NARS

This entry is probably completely unnecessary and is nothing more than a show-and-tell. Anyway I'm going to go ahead and announce that I finally have my first NARS blush! In fact my first NARS anything. I am not a huge make up junkie and most certainly do not buy a lot of expensive make up. But a NARS blush has always been on my list of lemmings and Karen has kindly bought it for me all the way from Hong Kong.I was deciding between Orgasm and Taj Mahal at first. Orgasm is probably the most popular blush in the entire world. It is a gorgeous shimmery peachy pink that is designed to complement any skin tone. I have to say when I tried it on it did live up to its reputation. It gave my skin a healthy and natural glow and made it look smoother too. On the other hand Taj Mahal is a golden shimmery orange that you don't see very often. The colour of the blush looks extremely vibrant and is probably a bit intimidating at first. But after I tried it on I just fell in love with it! This shade looks gorgeous on olive / tan skin. The golden shimmer gives the skin extra glow and instantly lifts up the cheek bones. No wonder they named it after Taj Mahal. This orangey gold does remind one of the shining but soft sunset at the magnificent Taj Mahal. I also like how different Taj Mahal is from most of the pink / coral / rosy shades that you normally find in blushes. So that is how I settled on Taj Mahal, which is no doubt my favourite blush at the moment :)
And what made me even happier with my new purchase is that I have rediscovered one of my older blushes, the Evening Out from Everyday Minerals. It is deep peachy pink colour with intense golden shimmer. Sounds familiar doesn't it? In fact I found it to be really similar to Orgasm, probably just half a shade darker which is great for darker skin tone. Since it is mineral make up it is extremely pigmented so you only need to use a very small amount each time and it is very easy to build up to the intensity that you want. And it is great for what it claims to do - perfect for a night out!Gift from Japan from Karen - 六花亭 strawberries coated with white chocolate!
I'm usually not a big fan of white chocolate - I always think they lack the richness and and depth of "real chocolates". But these strawberries/chocolates are just divine! The chocolate coating is thick and creamy and infused with the flavour from the strawberry. The strawberry in the centre is frozen, much like the ones you get in Haagen-Dazs ice-creams and its freshness and crunchiness goes really well with the smooth chocolate. Plus they come in the cutest paper tub that you can keep after finishing the chocolate (which should not take long!) Thank you so much for the present Karen!

Iron Man 2

Today was one of those days that started off with a huge panic and finished with a good ending. Just before I left the house for work, I could not find my keys. I took everything out of my bag, looked at it inside out, went through the several piles of clothes in the bedroom, looked under the cushions of the sofa in the living room, searched all the pockets of my jackets, my pants, went through all the drawers and my keys were nowhere to be seen. Less than 9 minutes before my train I had to leave home without my keys and on the train ride I said my prayer to St Anthony and asked him to help me find them. And when I arrived home at night and tipped everything out of my bag, my keys just dropped out of nowhere and appeared right in front of me. How can it be that they have been in my bag for the whole time and I could not find them all day I really can't explain. But once again St Anthony saved my day and, being such a careless person, I am so glad he is the patron saint of lost items.

Upon the invitation of Winnie we went to see the film Iron Man 2 today. Thinking that it was a "boy movie" I have not seen the first one and I did not expect to enjoy this one either. My lack of expectation may have contributed to this but I actually liked this film quite a lot. No I have never read the original comic so I cannot compare. And yes it is still a boy movie. The car racing, the explosions and the robots fighting each other are probably a bit of a overkill. And it really is not necessary that we see Scarlett Johansson change clothes or that she always wears something either tight or low-cut or both. Plus the ending seems a bit abrupt and illogical. But the script is full of witty dialogues and the cast is fantastic. Robert Downey is terrific as Tony Stark/Iron Man. He is arrogant, self-centred and narcissistic but absolutely charming. There is great chemistry between him and Gwyneth Paltrow, who by the way looks amazing in whatever she wears. Scarlett Johansson on the other hand does not have a huge role apart from a few matrix-style actions and sexy-looking outfits. Overall i find the film funny, quick-paced and really entertaining.

