A&D Wedding

2008.01.19 A & D Wedding @ 深灣遊艇會

Congratulations!

衣香鬢影, 無懼細雨綿綿...


話說進場前主人家話安排了晚宴後的 mid-night party "at Lan Kwai Fong Hotel" A said.
於是我們一行5人義不容辭食飽飽後浩浩蕩蕩的到了九如坊的蘭桂坊酒店.
誰不知... 當然是去錯地方.
原來 party 是在 Hotel LKF. 是真的在蘭桂坊/雲咸街的那家蘭桂坊酒店.
Bummer.
夜麻麻雨綿綿涼浸浸的走那段'回頭路'確實是反高潮...
終於... 在場地打了個白鴿轉後便逃離現場... 反正時候太早party還未能開始.

Anyway, 看見A&D, 還是很替他們高興的.
緣份這東西真的很奇妙. 這麼近時又那麼遠, 這麼遠時卻又才是那麼近...
祝他們幸福快樂!

The Missing Link

2008.01.25 @ Bostonian, Langham Hotel
Chicken clear soup
Oysters: La Perle Blanche, Sp. Gilladeau; Cherrystone Clam
Caesar with Prawns
Bostonian Grill with poached lobster tail, seared scallop, fillet mignon and lamb loin
Grilled 10oz US Rib Eye
and ended with Raspberry Millfeulle

Food, was as fine as a casually-fine-dining is expected to be.
Oysters and clams chillingly sweet and crispy.
Grill has been improving and now a safe bet. So do their lobsters.
So, what's so interesting about the Millfeulle?

劍雪

劍雪.
固然是亞洲遊戲展(2007)主題曲.
原來寫的是 - 任白 (i.e. 劍和雪).
原來鄭秀文跟何韻詩的聲線和演繹很像.
btw, 可(已)用 PS3 在 Sony website download 高清版 MV.

曲: Benson Fan + hocc @ goomusic
詞: 黃偉文
編: 青山大樂隊 + Benson Fan @ goomusic
監: 青山大樂隊 + hocc @ goomusic
唱: 鄭秀文 / 何韻詩

碰上了 最細的雪
碰上了 最冷的箭
不相關 的兩極 夢幻地合成陣線

碰上了 最快的劍
碰上了 最軟的絹
搭對了 最錯的線 衍生出這至善
你我 不怕讓別人在 碎碎唸

人潮內 一見顏色變 一見時空轉
難道你共我 獨有魔法圈
重叠了 磁場亂
冰雪和飛劍 將結成一線
想拍一套片 不按章法編
來日卻 成為鉅獻
(漫天 燒遍 餘燄)

個個說 配搭不對
錯與錯 變作一對
跨身份 跨界別 浪漫地蔓延下去

擴散到 那戲曲裡
擴散到 這網址裡
再賜予 世界之最 新標準 新次序
你我 將要為 換朝代 作個序

人潮內 一見顏色變 一見時空轉
難道你共我 獨有魔法圈
重叠了 磁場亂
演化成光線 演化成溫暖
只要一個點 一個觸發點
潛力化雷電

影响 百代人流年 百萬丈方圓
(一揮劍 就圓願 白雪捲)
紅極了 半邊天 橫越永遠
誰又要 人類讚羨

人潮內 一見顏色變 一見時空轉
難道你共我 獨有魔法圈
重叠了 磁場亂
演化成光線 演化成溫暖
只要一個點 一個觸發點
同步吐艷

一見顏色變 一見時空轉
無辦法預算 共你肩並肩 何事會浮現
優雅如花見 璀燦如星戰
只要跟你演 保証這套片
連幻想家都愕然

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsbQkerJoFI&feature=related

US ChopSuey I

回來2個多星期, 終於開始抄少少相... 去住少少片先.

蘋果. 樹.

蘋果. 樹. Who.

btw, 上面嗰隻. 第一代. iPod Classic.

咁 decent 係咩嚟?

係牛扒. 食唔晒打包. [http://www.mastrossteakhouse.com/]

都係附近行行企企.

大魚大肉中的簡單美味至愛 - Seattle's Best Cherry & Chocolate Scone, with Americano.

Cherry 酸到不能, 並唔係乳豬閃燈眼可比擬, 正!

那天太"滋悠", 來不及吃Taiko, 反去了半畝園. 價錢基本上跟BJ的差不多, "只是"美仔(加稅)跟人仔之差(!).

