tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41408873901283068992024-03-05T19:09:24.619+11:00The Gourmet CoutureA Sydney food and fashion blogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-16089751761395315642015-08-31T21:52:00.001+10:002015-08-31T21:53:40.856+10:00Travel Diary- Xuexiang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Finally!!! I apologise in advance for the photo spam ahead but there was just too many photos to share so this is my 'filtered' version. Having visited what I dub 'The Middle of Nowhere' it was certainly an experience I won't forget for a while. Aesthetically it is amazing but remember behind these glossy edited photos is an untold story which includes uncomfortable and almost monolithic (a bit of an exaggeration here) sleeping quarters (that were worse than at Xuegu) and lack of amenities due to Xuexiang's seclusion from the rest of civilisation. All-in-all, take these photos with a grain of salt. </div>
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So cold that my eyelashes started to freeze over</div>
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Woke up to leave Xuegu at around 8am to do a 15km hike up one side of the mountain and down the other side to reach the neighbouring village- Xuexiang. The following are photos that I took along my hike.</div>
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The reality is that the little hut behind this sign is the ladies' toilet. I did say earlier that this is The Middle of Nowhere.</div>
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Very excited to reach the top of the mountain, cue many many photo opportunities</div>
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Down the mountain</div>
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Reaching Xuexiang at like 3pm after a 1hr break at the top</div>
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Icicles which were too amazing not to photograph</div>
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I can't stay away from ice-cream especially when I am a firm believer that it is best enjoyed in Winter</div>
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Eating ice-blocks when it's like -20 degrees is the best! Honestly it's so cold but there's something about that cold sensation that makes you appreciate the ice block even more. They were price from 3-5RMB or AUD$0.60-1 but despite the funny/cute looking faces on some of the packaging, the best tasting one is the milk-flavoured 5RMB (the price is a good indicator of how good it is)</div>
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Special nashi pear grown that only grows in cold temperatures. It was the sweetest and juiciest pear I've tasted and I wish Australia had something like this but ironically it is the extreme weather that results in this perfect specimen of a fruit. </div>
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Woke up at like 5am initially hoping to see the sunrise but that plan was abandoned due to the bad weather. Instead I was the first one to enter this separate mini-village that really houses no one but is more of a tourist spot, because it's so photogenic. You'll see why soon.</div>
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FINISHED</div>
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Hope you guys enjoyed the photos after lazy old me finally got around to uploading them</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-70729048783878121012015-08-16T13:42:00.001+10:002015-08-16T13:42:11.594+10:00Jonga Jip Review<div style="text-align: center;">
Once upon a time (think 2010, which I suppose classifies as a really long time ago), there were 3 hungry ladies (? a bit debatable on this point) who scoured Sydney far and wide in search of where they would next eat. At the time that was unheard of, people gave them strange looks when they whipped out their phones and digital cameras respectively but they knew that they were onto something. Fast forward 5 years and this is probably my 4th visit to Jonga Jip. If you're new to Korean food (you're missing out on so much), this is probably a really good place to become cultured (that and Korean Fried Chicken).</div>
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One of the great things about eating Korean is the amount of banchan or complimentary side dishes that you get with your meal. At times they can be a meal in their own right.</div>
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Above: the problem when you have too many plates of food and not enough space on the table, or in other words, the usual Jonga Jip experience. And as one of those people that shamelessly orders the same thing every time, my go to Jonga Jip essentials are as follows:</div>
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Front: Pan-fried Marinated Beef/ Bulgogi Chulpan $15</div>
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Back: Green Onion Seafood Pancake $20</div>
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You'll find that even though you could have the KBBQ experience here, a lot of diners opt not to. I mean with a minimum order of 2 meat dishes in order to use the charcoal, you're missing out on so many other options on the menu. My go to meet dish the marinated beef which goes amazingly well with onions, honestly you will not regret ordering this but for the small portion size. Note that this is a sweet sauce. </div>
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What they lack in size for the beef, they overcompensated with regards to the seafood pancake. Finding space for this on your table and finishing it is a task within itself. </div>
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Stir-fried Potato noodles which comes in two sizes, Medium- $25 or Large-$35</div>
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We ordered the large servings and despite having to go with the takeaway box option at the end of the meal, there were regrets in ordering this. Perhaps next time I shouldn't be so ambitious and order the medium instead. If you've never had these noodles before they're a bit firm with a bit of elasticity to them and are kind of like glass noodles. </div>
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Spicy bone soup- $13</div>
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If a Korean restaurant has the word 'spicy' in it then BEWARE because spicy means spicy. Lesson learned. In saying that, you know how you have spicy food that makes you want to run to grab milk/yoghurt/whatever works best for you, but at the same time tastes amazing? Well, this is one of them, something ridiculously spicy that you can't stop eating. Ahh that dilemma. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-30920537514507380082015-08-02T23:39:00.001+10:002015-08-02T23:39:12.365+10:00Travel Diary- Xue Gu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
One of the must-do items in our Chinese itinerary, or at least for my mother, was to visit Xue Gu-Xue Xiang. I pair them together because in order to truly experience Xue Xiang- the bigger and more famous town- you have to go through Xue Gu, that is if you're keen to do the mountain hike. The 15km up and down trek may seem daunting especially given its inclines and elements (snow and lots of it) but when I post the next lot of photos in this series I think you will agree with me when I say that it was all worth it in the end. Of course you're welcome to skip the mountain hike entirely but if you're travelling all the way to Harbin (far North-West China) and then doing 1-2hr drive just to get here, I'm pretty sure you're just as keen as the next person to get your bang for your buck. </div>
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Tip: if you want to do the joint two town experience I recommend joining a tour because you don't want to be carrying your luggage on the hike. Instead it is much easier to leave the luggage and accommodation organisation to a tour, at the very least they have connections. In saying that I do have to warn you that these towns are very remote, electricity is limited and so is hot water. For a place where you can expect -20 degrees temperatures you have to forgo the comfort of having a hot shower (they don't exist) as well as a large soft bed. </div>
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Where I slept and yeah expect to share this 'bed' with other people. Oh and don't expect a plush bed, nope it is practically a rock.</div>
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Think of this as an electric blanket but rather than a blanket it is goes underneath a fabric where you would otherwise expect your mattress cover to be. </div>
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I guess if anything, those 2 days were a big reality check for me and my Western sensibilities. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-71255968823677854752015-07-24T12:21:00.002+10:002015-07-25T10:19:29.099+10:00Mini Pot Burwood Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
What better way to beat the Winter chills than by tucking into your own hot pot feast. Not one to shy away from my lazy tendencies I would love to be able to hot pot every week at home but there's the problem of buying all the groceries, making the stock and finally cleaning it all up. Mini Pot may not be the perfect solution but it's all-you-can-eat hot pot tag line remains embedded in my memory. Priced at $29.50, in my eyes given my small stomach that day, it is debatable whether it really is value for money (the most 'expensive' item that as part of the all you can eat is the frozen pipis). </div>
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One thing that I really liked about Mini Pot was the fact that each diner gets to choose which soup they which to have- chicken soup is free of charge but others like tomato beef soup, lamb soup and trotter soup with peanut incur an extra surcharge of approx $3.50. At least with your own individual pot you're given the discretion of choosing which meats and vegetables you wish to eat rather than it being a collective decision.</div>
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Dipping sauces are a classic pairing for Chinese Hot Pots. It's practically not Hot Pot unless you get a dipping sauce. My favourite combination is Sesame with Peanut Butter, a bit of oyster sauce, coriander and garlic. It goes amazingly well with meat and just about everything. Otherwise if you have no idea what to combine (and don't try everything) there are some recommendations on the side.</div>
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Getting our share of the fish balls</div>
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Lamb and Beef</div>
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All in all, it's hard not to love Mini Pot with its no fuss all you can eat policy. I would recommend that you however make a booking because they don't have many tables. I went with a group of 6 but I think that that's around the most they can accommodate. </div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/sydney/mini-pot-burwood-burwood" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Mini Pot Burwood on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16566137/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-60221056422018282672015-07-16T15:37:00.000+10:002015-07-16T15:37:42.378+10:00Lobby Lounge Take 3You know the saying: '<i>let sleeping dogs lie'? </i>Well if we were to take this purely on face value then on the off chance that I am (arguably) afforded a 'sleep in' then there are few things in this world that will compel me leave my bed to travel 40min into the city. One of those things is dessert. Let's face it, part of the reason why I never seem to loose weight once and for good is because <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/07/bitters-exam-habits.html" target="_blank">I binge eat when studying</a> and post-exam celebrations are met with no restraint when it comes to eating out, dessert included. <br />
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So after a 70+ week spent working behind a computer all in the name of acing a finance assignment who am I yo say no to the Dessert of the Year 2014 by Anna Polyviou. And really being featured on MasterChef all but confirms the decision.<br />
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'Carrot Cake'- carrot cake, apricot & carrot gel, praline cremeux, yellow graffiti $8.50</div>
