Monday, January 31, 2011

Rough Colours X Cute Birdies: Drawing Party

happiness is free

if you want it to be

I am so happy

《Happiness》

Hanjin X McJin

 

drawing in progresspassionatelyattentively

Tom & Jerry pencil casepelicancolour pencil distributionowlchild who loves arts will never go wrongprince and the pauperlove her bangspeacock

紙箱國 X 春風課:Nothing Last Forever

一而再 再而三

推薦Juno的作品

他的音樂乍聽似黑暗

再漸漸帶出一線曙光

 

《Nothing Last Forever》

April, 2010

Juno‘s Nothing Last Forever

 

去年他推出的精選集

可以看見他的蛻變

從早期青澀的情歌

到后來逐漸別樹一格的

這就是Juno的《成魔之路》

 

不是說早期的不好

像《沒有人》《耿耿以懷》

也是膾炙人口的 K情歌

只是到后來的

《吃鯨魚的人》 《弱水三千》

Juno跳出了迎合大眾口味的商業歌曲

選擇做自己喜歡的音樂

也可以說是殺出了自己的一條血路

要數 cantopop 的型格歌手

他肯定穩占一席位

 

或者你從來就沒有聽過麥浚龍

就當從新認識一個新人

他的音樂真的有別于一般的“上榜歌”

總帶出一些故事或信息

引導聽者去思考歌詞

大膽的曲風嘗試

華麗生動的編曲

 

精選集里的三首新歌

 

個人覺得Juno的歌

特別適合在冷天聽

有墜入深淵的感覺

有無限的想象空間

 

《紙箱國》

超喜歡有點中國風的編曲

歌詞內容卻充滿悲慘情節

一直覺得

這首和周柏豪的《乞丐王子》是前呼后應的

如果Pakho可以憑《乞丐王子》登上頒獎臺

《紙箱國》也絕對有這樣的實力

黃偉文的詞反而來的細膩

但是每首歌曲自有它的命運

不由得我一個人說了算

 

紙箱國 / 麥浚龍

mv里陽光透過黑暗森林。。好有感覺

有點 Gorrillaz 的味道

 

上春風的課 / 麥浚龍

我到今天在推敲著

周耀輝老師到底寫的是什么題材

 

下來這首

雖然是方大同的曲

卻還是唱出了Juno的玄秘風格

還有一個看了包你過目不忘的 MV

Juno X Khalil: 超生培欲X 蒼井空

 

說穿了

自己也是個心里不平衡的變態吧

竟然是第一支我load去平板機的MV

 

超生培欲 / 麥浚龍

 

紙箱國 / 麥浚龍

作曲:阿Bert

填詞:黃偉文

編曲:于逸堯

監製:于逸堯 /麥浚龍

 

人多車多 讓我的肺積了塵
仍很開心 在這邊馬路為你等
若果平時 在旁偷看的我 突然地現了真身
是否可以換來 施捨一吻

總可以贈你 很多紙箱 很多紙箱 鋪滿了地上
圍住世上的美滿與善良 在原地立國 共你分享
可否想也不想 馬上戀上 不必舉世讚賞
我也知道 別人大概怎說 流浪漢 沒權被愛上
可否僅此一雙 既是天生 也是天養
只得幾個箱 都可得到國家一樣 不需要被 皇室一般供養

如果今生 沒法當個好市民
橋底森森 就借一角讓我寄生
露宿閒人 便無資格戀愛 沒權被付託終身
用這歪理害人 多不公允

總可以贈你 很多紙箱 很多紙箱 鋪滿了地上
圍住世上的美滿與善良 在原地立國 共你分享
可否想也不想 馬上戀上 不必舉世讚賞
我也知道 別人大概怎說 流浪漢 沒權被愛上
可否僅此一雙 既是天生 也是天養
只得幾個箱 都可得到國家一樣 廢物滿街 如萬眾景仰
多謙卑的理想 非登峰造極 還要上 發達還要上
是我們在這 垃圾堆生養
同林做對鴛鴦 笑著世間 遺漏幾多真相
得幾個箱 不等於有人可剝奪我 尋開心的方向

上春風的課 / 麥浚龍

作曲:倫永亮

填詞:周耀輝

編曲:何秉舜

監製:何秉舜 / 麥浚龍

 