文明煙

人煙分隔@海港城

天地無用

If 天地無用 = This End Up Only
Then...

Police stand by speeding tickets

即係點先

South China Morning Post, 18 January 2008
Police stand by speeding tickets There can't be an error of 20km/h to 30km/h with lasers used by HK force, says professor

Police insisted yesterday that all pending prosecutions for speeding using laser guns were valid despite the reduction last week of a charge against a leading tycoon during which procedures for using the guns were questioned. The police also explained the confusion in the case had been caused by the use of a training manual that differed from the manufacturer's guide, but said the distance over which the gun's scope-alignment test was carried out was not the problem.
The statement from the force last night came as taxi and minibus operators facing speeding summonses were preparing to challenge them in the wake of the case, in which Lai Sun Development chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok had a speeding charge reduced below a level that would have cost him his licence. It also followed a defence of the equipment by physics professor Tam Wing-yin, who advises police on use of the guns and has been testing them for nine years. Professor Tam said the devices were accurate to within 7km/h and "there is no way there will be an error of 20km/h or even 30km/h". Mr Lam had allegedly been clocked in his Ferrari at 114km/h in a 50km/h zone, but in the end admitted to 79km/h. Last night, a police spokesman reiterated the force had confidence in the guns' "undoubted accuracy and reliability" and would keep using them. "All other prosecutions for speeding remain valid as the accuracy of the laser gun is not in dispute," he said.
Explaining the change in the Lam case, the spokesman said that during the trial an internal training manual from another traffic formation had been used that differed in some respects from the manufacturer's manual. "As a result the prosecution felt it was unsafe to pursue the original offence." He gave no further details, but said anyone who felt aggrieved about a fixed-penalty speeding ticket could call the prosecutions division's hotline on 2860 6349.
Michael Clark, a British expert who testified for Mr Lam, said after the case that it was clear the machine had not been set up properly. At the hearing against Mr Lam in Tsuen Wan Court, Senior Constable Chan Tak-cheung admitted he had conducted a scope alignment test of the laser gun - to ensure it fell on the right target - from 60 metres, rather than the required 200 metres, "for the sake of convenience". In another test, he recorded the wrong distance. In an English court, a case would be thrown out for either of those reasons, Dr Clark said.
Professor Tam disagreed. "During the scope-alignment test, there is no requirement on the distance {hellip} [The officer] simply needs to point the gun at various targets at different distances and confirm the gun can receive different signals." The police spokesman said a distance of 50 to 60 metres was acceptable, and the 200 metre test was done only by the manufacturer during maintenance and repairs.

10前主席聯署促辭職 袁國強企硬

香港經濟日報 18 January 2008

大律師公會昨召開會員大會前夕，10名公會前主席聯署，向主席袁國強施壓，要他選擇出任主席，或放棄廣東省政協一職；但袁國強「企硬」，在會上與反對者展開激辯，強調會用時間證明，做政協是「明智選擇」；最後，他自動當選連任。

會後，袁國強承認，不同委員有不同意見，但不希望有分化。對於會否辭職？他說，「可能這是最容易的方法，但未必正確。」
有份聯署的前主席包括：戴啟思、陳景生、梁家傑、湯家驊、余若薇、黃福鑫、梁冰濂、李柱銘、李志喜等。
湯家驊指，事件再發展下去，只會進退兩難，「如果有人提出不信任動議，會令公會更分化，但如果不做，對公會的公信力又有影響。」亦有會員直言，「再搞下去，只會更分化，正中他人下懷。」
會員大會歷時約3小時，出席的會員眾多，部分甚至要站立。公民黨黨魁余若薇指，袁接受委任過程中沒諮詢業界，令行業有很多不同意見，令人擔憂大律師公會的形象受損。
會議中途離開的港大法律學院院長陳文敏，則指公會主席已有足夠渠道與內地溝通，因此不接受袁的解釋。

順利連任的袁國強，會後在一眾執委陪同下召開記者會。他解釋自己獲委為廣東省政協，是因法律上的專業，亦符合政協年輕化的目標，強調「公會對法治、人權、法律的發展，不會因此委任有絲毫改變。」並說自己會用時間證明選擇明智。
他又否認故意隱瞞獲委任一事，令自己在無對手下連任。他指去年12月24日接到中聯辦電話約會見面，在26日會面中獲告知將成為廣東省政協考慮名單之一，但當時認為「委任不是中聯辦有權做的決定。」
提名截止 獲中聯辦聯絡
直至本月5日，他才收到信件，指本月15日將舉行廣東省政協會議，但信件中並未提及獲委任一事：「我一直以為委任會有一本紅書，15日才會委任，因此我在10日開執委時，才提出事件。」
他解釋：「時間上，新執委的提名截止日期是12月24日，中聯辦聯絡我的時間是24日，所以我沒有可能因為知這件事，而有企圖地令自己自然當選。」
至於會否擔心有會員提不信任動議？袁說：「我會用平常心看這件事，如果別人要這樣做，我亦會面對。」