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Firstly I wish I was one of those kids growing up that hated vegetables because how awesome would it be to be fed this by your parents everything time you refused to eat carrot. If anything this cake is so far removed from the humble carrot cake that actually sits at the very bottom of my go-to cake list. Yes there is there definitely carrot cake and carrot in this creation but they're easily mistaken- take for example the candied carrot ribbon sitting a top the carrot cake cube or the carrot cake base which is disguised amongst the caramel-like-cremeux. Initial impressions may leave you slightly bitter at the small serving but the cremeux is very rich and dense and in comparison to other patisseries the price is actually pretty competitive. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-10565335423963910752015-07-05T13:45:00.001+10:002015-07-05T13:46:30.271+10:00The Dining Room at Park Hyatt Review<div style="text-align: center;">
So for my latest fine dining foray I decided to go to the Dining Room at Park Hyatt. I'm a bit unsure of the reason why I chose this place over others because there are so many options to pick from but obviously the rational person in me doesn't want to break the bank by eating out all day everyday. I've always had an affiliation towards the Dining Room maybe because whenever I frequented Circular Quay/The Rocks I would be secretly (more like openly) jealous of anyone eating there when I walked by. Stories aside, I decided to buy a Lime & Tonic voucher/meal for the Dining Room for 2- $69 per person for a 3 course meal.</div>
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Amuse bouche- Seared tuna with raspberry condiments</div>
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It was adorable when it was first presented and it was just as nice to eat. There are few things in the world that that can top seared tuna, I was a bit unsure about the raspberry condiments. Apart from the raspberry itself, it was served with what appears to be a raspberry coulis. I for thought it was more appropriate in a dessert just because that type of sweetness didn't fit my palate for seared tuna. </div>
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Darling River kangaroo loin, avruga caviar & horseradish, lemon myrtle</div>
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This was the main that I ordered and first things first: get over the pink meat. It might be arguable but the meat is probably a little more to the left of medium rare but that's understandable given how tough kangaroo is. Not to stereotype here but being Chinese I have eaten many 'exotic' things so I am someone that is open to and enjoys a good kangaroo dish and this was exactly that. Loved the bite of the horseradish puree- think that that you get from wasabi- and put simply the meat was spot on! Beetroot puree and caviar are just a bonus.</div>
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King crab & avocado, fennel & finger lime, combava oil & yuzu</div>
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If there is one thing to take away from the Dining Room, it is that the chefs know how to plate food. We move from one visually stunning dish to the next from pinks to greens. To be frank my mother and I were a bit disappointed in this entree because it was lacking the crab. Whilst the taste and its delicacy was there, what it lacked was quantity. In fact you'd struggle to find chunks of crab amongst the avocado, green apple and fennel.</div>
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Cobia & black sesame mousse line, Pimiento del piquillo & chorizo condiment</div>
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For our main my mother and I both opted for the cobia because were weren't fans of the vegetarian or chicken breast option. I was very please with the 3 cobia fillets, it may not look substantial but they were quite filling and more importantly the meat was so tender such that it was effortless to eat. </div>
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"My Sugar Free Dessert"- organic yoghurt, pineapple & green papaya marmalade, guava sorbet</div>
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This is the dessert for those that don't harbour an excessive sweet tooth. More on the citrus and sour side this is dessert also doubles up as a palate cleanser. It is also incredibly light making it a great way to finish off a meal.</div>
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Rose & lychee entremet, raspberry & Iranian Pistachio, Mikado chocolate</div>
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Initially when I first presented this I thought this was a mushroom or toad. Later I recalled this and instead thought it was inspired by the Messina black forest cake. Either way that orange-red spherical shape is in fact a white chocolate dome encased within that is the a cookie base along with layers of vanilla, rose and lychee mousse. Personally I wasn't that fond of this dessert and because it was so heavy- coming from someone who can take extremely rich desserts- I wasn't able to finish it either. </div>
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Specifically asked for the window seat to take advantage of my meal with a view!</div>
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Sometimes you when you look at something from afar you tend to ignore its shortcomings and replace them instead with your imagination and fantasies (can't think of a better word). Today I am guilty of that. Note to self Shirley next time you want to throw down a bunch of money on an expensive meal why don't you revisit <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/04/est-review.html">Est</a> and <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/10/sepia-review.html">Sepia</a>. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-28152007165006470972015-07-03T20:50:00.002+10:002015-07-03T20:50:34.787+10:00Travel Diary- Hangzhou<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So for my second post of the day I'm sending you guys postcards from Hangzhou. If you're into picture perfect postcards minus a blue sky then Hangzhou is a city you must go to-and allocated 1-2 days. The best thing about the West Lake is that it is a great day trip and most of it doesn't require an entry fee. The next two photos are taken from a manmade island known as Island of Little Oceans; an entry fee is charged (best to package it with a ferry boat service). </div>
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Main attraction: 'Three Pools Mirroring the Moon' </div>
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A bit dark in this photo but they look like water beacons but for being made out of concrete</div>
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Went a bit crazy taking photos of maples</div>
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....and goldfish. I mean if a lake had like thousands of goldfish in it, you will probably succumb as well.</div>
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Monster fish bearing in mind that all the fish are big in their own right</div>
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Lingyin Temple</div>
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Climbed many, many stairs (almost like climbing the Great Wall all over again) to reach the top and we were rewarded with what I dub 'Mountain water'. On the left is me collecting some water from the 'dragon's head' and honestly it was the best tasting water I have ever had!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-42712573441547769132015-07-03T11:33:00.001+10:002015-07-03T11:33:08.062+10:00Travel Diary- Zhou Zheng (Ancient Chinese Water Town)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Not going to lie when I say that it has been a while...AGAIN. In the meantime hope you enjoy some more photos that I managed to edit from my last trip to China. There is a massive backlog of photos and just stuff to attend to so I have no idea how I'm going to get through it all but in the meantime I'm just taking it one task at a time.</div>
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So Zhou Zheng is name of an Ancient Chinese Water Town, though much of it has been restored or rebuilt so that it resembles its former glory- think Ming Dynasty. In saying that, there are still some original buildings or parts remaining. As a tourist I think this place is one of those destinations that look amazing in photos but may be a bit lacklustre in person. The reason I say this is because the entire town itself is tiny, you could probably do an entire lap in 30min if you're not sightseeing. And as with any tourist hotspot, the place is cluttered with shops selling overpriced tourist trinkets- the usual.</div>
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Anyway, over and out. I promise that the next time you hear from me will be soon-very soon.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-31530188607648181042015-05-23T20:41:00.002+10:002015-05-23T20:41:31.474+10:00Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon Take 2So I'm slowly working through everything that I want to write and upload on the blog but you and I probably share those moments where all you want to do is just go and sleep. Nothing else matters but sleep. In fact, as I'm writing this, I am fighting off my droopy eyelids that are overworked from an early morning start to be at uni for an exam on a Saturday.<br />
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This is my second time at Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon and I had to take my best pal with me again because we have practically adopted and coined this place as 'Our Restaurant'. It would be my go-to place were in not for the fact that I would be broke if I dined here on a very regular basis. I have to say that this place is one of my absolute favourites restaurants and for me to say that means that I hold this place to a very high regard and in saying that you definitely will not be disappointed if you went here on my recommendation. Read first post <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/03/claires-kitchen-at-le-salon-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Steak Tartare $25- served with condiment and toasted French baguette </div>
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L: toasted French baguette</div>
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R: Claire de Lune cocktail $17- mix of Vodka and Creme Yvettes stirred with fresh lime, mint and raspberries then lengthen with sparkling wine. A fruity and bubbly drink </div>
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If you've followed some of my eating adventures then you will no that I am not the biggest fan of pink meat. I am unfortunately that sad person that would order steak well done were it not for the weird glances and judgment from the waiter. As such, I have never in life had raw beef, that is until Claire came along. I trust the team behind kitchen without any reservations and if my waiter is gushing about their steak tartare then I cannot help but want to join him. I told my friend this but at Claire's none of my fast and hard eating rules apply because I know without a doubt that whatever you order is going to turn out to be amazing. Such was the case with the steak tartare. Hand chopped into tiny pieces that was the pinnacle of melt in your mouth delicious. I still haven't been converted into a raw meat girl but I am definitely willing to shed my well done alter ego when I'm here again.</div>
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Ocean trout roulade with pickled cucumber, Vongole, cauliflower, trout caviar and garlic cream $36</div>
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First of all how amazing is this! Absolutely loved the trout, crispy skin included, with the garlic cream. Looks may be deceiving here (let me know if you fall in this category) but the meal itself was very substantial and well worth its price tag especially with their generous servings of trout, which for the record is way better (and more expensive) than salmon.</div>
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Prosciutto rolled pork fillet, pork belly and boudin noir with apple puree, sorrel and artichoke chips $34</div>