春風教愛掃去紅塵
祝福這對師生

讀過幾多轟烈的帝國
沒有放鬆的軟床
唸過幾多複雜的著作
而忘記樹幹有鳥窩

為什麼只好乖乖上課
為什麼只得標準答案
努力的要學分清對錯
而忘記接近過

踏過課室之外請轉角
或有暗中的翅膀
越過半邊操場想赤膊
才為意白晝會太光

為什麼只好乖乖上課
為什麼只得標準答案
努力的要學分清你我
而忘記接近過

別讓美好總會有難堪
為什麼 為什麼 祕密
但是愛戀總會有原因
憑什麼 憑什麼 責罰
即使不可能
別怪兩位師生 天真

為了更多生命的探索
避過冷冰的禮堂
為了更多鮮綠的線索
才為意習慣了說謊

為什麼只好乖乖上課
為什麼只得標準答案
努力的要學分清對錯
而忘記接近過

別讓美好總會有難堪
為什麼 為什麼 祕密
但是愛戀總會有原因
憑什麼 憑什麼 責罰
即使不可能
別怪兩位師生 天真

為了更多生命的探索
就算踏進校門都有遠方
為什麼只好乖乖上課
為什麼不准教春風的課
努力的要學分清對錯
而忘記接近過

詩歌唱愛挽救靈魂
祝福這對師生
徽章說愛勝過才能
祝福這對師生
鐘聲叫愛懶理時辰
祝福這對師生
春風教愛掃去紅塵
祝福這對師生

超生培欲 / 麥浚龍

作詞:林夕

作曲:方大同

編曲:Jerald

監制:麥浚龍

 

沿著你早已絕版的臉抹下去
神情如鐵石從不累
難道你知我易哭所以笑下去
這一張嘴 隨地老天荒 不下垂

不懂反應也好 不懂跑跳更好
誰 想漫步 誰想步入殊途
誰稀罕一句你好 說話未及擁抱
聽不到控訴 不必懊惱
從沒有身軀比你更易抱

原諒我只顧自己逼你作伴侶
仁慈在你並無恐懼
誰像你給我自小所嚮往樂趣
不妒忌誰 誰才是戀愛的玩具

不懂反應也好 不懂跑跳更好
誰 想漫步 誰想步入殊途
誰稀罕一句你好 說話未及擁抱
聽不到控訴 不必懊惱
從沒有身軀比你更易抱

也許因你不懂拍掌 不懂讚賞
一吻是一吻沒虛妄幻想
不會需要玫瑰彼此都不會受傷
閒來為你灑一抹香水惹一身暗香
跟血肉薰染後勾引味覺一樣
而愛也單純到 會忘掉智商

生命未能人造 傾慕亦能人造
來 親一親 無須念及前途
人所謂熱情流露 最終亦為一抱
不擔心變數 不必計數
沒有呼吸的你最易抱

Snoopy X Darlie: 2010 Around the World Collection

2010, celebrating 60years of Peanuts

the crossover with fashion labels,

like Converse, Mulberry, Sophnet

PEANUTS 60 YEARS WORLD TOUR

 

frankly speaking

those luxuries are way beyond my means

and they are not even available in my city

 

back here

Peanuts is crossing over with Darlie toothpaste again

as far as I remember

this is at least the third crossover

free Snoopy mug/plate with purchase of

a pair of 250g toothpaste

 

last October

the mug series was out

I didn’t manage to get any

because mom wasn’t very keen about it

saying that it is not very stable

with the small bottom, wide top

Snoopy X Darlie: England (mug)Snoopy X Darlie: England (mug)Snoopy X Darlie: Australia (mug)Snoopy X Darlie: Africa (mug)

 

Jan, 2011

Snoopy is back again

same designs

just that it is now printed on plate

Snoopy plates unpacking

 

there are pros and cons with plate design

if you are a collector,

plates are easier to be displayed and kept

the first batch of four

 

if you intend to use the plate/mug

mug is a better choice

even if you use the mug,

the Snoopy print out there wouldn’t much be affected

but for a plate

if I were to pour hot dishes on to dear Snoopy

it would be like ooouchhhh

 

here are my plates

6 designs

Africa, Australia, England, Japan, Mexico

and the design I lastly took

not so fanciful, looking quite out of place

Snoopy playing wau at Malaysia

Snoopy X Darlie: Africa (plate)Snoopy X Darlie: Mexico plateSnoopy X Darlie: Australia (plate)Snoopy X Darlie: England plateSnoopy X Darlie: Japan (plate)Snoopy X Darlie: Malaysia (plate)

