Solitary Opportunities

Things that can only be done ALONE:

So the time has finally come - AK goes offshore and leaves BooBoo and me for the next 2 weeks.
Living a more-or-less solitary existence (with the exception of the occasional working lunch/churchgoing) does have SOME, although I'd admit, not many, perks. You can live by standards very much lower than when there is the two of you. For example, Spicy potato chips and durian could constitute a pretty good dinner where you're concerned, but add a partner, and then expectations change. The TV could be forever tuned to the Cooking channel and no one would protest. And of course, combine the two to eating in front of the TV, which definitely is a conversation killer and not acceptable when the other half hates watching people cooking while he's eating, whereas you on the the other hand love it.

So here's a list of things I will be doing on my own:

1) Watch Julie and Julia, a movie on Julia Child, mother of poetic cooking in America

2) Tidy up my personal files - think it has been 4 years since I've done so. Make separate folders for insurance, shareholdings, investments, taxes, book receipts, warranty cards, etc etc.

3) Go furniture shopping! I have in mind a filing cabinet to be used as a kitchen cabinet - I will be seriously lacking kitchen space ionce we move. Other items include a TV bench, full-length mirrors, a new dustbin for my kitchen (hopefully a chic stainless steel one), towel racks for hanging hooks on, to hang my kitchen paraphernilia - AND - I'd better get these before AK comes back and gets me to change my mind :P

These cabinets would be perfect for my use - they're made of coated steel not flimsy plywood, so I can use their tops as worksurfaces (peeling, chopping, stirring) and keep jars/cans/tupperware in them.

4) Start setting up the garden - pre-plant my lemongrass and pandan.

Grumble

I have been working in a fog for the past few weeks.

Daydreaming, waiting for the clock to tick, tick tick its way to an honourable time to leave (in principle we are allowed to leave at 4 am, but I leave at 5 normally).

Why is this?

Ever since I accepted this new job, I have been fumbling. I HATE the work I do now, chasing people, getting their opinions and then typing them down. It's giving me no satisfaction whatsoever, and I usually come out of these meetings irritated, to say the least.

I want to do something with BITE, something with results that I can gauge and measure. Most importantly, something that adds VALUE to myself professionally.

Dear God, pls give me the patience to wait this out.

Head in the Clouds

The ALL-OUT Wishlist!!


Head in the clouds, heart aflutter.


- Tag Haeuer Grand Carrera as modelled by Maria Sharapova - the big black one with 3 knobs. I am a total sucker for big men's watches - I think they look totally sexy on my (rather) slim wrist. Plus, they're so damn cool. Breitling is another brand I like, but the Tag has an added elegance to it (could be cheaper too - haha), perhaps because they designed it with a woman in mind?



Anyways, they totally captured what I was looking for in a watch. Dream, dream!!

- Christian Loboutin heels in 2 colours. I promise I will cherish these for the rest of my walking days ( I have a reputation for ruining my shoes - the local cobbler is on really good terms with me) One black pump with a 2-3 inch heel, for everyday work and the runs of life. The other in nude - suede or something not shiny, higher, slighly chunkier (slightly stacked, perhaps?), for all other occasions, that look like extensions of my legs. Oh for those red soles!




- Big black Coach Carly, or Tod Pashmy. I love big black hobo bags, aka Rachel Zoe's style. As much as I'd hate to say so, she does make those skinny arses (Linsday, Paris, Nicole) look good. And an essential part of her look is the big slouchy bag (paired with oversized sunnies-which I have- and ballet flats). A big bag does make one look thinner, you know?

- Saville row suit in a soft grey wool, tailored to my proportions

TODAY

Am feeling good TODAY.

Caffeine in my system, a pretty outfit (a dress, my dears, and my favourite (or only pair that costs more than 10 bucks :P) on, a great dinner last night, a kaya puff in my hand now, and best of all, enough sleep, thanks to someone coming home. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that a headhunter called my yesterday, what a surprise!

Let's hope this moment is the beginning of great things to come.

Slipper Prawns Lazy Mornay

First of all, apologies are in order, especially to Mr. Mornay, or whoever it was who invented Lobster Mornay.

I have to say that they are not a pretty sight.

But, for the price, they're pretty darn good.

So they're not red and shiny with long spikes like their more glamorous lobster cousins.

So they're grey with really flat heads.

So AK said they look like cockroaches in the photos.

SO WHAT.

They have this sweet-yet-salty taste that, if you close your eyes and try hard enough, to make you believe that you're eating lobster - at sixteen bucks a kilo - enough for 2 meals and without that "I wish we could have more" feeling I have whenever I eat lobester (which is like once a decade).

If you're ever so lucky to come across these overlooked babies in the market, and eat with all your other senses besides your sight (hey, foie gras is no looker either, and don't get me started on sea urchin), then read on.

- Cut each prawn in half (belly side up) and pry away the belly shells to reveal the flesh underneath

- No need for salt (they're plenty salty as they are), just s couple of twists of black pepper will do

- Sprinkle with a cheese of your choice - I used mozarella for gooiness and aged cheddar for taste and get a lovely burnished look (parmesan doesn't give that)

- Bake at the hottest temperature (250 degC) for 15-10 mins, cover with foil if the cheese browns too much - though very likely the prawns will be cooked once the cheese is done as well

Orange Jasmine Tea Jelly

What to do with office-issued oranges when neither of us enjoy eating them as is?


Peel them, remove the seeds and as much as the white pith/membrane as you can. I grated the rind for orange cupcakes first (putting almost the entire fruit to use - waste not, want not after all). Make sure to collect all the juices as well in the bowl you want to make your jelly in (I really don't recommend using little jelly moulds for this as you'd have to make your orange segments pretty small). If the oranges are not sweet enough, sprinkle over some sugar and let them macerate for 10-15 minutes.

Put the kettle on to boil, and prepare your teabags (I used jasmine tea, but I suppose black tea can be used as well, not so sure about green tea). Get a heatproof measuring jug ready and place your teabags in the jug.

Reading the instructions on your gelatine/jelly powder packet (I used konkayyu jelly powder), and pour just enough boiling water to make the jelly. Sweeten to taste again, with sugar or honey. Stir to dissolve (with konkayyu jelly powder sometimes I had to whisk really vigorously - it tends to clump).

Chill till set.

Precious Moments

BooBoo and AK having a father-to-son chitchat :)


Obviously AK's lecturing got so boring that BooBoo fell asleep. See how he is blithely sprawled all over AK's legs.

Before you ask - AK is not short nor small - we just have a really big, fat cat. :)

Pengsan...

Complete with paws in the air pose...

We love our not-so-little fat cat.