More piz of my birthday celebration....

ME! Acting to cut the cake!


Shirley, Jialin and Cuiyi


Steph, Jiabi and ME

Lizzie's Thai Steam Fish!!!!! SUCCESS!!!

I missed Thai FOOD so much that I m desperate to master how to cook thai food! And TAA...TAA.... I cooked my own THAI STEAM FISH... IT'S SO YUMMY!! The taste is so similar!!! heee heee....

Check this OUT!

The original Thai steam sea bass... taken during my bangkok trip at Suan Lum Night bazzar!!!

NOW... Compare this one!!!..............

Lizzie's masterpiece .... hummm.... can't get green chilli... that's why it looks red. heee..... but it's the sing-thai style... it's yummy!!!

Busy looking around for houses...

I believe my weekends will be occupied for viewing houses.... Alvin and I are looking around to rent a unit.... We have started to view houses.... It really tiring. I wish this will come to an end soon. It's not easy to get what we want. :) So far, nothing catches our eyes and heart! Gee.... looking for a unit here is worst than looking for one in Australia... it's so much easier in Australia. I miss Australia...

We've got a unit to view soon next week at Telok Blangah. (My childhood area!) I hope that's gonna be the LAST one!!! So tired!!!!

THAI COUNTRY-STYLE STEAMED FISH IN GARLIC LIME SAUCE

Found the receipe for that Thai Steam fish that I had in Bangoko at Suan Lum Night Bazzar! It was so good that i wanted to cook for myself.... try this...

* Exported from MasterCook II *

THAI COUNTRY-STYLE STEAMED FISH IN GARLIC LIME SAUCE

Recipe By : Joyce Jue

Serving Size : 4

Ingredient

1 pound whole fish -- trout sea bass, perc

4 fresh green chiles -- diced

6 cloves garlic -- chopped

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

4 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 green onions -- cut in half lengthwise

2 stalks lemon grass -- (heart section only)

Cilantro springs -- for garnish

Scale and clean fish, then rinse with cold water.

Pat dry with paper towels.

Make diagonal slashes (almost to the bone) 2 inches apart on both sides of fish.

Set fish on a heat-proof plate that is at least 1 inch smaller in diameter than your wok .

Mix together chiles, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and chicken stock.

Adjust for a predominantly sour taste. Pour over fish.

Scatter green onions and lemon grass over fish.

Fill wok with 2 inches of boiling water. When it comes to a full boil, set fish plate on rack or trivet. Cover tightly. Reduce heat to medium-high and steam for 12 minutes. If meat by the bone is opaque white, fish is done. Garnish fish with cilantro and serve with cooking juices. Accompany with steamed rice. Serves 4 with other entrees.

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NOTES : Thai cooks use an oval, metal pedestal plate, which comfortably holds whole small fish weighing from one to 1 1/2 pounds. In the American kitchen you can use a heat-proof glass pie plate or a shallow bowl that is at least one inch smaller in diameter than your steamer. A 14-inch wok with a dome- shaped cover makes a perfect steamer when fitted with a Chinese steaming rack, a 12-inch round cake-cooling rack or a two- inch-high trivet to support the pie plate or bowl. An alternative is to use an ob long Dutch oven for steaming, and an oblong plate for the fish. For the following recipe, use whole trout, sea bass, perch or red snapper. If whole fish are not available, fish steaks and fillets are convenient and just as delicious.

NEW background Music Uploaded!!

Hurray!! After so long, i managed to upload MP3 as my blog's background music! It's Sway (OST of American Pie), sang by Bic Runga. She's a New Zealander! I love this style of music, hope u do like it too! ENJOY!!!

