenious.

Surgery in MN

Surgery

Had a Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy surgery plus a radio frequency ablation of the inferior turbinates (basically sinus surgery) in Minnesota. For any adult planning to take out your tonsils, just remember, it hurts like hell. Make sure you keep your throat moist at all times and eat about a half hour after drinking the painkillers because that is when it gets a little numb. Don't forget to eat and remember that the real pain only comes when it starts healing. It takes 10-14 days to heal and don't be a hero like me and start work only after 4 days. 

Fire Cupping

Fire Cupping

It was wonderful to go back home for 3 weeks in December to see family. Got to see how adorable the niece and nephew was becoming. I do miss being part of their lives. So my mum suggested an interesting massage place when I was back home. It was like a traditional chinese massage that hurts a lot and some adjustments were also done to the back. In addition to that, he can do 'fire cupping' on your back to increase blood circulation. It looks a little scary because it leaves marks on your back for a week but it really didn't hurt much. I might have to do it again when I go back.

Walking on water

Winter in Minnesota

I always like the cold. No sunshine and humidity for this girl. This year however, I'm pretty sure I got too much cold and snow that I actually looked forward to some heat. It was so cold over there that Lake Calhoun was totally frozen - 2 feet deep. I could easily walk onto the lake. Locals were doing ice sailing where they have a little contraption that slides over the ice and use the sails to steer - able to go up to 60 mph. Very cool. MN also introduced me to the largest mall in America - The Mall of America. 

On the downside, it was the first time I got stuck in a ditch in a total white-out snowstorm. The car wouldn't move, you cannot see anything in front of you. Everything is white and you have no idea where you are. Luckily I was not alone and managed to bribe someone for us to hitchhike back to the hotel and deal with the trauma later.

Chicago

Chicago

So Chicago has been my home now for 2 years now. Time flies. I think I have only scratched the surface on the things to do in Chicago. I will still be looking for more things to do and more food to discover. My happiest finds has to be Sun Wah BBQ for the amazing duck there and Go 4 Food which has HK-style dishes. Yum! 

Florida - Miami, Islamorada and Key West

This trip definitely deserves a mention as it came right after a very stressful project. It was much needed and was super relaxing. I nearly 'got eaten by a shark' in a swimming pool ;), swam with the dolphins, rode a trike, went snorkeling, swimming, had a massage, ate lots of good food, saw a fabulous sunset in the Keys and just had a bloody good time. Also, got shit-faced drunk on the last day that I could barely stagger back to the hotel. It has been years since I was that drunk. Haha...

Other updates

I still watch a lot of TV series so I am still an addict - no change there! I worked too hard this year and I think it is time for me to re-prioritize what I want in my life. I am blessed with the most amazing friends and even though I don't see you all the time, I do think about you and miss you. My most inspirational yoga teacher - Vincent Tam passed away this year and I dedicated one ashtanga practice to him. RIP Vincent. 

Things to look forward to

Oh boy, I guess there is no limit. I have so many things to look forward to this year - a new relationship, new friends, new project, new experiences. Yay me!

Working from home

So I've completed my first week of working from home. I have to say that it is not my preferred work environment because I always like to be in the action and being away from it demotivates me a little. I often can't tell how long I am spending in front of the computer when the line between work and personal time gets blurry.

Best thing for me is to set a time to turn off work, put my feet up and start up Farmville and catch up on one of my shows... Oh wait, that's even more time on the computer. No wonder my eyes are getting all screwed up.

Ah well...

I'm baaack....

After endless nagging and prodding, I think I should probably start writing again on my blog. Updates since the last post:

1. I did not complete the last month of Insanity. I fell prey to long working hours and needing more sleep than exercise.


2. I worked so much that I can barely recognise myself anymore.


3. Had a tonsillectomy and addenoidectomy - pain, pain, pain for 2 weeks. I have to say it was amazing that my throat could heal when it is wet all the time. The wonders of a human body.


4. I went home to Malaysia in December and had a good dose of family. I sometimes wonder whether it is actually worth it being so far away from any sort of family around me.


5. Worked almost every weekend since getting back from Malaysia.


6. Have accepted the fact that I am a spa bunny and massages keep me sane.


7. I feel like I am finally emerging for a breath of air after many months of drowning at work.


8. I'll be working from home for a month.

Where will I be next? I have no idea... Will just wait and see...

Insanity Week 3

Ok, I am supposed to do another fit test today to see if I have improved. However, I was sick on Saturday and ended up skipping Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs. I decided to make it up by doing it today. Hence... no fit test. Haha... I think I am scared to see the results. I don't think I improved at all! This has been extremely tough and I have a mental argument with myself everyday whether I can continue. I had a quick look at the advanced videos that I am supposed to start in 3 weeks time. I don't think I can do it!!

Is it a failure if I repeat month 1 to try and build up some more stamina and then do month 2? Ah well... We'll see when the time comes.

Insanity!

I need to lose weight.