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE Paltrow's outfits in the film!!!!

Beef Stir Fry with Garlic Shoots

I have always been a baker more than a cook. Baking just seems so much more enjoyable and so much more fun. In my opinion, there are not many things in the world that give more pleasure than the smell and the taste of homemade cookies and cakes. But not living at home means no meals readily prepared by dad. So if I want home-cooked meals the only way would be to do the cooking myself.
This is one of those dishes that every family seems to know and can be easier prepared within thirty minutes. Before I came to Australia I don't think I have had garlic shoots very often. But they are really yummy and nutritious vegetables. Rich in fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. And I really like their subtle spiciness and the crunchy texture. And, unlike some leafy vegetables, they retain their shape and crunchiness very well after reheating so they are good for lunchbox.

Beef stir fry with garlic shoots1 bunch of garlic shoots
stir fry beef
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
sesame seeds, slightly toasted
sauce: 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp corn starch, 1 tbsp water

1) Marinade beef with sugar, sesame oil, ground pepper and corn starch for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
2) Cut off the ends of garlic shoots and cut them into sections. Blanch them in boiling water for approx. 1 minutes. Set aside.3) In a heated frying pan, add oil and cook garlic until fragrant. Add the beef and shallow fry them until almost cooked through. Stir in garlic shoots.
4) Combine the last 4 ingredients to make the sauce. Pour the sauce over the pan and mix well. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top to serve. Serve with rice.

Low fat choc chip almond cookies

These are probably the healthier cookies I have ever made and eaten. Low in fat, high in fibre, they can probably lower cholesterol level, I think. Don't be put off by how unphotogenic they are. They are chewy, moist, chocolatey and very satisfying. I brought them to work and people loved them. And you don't have to feel guilty while enjoying them. They are Low fat oatmeal choc chip almond cookies.
This is a really versatile recipe base that can turn into many variations. Skip the choc chips, add other dried fruits such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried strawberries, chopped walnuts, etc, to create your own version of low fat cookies :)

Adopted from Baking Bites

1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp wheat germ
1 tbsp cocoa powder (Should have used more - the dough did not turn out as dark as I wanted it)
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 brown sugar 1 egg
1/4 cup applesauce 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
toasted almond, chopped

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2) In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, wheat germ and cocoa powder.
3) In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in egg, followed by applesauce and vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture, oats, choc chips and chopped almonds until all ingredients is combined well.
4) Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking tray, flatten each cookie slightly. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies will be light brown at the edges when done. Let cool on the tray for 3-4 minutes to allow them to continue cooking. Then transfer to a wire rack to coll completely.

5) Store in air-tight container.

Before they went into the oven

After they are cooked

Only 2 tbsp of butter in ALL these cookies (plus one that I sampled after baking)
- didn't think that would be possible!

Marbled chocolate & banana bread

Bananas have been so cheap lately I can't help but get a bunch whenever I walk past the supermarket. I still remember a few years ago they were once almost $10 per kilos because of a hurricane that had destroyed most of the banana crop. It is funny how the price of something as basic as fruits can fluctuate that much.
I have always liked my bananas a bit unripe - just before they start turning black and when they still have a little bit of crunchy and bite in them. As soon as black dots start appearing on the peel I find them unappetizing. That is, of course, except when I bake them with. These bananas were so ripe in fact when I took them out of the plastic bag I saw a tiny bit of mould starting to grow on the end of them. Pretty gross I know. But I decided they were just on the skin and chose to ignore them. It could be a health hazard but so far I feel fine after eating two large slices in the afternoon.In fact this banana bread is so good I could finish the entire loaf. This is the first marbled cake/bread I have made and I reckoned it looked quite pretty, at least from the outside. And I have also made buttermilk from milk and lemon juice for the first time. Simply add 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it stand for 5-10 minutes and that can be used as sour milk. Alternatively sour cream or plain natural yoghurt is fine too.

