It Has Been Quite a While

Called off my weekly tennis on Sat since too exhausted during the week. Turned out that coach was sick too.
To make up for the missed exercise, decided to play some wii fit in the afternoon. It has been 6 months (181 days) since I last played it according to the record. Time indeed flies... and, it said I lost 1kg since then... oh.
In order to make up for that 1kg, I decided to treat myself a McD Big & Tasty meal today. The fries were great but I should have asked the burger to be prepared without onion and dressing - well, a sign either that I haven't been to McD for too long, or my mind is absent-ing.

同道中人

昨天下着雨, 天色相當壞, 卻是近來少有的輕快順利. 雖然都有令人輕輕氣結的蠢事.
早上沒辦法 tennis, 卻讓我乘機清了兩本食之無味棄之可惜半天吊的書.
中午到海運睇 car show 吃 lunch. 經驗所得停車場在雨天(lesser extent 暴曬天)特別爆, 因為大家都不想泊露天而都擠在下層有蓋部份. 一心想早點兒出發, 卻因喫書而晚了, 到達時已接近1點, 有蓋部份果然已 Full. 大部份人都不信邪, 還是先兜個圈碰碰運氣. 我們還是有點運氣, 加上一點策略與耐性, 吊着一對龜速漫步男女的尾, 終於等到他們驅車離開.
先吃個 lunch, 走到 BLT Steak 點了 Certified Angus Hamburger ($88) and Spicy Tuna BLT Sandwich ($128), both served with fries, 飲品另計. Burger 真的不錯, 是 Main Street Deli 以外有意欲再光顧 burger 的一家, 而且比 Deli 便宜多. 現在 Citibank 有優惠 $99 with coffee/tea, 如果 a la carte 的話 10% off. 至於 spicy tuna was overdone, 跟在美國吃的是兩回時.
稍不滿的是服務上的不足. 我們見門外有 Citibank 優惠, 便問 reception 優惠詳情是什麼, 姐姐只說是 a la carte 10% off, 完全沒有提有特別套餐, 坐下來後亦沒有人補充, 到我們發現之時已是 after the fact. 埋單時便跟西裝人"提醒"了幾句, 他的回應禮貌周周卻九唔搭八, 當下認定講多無謂, 有其上司必有其下屬, 打發他離去也罷. 這些小事情理應無需驚動鬼佬老闆, 不過若有下次, 就只能怪做細的不爭氣了.
VW Carshow 尚算人山人海, 相信不少是 Golf fans 或冒名而來的人, 想看看最新 MKVI 如果成為 World Car of 2009, 有機會一定要試試. 自己就真的十分十分喜歡 MKV GTi, 從來對"車仔"不以為然卻一試傾心, 不知道MKVI GTi 會有什麼更正的改動及何時引入香港呢... hehee. 雖然外型上, 暫時我還是較喜歡 MKV.
另外有趣的事, 昨天停車場內有不少 (relatively) Golf and GTi, 看見那麼多同道中人, 心中也是輕奮的. 離開時還正正遇上一架跟我們是一模一樣顏色的, yeah! 好似好低能, 但那奇怪 pearly greenish grey 不常見喎, 而且... (下刪30,000字)
另一驚喜是簽 Citibank 有3 小時免費泊車, 夠我們喝過咖啡才走, 滿足.
下午做了一個15min 水 mask, 還終於終於看了 HOCC "快樂是免費的音樂會" DVD, 重溫有感動有笑, 之前有提過, 不贅. [http://amoozing.blogspot.com/2009/02/sharing-is-happy.html] 還是那一句, 有心人請支持.
晚上再到尖沙咀跟20多中學同學相聚, 8,9 個墟好嘈好好笑, 跟昨天沒兩樣. 後來大家都滿場飛拍照的拍照, 吹水的吹水, 最後大家都不捨得離開, 癲一輪計完數還要多站半個鐘才在三催四請之下清場, 誰不知走到酒家的樓下, 還要在路邊'曬馬'吹水嬉笑多半句鐘才勉強散去. 現在想起來, 當時的情景在外人看來, 可能又要大呼'港女'哩樣嗰樣了... hahaaaa WE DON'T CARE!!!
真的, 一切在心中.
掛住講大家都志不在吃, 話說回來這家潮州酒樓我沒有到過, 但我吃到鵝片和蠔酪還不錯, 可能可以回頭細嚐清楚.

昨晚, 還是睡得比較像樣了.

Back to Merry

A small step in clearing back logs... start with something festive

Mine was one of the biggest! yeah!!!


Set the table before the big feast


Leading roles of the feast - Roast ham and turkey (not in scale...)

Like this very much, showed before. Assembled real stuff.

From the other angles


Leading role for count-down

Self-made cake by Edmond. SUPER SUPER SUPER delicious and satisfying with the simplest and purest - sponge cake, fresh banana, fresh cream, almond flakes and chocolate!!! aaarrrrrrhhhhhhhh
Look at the lovely Mr Clock, telling us time flies... especially good ones...