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Post googling 'boudin noir', I can confirm that it is a blood sausage. Taste wise it very strong, kinda reminds of a intense pate but equally as delicious. I hate to be repetitive but we were just wholeheartedly stuffing ourselves. I love pork and apple, it's one of my favourite combinations and you can imagine my delight in combining the pork belly with the apple puree. </div>
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I promise that I didn't spend all my time taking photos</div>
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Options on the dessert trolley (these are all for display)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF1pMPHMyfg0ybkXv6M331KBQl-0Npm1Cg052-1zD_AKpIbvFd-AiEiauR-A8Wphx2lJHFJJuOb1n7S2DBE9cSZnmG6Yu97wt4WiaU01JlNcxUyUXlqvittmu1A5CUrua6Aygwu2_DlDa/s1600/IMG_0084+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF1pMPHMyfg0ybkXv6M331KBQl-0Npm1Cg052-1zD_AKpIbvFd-AiEiauR-A8Wphx2lJHFJJuOb1n7S2DBE9cSZnmG6Yu97wt4WiaU01JlNcxUyUXlqvittmu1A5CUrua6Aygwu2_DlDa/s640/IMG_0084+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsFqiBc_6oZHn-1lkh0JVbQycQ12i6ucAe7m3ti4ZBgPqAV-NefRg_ckS1ERE9BiKyGlrZLofwrJL_N6g0uZ6jz_CLlnDeyg-BZ1OqoBEUguaXrxZRn61DnY1E1ooFm5YZjeRE7T0fc97/s1600/IMG_0082+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsFqiBc_6oZHn-1lkh0JVbQycQ12i6ucAe7m3ti4ZBgPqAV-NefRg_ckS1ERE9BiKyGlrZLofwrJL_N6g0uZ6jz_CLlnDeyg-BZ1OqoBEUguaXrxZRn61DnY1E1ooFm5YZjeRE7T0fc97/s400/IMG_0082+copy.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately when you pick from the trolley, there is no 'menu', the waiter simply explains the options, you pick, then eat! It's a great system but for blogging purposes when you wish to recount it and you're left with your less than ideal memory. So we chose a mango and mandarin mousse with a chocolate mousse base as well. Needless to say that this was as faultless as everything I had. </div>
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A bit on the brevity side but I'm letting the pictures do the talking. And should you want to read further then go and read my <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/03/claires-kitchen-at-le-salon-review.html" target="_blank">first post</a> about this place. </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1650023/restaurant/Sydney/Claires-Kitchen-at-Le-Salon-Darlinghurst" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1650023/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-15532639973245530472015-05-17T11:22:00.000+10:002015-05-17T11:22:41.238+10:00Falling over for Falling Poppies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So one of the first ever outfit posts that I did was on this very print, and rightly so because a year on, I am still madly in love with this print. I think my archived posts are really embarrassing, hence the absence of a 'click here' link so if you're really curious then enjoy lurking through my past posts for it because I'm not helping you guys with that. </div>
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Anyway, here are so some impromptu photos taken after a brunch date with one of my girlfriends and somehow or another we always happen to stumble upon interesting coloured walls. I guess it's our thing and maybe it may turn into a series but who knows. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFr-y4uTUk3KiCZ11rxNHVQEPhDhLm6EnJur3yQ33o26Ba7gTYfT_RSY8Xaqla8Y0ZQvDMT9FJk665TseYluxV6jUKMal5jXuraPjqwciyU0jRGooh_QZBXEK5QYIYEJn-ZBqg4MDa0vS/s1600/11009079_672461946196820_375834230_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFr-y4uTUk3KiCZ11rxNHVQEPhDhLm6EnJur3yQ33o26Ba7gTYfT_RSY8Xaqla8Y0ZQvDMT9FJk665TseYluxV6jUKMal5jXuraPjqwciyU0jRGooh_QZBXEK5QYIYEJn-ZBqg4MDa0vS/s1600/11009079_672461946196820_375834230_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Nre51HRcQgs7MH4oQQrcDMOpJ2Vxf5ipAGH12KZSjPAQfZefJ8xCVcwouPXt5SfI2IVbg7y001F03l34eNiVwEpBqeWcxMM_DREw4teszJtfRgecQQJpYithWOSE6vuiKxCQFtvU5JTs/s1600/IMG_9782+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Nre51HRcQgs7MH4oQQrcDMOpJ2Vxf5ipAGH12KZSjPAQfZefJ8xCVcwouPXt5SfI2IVbg7y001F03l34eNiVwEpBqeWcxMM_DREw4teszJtfRgecQQJpYithWOSE6vuiKxCQFtvU5JTs/s1600/IMG_9782+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pink or Mint?</span></b></i></div>
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Top: SES</div>
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Blazer: Bec & Bridge Falling Poppies</div>
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Shorts: Bec & Bridge Falling Poppies</div>
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Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti</div>
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Bag: Mulberry Alexa</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-79346910064708696232015-05-09T20:47:00.000+10:002015-05-10T12:37:21.078+10:00M is for Magical and Mary Katrantzou is Magical <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I might just have broken the bank....again.</div>
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I'm not going to deny it. I am a serial shopper and serial shopper Shirley did her thing last year when she poured over the internet so she could snap up discounted clothes by Mary Katrantzou (I'll stop with the third person talk). I bought this sweatshirt at half price, making the completely unreasonable into a somewhat unreasonable- Original price $600, Matches price $300 because I literally bought the last one.<br />
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I wish I could say that it's the most versatile thing in my wardrobe because sadly it isn't. I bought it because I absolutely fell in love with her Resort Collection; her ethereal digital prints and because no one could compare as a worthy competitor. I love you Mary. X</div>
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And because this print is so special, I wore to somewhere that would turn extraordinary into Extra Extraordinary (if that is even allowed). In the back of my head, I already know of 2 more places that I have to visit with this sweatshirt as my companion, so you shall be seeing more of this one. I don't know if it is because this is a sweatshirt but this is small and as a small it is insanely big.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0dRlv42CQ78uBwrlx44F63QMx4Tpircj2UGl49unkq-I3x4ruXb1dorHywZt2f_oeKkGanyFXRiOAiQUlRwbUskBMo5M58oJI2j-9DcQrCkPVeJDLPnvRvAdwB6jtBObAsWJnbzCBbj3/s1600/IMG_8437+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0dRlv42CQ78uBwrlx44F63QMx4Tpircj2UGl49unkq-I3x4ruXb1dorHywZt2f_oeKkGanyFXRiOAiQUlRwbUskBMo5M58oJI2j-9DcQrCkPVeJDLPnvRvAdwB6jtBObAsWJnbzCBbj3/s1600/IMG_8437+copy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYtOW723DC-Y0QujvCfSsVo8sCC_zIFs36nz7R4uFqVXRnHEujmuecF_ac7K17Wxxl5cKYnTniMHmh8L96F8mAOk9EcVYnFXfQM2Msp8itd4DFNhwfg_K88n4guT2gdn4sawKUyGVQdVZ/s1600/IMG_8405+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYtOW723DC-Y0QujvCfSsVo8sCC_zIFs36nz7R4uFqVXRnHEujmuecF_ac7K17Wxxl5cKYnTniMHmh8L96F8mAOk9EcVYnFXfQM2Msp8itd4DFNhwfg_K88n4guT2gdn4sawKUyGVQdVZ/s1600/IMG_8405+copy.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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Sweatshirt: Mary Katrantzou Twist tree and lake</div>
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Pants: Ralph Lauren</div>
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Boots: Sergio Rossi</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-66372666676480675792015-05-01T20:58:00.000+10:002015-05-01T20:58:23.255+10:00Travel Diary- Suzhou <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Some more snaps as I try to get through my massive backlog of posts. And that's for putting up with my irregular posting schedule. It's getting more consistent nowadays, right? Things should hopefully return to 2014 routine come July when I am no longer sleep deprived nor surviving a day by day basis. Yes. That is when I shall have more time to myself and this blog unfortunately. </div>
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So casting your mind back to December last year, I went on a day trip to Suzhou with a tour. Suzhou is in the Zhejiang province and is a 2hr drive from Hangzhou. It's most famous for being like a city built around rivers and waterways and that will definitely come across in the following photos. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_CDOCq0Vd72xytzohK6N5VwiSLdbNRK4dE4000hTYCU5qT7eSDLiE6NCZfI63-dEI6YsbJZrwwTCaa-geIwuWXGNhtCu_l-Kc8L3Enp5tD4PxGoo-E4usaxsMBJPKowDamKXe-Ulr5sl/s1600/IMG_8288+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_CDOCq0Vd72xytzohK6N5VwiSLdbNRK4dE4000hTYCU5qT7eSDLiE6NCZfI63-dEI6YsbJZrwwTCaa-geIwuWXGNhtCu_l-Kc8L3Enp5tD4PxGoo-E4usaxsMBJPKowDamKXe-Ulr5sl/s1600/IMG_8288+copy.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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Photos from some rich person's house from around the Ming Dynasty. </div>
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I am not rugged up for no reason. It was freezing cold.</div>
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Also how amazing is my sweatshirt. I've mentioned my love for digital prints for quite some time now and in particular one very special individual. More on this to come in the next post but in the meantime here's a preview.</div>
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If you've watched the Chinese drama Romance in the Rain (Qing Sheng Shen Yu Meng Meng<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">情深深雨蒙蒙), </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the drama was shot here (and the above photo)</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bRDRPRO668174T0YTd8cEqHCL_wBbfEF3dAJi_Rzk2QBbGJyYPZsNLvxwi-ARtuA-Z10pb82CCJyKq_v_IIQvMiNWYueAAeZStd9HRkMxubCBMRYpf18DeB7Pg8HG_uLnkPLMD2w3wSk/s1600/IMG_8380+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bRDRPRO668174T0YTd8cEqHCL_wBbfEF3dAJi_Rzk2QBbGJyYPZsNLvxwi-ARtuA-Z10pb82CCJyKq_v_IIQvMiNWYueAAeZStd9HRkMxubCBMRYpf18DeB7Pg8HG_uLnkPLMD2w3wSk/s1600/IMG_8380+copy.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-48644857757238193722015-04-25T23:26:00.000+10:002015-04-25T23:26:33.955+10:00Lobby Lounge Take 2In a world where we are increasingly reliant on Instagram and eating with our eyes, we must all have our fair share of WTF moments where what you see is far from what you got. I had that with <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/08/kanzi-fashion-cafe-review.html" target="_blank">Kanzi Fashion Cafe</a> and till this day it will forever remain as my sad bingsoo story. I guess if anything it was a good lesson on not judging a book by a cover or in fact the reverse to this idiom. The disappoint was on a very different degree when it came to Anna's Mess, the product of Shangri La's executive pastry chef Anna Polyviou. After seeing it on her Instagram account and others for a while now, I finally found the perfect excuse or cover for me to justify running to the Lobby Lounge. For the record it looks much bigger in photos than in real life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwRturzRgR4qXYHk4VpphkQY5XuiYy40jVqduv_z84ySWEkS0T9G9_Ozt2KDjmJK3Z5sjIQ1_VtfwuKloY7CIbpumSVndHAsXIWFSBdkIOrhdvOm-dXhrmz5GpPkQw05ZKHaRDdGmFeR8/s1600/IMG_3358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwRturzRgR4qXYHk4VpphkQY5XuiYy40jVqduv_z84ySWEkS0T9G9_Ozt2KDjmJK3Z5sjIQ1_VtfwuKloY7CIbpumSVndHAsXIWFSBdkIOrhdvOm-dXhrmz5GpPkQw05ZKHaRDdGmFeR8/s1600/IMG_3358.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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L: Anna's Mess approx $10</div>
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R: Citrus tart approx $5</div>
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Unfortunately that day I didn't take a photo of the menu and price list so this is all from my memory but the prices that I have written down are very accurate, if anything I'm $0.50-$1 off.</div>
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First of all, minor faults aside, the desserts are to die for. With regards to the citrus tart, I wish the cookie base wasn't as hard. I mean it was a two-person effort to cut through the base to ensure that pieces wouldn't go flying. Other than that I was loving the the citrus flavour with the lemon and grapefruit pairing.</div>