 

just cleared some of my Darling last week

so sorry that I have to moved them

out of the display shelf

due to insufficient space

I can hear them crying in the

dark, huge, old cupboard

one day, there will be this one day

I will create a Peanuts display shelf

just for them

my Snoopy plush toys

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Mum’s Kitchen: Mee Goreng (Spicy Fried Noodles)

still experimenting with my new cam, Lexis

so far he is doing awesome

capturing that kind of crispiness

I have always been longing for

and the power to capture

at the right moment

 

but not me,

I am not a deserving owner

still figuring out about ISO and stuffs

hence the photos as below

were extra-ordinarily rectangular

captured at the aspect of 16:9

they looked weird

then I realized..

there’s a dial nearby the lens

meant for adjusting the aspect of photos

 

ok.. sorry

this is mum’s kitchen

not mum’s studio

 

get back to the topic of the day

Mee Goreng

literally translation: fried noodle

word of caution

but it is understood as

spicy wok-fried noodle back here

 

a typical Malaysian Mamak Stall food:

spicy, a variety of ingredients, high-calories

 

I am not a noodle-lover

usually I will specifically order vermicelli

due to loads of reasons

mainly health-related

 

the fresh yellow noodles,

which is the lead ingredient for Mee Noodle (obviously)

are usually oily

and the vibrant yellow colour looks scary enough

wondering what am I swallowing in

 

on top of that

some yellow noodles actually taste bitter

due to the excessive chemical compound in there

not too sure, it should be some sodium

 

ironically

I am OL-ing for a noodle manufacturer now

wonder if my boss is eating

the very noodles he produces

and can I request for a factory visit

well….

I promise

no photos and no blogging

(as if….)

 

hence I stopped eating noodle long ago

pretty close to the same time

as I stop eating instant noodles too

 

ok..

I know I am getting like a nagging nanny

 

but Mee Goreng is the few kind of

unhealthy delicacies

where the yellow noodle is

very much not-substitutable

it just doesn’t taste the same

if it’s vermicelli

 

on ton of that

it held loads of childhood memories

this is the one kind of food

that I vividly remember

about my primary school canteen

 

surviving in a big school

with a huge canteen is not an easy life

still remember how the lady boss

came out from the kitchen

holding a huge plate of Mee Goreng

chopsticks in one hand

shouting: Hot! Hot! Hot!

the spiciness was fast evaporating from the noodles

 

as everyone rushed in front

without any civilization

no queue no nothing

all we know is

we must grab a plate of the noodles

with a 50 cents coin holding high up

hoping that the auntie will take the coin

hence in exchange for a plate of savoury noodles

 

how coward yet civilized people like me

always lost out

ended up buying bread or cake

 

and yes

it was served on alternate days

adding more preciousness and craving for it

 

during Standard Three

there is a mother of a classmate of mine

who always hanged around the canteen

serving home-cooked food or some other delicacies

to her precious son

(it was already banned, for mothers and grandmothers

to enter school compound as they like it ..

they are only allowed to passed the food via gate or fence)

 

so what we did is

on the specific day when Mee Goreng was available

asking the mother to buy on behalf of us

if the noodles were served early

so when the time-for-break bell rang

running to the canteen

plates of Mee Goreng were already served

 

it guaranteed seats for us at canteens too

told ya

surviving in a non-subsidized yet huge school

is not an easy life

throughout the year

we were standing while eating

too little benches and tables

too many students

 

therefore it’s a good thing to ban

those mothers visiting the children

as they like it

half of the time

they occupied half of the already-insufficient benches

 

back to the Mee Goreng story

I used “We”

yes.. during Standard Three

I had this Mee Goreng gang

a guy

I still remembered his name

*shy shy to mention*

never see him for ages

yet he is still staying 1km in the vicinity

of the same neighbourhood

 

we used to compete

who can finish the Mee Goreng

in the shortest time

and sometimes to make the competition tougher

we would scoop in two spoonful of chilies

then you can hear the aunty

busy serving the Mee Goreng crowd

shouting: Stop taking the chilies!!!!   

 

not that we were greedy folk or something

they shouted this to practically

every miserable child who took the chilies

for chicken rice, fried vermicelli… everything

then they switched to

using those shallow metal spoons

you couldn’t scoop much, could you?