Here's the Lyrics:

Artist: Bic Runga

LyricsSong: Sway

Don't stray, don't ever go away

I should be much too smart for this

You know it gets the better of me

Sometimes, when you and I collide

I fall into an ocean of you, pull me out in time

Don't let me drown, let me down

I say it's all because of you

And here I go, losing my control

I'm practicing your name so I can say it to your face

It doesn't seem right, to look you in the eye

Let all the things you mean to me

Come tumbling out my mouth

Indeed it's time to tell you why

I say it's infinitely true

[CHORUS:]

Say you'll stay, don't come and go

Like you do

Sway my way, yeah I need to know

All about you

And there's no cure, and no way to be sure

Why everything's turned inside out

Instilling so much doubt It makes me so tired - I feel so uninspired

My head is battling with my heart

My logic has been torn apart

And now it all turns sour

Come sweeten every afternoon

[CHORUS TWICE]

It's all because of you

It's all because of you

Now it all turns sour, come sweeten every afternoon

It's time to tell you why, I say it's infinitely true

[CHORUS TWICE]

It's all because of you

It's all because of you

It's all because of you

Inspiring Moments

Hey... received this from Singapore International Foundation's email... i think it's good... therefore, would like to share this happiness with everyone...

THE 7 C's of HAPPINESS
By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

What are the critical ingredients for experiencing genuine happiness? Here are seven elements of life that I believe are essential to the attainment of human happiness. I call them the "7 C's in the pursuit of happiness." One is not more important than any of the others.

1) Compassion. In order to evolve into a state of happiness, you must develop your in-born ability to care about life, to value life in all its forms, to engage in loving, kind actions, to cultivate an attitude of what Nobel laureate, Dr. Albert Schweitzer called "reverence for life," (including your own).

2) Contentment. Inner calm and peace of mind and heart does not mean acceptance of everything that happens. It does mean letting go of fear. When you live life fearlessly, you experience a kind of peace that permeates every cell of your body, every thought of your mind, every emotion of your heart, every element of your spirit.

3) Connection. Without effectively connecting to other humans, you become less than human yourself. Connection means involving yourself in relationship to everyone around you, connecting to your own inner life, and becoming aware of the environment in which you live. Learn to create high-quality relationships, and your happiness is almost guaranteed.

4) Communication. Communication is our primary method for connection. It increases your knowledge, your understanding, and your awareness. Language is precious. Words are the building blocks of all happiness.

5) Commitment. Oprah Winfrey says that what motivates her to get up in the morning is "my commitment to my life and fulfilling my life purpose." If one of your life's purposes is to enhance your happiness, committing your life to the service of others brings more happiness than you can imagine. Happiness requires you commit yourself to something larger than yourself.

6) Consciousness. Most spiritual teachers believe we are living in a sleep-like or dream state. In order to be happy, one must increase one's awareness of life. And the single awareness that is most conducive to happiness is: the impermanence of everything. Life is in a constant state of flux, of change, of rhythm and of evolution.

7) Creativity. Creating your life experience by consciously choosing your thoughts, your actions, your decisions and your attitudes will allow you to attain personal happiness regardless of external circumstances.

The pursuit of happiness is not something you search for or attain from outside your skin. Happiness develops from within. You were born to be happy. You were given life to experience happiness. Pursuing it is your right. Sail the 7 C's of happiness and the pursuit of it becomes obvious and being alive becomes the happiest of moments.

Bangkok and Batam

BANGKOK

BANGKOK is darn good! And I definately will go back again if budget airways has got extremely good promotion! But, I've got bad experience even before I landed in BANGKOK! it was my fault actually.... I brought a Swiss Army knife... I got it from NZ. I love it so much! it's very nice, made of steel! I forgot that I have it in my bag, and I didn't check in my luggage. And when I enter the departure gate, it was spotted by the immigration officer and it's confiscated by them... and I beg and think of ways to get it back, i suggest to mail it back to my home or left it at the lost and found counter... but neither ways works. I was so sad! And I even went to the Swissport to ask for it when i got back from Thailand. Sigh.... Actually, this Swiss Army knife was suppose to be a gift for my ex-boyfriend, who was my boyfriend then when i went to NZ. But i love it so much that I decided not to give him. And today, i lost it to the airport... SIGH, when it's not meant to be mine, it not.... :(