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Anna's Mess is a bit more reserved for those who harbour a big sweet tooth. I personally found the white chocolate (dome included) to be a bit on the sweet side but really in the scheme of things it is really trivial when you consider how much I loved her Rose and French Vanilla tea mousse. I would have like the rose to be more pronounced but I appreciated the subtly of the rose as well. Other notables that went into this beauty- a joconde sponge and a white chocolate and feuilletine crunc<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">h. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyL97pjbvrgDF5rDeO-WHlv5Ra9a87_njOxyxFjVzjtYky7nqxicO1_PjT66lDA1UCmhzwUmerZ57kwPFgLa7SZe8bRjWJBl9b9HSP1Q0Mc-etpDXxhyT3DY311U2VArjBO1ht1qeJVTd/s1600/IMG_3476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyL97pjbvrgDF5rDeO-WHlv5Ra9a87_njOxyxFjVzjtYky7nqxicO1_PjT66lDA1UCmhzwUmerZ57kwPFgLa7SZe8bRjWJBl9b9HSP1Q0Mc-etpDXxhyT3DY311U2VArjBO1ht1qeJVTd/s1600/IMG_3476.JPG" height="628" width="640" /></a></div>
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So beautiful, surely this is enough of a reason to run off to Lobby Lounge right? </div>
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Also please ignore the small cutlery mark on the side the OCD side of me is doing circles at the moment.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGd5wCHLgZmmJe6H1bE96GWON3po2ETZCKhVfNBNEzVk76w8hyWRbk38nO4p7BVFVfNzvieB_h5WqApPxkQylKYI7rgVyZ64mkglChUBvZNR4l_06UEwvceNmWh8MHFfY19GyH6Fn6Ev/s1600/IMG_3365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGd5wCHLgZmmJe6H1bE96GWON3po2ETZCKhVfNBNEzVk76w8hyWRbk38nO4p7BVFVfNzvieB_h5WqApPxkQylKYI7rgVyZ64mkglChUBvZNR4l_06UEwvceNmWh8MHFfY19GyH6Fn6Ev/s1600/IMG_3365.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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My mango, pineapple cocktail ($10) because I was in need of a drink minus the alcohol. I think photo accurately captures the size disparity between the tall glass and the desserts.</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1742369/restaurant/Sydney/Shangri-La-Lobby-Lounge-The-Rocks" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Shangri-La Lobby Lounge on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1742369/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-89927893829416362312015-04-16T22:40:00.000+10:002015-07-05T11:52:02.424+10:00Bills (Surry Hills) Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I don't know about you but these days I feel really out of touch with Sydney's cafe scene. Maybe it's because I'm as excited about cafe food as I used to be. <i>Is it my old age? I mean, I am turning 20.</i></div>
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Let's just blame it on my crazy workload this semester at uni and so my taste buds have taken a hit. So for my first cafe trip post-China, a friend suggested that we eat at Bills in Surry Hills. Don't kill me but I had no idea who the celebrity chef behind Bills was, I just knew that the place was always really busy. Honestly speaking, I thought the food was decent but definitely not worth the hype nor price given the small portions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cxJEeuK7fSgN-6QNe_CIFrszWhB_iEvmkbb9sTHy7Wx7t5nWPQcFlXmJ18KwuO2YrBm_uylyRA9PHsex2QRu2iuShy-TnGOtCN5HClv5-Mpxgxa3amZHqtIe7gbY9wN4X7bW5Lvc4hPa/s1600/IMG_3350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cxJEeuK7fSgN-6QNe_CIFrszWhB_iEvmkbb9sTHy7Wx7t5nWPQcFlXmJ18KwuO2YrBm_uylyRA9PHsex2QRu2iuShy-TnGOtCN5HClv5-Mpxgxa3amZHqtIe7gbY9wN4X7bW5Lvc4hPa/s1600/IMG_3350.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ricotta hotcakes, banana and honeycomb butter $20</div>
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One of the classic all day items and so coming into Bills <i>menu-blind</i> this is your go to safe option. My friend was also the driving force behind what we ordered so it was good to take the passenger seat. As expected the hotcakes were super light and fluffy, so glad that they that gave us maple syrup in a jug because the last time I had french toast (<a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/12/lemon-cafe-review.html" target="_blank">Lemon Cafe</a>) it was generously poured onto the plate- I was scarred from too much maple syrup. The honeycomb butter was a lovely addition, not too buttery because of the sweetness of the honeycomb. All-in-all, a great reminder of why we love to frequent cafes but if I were asked to pay for it again, I would probably opt for somewhere else. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCHITeWz9dcRR_BSRsIj6LmoLyRUjiF11TvvtxcD8YdBzIwkPaV6VbqbMkpN4P8k0IkUtmxfCLPDQssNjiikj1rDCUKswjXItHaD9gIsMZKoUuFPOb0hgjVQJQ3bXPeThBfvHePZqQORl/s1600/IMG_3352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCHITeWz9dcRR_BSRsIj6LmoLyRUjiF11TvvtxcD8YdBzIwkPaV6VbqbMkpN4P8k0IkUtmxfCLPDQssNjiikj1rDCUKswjXItHaD9gIsMZKoUuFPOb0hgjVQJQ3bXPeThBfvHePZqQORl/s1600/IMG_3352.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>
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Flat white $3.90</div>
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Where's my $3.90 worth of cafe art!!?!! At least give me a heart</div>
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Coffee is standard, wasn't spectacular but wasn't bad either</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxziubuDZzPat6_08h0ckaIylstYVk0dd8Y8lOZHLjz9mIIKQ0L94bUUGY7xfS_6WfhHugsa1QAVnsZxpPjIVKTatGQWiqrO07S88R6YYCWXDLCrlr2Oi4DQLQrf2GeAJ9nbuUctKvz4VA/s1600/IMG_3354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxziubuDZzPat6_08h0ckaIylstYVk0dd8Y8lOZHLjz9mIIKQ0L94bUUGY7xfS_6WfhHugsa1QAVnsZxpPjIVKTatGQWiqrO07S88R6YYCWXDLCrlr2Oi4DQLQrf2GeAJ9nbuUctKvz4VA/s1600/IMG_3354.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Zucchini fritters, deep fried egg, haloumi, parsley salad, tahini yoghurt and pickles $23.50</div>
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First of all, I have to mention how deceiving the title of a big plate is because in my dictionary a 'big plate' is not what is pictured here. Other than that, I was contempt to just shut up and eat my food. </div>
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Waiting for that yolkporn moment</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqIoL97uc1ma9SBU7-xPfVo9wY_JoSlvvzcSetitZRlwgDPTX_Dguo7QVDpikCi9mI-PLBr06_Zc4WwBFRHDpJiXEydMWyvrz-nzkmQG5WFsOFuXs3rieOspVQQYPQRo-OY1eNKk_lNbo/s1600/IMG_3357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqIoL97uc1ma9SBU7-xPfVo9wY_JoSlvvzcSetitZRlwgDPTX_Dguo7QVDpikCi9mI-PLBr06_Zc4WwBFRHDpJiXEydMWyvrz-nzkmQG5WFsOFuXs3rieOspVQQYPQRo-OY1eNKk_lNbo/s1600/IMG_3357.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Only to be disappointed but I guess I brought it upon myself since a running yolk wasn't mentioned at all</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-2263272478907406722015-04-12T17:44:00.000+10:002015-04-12T19:33:19.614+10:00Stealing your Grandpa's PJ Pants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Been a while since I showed you guys some outfit photos and this set has been siting in my photo library for a while now, think December 2014 to be precise. Looking back at these photos now, I have confirmed a very serious first world problem- I need to visit a Benefit Brow Bar ASAP to get my brows reshaped. Forgive for what may perhaps be such a inconsequential issue but in my all too skeptical and unforgiving eyes, my brows are like caterpillars. Enough of that! </div>
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So what I'm wearing is actually vintage, not really belonging to my grandpa (because that would be really weird) but this set was actually my mother's and she wanted to throw them away- cue in me berating her for not asking me if I wanted to take over as the new owner. I've never been a crop top person, in fact I bought my first one recently but there's just something about this one-two combo that has me singing praises. Maybe it is the PJ like stripes, which makes it fun that contrasts against the smart cutting for a touch of elegance and capped off with the high cut for a sneak peek-a-boo of skin. I don't know if that just made sense to anyone but I'm in!</div>
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Top and Pants: Vintage from my mother's closet </div>
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Hat: Lack of Color Spencer boater</div>
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Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti (though not visible)</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-80883962657283674002015-04-07T18:03:00.000+10:002015-04-07T18:03:46.183+10:00Pu'er Review <div style="text-align: center;">
I don't know about you but I struggle to name Chinese tea houses in Sydney. Japanese ones seem to come to mind a lot easier but as an avid Chinese tea drinker, I applauded the respect that Pu'er afforded to tea by making it relevant to a contemporary Australian market yet still paying homage to the cultural significance of tea. </div>
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1995 Loose Leaf Premium Yunnan Pu'er $9</div>
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Pu'er is a very signature, traditional tea and it's very different from your English teas, green teas, etc. It's a much more complex taste- it's a thick, dark earthy taste with a sweet honey finish- but the more aged the tea, the more intense and developed the taste. And so if you order Pu'er, do your tastebuds a favour and go for as top shelf as possible. </div>
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Sui mai- chicken, prawns & corn, seared scallop $8</div>
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They may not be three peas in a pod but they are certainly just as cute especially with the scallop on top. If I'm am just stuffing myself contentedly then I suppose that is the best compliment right? </div>
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Crispy har gow- prawn dumpling $8</div>
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I think this dish really embodies the fusion concept behind Pu'er, yes a crispy pastry is totally unconventional but who can say no to something wickedly fried. For those vehemently against change, fret not because the inside is still that loveable har gow that you order at Yumcha. </div>
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L: Hong Kong mini burgers- panko pork, house smoked chilli paste, hoisin, baby cres, golden mantou $15</div>
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R: BBQ duck tacos with house mayonnaise, shaved cucumber, spring onion $16</div>
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These share plates were hands down my favourite thing out of the entire meal and it wasn't the pork/duck that won me over. No- it was the mantous/bread. The golden mantou in the Hong Kong burger was deliciously crunchy and sweet and in the end I opted for a deconstructed burger just so I could eat the mantou on its own- yeah that's how good it was. Perhaps the Mexican 'taco' is misappropriated here because whilst there may be similarities drawn, the 'taco' is really a bao - a very good bao for that matter. Again, you can sing praises for how succulent the duck was but the highlight for me was the soft bao (can I get the recipe?). </div>
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Three cup drunken duck with Shao Xing wine, slow cooked with shiitake and fresh basil $26 </div>
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To say that the meat is practically waiting to fall off the bone is an understatement. Tenderness of the meat aside, the flavours were equally as outstanding with infusion of the rich shaoxing wine. I have to add though that the wine is quite an intense flavour so keep that in mind when you order this. </div>
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Caramelised Berkshire pork belly with Pu'er and spice infused tea eggs $24</div>
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Who can resist a good pork belly? I may not buckle at the knees at the thought of eating it but my response will be nothing short of jubilee. Such is wonder of Pu'er's pork belly and tea infused eggs. The tea flavour is a bit muted in comparison to the Pu'er in the pork belly but if you've never had a tea infused egg then this is the perfect start for you. </div>
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Lemongrass panna cotta, black sesame & peanut soup, smoked watermelon $10</div>