In Mood For

Was going to search something on a's blog, then found this... aiyo...
http://shallwetalk.blogspot.com/2008/12/in-mood-for-mo.html

Thanks wor, that sounds quite (overly) flattering, hohohohooo...
Time flies. Indeed, I miss those times too... those were the days.

Ping-pong Egg

Reading the news, come to think of it...
the bacon and egg pie that I had at Starbucks the other day, that too well-done (obviously over-cooked) egg yolk looked and 'behaved' (at least I felt so) exactly like those faked buddies...

I Jap

I 'jap', therefore I am.

7/F of that building opposite CWB Sogo, forgot the name of the restaurant. I've never been there for any of the eateries. Not until Bjie brought me there, as recommended by her friend - 金庸位公子 - and we (actually she) surely took that advantage and made 查大俠 Jr. talk to the Chef.
We just sat there and took whatever prepared by the Chef. Sashimi was very fresh and thus good, but not great.

Look at the overflowing urchin sushi (R) and it showed the magic of referra.

This was grilled 'chicken fish', quite tender and juicy. We ate a lot more other stuff and sake, not pictured here.


Then, here's the reborn Sakaegawa. Only so-so if judge by the quality of lunch we had. The menu now is quite cheap, yet I miss even much the old one in Ritz-Carlton.
Those were the days.
The days when we would go for early lunch and got a bargain. The days when we could ask for free ice cream. The days when we were a team. The days when we (believed we) were carefree.

Cheers on the Low Side

Recently very lazy... was prompted by a few 'readers' that I should at least show some signs of living.
So here I am.
I drink, therefore I am.

The very blueberry blueberry juice, very much taste of red wine (as you may easily recall those descriptions of wine being like 'berries'). So I mixed it with Elderflower syrup and ice, roughly in proportion of 3:1:2

Hot chocolate (L) not something spectacular but drink-able; long white (R) is like flat white, something between latte and cappuccino.

On days tired of coffee, would like a black tea latte (L) or alternatively green tea latte (R), both drink-able, mildly sweetened and tea-ed with foamed milk.

馬虎 Rewind 之四

Asparagus & Wild Mushroom Risotto @ Stormies, Elements
I used to like the Stormy Weather (now known as Stormies) at Lan Kwai Fong. Their clams (and the accompanying garlic bread) in white wine sauce were among the best that you could possibly get in HK. So was their pear crumble, while I've never been a fan of crumbles. Yet this Risotto was only so-so, too heavy with cream. Asparagus was good though, young and crunchy.

Fish & Chips @ Stormies, Elements
Looked good, but tasteless. Avoid.

Mo-liu shot at my shoes one day at a clothes-altering shop.

馬虎 Rewind 之三

20080813 - 20080819 東京之旅
臨時臨急, 反而成功用 mileage 換到機票. 買的話要5,000大洋了.
好 hea 的心情, 基本上是一個沒有拍照, 沒有 itinerary 的旅程.

住在這裡, 非常不賴 - Oakwood Apartments, Roppongi
玄關 (L) 廚房 (R)

大床. 半價雞毛手袋 (豆的. 香港買)

Living room, kitchen (partial), den (partial)

外景. 有東京塔 (L) LamB & Dragon (R)


漬魚餐 @ Suzunami, Tokyo Midtown. 最有趣的要算是上方黃澄澄的那個凍湯狀物體, 十分鮮味, 質地卻是糊糊的, 像毛茄裡面的東西. 因為言語不通, 始終搞不清是什麼, 只知道是用來伴飯吃的.


Roppongi Hills basement 的迴轉壽司. 高質素, 價錢合理. 雖說是迴轉, 但基本上 in motion 的食物很少, 我們的壽司差不多都是 order 的, 由這位師傅主理. (我相信他們利用 RFID 技術, 一掃結賬, 並控制食物"飄泊"的時限.)
(http://www.roppongihills.com/jp/shops_restaurants/details/restaurant.php?id=201220002)


Gold Stone 炒雪糕, 意料之中的不外如是, 只因要個地方抖抖.


後知後覺發現新大陸驚為天"仁"之開心果. 太愛吃了. 媽和我帶回來兩大包還不夠喉, 吩咐豆再後加碼三大包. 後來發現... 香港有售, 而且更便宜... (咁, 師傅都話覺得日本帶回來的比較新鮮可口 ga...)


整整一星期最最最最最滿意的咖啡, 就在臨離開前的午餐, 點了 Latte. 推介.
French Kitchen, Grand Hyatt, Roppongi


另外還去了至愛的今半 (http://www.imahan.com/), 可惜沒有吃天一 (http://www.tenichi.co.jp/) 的天婦羅, 反而試了另一家所謂有名的 新宿つな八, 比天一要差幾幾幾幾皮, 實在是一分錢一分貨. 一蘭的拉麵也不錯, 招待的方式也有趣, 閒名不如見面. 還有美登利的抵食壽司套餐 (http://homepage2.nifty.com/sushi_no_midori/), 但是它長龍的程度開始使人卻步, 我想我還是不介意多付一點到 Roppongi Hills 的那家迴轉吧.

