The End

So it's the end of a semester, a year at uni, and half my degree over. Nearly the end of the year, and almost the end of 2010. With mum nagging my brother to tidy up his space and him being rebellious, Christmas tree will be up soon too. Christmas... oh gosh, it's that time of the year already! Where on earth did my 2010 go??

Blog has been neglected for about two weeks, my apologies. Lots contributed to its lack of updates actually- with uni work overload, practicing for skills test, then my keyboard all glam'd up with keyboard stickers decided to die on me... so now I'm using this boring all-black keyboard =( It just feels different without those stickers! This keyboard even sounds different =(

Jk. With all that whinging aside, it's time for some serious catching up. Here's a speed entry!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Many months ago, my church had an annual dinner. We went to this Chinese restaurant near Haymarket (which I forgot the name of at the moment, it'll come back).

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

It was a set dinner thing with friends. Truth be told, food wasn't spectacular, but atmosphere was great.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

There were raffle ticket draws, prize giving, quizzes, games, etc. Didn't really notice the food...

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

because they were all kinda mediocre, but this steamed fish was good =) Just as long as those coriander are out of my bowl.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Lots of meat...

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Always great to end a meal with complimentary dessert like fresh fruits.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

The prize our table won from being aggressive in games =D Shared the pack amongst the table~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

This entry is going to be in random order- the order my photos are in at Picasa. This was from months ago when our class had a lesson on Art Therapy (@lemonjam! Except this isn't twitter). It was interesting and not all that different from Music Therapy... well, the concept at least. The approach is a different issue altogether. No points for guessing which is mine- just look for the ugliest and most emo one. Was in no mood to create an art piece that day, haha.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Then it's grapefruit and tangerine iced tea at Gloria Jeans! It's a new drink they put out for this summer, which is going to be horrible, with many wet days and warm humid nights... someone fly me to Japan!!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Mizuya- revisited. Haven't been back to that place since we visited it when it first opened. More food on the menu this time, including some interesting kushiyaki dishes like this Enoki wrapped in bacon~ (Digressing: yesterday's Iron Chef battle was with Jumbo Mushrooms and the challenger was this mushroom fanatic who owns a restaurant called Mushrooms and he studies all sorts of mushrooms and their different flavors as well as the different ways to cook them. Love mushrooms! =D Craving that mushroom buffet I had in Singapore!!)

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Bacon is my No. 1 favorite food. At the moment. They might change, but right now, it's all bacon. Not lean bacon. It must come complete with its strip of fat.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Then Sugar Hit came and went. This was our very first at Grace Hotel, Bar 77. That's my brother opposite me with his phone's flash.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

I wish I can remember what the Sugar Hits were specifically, but I cannot. I just know it's chocolate fairy floss, chocolate molten cake in a waffle basket with balsamic strawberries at the bottom of the glass. And a macaron. And ice cream! This was so filling, it wasn't funny, because my brother booked us in for 2 Sugar Hits that evening.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Looks like an old man's mop of hair.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

I've seen this served in a shorter glass, but it somehow looks so much better in a tall glass. I'd imagine quite a few breakages of this though, it doesn't exactly balance very well....

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Bacco for round 2! Though we were already feeling like we were K.O. after Grace Hotel.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Bacco is an Italian restaurant that specialises in pizzas, pastas and all things Italian. Its Sugar Hit came on a pizza platter.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

That we're alive to tell this tale is in itself a miracle. This tart was a killer. Apricot caramel tart. I don't even need to describe how buttery the crust was, or how tooth-achingly sweet the caramel was. Our only friend was the apricot, but all three together, on a full dessert stomach, was a tough battle.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Now cast your eyes on this. Another macaron, hm, no big deal, that small thing can't do much harm, can it? Or... can't it?? Embarrassing to say this, but I folded our paper place mat into a paper bag and took that macaron home with me so I didn't have to face it right then and there, because right next to it... is a giant of a mud cake, standing tall in all its chocolatey glory. Sandwiched in between is chocolate ganarche with bits of raspberry. Wonderful, yes, but that finished us off. The battle was lost.

I think I ended up dissected that lump of mud cake into several pieces, consumed as much as I could before dividing the pieces of remains to opposite ends of the platter as well as leaving some on my brother's plate. He managed to finish it, though he did shove that macaron into my takeaway bag too, which my mum ate the next day.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Change of scenery: back at the centre where we celebrated one of our classmate's birthday. Someone made cupcakes and it was really lovely =) all pink and purple~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Then that night, my dad made congee! With century eggs! Things had been kinda turbulent for my parents recently, so he's lost the heart to cook anymore...

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Week after the first round of Sugar Hit, we were booked in for another round! Another two lots actually. THIS time, we came up with a plan called the Take-away plan!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

This was at... I forgot. Chocolate mousse, panna cotta, toffee and chocolate sauce.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

That chocolate mousse was so good and rich...

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

No chance of taking this away though, so we had it all right there.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Azuma! Came in a bento double tier set~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

A chance for the execution of plan Take-Away! Green tea tart, the wasabi chocolate pie, small cake and macarons.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

That's right- this whole layer were taken away in a container, and eaten the next night when we were feeling less full. Those macarons had different faces which was really cute.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

My pink one!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Top layer of the Sugar Hit Bento had to be eaten on the spot. No problem~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

The wasabi chocolate pie was interesting. Had it at home, but makes no difference to the taste- it had the wasabi spiciness in the chocolate which went together quite well. Unusual, but nice.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Last Sugar Hit for that week was at Sheraton on the Park. Totally not worth it!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Went last year too, but it was nothing special this year. Under that biscotti is the same piece of white cake cut into a smaller piece.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Some shanghai food. I think this was at Eastwood.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

All-time favourite: XLB! They look a little flat though.. hm... but still good, as long as they don't burst!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Menya: Tsukemen. We were actually going for their Hiyashi Chuuka, but they didn't have it yet.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Then it was a study session at UTS cos it was close by, but we had snacks first. Pre-packaged dragon beard candy? Interesting, but definitely not as good as freshly made, available at the Friday night markets! They set up a stall where an old man makes them candies out of toffee rings. Looks easy, but I've been discouraged to even try. =( So much for a vote of confidence there right??

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Ice Kacang at Ten Ren! Appallingly slow service there as usual, I don't know where we bother even going back there, but their ice kacang IS pretty good. Now that we've discovered two new dessert place, not too sure if we'll go back to Ten Ren anymore~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

And it's Sugar Hit week 3!! Bel Mondo coming up first~

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Located right next to the ruins at the Rocks.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Yep, that's right, my camera sucks, but until I get around to finding a new camera, it stays!

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

How artistic. Icie took this one.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

This was good. Really good, though the service at Bel Mondo's was kinda weird. All the waiters seem to be smoking something, they were either on high or just... eccentric. Not in a good way.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Their poached pear was awesome, ice cream was refreshing and pear tart was beautiful.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Our next stop- also our final stop for Sugar Hit 2010 was at Ocean Room, Circular Quay.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Their ceiling of nun chucks are mesmerizing to stare up to.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Compared to Bel Mondo's, impeccable service, totally professional.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

We realised that these Sugar Hit dishes keep shrinking in size as we go to higher end restaurants. Quality increases, quantity decreases... hm...

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Puff pastry sesame stick with a black sesame panna cotta and a white sesame sauce, topped with mint leaves and berries.

From Weeks 40-43, 2010

Yum~ =)

Speed entry completed! =D