怕咗你先怕米貴

早幾日出咗個 assessment, 內容不贅. 當中提到11月標示通脹的消費物價指數(CPI)係3.4%.
今日有某人好疑惑咁問咗我幾次, 大意係點解得3.4%咁低, 明明mud鬼都貴晒, 豬啦牛啦雞啦, 起碼十幾個巴仙 ga wor, 數據係唔係 official, 有冇第二個 reference, 冇理由 ga wor... 云云.

真係, 咪玩啦.
實在, CPI唔係淨係計豬牛雞. 雖然某些人嘅世界豬牛雞可能係大部份, 睇怕都未至於係全部... 啩.
(btw 想知香港點玩CPI可以去
http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/statistics_by_subject/index.jsp?subjectID=12&charsetID=1&displayMode=T)

Anyway, 豬肉固然貴咗好多, 可能解釋咗呢個現象:
有日阿烏話, 喺中環某大連鎖快餐店買唔到大佬焗豬, 只有combo - 焗豬加 chicken a la king; 亦冇排骨菜飯, 又係得 combo.

袁主席

信報
琉璃火. 徐詠璇.
17 January 2008

大律師公會主席袁國強，四十三歲，年輕有為，但證明歷練不足。要接納委任廣東政協，無不可。港區人大換屆，我們也希望敢言剛直的人會獲選，代表香港人聲音，做真正的橋樑。
大律師公會主席擔任廣東政協，是好事。可以破冰，可以相向溝通.....

但，袁國強原來犯了三點錯：
第一: 他擔當主席後的大律師公會，對社會公義、法律爭議、時事討論，甚少發表意見。如果大律師公會想低調，想少介入政治，這也無可厚非，但他忽然選擇當上政協，可見又不是要劃清界線超然。要趕這趟渾水，但早前又未能確立公信力與公平公正形象，現在便顯得混亂糟糕。
有報章指他「悄悄」任政協，大律師公會「淪陷」，有抹黑之嫌。但在法律界，信奉 Justice must be seen to be done，嚴禁瓜田李下，袁主席這番也太魯莽了。
第二: 法律界規條是 due process，即堅持一切循規蹈矩，每步一清二楚，絕不含糊—有時矯枉過正得令人痛恨，但這也是法治之本，大眾寧可忍受也不能犧牲原則。
袁國強現在是主席，當然不能以「私人」作理由，而第一個大律師公會主席擔任政協，可喜可賀，也不妨提出來讓執委或會員討論一下，尋求共識，以示光明磊落。
相信他只是一時輕率，致使現在十分尷尬，但「大律師」在今天香港人心目中，享有崇高地位，是少數仍能令大眾心生敬意、相當信服的專業人士，袁國強要明白自己擔當著一個非常重要的社會角色。
第三: 湯家驊憤然說，大律師公會是「公會」，不是「工會」，這倒是鏗鏘有聲。工會只維護名譽會員利益權利，「公會」卻是以公義為目標，超越個人利益，更遠大更崇高。「大律師公會」在香港坊間，比各商會享有更高地位，是因為他們能讓市民覺得，他們不是為小恩小惠小利爭拗，而是以大眾為依歸。
袁國強要好好保住「大律師公會主席」的超然威望才是。

Food Diary

A quick recap. Pictures and details to be supplemented.