I have just started on the Insanity workout and on Day 2, I'm already hurting. I am not sure how I am going to keep going for the next 58 days but I have to keep going. Did my first fit test (number of repetitions done in a minute for a series of exercises) yesterday and here are my results:

Switch Kicks: 120

Power Jacks: 38

Power Knees: 67

Power Jumps: 16

Globe Jumps: 4

Suicide Jumps: 12

Push-up Jacks: 9

Low Plank Oblique: 37

I started off strong but I was almost crawling at the end. Hopefully I will see some improvement at the end of 60 days.

Wish me luck!

The Eagles are soaring...

Went for an Eagles concert last weekend was loved every moment of it... Can't get Desperado out of my head right now...

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
You've been out ridin' fences,for so long - now.
Ohh you're a hard one.
I know that you've got your reasons.
These things that are pleasin'you
Can hurt you somehow.

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds boy
She'll beat you if she's able.
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet.
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table.
But you only want the ones
That you can't get.

Desperado, Ohhhh you aint getting no younger.
Your pain and your hunger,
They're driving you home.
And freedom, ohh freedom.
Well that's just some people talking.
Your prison is walking through this world all alone.

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun will shine.
It's hard to tell the night time from the day.
And you're losing all your highs and lows
aint it funny how the feeling goes
away...

Desperado,Why don't you come to your senses?
come down from your fences, open the gate.
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you.
You better let somebody love you.(let sombody love you)
You better let somebody love you...ohhh..hooobefore it's too..oooo.. late.

Springtime and illnesses

Springtime is probably the worst time for me. Most people are usually happy for it to get warmer but I just get hit with very bad hayfever and all the crap that comes with it. My tonsils are super enlarged now and I have a perpetual sore throat for over a month. How annoying is that? It is usually times like this when I start thinking maybe it might be better to have my tonsils taken out. I have been reading about it online and I have heard so many horror stories about it. Wonder if it will really help me...

1.5 month hair update

Its been 1.5 months since I decided to grow out my hair and had a haircut at Orange just to trim the layers off my hair. Matt was pretty good (I am still loyal to Philip) and tried to give me some style. I was pretty happy with the results but was a bit apprehensive about maintaining the style. It was touch and go for a couple of weeks trying to sort out my hair products and the time needed to style my hair but I think I have gotten into the groove now.

So after 1.5 months, it still takes a little longer to style it in the morning but I am hoping that it will grow to a length where I can just tie it up and not have to style it at all!

I still need to go for regular trims and I think it is a ripoff that they charge you full price for cutting an inch off!!! Ah well... all for the sake of vanity.

Tze's special tour of London - revisited

I thought it would be good to revisit Tze's special tour of London and take new pictures of older me. We started out having a quick breakfast at Pret a Manger and then hopped onto the Metropolitan and Jubilee line to head into the city.

Got off at Green Park and head towards Buckingham Palace to see the Queen... or rather just the changing of the guards.

As it was constantly raining, they cancelled the changing of the guards and they marched on back to where they came from. Ah well...

Besides marching around, they also stand around. Poor sods... It must suck to have to stand like that in the rain and cold.

I tried it too... But at least I was smart enough to stand inside the booth and out of the rain! Go me!

Just in case you were wondering, I did NOT get arrested in London. Maybe next time...

This is my typical "British person" pose - equipped with an umbrella, jacket, scarf and stepping out of a phone booth... Actually, who uses the phone booth anymore? Everyone has a mobile phone!

Here's old Big Ben... It is actually the great bell of the clock but people usually extend it to refer to the clock or clock tower itself.

We walked pass Westminster Abbey too and Kevin helpfully pointed out that Princess Diana's funeral was held here.

We ended the tour in Trafalgar Square but this time, I didn't climb on the lions. It was all fenced up anyway in preparations for the NYE celebrations...

So... I don't think I look that much older, do I? Do I???

Renewing my love for scones with clotted cream and jam

I can go on and on about how much I love scones with clotted cream and jam. This is something I really miss about the UK. Ever since I went to the US, I dream about these little things and I finally got to have them again!!! On NYE, we drove up to Burford, The Cotswold and parked the car and head straight to Huffkins Tea Room. I was so excited at this point in time that I would have ordered everything on the menu if there weren't anyone to control me.

In the end, Tze and I shared a triple decker club sandwich that had chicken, bacon, and the works and it tasted so good! Why can't I ever make sandwiches this good? We shared a sandwich because we knew we had to save some space for the pièce de résistance - the scones!

It was a good thing I remembered that I like the fruit scones (with raisins) and not just the plain ones. So we managed to make sure we got the fruit scones. It was "gently warmed" as per advertised in the menu and my heart almost missed a beat when I saw it. Kevin knew he shouldn't get in between us and the scones so he opted for a bakewell tart.

So, step 1. Order the fruit scone with clotted cream and raspberry jam.
Step 2. Slather on the clotted cream generously. You can run 10 miles after this. Then, slather on the jam on top of the cream.
Step 3. EAT!

This is my satisfied face. It was just as good as I remembered it to be.

We ordered a lardy cake too but it didn't arrive and we were too full to have it by that time. We got one to-go so that we could try it. Tze told me it was just like a yummy cinnamon bun. Mmm...

I was on a "scone-high" after that. So satisfying!

My spur-of-the-moment London trip!