Recipe adopted from So Good and Tasty
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ripe banana, mashedchoc chip
1 tbsp dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Line a 9-inch loaf tin
2) In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together. Set aside.
3) Cream sugar and oil together. Mix in buttermilk. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas, vanilla and choc chips. Stir to combine.
4) Make a well in the dry ingredients and fold in the wet mixture until just combined. Divide the batter in halves. Add in cocoa powder and chopped dark chocolate in one half of the batter and mix until combined. Do not overmix or the bread can become tough.
5) Alternatively, add the plain and the chocolate batter into the loaf tin. Run a knife through the layers to create a swirl pattern.
6) Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a cake tester. Cool in tin for 10 minutes. Remove from tin and cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy!

Sour milk made with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice.
It's used in a lot of cake and muffin recipes to make the finish product lighter and fluffier.

Plain and chocolate batter

Orange and Almond Cake

I've been watching a set of DVD named "Nigella Feast" lately and I have really enjoyed it. It is a collection of the entire TV series hosted by the English chef Nigella Lawson. She has a really fun and casual attitude towards cooking and does not use many fancy ingredients or advanced culinary techniques. Most of the dishes she makes are quite down-to-earth and they are recipes that you can really reproduce in day-to-day cooking. And she has an incredible way of describing the flavour, aroma, texture and the presentation of food. I think she has enough vocabs to describe food to write a food dictionary.
So naturally that results in me googling her name and browsing her website, which has a vast collection of recipes posted by both Nigella and members of the website. Based on her "Mother-in-law's madeira cake", I made a wholemeal orange and almond cake.

50g softened unsalted butter (the original recipe calls for 240g of butter but that was all I had in the fridge so I added additional fat using olive oil)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
grated zest and juice of an orange
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup wholemeal plain flour

1) Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
2) Cream the butter, olive oil and sugar together and add orange zest to the mixture. Add the eggs one at at time, with a tbsp of flour for each. Then gently mix in the rest of the flour and, lastly, orange juice.3) Grease and line a 23x13x7 cm loaf tin and pour the cake batter in. Sprinkle the top with flaked almond.4) Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Let cool in the tin on a wire rack before turning the cake out.

It's Vintage, Darling!

In the recent year or two I have discovered the fun of second-hand shopping. Vintage & retro shops, antique outlets, thrift stores, St Vinnie's, Salvation Army's outlet, vintage sellers at weekend markets... As different as they may seem in terms of what they sell and their price tags, the interesting thing is that you often end up finding the same group of customers at these places. They are vintage shoppers, people who are constantly searching for that one-of-a-kind vintage dress or a pair of brand-new Yves Saint Laurent pumps.
Vintage stores are full of surprises. They stock everything from a 1920's compact mirror and a 1950's sundress to the 60's mini skirt and 1980's leather jacket. You can literally lose yourself among endless racks of clothes and shoes and jeweleries because every piece is so different. Every visit to a vintage store or a thrift shop is a treasure hunt. It's like going into a fashion museum and a style school that opens up a world of fashion history, fabrics and styles.
It is true that you are most likely to leave a shop empty handed. Many of the clothes are not so wearable and it takes a long time to find something you like. But that's where the fun is. And once you have experienced the thrill of making the first purchase, you just can't help but go back for more.

Hey Hey It's Yesterday - a charity shop that I have come to love. Sell mostly second-hand clothes and accessories as well as the odd pieces of cookware, books and albums. Goods are nicely arranged in clearly labeled sections. Accepts donation 7 days a week. Proceeds are dedicated to help the Friends of Brain Injured Children of Qld. Today I went to the Paddington Antiques Centre Vintage Fashion Weekend at the Paddington Antiques Centre. It is located in the former Plaza Theatre building, which gives the store a lovely historical atmosphere. They sell almost anything you can think of, furniture, jeweleries, buttons, musical instruments, artwork, clothing, kitchenware, cameras, etc.