Monday, February 23, 2009

[outing] Christine's Vertical Wine Party

Where: Christine's and George's

- "i think christine invited us to some party at her place tomorrow night ..."
- 93, 91, 89, 86, 81 ...
- omg i just broke a glass
- omg i just broke another glass
- dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon
- sautted mushrooms bruschetta
- skirtsteak with chimichanga sauce
- quail egg dropped in prosciutto next served on garlic rubbed bread
- chorizo sauteed with greens
- rubbing butter into puff pastry dough -- and turned out good!
- $2 pudding jam cake
- "is it a woman? is she a movie star? ... errr ..."
- "comedic relief", "whoopie goldberg!", "yes!", "oh wait, that's not who you have ..."

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

[recipe] Mushroom Ragout

- Sautee chopped mushrooms in butter and thyme
- Once mushrooms softens, add in finely chopped shallot
- Add in some red wine or chicken stock
- Add in balsamic vinegar (the critical secret flavor ingredient)
- Right before done, mix in finely chopped or grated parmasen
- Sprinkle with chopped parsely. Serve with anything -- though especially good with appetizer sized puff pastry squares

[outing] Valentines / President's Day Weekend

- Foxtails for Robert's b-day
- "got 4 bottles of vodka. where are you?"
- "did you ask me if he was abusive?"
- the waiter who snatches your drink away if you put it down
- Zee devours IHOP Colorado omelette
- We try to make Zee eat the butter
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- one hour swim in my own lane
- "i thought you are 16!"
- hungarian grandpa and newspaper man in spa
- (check out washington/normandy sometime)
- crazy lines at santa monica seafood
- 1. ahi poke
- 2. baked chilean sea bass
- 3. mushroom ragout on puff pastry
- 4. mini chocolate eclairs
- 5. the prisoner red wine
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- "do you know what tetris mean?" "uh ..."
- 1. seared beef tenderoin
- 2. pan fried polenta cake
- 3. mushroom ragout
- 4. lava chocolate cake
- argh! @#$^%&*~ up button!
- 4am. 148000 points!
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- 40 lines in 4 minutes!
- how the heck does this "go low" mode work?
- jake celery. 3 min. real ice bath. real crunch.
- "uh how do you prepare lobster tail?"

Sunday, February 08, 2009

[outing] Creperie by Jack n Jill's + Father's Office

Where: Creperie by Jack n Jill's
Who: Corinne, Andrew, Deb, Bill, us

- Nutella and Banana please. With lots of Banana
- ABT Omelette with Cheese Grit: egg whites, Applewood smoked bacon, tomato and avocado with jack and cheddar cheese
- Big box of chocolate covered macademia nuts from Corinne
- Spam singles and pillipino dessert from Andrew

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Where: Father's Office, Culver City
Who: Charles, Me

- "You invented the GoPhone plan?"
- Burger (and no, they don't have ketchup)
- Shoestring fries
- Sweet potatoe fries
- Tasty Beer
- Fabulous setting!

Friday, February 06, 2009

[outing] Hipcooks

Where: Hipcooks
Who: Mike, Shelbey, Scott, Jessica, Us

- "The draw"
- No need to follow the recipe and no need to measure! Bwahahah
- Watch that index finger!
- Keep stirring that polenta scott (while we enjoy a sip of our cabernet)
- Waft! Waft!
- Oyster, shitake, crimini mushrooms sauteed with butter, thyme, shallots. Mixed with sour cream and a dash of vinegar. Served on puff pastry squares.
- Listening to the rain as the ancho chille simmers with onions and roasted red bell peppers
- Um, you have a chilli seed on your hair
- Seared top sirloin steak served with sauteed zuchini, red bell peppers and squash
- Polenta cake served with melted monterey jack cheese
- Goat cheese and cream cheese mix with egg yolk, vanilla bean paste, and lemon zest. Baked in a tart and served with berry sauce.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

[outing] Superbowl Sunday

What: Superbowl Sunday at Roberto's
Who: Robert, Monica, Brian, Rita, Todd, Chris, Dan, Sean, Michelle, Us

- Discovering a whole new section of the grocery store -- Canned chilli
- Balancing tastey fatty staag ones with lean turkey chili
- Hurry! We can't miss kick off!
- Fat free cream cheese doesn't taste so bad afterall
- Low card draw on time-outs -- Pierre is this year's Monica!
- The beer pong games that inevitably follow
- Pierre's famous teriyaki wings
- Monica's pizza pinwheels
- Already forgot who played and who won. Only remember 4th quarter being fun to watch.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

