The Cube

Or I should say lunch...

There was so much food during lunch today, I was so full... (I had 3 helpings on the main meals... and followed by dessert too!) Unfortunately, I didnt get any pictures, everybody was eager to tuck in. However I snapped one on the stir fry noodles which I get to bring home for dinner :P



















Despite not everybody bring their home origin food, but everybody contributed some food!

We had meatballs, koeksuster (pronounced as "cook sister" from South Africa)
















Picture from Cook Sister

Prawn masala and curry chicken brought in by colleague from India, nasi beriani, plenty of rice. Chicken Adobo and Brazo de Mercedes from the Phillipines, beef with potatoes, lamingtons, corn chips with dips, cheese dips, chocolate cheese cake, anzac biscuits, sushi, of course - the stir fry noodles above and drinks

Oh yah.. the satay and the sauce too :P

Side note: and I had a yummy cake for dinner tonight too! :D

Story begins with office having an International Food Day, taking advantage of colleagues from different countries. One of my colleague who also came from Malaysia suggested that she will make satay and asked if I am alright to make the sauce. Oh well... I dont even have to think what to make, I'm happy with the idea, despite I have no absolute idea how to make the satay sauce. However colleague offered idea that I could get them off the shelf from asian grocer or even Malaysian food stalls near the office. As there is backup plan ready (in fact I like the idea of the one from asian grocer...), so satay sauce it is.

However when I brought up the idea of buying those can satay sauce, someone objected. Said I should try making, only if it doesnt turn out, then I could buy. Even offered to make a chicken dish to test my satay sauce. Emmm...

Anyway, I must have been crazy cos I offered to make the full fare of Malaysian chicken satay together with the satay sauce and top it up with nasi himpit as experiment. Huge mistake. It is not an easy task, especially that to begin with... I am not a good cook, and secondly, I dont have a blender. In fact, I dont even have a mortar and pestle. However, friend has a mortar and pestle which I could borrow (which I did) but it was those cute little ones...

So... that was the story of me making satay for the first time, together with the sauce... strangely enough it was the nasi himpit that didnt work out. LOL, in fact it turn out like porridge, maybe cos I didnt "himpit" it.

It was totally hard work... the recipe itself was not difficult (got it from here and here)... but the pounding with mortar and pestle... not something I want to do again. Umm....




Side note: There are many good cooks who kindly blog up recipes :)

Went for a day trip in Central Coast in October last year, yeah.. so this post is sort of 'dated'. Central Coast is about an hour drive from Sydney, it is consider one of the destination for short breaks around Sydney.

We didn't do a lot as it was only a day trip and we went on a Sunday... you know those feeling of spillover Monday Blues on Sunday night. Anyways, went for short walk at The Entrance and The Skillion. The place IS call The Entrance....

I have vague memory it is being call so due to Tuggerah Lake meets the Pacific Ocean, something like that. I have this impression that there isnt very much creative juice in naming places. Example is this The Entrance cos it is the entrance to the ocean, or the Harbour Bridge, cos the bridge is at the harbour... maybe, there are other names given creatively but I have not discovered those yet :P

Nevertheless, it has great view... very blue sky and sea :)







Side note: Alright, time to zzzzz

It's all about the view in Sydney... and of course, one of the view is the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Many, many buses bring tourist this designated spot to take picture of the Opera House, one of them is Kirribilli. At night, especially on the weekend, you'll see tourist, especially Chinese tourist (I wonder why) lining up to get their picture taken by a photographer who set his tripod, of course, the view is the Opera House.

Anyways, I, of course have my share of taking picture of the bridge, if not for view, would be to prove that I'm working hard in Sydney :P

from Walsh Bay

from Mrs Macquarie's Point

from Milsons Point / Luna Park

Also from Milsons Point / Luna Park

from McMahon's Point

from Circular Quay

from Cahill Walk (city)

from Cahill Walk (Milsons Point)

from ferry back from Cockatoo Island

from Balmain

from Milsons Point train station

from Pylon Lookout

from a car while crossing the bridge

There you have it... have your pick where you prefer to have your picture of the bridge.

I also like a shot of the city from Mrs Macquarie Point :)



Side note: Alright, I've been playing long enough, time to scrub those tiles

Everytime I saw the last post, I wanted to blog another post cos the title stressed even more that the post is dated. Somehow, day goes to week, proceed to month... and it is still that last post.

Someone asked if I dont blog anymore, another hassled me about not updating, another one said I dont do Sydney/NSW/Australia enough justice, considering I blogged the whole Vietnam trip up.

So... I'll try to blog up some dated post, places I've been and contemplated posts in the head but did not materialize. Anyways... hey, this is considered as a new post, isnt it ;)


Side note: Oh.. I love the sultana bran cereal :P

I know... I know... it's a little too late, especially that I think most people have return to work. This is my first year not celebrating CNY in Malaysia. However I'm lucky that one of my colleague invited my 2 other colleagues and I to have CNY eve dinner in her house. It was a good dinner :)



Anyways, happy chinese new year :)

Side note: Yesterday's fireworks was great!

After being kicked out from the temporary accommodation in the city weeks after arrived in Sydney, I moved to North Sydney. I've moved again 6 months thereafter... am now staying in Milsons Point. Same rental rate, bigger but of course is unfurnished, compared to previously.

Anyways, I like my new place... the train station is just up the street, it's nearer to the city, it provides me more space to leave things on the floor.. lol...
The only disadvantage is that... free parking only starts after 12 am :(

bedroom

lounge, please pretend you don't see the messiness

my mess

kitchen

little view from the balcony

Side note: Going to Sydney Twilight Parade later!