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This was a great way to finish a meal full of classic Chinese flavours but reinterpreted for a contemporary audience. Dinner at Chinese restaurants is usually finished with fruit or a sweet red beab soup and so unsurprisingly, Pu'er has upheld these little traditions that have come to be apart of the Chinese culture. Thought you should only smoke poultry meats? I did. But I have definitely reconsidered this after having their smoked watermelon, you're still eating an ordinary watermelon but for the undercurrents of the smoked smell and taste. And since all good things come in trios, I have to mention how on point the panna cotta especially together with my childhood favourite pairing of black sesame and peanut. </div>
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<i>The Gourmet Couture dined courtesy of Pu'er</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1725873/restaurant/Sydney/Puer-Waterloo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pu'er on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1725873/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-78694322871260562252015-04-05T02:17:00.000+11:002015-04-05T17:58:21.615+10:00Travel Diary- Hengdian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's Easter long weekend which happens to coincide with my university mid-semester break and that means I can finally give myself a long overdue break. I warned you guys that blogging this year would take a hit, blame uni, an internship and a side project that I'm starting (more on this soon, like hoping 1/2 months soon-fingers crossed). For the next month the posts should be more regular because I aim to write like 5 posts tonight, which shall be released each week to keep you guys busy as I stress over uni assessments and exams. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to the diary...</b></span></div>
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After visiting like 9 cities this summer (yes it was a really long time ago I know), I would have to say that this place was hands down my favourite. I have to admit that I am a very biased woman, I am an absolute sucker for Ancient China and the respective culture, etc. and so I would describe the experience as akin to that of kid in Disneyland or Universal studios- yes such a parallel can and must be drawn. Hengdian World Studios is unfortunately-and sadly- in the middle of nowhere, but it is the place where all the Ancient Chinese drama/film productions are shot and there is the off chance that you might be able to catch a glimpse of a star filming. Unfortunately I picked the worst time to visit as no one I knew/liked was filming but I did get some good photos so enjoy~</div>
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Oh I should also add that everything in Hengdian is man-made; it was literally farmland before some Chinese entrepreneur had a brilliant idea of making life-sized replicas of Palaces and what not. Now the guy is like a millionaire/billionaire so I guess he did pretty well. </div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Old Guangzhou/Old Hong Kong (广州街 香港街)</span></i></b></div>
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Hong Kong way back then...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Ming Qing Palace aka the replica of the Forbidden City in Beijing (明清宫苑)</i></b></span></div>
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This is the shoot location for all the Ming and Qing period dramas, think Huan Zhu Ge Ge (Return of Princess Pearl) and Bu Bu Jing Xin, Zhen Huan, etc. And if you didn't know any better, but for the mountains in the background, you'd probably think that these photos were taken in Beijing.</div>
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So contrary to what my friends thought when they first saw these photos, I was not drunk but instead my mother thought it would be cool to reenact a scene from a drama that we both love (Bu Bu Jing Xin) especially because this was where it was filmed. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Dream Valley (Night Visit) 梦幻谷 </i></b></span></div>
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Heed my advice and skip this place, it's the most expensive 280 RMB or roughly AUD55 and unless you love rides then you're only coming here for the 2 night shows which were nice and all but not worth the money. Tours don't usually include this in their package so it is an add on.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Qing Ming Shang He Tu 清明商河图</i></b></span></div>
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Absolutely loved this place, it was where the Korean drama Empress Ki was shot for any drama fans out there like myself. It would have been absolutely picture perfect were it not for the fact that there was a crane in the background and you could also see the ferris wheel from the Dream Valley (above location)</div>
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Some small stars shooting a drama</div>
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Drama production </div>
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Did anyone order some cherry blossoms?</div>
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Or fake meat?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wROOgInYKB1MdI_CZsg51ys2_sD9BiTfCSVJSpWgkkDL0bVqCyL-qcATYjtOeG_zcblpt10g8VSqxxTMyC9ueypyRhXt_7-ioVu0-1e_jge8IqHpbulIiFTNOx11q3U4qWLozJZBkPxQ/s1600/IMG_8106+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wROOgInYKB1MdI_CZsg51ys2_sD9BiTfCSVJSpWgkkDL0bVqCyL-qcATYjtOeG_zcblpt10g8VSqxxTMyC9ueypyRhXt_7-ioVu0-1e_jge8IqHpbulIiFTNOx11q3U4qWLozJZBkPxQ/s1600/IMG_8106+copy.jpg" height="434" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the shows that occur daily, Chinese acrobats are in a different league but these were pretty average only because Chinese people are held to very high standards</div>
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See what I mean by that crane </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWY6uV3AcXlxBcTLqmHhWnZ9gTU6f2yfFWhiRz3oAY78aQW6EAKlrCMQ_u2q4WzusBFTLMV7WP0I7L6hfTIQ3EcXtFLYxtNq1a3U1udveohkc_qZDGS8egiVRHFcnEFC8_Zh0ViFIrwde-/s1600/IMG_8150+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWY6uV3AcXlxBcTLqmHhWnZ9gTU6f2yfFWhiRz3oAY78aQW6EAKlrCMQ_u2q4WzusBFTLMV7WP0I7L6hfTIQ3EcXtFLYxtNq1a3U1udveohkc_qZDGS8egiVRHFcnEFC8_Zh0ViFIrwde-/s1600/IMG_8150+copy.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtSKtN-id15bWi8Ow7KgWMtdRNtkuxjjawbIoYFzAMiCsJFoInvnrX7N-BHIPWng_eU_FGVl0BPLXA4P47eHHK5uwFu79nSEOoSaWAltxeL8tQiAEYRTfbLHAwdcJnawE1W19HkGCJqT8/s1600/IMG_8149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtSKtN-id15bWi8Ow7KgWMtdRNtkuxjjawbIoYFzAMiCsJFoInvnrX7N-BHIPWng_eU_FGVl0BPLXA4P47eHHK5uwFu79nSEOoSaWAltxeL8tQiAEYRTfbLHAwdcJnawE1W19HkGCJqT8/s1600/IMG_8149.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Spot mother!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">宋</span></b></div>
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This is my last name so I guess this whole place belongs to me :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Qin Palace 秦忘宫</i></b></span></div>
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Most recently this is where Fan Bing Bing's The Empress of China (武媚娘传奇)was shot and if you've watched the drama try to recoil which famous scenes were shot here. </div>
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I thought the 8 dragon pillars (see below for a full shot) and the 99 steps were pretty amazing especially for like BC China. Basically if you couldn't be bothered reading the text in the photo, leading up to the main palace are 99 steps in total (we counted) and that is separated into 3 sections. With each step you cannot see where the steps end as in the flat level entrance into the palace and if you turn back the view also changes each time. That is to signify that with each step you are getting ahead in life or rising to a higher position and it is only when you reach the top that you have finally 'succeeded'. I don't know about you but I found that incredibly deep. I actually took like 20 photos to see what the view would look like but I thought that you guys might be like WTF is with all the same photos so I just chose 2.</div>
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At the bottom</div>
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Almost there but not quite as we still can't see the top properly</div>
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Inside</div>
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Another one of those shows, this time it was depicting the coronation of the Emperor</div>
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Goodbye Hengdian because you will be sorely missed</div>
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So all up there are 10 places to visit within Hengdian that are open to the public, the ones that I went to were the most popular and the ones that tours take you to. If it is your first time in Hangzhou/China of if you're not familiar with the country then I suggest going with a tour; I mean yes they never give you enough time but the one I went with didn't rope us into buying stuff so that was a major plus. The reason why I suggest that you don't DIY it is because Hengdian itself is like 2.5 hrs from Hangzhou city centre and Hengdian is massive like each location is a good few minutes by car and doing it by food it is unimaginable. Also the ticket prices will add up and going via a tour means you get discounted prices. For those curious I went on a 2-day tour with include the hotel stay. I went to the first 3 locations on the first day and the last 2 on the second day (I had a lot of time to explore these ones) and if you're planning on doing an overnight trip (which I suggest) there are a lot of hotels in the area. </div>
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If you're a huge fan of Chinese dramas/movies and what not and you're there for the star spotting (guilty as charged) then I recommend that you baidu the drama/movie to know exactly where they're shooting. You should also hire a drive preferably from Hangzhou because the drivers in Hengdian profit big time from giving people rides. For example an aunty of mine went to some mountain to see if there was a star that she liked there and it cost her 500RMB/AUD 100 for the ride one way. </div>
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If you have any questions regarding Hengdian or just my trip in general (more posts to come I promise) then just email me at: thegourmetcouture@outlook.com </div>
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Price list as below:</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-49200903975101450992015-03-21T00:36:00.001+11:002015-03-21T00:36:30.687+11:00The Grounds of Alexandria Take 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So it's been while since the last time I went to The Grounds of Alexandria (read about it <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/02/the-grounds-of-alexandria-review.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.thegourmetcouture.com/2014/03/the-grounds-of-alexandria-review-take-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>), part of the reason is because it is just so far away from everything (not really but let's run with this argument) and also because of the crowds. They weren't kidding about the 45min wait but if you hate waiting, then come in at like 3 pm when most of the lunch goers are leaving. Last I mentioned last time, there's lots of see here but after several visits, the wow factor kind of wears off on you.</div>
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Also for those wondering '<i>Where the hell is Shirley?'</i>, I have recently started an internship so adding my uni commitments and workload, unfortunately this blog is going to have to play second fiddle. I still aim to post at least once a week and if my schedule permits twice a week at best, but the best way to follow where I'm at is actually through instagram because there is a massive back log of posts for this blog and the job is so daunting that I will have to weasel my way through each one. </div>
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L to R: Rose, iced tea and normal lemonade</div>
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I wish these tarts did cost like $7 each</div>