I didn't expect to be doing much during Christmas and NYE for 2009 but after an idea was put into my head, I bought a ticket to London to visit friends and family. I am glad I did. It was a refreshing break to just get out of the States for a while and enjoy the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and stroll down Carnaby Lane.

I enjoyed this trip so much because I wasn't in any rush for anything because I have been there before. I was also really happy to have met up with so many people and had lots of good food! As you know, good food = happy me. It rained quite a bit when I was there but then again, what else is new? What a wonderful end to the year....

Hat fetish

I don't usually wear hats because my hair is usually styled beautifully and I don't want to spoil it by having hat hair. Anyway, since I am missing my hair stylist Philip... and I can't find another stylist in Chicago, I have decided to grow out my hair. Yes... shock, horror, I am going to "attempt" to grow it out again. I think it has been about 10-11 years since I have had long hair. Ah well... we'll see how long this will last. I am already thinking about chopping it off again.
Anyway, in order to keep myself warm in frigid Chicago, I went shopping to get a new winter jacket. I found one I really liked but it didn't have a hood. So I "had" to get a hat. This started my new obsessions with hats. Check out my collection so far:

This is a bowling style hat - bought from Ann Taylor. This was the first one I bought but not one of my favourites. Haven't worn it yet. Will have to find a time and place to wear it.

Got this beret from Banana Republic. Loves the fact that it matches my hair colour. Love everything about it. Will wear it everyday if I could. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover my ears so when the wind blows in the Windy city, my ears might drop off.

Simple black hat from J.Crew... bought it because I was desperate for something to cover my ears. Kinda makes my head look like an egg but it is thin and warm. Easy to carry around with me. Convenient but I haven't really put it to the test yet.

Fun and colourful hat from Forever 21. Good for casual wear and if you are having a bad hair day. Clashes with some clothes from my wardrobe though... But then again, who cares?!

I need to stop shopping.

Latest exercise obsessions...

My obsession with yoga began when I had my first class with Vincent Tam. It wasn't the first time I tried yoga but it was the time I really started enjoying it. It is a lifelong practice and even though I may not be the most flexible or the most fit person in the class, the beauty of yoga is that you practice at your own pace and challenge yourself rather than anyone else. What I like about it is that it makes me feel good. Years down the road, I am still enjoying it.

I try to put some variety into my workouts because quite often, the lazy bug hits me and I just feel like lazing around and not doing anything. Only a few months ago, I started to enjoy running. I have always found it hard to run continuously because I think my body is just not used to doing it but I find that doing intervals (running, then walking, then running, repeat) spikes up my heart rate and I work up a good sweat.

This year I have also picked up Stott Pilates using reformers. I have never really liked pilates before because I felt it did not give me a good workout. I think I was probably not doing it correctly because if you do it the right way, it helps... It really does! It is definitely beneficial to strengthen your core and your back.

I found out about Zumba fitness a couple of weeks ago. It is basically an exercise class that incorporates some Latin American dance moves. It was a class offered in the gym close to my current client. I am not a big fan of group classes in the gym. It is just so crowded and people are not focused on technique but just doing anything they want. However, for Zumba, all you need to do is have fun. I guess it is a bit like Body Combat and Body Jam... If you feel that your motivation to exercise is flying out the window, it is good to try this. Put some fun back into your workouts.

Some of my friends have this hula hoop that they claim helps slim down the waist. Frankly, to slim down my waist, I probably need to diet more and exercise more. Anyway, I am always one to jump on the wagon to try something new so I also bought this Health Hoop. To reap the benefits, they say you need to do this for at least 10 minutes continuously every day. I can barely do more than 30 seconds right now. I guess I need to learn how to move my hips a little bit more. The little bumps in the hoop is supposed to massage your stomach and helps to increase blood flow to that area. It gave me bruises. Ouch! Ah well... Try try again I guess!!

New Moon

Ok, even though I was traumatised the last time I watched a movie about the Twilight saga, I gave it another chance and went for another midnight premiere of New Moon. My theory was "If you can't beat them, join them". This time I bought a Team Jacob t-shirt because let's face it... he is wayyyyy hotter than Edward.

Good news: I did not fall asleep this time.
Bad news: I still think it is crap.
Biggest disappointment: No new Harry Potter trailer shown.

The crowd seems a little bit older this time around so I guess the fans are getting older. There was still some screaming but I think it was probably more restrained compared to last year.

Verdict: Only watch it if you are a fan.

My room

Ok, this is a post that has been long due... A lot of people have been asking me how my new place is and what furniture have I bought so far... so this is it! Got the bed frame, chest of drawers, bedside table and computer table and chair from Ikea and got the mattress from Macy's... My duvet was the old one I had back in Connecticut (deja vu!!) but I basically had to get new beddings again. Got the desk lamp from Target and I think I am all set for a while now. A big thank you goes out to Winnie and John for helping me set the stuff up. I know I wouldn't have been able to get it done without your help. I would have died of frustration trying to follow the instructions from Ikea.

I can't believe it is already autumn and the year is ending... I stepped out of my house just the other day and saw all the leaves dropping... Got to prepare myself for the harsh Chicago winters!!!