 

after competition

a glass of icy cold 10 cents orange juice

with loads ice,

mixed from cheap syrup

but at that age who cares

 

one big gulp

instant cooling effect down the throat

clashing into the spicy sensation

 

Mee Goreng

this is how memorable it is…

 

and the only Malay neighbour

we had been visiting

during Hari Raya

served the best Mee Goreng

I have ever tasted

 

eating Mee Goreng

in an attap house

with veranda

right on the floor

is equally memorable

 

the attap house is already gone

replaced by a 9-storeys apartments

we still keep in touch with the family

after that

they moved into a low-cost flat-unit

with only two rooms

for the family with 3 daughters and

an adult son

very much in need of more space

 

finally glad that they moved into

a new single-storey terrace

not too long ago

holding the very first wedding of the family there

 

I got out of the topic

way too many times today

memories from the past

good old times

but isn’t it a good thing that

I have a lot to talk about

rather than being all empty

good memories will last for life

 

back here

so this is how

after all these years

I still fancy Mee Goreng

despite the fact that

I no longer eat yellow noodles in any other form

 

Sunday brunch @ 10.30 am

Sunday lunch-tea @ 3.30 pm

featuring Mee Goreng

 

finally

ladies and gentlemen

here you are

the side ingredients: green vegie, bean curd, fish cakechilli pastestirring and fryingserve it while it's hot

 

The Secret Weapons:

#1 Home Made Grinded Chilies

wanna know what’s in there??

Mum's Kitchen - Homemade Sambal

Homemade chili paste, Sambal

 

#2: Minced Dried Baby Prawn

we call this Udang Kering (Dried Prawn)

in Mandarin 蝦米 (Prawn Rice)

it gives that sea-food fragrance

minced dried prawn

 

#3 Bean Sprouts

these seemingly insignificant skinny sprouts

don’t ever look down on them

Mee Goreng just doesn’t taste the same again

it must be thrown into the wok during the very last minute

after everything is already quite cooked

just to make sure that the sprouts

“mingle” around evenly

half-raw juicy and crunchy bean sprouts

balance out the spiciness

can I use the word: refreshing?

bean sprouts

 

#4 fresh lime

they are not meant for decoration only

squeeze them with all your might

and sprinkle the fresh lime juice all over your noodles

before you start feasting on the

mouth-watering hot and spicy noodles

with a tinge of refreshing lime

P1000097

 

see you around

on my food channel again

sinfully…

I have these for two of my meals

and Nasi Lemak for dinner

here, once again

my weekend detox plan was blown off

irresistable

Stephelle’s Kitchen: Russet Potato

after all the failed experiments during last Oct to

create a proper new potato dishes

Stephelle’s Kitchen: Home-Baked Hash Brown

Stephelle's Kitchen: The Potato Person

 

and even this one, dated two years back

Stephelle Kitchen - Potato Sandwiches

 

have cease eating potato for quite awhile

till the recent long one-week sickness

Loweakend X Higheatemp: Suddenlill

 

ate nothing

but potato during the recuperation period

(yes.. I spelt the R word without spell-check)

more particularly

the Russet Potato

 

From Wiki:

The Russet Burbank potato

is a large brown-skinned, white-fleshed cultivar of potato.

It is commonly used in French fries in fast food restaurants.

 

When used for making potato chips,

it results in a dark-colored chip due to caramelization,

its sugar content being higher

than that of the Maris Piper potato,

more commonly used by chip makers.

 

It is also of high antioxidant activity,

which is rare for starches.

 

Luther Burbank developed the Burbank potato

in Lunenburg, Massachusetts in the early 1870s.

In 1875, Burbank sold his farm

and the rights to his potato,

and moved to Santa Rosa, California.

 

Later, a natural descendant of the Burbank potato,

but with russetted skin,

was selected and named the Russet Burbank potato.

 

The name Burbank Russet potato

is often used and is not considered an error,

although technically it incorrectly implies the

potato was russet before Burbank worked on it.

 

The Russet Burbank is the most common

potato variety grown in Idaho,

the leading potato growing region of the United States.

Russet Burbank is also the most commonly grown variety

in both Prince Edward Island,

and New Brunswick Canada.

These two regions comprise the majority of

Eastern Canada's potato production.

 

Russet potatoes accompanied me through

just boiled potato

boiled Russet potatopotato for dinner/lunch and even breakfast

 

then took the risk to dip it with chili sauce and

sprinkle some black pepper powder

simply satisfying

thank goodness

sore-throat didn’t invade

boiled potato X chile sauce X black pepper powder

 

potato vegie soup

the most common combination is

Potato x carrot X onion

a.k.a ABC soup

mine was some other anonymous white colour vegie

no onion

I kinda dislike onion in soup

they tend to disseminate

and pollute the whole soup

potato soup .. mix vegie

 

since potato goes well with soup

it goes well with anything

which can be cook in soup-form

Russet potato as a supporting rolewow.. huge wantan

 

Russet potato goes spicy

cooked in curry

however

the overpowering spiciness

kinda took over its

natural sweetness and fragrance

anyway it generally still blends in

outshined yet not out-casted

so who is the lead acotr here?

potato curry with chicken??

chicken curry with potato???

curry potato with chicken???

curry chicken with potato????

curry X potato X chicken

 

whenever there is a curry dish

we will rush for the potato

chicken meat would have been left behind

mom reserved some of the gravy till the next morning

sometimes to be cooked with noodles or vermicelli

overnight gravy tastes better than the original dish

due to the sedimentation process (so scientific)

back to the overnight curry gravy

topping up a few potatoes

made me a happy kid at lunch

potato curry? curry potato?