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Salt Meats Cheese- I love this place!</div>
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Couldn't help myself, I actually bought one to take home because how can anyone say no to dulce de leche (caramel) and peanut butter together. </div>
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Oh wow, the inner coconut freak in me is so happy looking at this. I wish I had a fridge at home just for coconuts</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Food + Drinks</span></b></div>
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Melon Crush- crushed ice with fresh watermelon, strawberry with a twist of lemon $10</div>
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Super refreshing and absolutely cute. I only wished the portion was bigger or that it was bigger- preferably both.</div>
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Deconstructed Iced Coffee- house blend coffee shot, cold brewed coffee ice, sugar syrup with milk $8</div>
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Now this is my must order takeaway from this post. If you love coffee then this seriously needs to be on your bill by the end of the meal. The sugar syrup is in the syringe (first picture), I guess The Grounds of Alexandria is hopping onto the syringe fad. Anyway the best thing about this is that you can control the intensity of the coffee but adding in the portion of milk that you want. The ice cubes pictured is actually frozen coffee so rather than diluting your drink as they melt, it actually maintains if not intensifies the intensity of the iced coffee. My only complain was that we received the drink with out a spoon or straw so be sure to chase the staff on that should that happen to you as well. And since I've mentioned the staff, prepare for slower service if you cannot decide on what to order when they come around for the first time. Same thing goes for paying for the bill, it took they forever to bring the card machine over- seriously can they just take my money already!</div>
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L: Deconstructed coffee aerial shot</div>
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R: Polenta Chips $5</div>
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The chips are a Grounds Family Favourite and they are a Shirley favourite as well. I wish we had some sauce/aioli to go with it but they are delicious with or without. I'm pretty sure that they're going to be my The Grounds staple from now on.</div>
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The 'Ground' Burger- ground beef brisket, cheese, lettuce, dill cornichon mayo on a toasted brioche bun served with crunchy battered chips $19</div>
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A classic item on the menu. If you want to play it safe, you know what to get. </div>
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Beef Short Ribs- braised in sticky black vinegar caramel, crisp salad of daikon, carrot, cucumber, coriander, red pepper, chilli and charred lime $21</div>
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I wanted something substantial and substantial is what I got. It may not have been the lamb shank that I was craving but the beef short ribs were a pretty good substitute, on my cravings meter, for lamb shank. The beef was stringy, melt in your mouth excellent. I wasn't a big fan of the vinegar sauce, it probably would have been better without, because you get the tartness from the salad to help you finish your way through the beef. </div>
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All in all, food is as enjoyable as always. I might do the late afternoon session next time just to avoid waiting altogether. But beware that service can be pretty slow at times. </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1646031/restaurant/Sydney/The-Grounds-of-Alexandria-Alexandria" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Grounds of Alexandria on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1646031/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-81973010442836756852015-03-13T23:01:00.002+11:002015-03-13T23:17:19.387+11:00Travel Diary- Beijing Part II<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Food edition!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So this may not end up being a useful guide but if anything you'll have a sneak peek of food kind of unique to Beijing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Hotpot:</b></span><br />
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Beijing is freezing in Winter and what better meal in winter than hotpot and let's keep in mind that hotpot in Australia has nothing on Chinese hotpot. For me the best part of hotpot is the end when you order noodles or if available hand strung noodles 手拉面-shou la mian- because a part of the process is the show itself (see below where the guy looks so happy in his job) and the flavours in the soup have had time to develop and intensify.<br />
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Gimme me my noodles</div>
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It's not pictured here unfortunately but there's like a sauce bar in this restaurant where you can DIY your own sauce sauce to have with the meat and vegetables you order. The usual ones people take are this sesame sauce/paste, oyster sauce, chilli, spring onions, garlic, yeah pretty much anything you can name in an Asian grocery stall is here in what I call the sauce bar section. </div>
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Oh did I mention that there's an adjoining nail salon you can go to free of charge if you're a customer? Anyways, this place is always really busy and it's best to make a booking because it's so popular.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Some old 'lao' Beijing restaurant</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my biggest culture shocks I had when it came to eating out was the prevalence of smokers. I recognise that it is a personal decision but I just have my own qualms against it. What I cannot get over however is when there are blatant no smoking signs in restaurants and hotels and yet people continue to smoke without regard to people like me who detest the smell of smoking especially when I’m eating or if I’m supposed to reside comfortably in a place. When you're in shopping centres and what no you won't have to worry about this but in places with 'history'- for want of a better word' this is something you need to be aware of i.e. here.</span></div>
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普通精品烤鸭 - Pu Tong Jing Pin Kao Ya</div>
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Okay so I don't know the exact name of this but its like a jelly made from stuff... including meat but it absolutely tastes divine. </div>
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焦圈 -jiao quan</div>
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Slightly savoury fried doughnut, but you can skip this because you won't be missing on much. I mean the fact that I don't remember much should be enough of an indicator.</div>
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豆汁 -dou zhi </div>
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Soybean milk, this is the traditional version which put honestly, tastes foul! Like one spoonful of this was enough to put me off soybean milk for the entire trip. I promise that the ones you get in supermarkets are not nasty but just pray that you don't get the traditional version if you order it in a restaurant.</div>
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芥末墩 -jie mo dun</div>
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Wasabi, mustard marinated Chinese cabbage. If there were ever a Chinese version of kimchi this would be it. I mean I don't mind kimchi but what's pictured here didn't taste all that great unless you like washing your mouth with wasabi. And in case I didn't mention it this is served cold. </div>
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蒜茸粉丝蒸小扇贝- Suan rong fen si Zheng xiao Shan bei </div>
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Pretty much steam scallops with vermicelli noodles. Growing up in Australia we are honestly spoiled with good seafood so I would skip this if I were you. You'll actually see this exact dish served up in street food as well but again you probably should try something else instead.</div>
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招牌茄酱面 - Zhao Pai Jia Jiang Mian</div>
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Signature Beijing or Northern China dish which literally stands for mixed black bean noodles and it tastes divine. If you've ever watched Korean Variety Shows or Korean dramas you can relate to the love affair people have with these noodles. And as a plus it's vegetarian friendly. At this particular place it's completely DIY so you are given a bowl which you take to the Jia Jiang Mian area to fill up with whatever you want (as well as quantity wise), take it bank to your seat, mix and enjoy!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">炸咯喳</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would write the pin yin in but for not knowing the exact sounds of the last two characters- reason being </span>they can be pronounce 2 ways. This is kinda like a sweet potato that has been fried for those curious, otherwise you can try your luck at google translate or stick to the fail-safe Chinese food you've become accustomed to.<br />
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<b>Bing Tang Hu Lu- Candied Hawthorn </b><br />
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Pretty much a very old Beijing snack which you'll see like everywhere. I bought this just outside of the Forbidden City. Nowadays they come in many varieties but the original one looks like mini apples on a stick (below)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Special home cooking</b></span></div>
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The time my grandma and I cooked wild pig for dinner and holy moly best pork I have had in my life, like seriously it was so tender and so full of flavour.</div>
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Equivalent to like Chinese pasta</div>
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So so good</div>
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My grandma insisted I finish the meal off with some dessert wine so why not!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nanluoguxiang aka Chinatown on steroids</span></div>
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I like to think of this place as your street food central or what you would expect to find in Chinatown in a Western city but on a much larger scale. </div>
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Green tea frozen yoghurt, unfortunately I think green tea wasn't the best flavour to pick</div>
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Continuing the tofu loving trend</div>
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Fairy Floss<br />
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I actually have a lot of blooming teas at home</div>
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Blew this 'myself'</div>
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WARNING: It's expensive and the candy itself taste crap!</div>
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Ate at a Sichuan (province) restaurant but still in this 'Chinatown' area. I would recommend it because the food was really nice.</div>
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醪糟汤圆- Lao zao tang yuan- Fermented 'glutinous rice dumplings' 5 RMB<br />
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NB 5RMB= AUD 1<br />
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This looks really simple but this is really not ordinary rice, it's actually rather sweet like a dessert.<br />
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丝瓜- Si Gua- Melon 22RMB</div>
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特惠麻婆豆腐- Special Mapo Tofu 8 RMB</div>
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First of all can I just mention how cheap this is, conversion will make it AUD $1.60 and despite all that red, if you can handle the heat then you will love it! Also this is a signature Sichuan dish.</div>