還有 Tokyo Midtown (http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/) 每天必到, 主要因為就近 apartment, 加上其中24小時營業的靚靚decent 的 Precce premium food market, 買水果早餐飲品小食等等, 十分方便稱心.

又, 差點遺漏了這個"正嘢" - 坂角總本鋪好好好蝦味蝦片. (http://www.bankaku.co.jp/)
有天閒逛時跟媽無意中發現了, 推介! 各大百貨公司 fancy 食品部有售.

馬虎 Rewind 之始

有好一陣子沒有"用力"寫 blog. (真真要"用力"的, 尤其打中文字... it's killing me!)

原因不外乎是懶, 好懶, 同好鬼懶.

okok, 還有, 冇記性.

有時候看到聽到想到感到一些(以為)值得留個紀錄, 又或公諸同好的事物, 也只是"一念之間", 轉個頭就忘了, 更枉論晚上回家後再"反芻"過來. 畢竟自己不是好反省的人, 忘了就好, hohoho...

太久遠的固然不消提, 近幾個月來也不是沒有大事, 隨便數數就有次按風暴, 北京奧運, 立會選舉, 梁展文新世界大龍鳳, 政治助理鬧劇, 周融wear爛面, Hilary Clinton 落馬, Sarah Palin 上馬, 打風到9號, 嘉禾大火, 美國人老闆其實骨子裡大陸化到不行的 "supposed to is supposed to la"歪理, 未入"豪門"已見識的政治小風波, short-notice日本之旅, 契女小一開學, 友儕間的 changes or intentions to changes... 等等不能盡錄.

剛剛清理一下電話內的照片, 一些細碎的片段又回來了.

決定"由淺入深"回一下帶... 就由今朝開始 rewind 吧. 大事是記不下了, 當作是一個小小的個人瑣事 stock take 吧. 究竟之前有沒有提過寫過, 也不去考究了.

今早精神不錯, 開車送了媽去玩後, 突然非常有 mood 去嘆早餐. 把車泊回家, 徒步走下坡到火炭去.

也不是甚麼大茶飯, KFC吧了. 至愛芝士雞扒包走醬.

第一次吃, 應該是當年做某大銀行項目的時候... 差不多有5個年頭吧?

對上一次, 其實是在不久前的星期六, 因為要(俾人)洗車, 就在附近的KFC邊吃邊等, 之後還要趕出去打波, 所以點了可樂送包貪飲得快 (L), 跟今朝有心"嘆" 飲奶茶 (R) 的心情大不同 (雖然飲奶茶應該去茶餐廳...)

不過, 滿以為自己很 hea 很嘆的時候, 心神原來還是有一點彷彿.

喝咖啡我是不加糖的, 但喝奶茶要加少量.

可是我卻把糖加了在水裡.

講完.

貴

兩個月冇買 cheese, 今日發現原本食開$28/100g的漲價到$34/100g.
六個星期冇買廁紙, $29.5 漲價到 $34.5.
都只是冰山一角.
條數真襟計.
正式宣佈: (已經又)進入減人工週期.
*sigh

Blissful Ending

It reads:
Farewell, Thank You and All the Best!
Wednesday, 28th of May, 2008 will conclude the final chapter of our endearing Pantry.
天下無不散之筵席. 別了, 珍重!
As boss said, it seems just yesterday when we had the Pantry opening party. I'm so proud to be witnessing its journey, having the chances to mess up the counter, the kitchen and even the POS; and most importantly taking advantages of the great mission and ideas of ES and AC. Thank you, and all the best.

Was, the making of - http://www.pantry.com.hk/InsidePantry.htm
my take - http://amoozing.blogspot.com/2006/11/blog-post_05.html
a's take - http://shallwetalk.blogspot.com/2008/05/re-blissful-ending-to-blessed-beginning.html

I told Bean that today is last day for Pantry but forgot to mention that it would serve only till lunch. Turn out she's too busy to go down herself so she ordered delivery. It was 3-ish almost 4 and a lady in suit came to deliver. Just wonder who this lady friend is - would be a farewelling friend who helped one of Pantry's last delivery?

大陣象

20080404 晚飯 @ 九龍城

因mud事要勞動3架警車, 2架鐵馬...

原來抄牌啫, 仲要唔係最繁忙阻街嗰幾條食肆街, 而係至邊邊嗰條啟德道, 成條街都係得我地去開間泰菜叫做有啲人氣, 又無咪錶位, 得個細細爛鬼空地俾不知何方人士夾硬做個要放低車匙嗰種所謂"停車場". 我就親眼見過該"停車場"的泊車哥哥撞咗(兩)架車...

一嗌走鬼, 我地間泰菜館湧出十幾廿人, 都幾誇張 - 畢竟間餐廳都係得十零張枱.

完全包抄 feel, 1架警車1架鐵馬停在街頭; 其餘2架警車1架鐵馬就由街尾 'com'上(連同半打咖啡人), 真周到.

清場咗.