[trip] Singapore

When: 2009 Chinese New Year

- Sushi rolls in the JAL business class lounge
- Another glass of iced green tea please?
- Taking endless pictures of astoundingly beautiful japanese dishes
- Getting sold on noise-cancelling headphones
- 36 pieces of Scotch-brite, 8 packs of Lindor's, 6 JAL snacks, 3 bottles of Reversitall, 1 bottle of glucosamine, and 1 bottle of calcium
- 12 chinese piano songbooks and 12 pairs of socks
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- Gorgeous pool at the Royal Plaza on Scotts and the even more gorgeous smell from the kitchen below
- Squeezing through the crowds at Mufstafa plaza
- Eating with our hands (and not really quite sure nhow) and being the only female, non-indian patrons in Little India
- "Whoa! A solar eclipse today"
- Yet another "3 for $10" shop!
- Enjoying the best fresh squeezed mango juice since years ago in Egypt
- The wonderful 8-step ceremony of Yu Sheng
- Uncle accidently breaking a wine glass
- The room thermostat always reading 30C
- Making my 9am PST conference call everyday
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- Watching that really, really funny singing / lyrics game show with sis, starring 66 of 5566
- Dad drank an entire Dinasour by himself, at the country club cafe
- Trying to explain to the vendor that they should sell "dessert" Roti Prata with butter and sprinkled sugar
- Realizing that Boba Tea was actually copied from Teh Tarik
- Chanel No 5 for $10 at The Alchemist on Arab Street
- Could not stop eating those darn good "Kueh Bangkit"
- Dad accidently breaking a scotch glasss
- 15-min of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in 3D
- Remembering just how funny Kung Fu Hustle is again
- Chicken curry in Singaporian, Malayisian, and Indian style
- ----------------
- "Wow how can you find all the cheap stuff that looks expensive?"
- Waiting for dad for 3 hours to deliberate on a pair of shoes
- Amazingly Hai-Nan Chicken Rice at Takashimaya basement
- Buying bargain handbags and getting free pearls with mom and sis
- Discovering "Durian Pancake"!
- ----------------
- Best Rohja and Asam noodles at the Singapore Island Country Club
- The grand-aunt who is 83 and has more energy and does more than most people half her age
- Enjoying Sourdop on shaved ice at Dessert Hut in China Town
- Witnessing speedy alteration by Doreen at Suits n U
- Are we having dinner at a hotel? This is uncle paul's house?
- Satay and shrimp chips surely contain crack cocaine
- An evening of fine Macallan
- Having a Singapore Sling and chocolate fondue at midnight with sis
- Seroiusly chocolate scented lotion at the DFS downstairs
- ----------------
- Playing "Jose Speaks Again" video for the 50th time and driving sis nuts
- It's not a food court at the Wisma -- It's a Food Republic
- Best Chen-dol and Coffee + Macha jelly on shaved ice
- Finally seeing what's behind those big LED screens
- Listening to the afternoon rainstorm in china town
- "I'll pass on the crab, but I'll take all the chili sauce!""
- The softest fried "Man To" to go with the chili crab
- Eating Durian at the "Guaranteed Good" Durian stand
- Driving through the red-light district lined with chinese hookers
- Getting locked inside the pool after way overstaying in the sauna past midnight
- ---------------
- Waking up the fam at 5:30am and piling into a Maxicab at 6am
- "There is a seed in Mangosteen? I've swallowed the last two ones whole!"
- "I don't feel so good. Maybe we shouldn't have eaten the Mangosteen on empty stomach?"
- 3 little sandwiches for mom
- Finally finding the Singapore Girl batik Sarong Kebaya outfit
- The machine that delivers the perfect pour of Asahi at Narita's JAL Sakura Lounge
- Seeing the big'ol Green Expedition pull up the curb and getting licked all over the face by Jose
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- Dessert Hut: People' Park Center #02-48 / 6533 1137
- The Alchemist: Adny Alhaddad / Golden Landmark Shopping Complex #02-17 / 9456 9874
- Suits n U: Doreen / People's Park Centre #02-30 / 6532 3383