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想芋吐司卷- Xiang yu tusi juan- Taro rolled up in toast 9 RMB</div>
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Okay so I know we all fall in the apparently lull of saying everything tastes pretty damn good but seriously I am craving this so badly. If you love taro and bread then you must try this, it's pretty much the best of both worlds- fried rolled bread which has been stuff with taro (I'm drooling already). Australia needs this but more importantly, I need this! </div>
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特惠家乡酸菜鱼- Special hometown pickled Chinese Cabbage with fish 29 RMB</div>
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If you should remember one thing from Sichuan dishes, it is that they are ridiculously spicy. Also, remember that adage of how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover? Despite looking deceptively green in appearance this entire dish is f**king hot, yeah that bad but it blows your mind in that amazing spicy way. Unfortunately if you cannot take chilli you should stay miles away from this because every bite is infused with that spicy kick. <br />
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蛋糕糍粑- Dangao ciba- Cooked glutinous rice pound into a paste 'cake' 8 RMB</div>
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Sorry guys but everything is seriously that good. So I've already described it in the title but you dip this into the sugar on the side and eat it like so.</div>
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拔丝地瓜- Ba si di gua- candied floss sweet potato 36RMB<br />
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This comes out of the kitchen blistering hot. It's best to have this ASAP because when it's still hot you can separate the sweet potato pieces rather than when it has cooled down- good luck trying to eat it once the sugar has hardened. Also, it'll come with a bowl of water so you can dunk the sweet potato pieces in which will then harden the sugar. Again another memorable and drool worthy dish.<br />
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So when I was at Yang Qi Lake- where the latest APEC Summit was held- there was this town that was all European style and so we went there to see if there was anything worth seeing. If you find yourself in the same position, listen to your gut because chances are it's going to be another ghost town- literally. Also all the bad stories you've heard of Chinese Western Restaurant stories are true. End of story.<br />
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This my friends is a terrible place to eat and you should not under any circumstance eat here.<br />
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Mushroom soup that made me want to throw up</div>
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Terrible cheap roast- I was missing Campos coffee roast so badly </div>
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The same can be said about the rest of the food. I promise I'm not being a bitch here, just a very honest individual.</div>
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I ordered ocean trout, I didn't get ocean trout. My fillet also had bones. Again not being a bitch but used to very high standards.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-33399860223922548012015-03-04T21:06:00.003+11:002015-03-04T21:07:17.223+11:00Travel Diary: Beijing Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Postcards from Beijing, CHINA</i></b></span></div>
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For my first time in Beijing, how could I overlook the two biggest historical and cultural attractions that China has to offer- The Great Wall of China and The Forbidden City. I went during Winter when the mercury goes below 0 degrees Celsius and so I made the decision to go to the Summer Palace another time. </div>
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<b>The Great Wall of China</b></div>
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So there were a lot of cats on the top of the Great Wall...</div>
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Forget the original purpose of the wall keeping out the Xiong Nus or rabbit jokes because the issue at hand is CATS.</div>
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OMG I'm dying from the climb but first let me take a selfie</div>
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Almond milk</div>
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WATCH YOUR KIDS </div>
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because this inclination is crazy</div>
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TIPS:</div>
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<ul>
<li>In winter: prepare a beanie (or some headwear), scarves, etc because the wind is strong and more importantly icy cold.</li>
<li>Try to pack lightly because the inclination is crazy and climbing the wall is a work out in its own right</li>
<li>Wear good shoes and by that I mean ditch the heels- stilettos in particular- this may sound obvious but people were there in heels</li>
<li>If you're driving down (I was) there will be people guiding you to a car space, be prepared for they will try to sell you stuff.</li>
<li>There's a small kiosk near the top that sells drinks and instant noodles, food and beverage options are limited and they don't take bargaining. The almond milk I bought usually costs 2 RMB and here you'll need to pay 10 RMB</li>
<li>If you get lazy and don't want to walk down, there is a cable car, costs 80 RMB ($16) one way.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Forbidden City</b> </div>
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The actual sky.....</div>
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Confession the others had a blue sky, I just made them a bluer but this one is just grey</div>
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So I took this using my tripod meaning I only had 10 seconds to get into position but clearly the passerbys had no idea that they weren't meant to be in my shot. </div>
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TIP:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Go there pretty early because the sunrise is something else, unfortunately I didn't which means that next time, come 8 am I'm there!</li>
<li>If you decide to play dress ups by wearing the Qing costumes be very careful about what you're going to pay because the advertised price is never the price you pay. The advertised price will get you a fairly standard looking costume but the prettier ones cost more, including the head pieces. </li>
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<b>Yangqi Lake </b></div>
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This is where the latest APEC Summit was held, yes it's beautiful but it is in the middle of nowhere relative to the city. Oh and almost every Chinese tourist place requires an admission ticket and this place is no exception. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-40213418069957351182015-02-26T21:44:00.001+11:002015-02-26T21:44:15.466+11:00Travel Diary: Guangzhou, China<div style="text-align: center;">
So it appears my blogging battery ran out again this time last week. I can only blame myself really. If you are curious as to where I was this past month, I was immersed in a Public law textbook reading about this thing called the Australian Constitution. It seems pretty important...</div>
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I've actually been sitting on this post for a really, really long time now but after taking thousands of photos overseas, it takes a different you to have the meticulous care to sit down, sort them and edit them (if you can really bothered to complete this step).</div>
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Let's begin!!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> Stop 1- </b><b>Guangzhou </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So after a 9hr flight and a stomach that hates any mode of travel whether that be by car, sea, plane (you name it), I was famished but given the late hour and my upset stomach, I had a very light dinner. The next day however was a different matter because I couldn’t wait to feast. For future reference I will be taking 1AUD= 5 RMB (Chinese currency). Guangzhou is a fairly popular Chinese Tier-1 city, </span>because<span style="font-family: inherit;"> it is an economic and travel hub with China Souther Airlines directing a lot of their flights there. Sightseeing-wise </span>there<span style="font-family: inherit;"> is nothing appealing about Guangzhou, the food however is amazing. If you liked Chinese in Australia then Guangzhou is so much better but then again that can be said about the rest of China in </span>comparison<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to their Australian counterparts.</span></div>
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<b>Yum Cha </b></div>
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When in Guangzhou you cannot overlook yum cha.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> In Australia, you’re used to having the food making its rounds in trolleys and when what you want passes by then you theoretically ‘ordered’ it. What is distinctly different though between Chinese Yum Cha is that the former no longer uses the trolley system, instead you actually mark down what you want to eat and then the food comes to your table- it's fresher that way. I think for foreigners this is a setback in light of limited to no English translations or pictures to guide you on what to order (Note I am just basing this off where I went). </span></div>
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This is where I went if you're curious, its called Tianfu Seafood Restaurant but to be honest it wasn't that great.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The glutinous ball were far too chewy with little to no stuffing. I love eating these at Sydney whether they be on those rare occasions now when I go to yum cha or when I visit Emperor’s Bakery in Chinatown, and so these were really disappointing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The rice noodles, we go two flavours, one vegetable and the other meat. I absolutely loved these, so soft and full of flavour but evidently the servings were tiny.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meat balls are mince meat combined with other vegetables including herbs. They’re incredibly tender and go down really well. That said, I’ve had better</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The cakes were superb- 2 layers so delicate and the attention to detail is not to be missed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 coloured buns, of different flavours. I had the green one which was quite sweet with a sesame, lotus and sunflower seed stuffing (from what I gathered). Verdict? Not bad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 <i>cakes</i> were delicious. End of story regardless of whether you fancy taro, radish or … they’re all good.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhU5qnSSZruPk6hYNsTs77cs5ruThYmYA1oCF6va2HnJ_T0EUPDHV_-UmyqQQMeZ05Bl0MB-9PsHhaapP6uVgB5tAurCOKJbBt7bB6ylNBC8fLROE05M2SES5HVDQk_H2PNFx_4K0SaOM/s1600/IMG_2273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhU5qnSSZruPk6hYNsTs77cs5ruThYmYA1oCF6va2HnJ_T0EUPDHV_-UmyqQQMeZ05Bl0MB-9PsHhaapP6uVgB5tAurCOKJbBt7bB6ylNBC8fLROE05M2SES5HVDQk_H2PNFx_4K0SaOM/s1600/IMG_2273.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">BBQ pork pastry, the stuffing isn’t really worth mentioning but I adore the pastry. Crumbling, buttery goodness and let’s just pretend for now that eating to our heart’s content has no impact on our waistline. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All up cost us like AUD $30 to feed like 6 people.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stop 2: Small eatery </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So after going yum cha, I though that would be breakfast and lunch, you know brunch. But no. My relatives had other plans because what is a holiday without food, food and even more food. So at 2/3 o’clock we went out for a late lunch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKbTjjlCvOsUbkgYBvSJJ41fp69n9KpArQUxInyrfiVVyA10fBM5KNbpbR2eZSs7BVEZRHgwYhocjd7d_LBmNDhV-RT7phLhPpfoFtn1JUczbKUviexvejFQn1cQlPpJppirNDuNA3Rsw/s1600/IMG_2292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKbTjjlCvOsUbkgYBvSJJ41fp69n9KpArQUxInyrfiVVyA10fBM5KNbpbR2eZSs7BVEZRHgwYhocjd7d_LBmNDhV-RT7phLhPpfoFtn1JUczbKUviexvejFQn1cQlPpJppirNDuNA3Rsw/s1600/IMG_2292.