When we reached Bangkok on Friday evening, I check in and realised that we don't get the new and renovated room that we arranged. We tried so hard to get it... but failed... so we just accepted it. That's minor... anyway, we are out 90% of the time, and when we are back, we will be too tired to bother how posh or bad the room is.... just hope that the room's not "dirty". :p We stayed in FRIST HOTEL at Pratunam. When we reached Bangkok it's very late and everything was closed. We went out to look for food, all we can find is Burger King and street food. I was reluctant to eat Burgers in BANGKOK and I was weary to eat street food, but it looks DARN good! But i m so afraid that I might have food poisoning after eating those food. So finally, we went back to hotel to eat local food! TOM YAM, MANGO SALAD.... etc... yummy!!!

The next day (my birthday), we went to Chatuchak Market! It was DARN HUGE!!!! And we briefly shop around... thank god, my friend, Reema, just got back from there and got me the map of Chatuchak and so we are not lost. We took a cab there... AND my GOODNESS, it's SO SO cheap!!! And yah, gee.... ALL CABs there IN bangkok are Toyota Altis!!! It's indeed MADE IN THAILAND! haa haaa..... And we took MRT back to hotel. That night we went to watch THAI Girls show in some dodgy place in Patpong. so Boring and not worth the money and time! I don't reckon! And after the show we went Suan Lum Night Bazzar! Both of us, love this place... it reminds me of the night market at Cairns!!! it's much better then Chatuchak.. more organised and not so HOT, maybe because it's in the evening. I managed to eat local food there!GOASH!! thumbs up for the food there!!!! We had a great feast there!!!! SPICY AND SOUR!!! GOOD!!!!

At Chachuchat Shopping, Lunch (Beef Noodles, Sotong Rice with Fried Egg and Tom Yam noodles). Went Suan Lum Night Bazzar for Shopping again and DINNER (Tom Yam soup, Sotong Salad, Mango Salad, BBQ BIG prawns, chicken rice, thai fish balls, BBQ sotong and Steam thai Sea Bass) YUMMY!!!!!

Second day, we went to Platinum Fashion Mall.. it's where they sell almost everything at warehouse price! We bought heaps of things! And for dinner, we walk from Pratunam to HRC at Siam Square. It was a LONG walk... we ask around and thought that it was nearby! After dinner at HRC, we went back to Suan Lum Night Bazzar again to continue our shopping!!! Gee.... walking the WHOLE DAY!!!

At The Platinum Fashion Mall for Lunch (Had thai beef noodles, Sharkfin and bird's nest. Then went to HRC for dinner)

Finally, on Monday, we didn't do much... we gotta to be at Airport in the afternoon... so we check out and leave.

We didn't take much pic of ourselve, purely becoz, we look so tired and we didn't dare to ask ppl from the street to take for us.... u never know they run away with my precious camera!

BATAM

Nothing to decide about this trip... we were there to relax, use their facilities like gym, swimming pool, Jacuzzi and massage. It was a 1 day getaway... coz i was give a voucher from Hotel for a special room rate. So just there to utilised this voucher!

What a short weekend...

For the last two consecutive Saturdays, I was away from Singapore.... as mentioned in my previous blogs... I went to Bangkok for my birthday on 22nd July 2006. I spent 3 days 3 nights there shopping and eating!!!! And the following saturday on 29th July 2006, I went to Batam to relax in our favourite resort... HOLIDAY INN. Gee, I m so surprised that one of the staffs there in the resort recognised me as their regular guest... I m impressed. I will definately go back again as and when i like. And last Saturday 5th Aug 2006, I have to work and I gotta attend a short seminar and from the short seminar at Sheraton Towers, I went shopping at Orchard Road and spend money again there!!! Never stop spending money huh!!! I gotta put a full stop to this!!!!!

And finally, today I manage to rest well at home... I watched DVD, sleep and eat. Rejunvenate myself before I work hard for the week! hee hee.... I brought back my work (the annual Finanical budgeting is HERE!!!!) but i am SO SO lazy to start anything!! I was thinking of doing it on Wednesday, Singapore's Birthday!!!! it's a Public HOLIDAY!!!