 

conclusion:

it’s so good that

you can even eat it on its own

(no.. I have been copying this slogan

over and over again)

 

p/s

don’t judge a potato by its skin

so I decided to reserve these

not-too-appetizing photos till the very ending

raw Russet potatoeswith freckles

Black Heels X Grocery Hill: It Feels So Unreal

this is the typical long day

feel that I have been to a lot of places

feel that I have done a lot

and the worst of all

feel that I have bought a lot

 

10pm went out in a rush

wet hair is fine for

but heading for photographing session

nothing particularly great

just a couple of passport size photos

to be sent to school

but it didn’t look good..

whatever

Polka Denim Day

 

landed myself at office before 11 am

worked real hard…

took less time doing “personal” research

all the way till 1pm

 

Sue-yin picked me up

collected my photos

dropped by the bank for awhile

then meeting my new baby Lexis for the very first time

 

P1000001

first ever photo taken on baby Lexis

at Mango

a debate was going on

2 vs 1

dissuading me again buying the black heels

I saw them back on 2nd Jan

where I already bought a pair of denim heels

Denim Heels X LBD: 1st Shopping of The Year

P1000001

 

saw the lady in white uniform

carrying an umbrella in there?

while the black heels were still on my feet

she was going a few rounds, looking

then asked the sales girl about the heels

arrgh… competition

who knows this is the very last pair

and if I give them up

she gonna get them

therefore

the resolution to bring them home

instantly doubled

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

whole set in soft grey @ Vincci

but the price ain’t as soft

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

playing around with Lexis

3 nice bags.. Denim Leather X Mickey X MarieCNY theme: Carrots for the year of Rabbit

 

3pm

going round the usual route

bad experience at Kitschen

by a super unfriendly sales person

she chased three customers out of the fitting room area

saying those who are not trying any clothes

shouldn’t stay

because the corridor got jammed up

what the hell

 

6pm

looting all the discounted groceries

and calculating the total amount

because for purchase above rm 88

we were entitled to claim a rm 8 cash voucher

the housewife’s instinct came alive

P1000020

 

it reminded me of the family game show

Supermarket or something

it wasn’t an easy task

the supermarket ran out of trolley

hence we loitered from one level to another

looking for a trolley

and it’s no-plastic-bag day

everything has to be arranged properly

back into the trolley

after checking out

rush rush rush

 

7pm

finally home

me in her asymmetrical romper

she in my nautical romper

first ever that fitted nicely

all along our shopping trips today

she has tried out rompers of all kinds

more than 10 already

always having the problem of romper being too short

finally today

clothes exchange program

 

this is what happened to the mannequin

who was originally wearing the romper

P1000017

 

loots of the day

#1 Mango Black Heels

how I am a black heels freak

otherwise I won’t have compiled this post

Sleek Affair X Sex Appeal: Heels Unveiled

Mango Black Heels

 

#2 Rip Curl Simple Thongs

for 50%

simplest ever

but baby blue is simple fabulous

the pair of Roxy is heavily worn

as home slippers

the asymmetrical flora print is too delicate

to be worn outdoor

Rip Curl Vs Roxy Flip Flops Battle

 

#3 Polka dot dress

sweet and simple

P1000014

 

gave up this

the dress and the top

were actually of the same price

hence the choice is clear enough

polka top

 

ok I have declared

I will not be buying any clothes for CNY

yet the dress…

convicted!!!!!

 

no

this is not meant for CNY

blue and white are not the colours for CNY

so just take this as a usual shopping routine

where I bumped into something I really fancy

and bang!!!!

 

 

why does it feel unreal today…

not ready for my new items,

like a semi-pro cam

and a pair of super black heels,

the heels are so high, the price is too

not ready to spend, yet money is fast flowing

borrowing money twice, charging on credit card twice

 

I am subconsciously a miser

look at how I am carefully calculating

how much I can save from buying the toilet rolls

yet I am behaving still like a shopaholic

insisting on buying a pair of expensive heels

advices fell on deaf ears

 

anyway

it feels good to be home again

having simple dinner

chit chat by the side of the bed

where I am most comfortable with

and surreptitiously hiding the dress and heels away

before mom discovers them