21 Dec (Fri)
Lunch: Kitayama - Sashimi, beef teriyaki, tempura, California roll
Dinner: Chaparosa Grill, the District - Ciopinno, shrimp scampi, prime pork chop, clam chowder

22 Dec (Sat)
Lunch: Johnny Rockets, the District - Patty Melt, Original with cheese, root beer float
Dinner: Ten Ten, Cerritos - Chicken soup with wonton, crab, salt-and-pepper prawn, roast pork, roast duck, steamed egg white with tofu, maggi beef, vege

23 Dec (Sun)
Lunch: Marche Moderne, South Coast Plaza - Mini Angus burger, Salad, Scallop
Dinner: Lawry's Carvery, South Coast Plaza - Prime rib sandwich, prime rib

24 Dec (Mon)
Lunch: Bistro at Nordstrom - Mushroom pizza, chicken carbonara, club sandwich, pear salad
Dinner: Big Christmas Feast for 17 at Aunt Dora's Home - Roast beef, roast turkey, braised pork with chestnut and mushroom, prawn salad, braised vege, sticky rice, fresh fruit plate, chocolate brownie, mochi

25 Dec (Tue)
Lunch: Terrace, the Island Hotel, Newport Beach - Christmas Day Family Brunch
Sauteed & chilled prawns with sweet potato and pecan salad, maple creme fraiche
Black pepper cured and smoked salmon with Asian vegetable salad, ginger thyme sauce
Celery root, green bean and pear salad with aged balsamic
Macaroni and cheese, elbow pasta with crushed truffles and Taleggio cheese
Roast breast of turkey with mashed potatoes and savory herb bread pudding, pan gravy
Slow braised beef short ribs with red wine and root vegetables
Christmas dessert
Dinner: Home - Dry-aged Prime ribeye (Bristol Farms), king crab leg (Bristol Farms), vege soup

26 Dec (Wed)
Lunch: Edgewater, Seaport Village, San Diego - Seafood crepe, grilled salmon sandwich, clam chowder
Dinner: Old Town Mexican Cafe, Old Town, San Diego - BBQ pork ribs, grilled Mahi Mahi taco

27 Dec (Thur)
Lunch: Crab Catcher, La Jolla, San Diego - Steamed clams, crab meat stuffed mushroom, clam chowder
Dinner: Home - Brie on crackers, orange - Home

28 Dec (Fri)
Lunch: McDonald's - Angus third pounder with mushroom and swiss cheese, quarter pounder with cheese
Dinner: Home - Ox tail stewed with red wine, dingding Japanese rice - Home

29 Dec (Sat)
Lunch: A&J Restaurant - Braised beef noodle in clear soup, marinated pork 'siu-ban'
Dinner: Mastro's Steakhouse, Costa Mesa [http://www.mastrossteakhouse.com/]
Appetizers: Seared scallops, Caesar salad, Crab cakes
Main: Bone-in Ribeye, Fillet, Prime rib, New York Strip, King salmon steak
Sides: Sauteed mushrooms, sauteed asparagus, sweet potato fries, Gorgonzola mac & cheese
Dessert: Warm butter cake, bread pudding
Wine: Penfold 389, 2004

30 Dec (Sun)
Lunch: Dessert Hill, Palm Spring - Japanese chicken bowl, Japanese beef bowl
Dinner: Ten Ten - Steamed lobster, steamed crab, baked oyster with Port, Peking duck, vege, fish soup

31 Dec (Mon)
Lunch: Food Atrium, Fashion Island - Chicken pesto cream, mushroom pizza
Dinner: Aunt Dora's Home - Hotpot beef, king crab legs, pork, fish balls, tofu, mushroom, vege, Japanese udon

1 Jan (Tue)
Lunch: Home - Dingding chicken noodle, nissin instant noodle
Dinner: Home - Dry-aged Prime ribeye (Bristol Farms), vege soup

2 Jan (Wed)
Lunch: JJ's Cafe - Fried pork chop with rice, Minced pork with shredded chicken with rice
Dinner: Pasta Bravo - Chicken pesto cream

3 Jan (Thu)
Lunch: Taiko - Sesame chicken
Dinner: Peppino - Minestrone, mussel in white wine, lasagna, Peppino bread

4 Jan (Fri)
Lunch: Nordstrom, South Coast Plaza - Fried prawn and cheese penne, Manhattan cheesecake
Dinner: Aunt Dora's Home - Prime ribeye, Prime spencer (Gelson's), Japanese chicken fillet, sweet potato, potato, vege with mushroom

5 Jan (Sat)
Lunch: Home - Taiko sesame chicken, Japanese dingding rice
Dinner: El Torito Grill, Newport Beach - Lobster quesadilla, chicken taco salad

6 Jan (Sun)
Breakfast: Home - Auntie Dora's butter pound cake, 3 different kinds of coffee

Hint Too

The 3rd day, returned to reality.
Things under control.
Only a little tired... and a lottttttttttttt lazzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Finally, all luggages landed, and intact.
oh... miss Aunt D's butter pound cake... should have brought it along.