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Holy moly, if you thought the noodle houses in Sydney were good then hop on the next plane to China because this is one thing I will miss dearly. Customs can I bring these back with me? The rice noodles are a tad bit firmer but the amount of </span>flavour that that soup had belonged in another world. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The egg noodles are thinner but have a slight crunch to them in that they are more elastic and again their flavour retention is unparalleled. I mean I had the wonton noodle soup and sure the wontons were good but even though I was stuffed and wanted to leave unfinished, those noodles had me stuffing my face until I was wobbling out the door. And yes you need a massive photo, though a bit unsightly of my meal because I'm coming back here for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>上下九-步行街 (Shang Xia Jiu- Bu Xing Jie)</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lunch </span>one<span style="font-family: inherit;"> day</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was mostly street food or eating at small eateries one or two dishes at most. We went to a pretty popular district in Guangzhou though you shouldn’t expect many Western shops here. This place below is right smack bang in the middle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First thing we bought was Changsha stinky tofu. Changsha is a province in China and black tofu is their specialty. The verdict? It only smells terrible when you’re far from the store or if you’re lining up to buy it but really when you’re eating it, it tastes brilliant and you're left wondering "<i>What smell? There is none!"</i>. I absolutely loved this and if it weren’t for the fact that we bought so much other food, I would happily have another serving. Go to the store pictured here, it is by far the most popular store on the entire street and despite 2 other stinky tofu stalls you have to queue up here and that can only mean one thing- the locals love it! Warning though, a chilli based sauce is added to the tofu when its being fried and so it is mild to hot (more so hot). That said, even if you can’t stand spicy food you must have a bite of this. It’s black and crunchy on the outside but silky soft on the inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is probably a very Chinese snack/light meal because from a Western perspective the thought of eating pig intestines, and tenderloins isn’t all that appealing. I thought this was passable but not all that great. The store a few metres away looks even worse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A very distinct but very Chinese taste. To me, it’s slightly medicinal but still tasty. Beware the big slices of ginger.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8vZsePQ-M-nd_Zc6IhlTb4Uk9IGo9dWPWs4yEKjtDHql9zwCkPDaeX1xUPtM4Zrf5UU9is6_Lh_5YFcggjXPxguP2mEOs9s15uV0czecIA4_qjBpFEnf6O6laG2jBKOkiJHjqRXtC6uJ/s1600/IMG_2337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8vZsePQ-M-nd_Zc6IhlTb4Uk9IGo9dWPWs4yEKjtDHql9zwCkPDaeX1xUPtM4Zrf5UU9is6_Lh_5YFcggjXPxguP2mEOs9s15uV0czecIA4_qjBpFEnf6O6laG2jBKOkiJHjqRXtC6uJ/s1600/IMG_2337.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Milk egg custard (so apparently I deleted the photo...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I’ve tried making it at home many times and still I have yet to perfect the recipe. It is pretty simple actually, egg mixed with sugar and milk and then steamed and yet you wonder why so many people buy this- it tastes freaking amazing, that's why. Well the store’s one was impossibly light, I wish I could just hide inside the kitchen so I could steal their technique. You can have this hot or cold but it is usually preferred hot. 11 RMB: Option 302 is for hot an 303 is for cold and 301 is if you want it hot with ginger sauce. Bought from the store below: Name to be announced once I chase down my relatives but </span>this<span style="font-family: inherit;"> place is pretty famous</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cantonese fried pancake </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Slightly crunchy, sweet- 3 RMB same store as that from which I bought the milk custard but from their outside stall. Have it as a street food that you eat on the go so you don't pay the premium for the luxury of sitting down. </span></div>
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China really is made of two worlds though, the skyscrapers and the slums of old China</div>
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My cousin's turtle which I like still remember from when I was 4</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-10972830361266973782015-01-19T21:06:00.001+11:002015-01-19T21:06:40.021+11:00The Devonshire Review<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And so my long sabbatical from posting has come to an end. For those who have patiently waited for a new post to arrive, thank you! Holidays can really sap the energy out of you and I just needed an extra week from when I got back to just relax really and prepare myself for the upcoming year and god know what other commitments I've signed up for or want to at least. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Devonshire Review</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking dining out is expensive? Well so do I. My places to eat for under $10 tag (<b>link here)</b> has yet to be updated for an awful while but if we’re talking great deals then we cannot overlook the Devonshire. It might be a lot more than what you’re used to paying for a meal but believe me when I say that they have hit the target for bang for your buck. They’ve run a Friday lunch deal for quite some time now and hopefully they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The deal? $35 for 3 courses (you might want to read this again or pinch yourself because this is no joke).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With a seasonal menu, I believe that it changes each week so I guess it’s a bit of pot luck as to what to expect. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6eOwV70PY65tNV8BYbDmz-rk74XQnHBGRH_oRyTpJvjjpzw8F8FtQXP10G3Ru2m3ChFI-4Yq7uRkx1rglKlASYwQkE3p8D0RSrlN39CfhRjpTR10iHneXN9Jr4iObw6D1ijJsS99pQ6I/s1600/IMG_7366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6eOwV70PY65tNV8BYbDmz-rk74XQnHBGRH_oRyTpJvjjpzw8F8FtQXP10G3Ru2m3ChFI-4Yq7uRkx1rglKlASYwQkE3p8D0RSrlN39CfhRjpTR10iHneXN9Jr4iObw6D1ijJsS99pQ6I/s1600/IMG_7366.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Entree: Hot smoked Regal King Salmon, celeriac bavarois, pickled fennel, daikon and crisp buckwheat</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before this dish even arrived, its distinct aroma preceded it; thus is the nature of smoked food. To be honest, I have a see-saw relationship with smoked food, more so swaying towards the hate in the love-hate relationship. Thankfully, the smoke flavour was more so on the lighter side, it is there but not overwhelmingly so. And when combined with the celeriac bavarois and the pickled fennel and daikon (radish), it is easy to forget any misgivings I may have had against this cooking technique. The crisp buckwheat is also an interesting addition, eating gluten-free may not be so daunting a challenge when buckwheat is used like so. If the word crisp does not suggest a crunch then the sound will be ringing in your ears from the very first bite. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Main: Slow roast pork belly, green chilli, apple & chinese cabbage slaw chopped crackle and coriander</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">OMG is there ever an excuse not to have pork belly because I cannot think of any good reason why pork belly is never appropriate. Expect ridiculously succulent, and tender piece of meat. No words are necessary at the table to describe this. Just simply savour the moment and those ‘mho’s and ‘ahhs’ come naturally. I don’t know about you but I like apple in savouries and for me it goes splendidly well with pork. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dessert: Bittersweet chocolate mousse, chocolate biscuit crumble and coconut milk sorbet </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did you know that prior to this meal I had a coconut on the way. It appears as if coconuts and I have a high affinity with each other and especially when I was delighted to see coconut on the Friday $35 set menu. I first started with the coconut milk, one because I wanted to have it first because how can anyone say not to coconut and secondly, it was the first to melt. So so so good! There were two mousses one milk, the other dark chocolate. I personally preferred the dark chocolate mousse but milk is good too. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1tJuuTh4DTAIX3V0TvgACWl3zhVJ7fWZXcvXpT4I1eewtDSSPueHK4kVK5Glaxij46y7g3tOmtpz5upWzRGx-6FVFwW0Q0zHra04k1uQq_oleTuoOGwhdksU8nc1F55hfHGdwGsNPL7I/s1600/IMG_7362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1tJuuTh4DTAIX3V0TvgACWl3zhVJ7fWZXcvXpT4I1eewtDSSPueHK4kVK5Glaxij46y7g3tOmtpz5upWzRGx-6FVFwW0Q0zHra04k1uQq_oleTuoOGwhdksU8nc1F55hfHGdwGsNPL7I/s1600/IMG_7362.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thought I'd throw in a picture of the complimentary bread as well, the butter on the left side is honey butter- so good!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All in all I cannot wait to bring the luncheon girls to this place. At what is just under $12 per dish, this is one moment where I’d glad ask for the Devonshire crew to just shut up take my money and feed me!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-28204031115311540502015-01-02T13:30:00.000+11:002015-01-02T13:30:00.817+11:00Jo Malone Fragances<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02BuKVzGAo5Nhi8DRxeVBxSs16wX1M1awDIKXVrlOBafJX5tS_nP1M_F3S-4UsjqvbVqTt5yfp3xtOXN50zvbUzoqNcXXSqx46SCYvKUxTAANuOyeMlakf9rG_Hxwj7ulnpc_wKqh-d7j/s1600/IMG_7317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02BuKVzGAo5Nhi8DRxeVBxSs16wX1M1awDIKXVrlOBafJX5tS_nP1M_F3S-4UsjqvbVqTt5yfp3xtOXN50zvbUzoqNcXXSqx46SCYvKUxTAANuOyeMlakf9rG_Hxwj7ulnpc_wKqh-d7j/s1600/IMG_7317.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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A New Year, a new scent.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy New Year everyone, may 2015 bring out the best in all of us. I know that New Year resolutions never quite eventuate but I've already made my and I'm going to do everything I can to make it into a reality. And what better way to signal a new determined you than by changing your scent. I adore my perfumes, I think it tells a lot about a person along with their outfit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Combined Lime Basil and Mandarin with Blackberry and Bay</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Early Grey and Cucumber with Red Roses</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Price: 30ml $90, 100ml $180</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think I'm terrible at describing scents so I won't embarrass myself anymore than what I have already in all of my posts thus far. My personal favourites are Early grey and cucumber with Orange Blossoms. As you can see from the picture below I managed to grab an awful lot of testers so in due time I will attempt my hand at describing the different colognes I have but I figured that since these are like 1mL testers, I didn't want to spray them all on the same day just to write this post up because that would be a waste, so this post will be updated when I get back to Sydney and go perfume crazy.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-37488001834984592182014-12-28T11:00:00.000+11:002014-12-28T11:00:06.265+11:00Neelam Restaurant Review<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s a shame that I rarely take on Indian, it’s such a great cuisine which unfortunately I only really get to experience when I am fortunate to visit my friends’ houses and have their parents whip up a feast. Part of the reason why I have it on so few occasions, is because I just don’t know where to go. Think of it this way, I’m Chinese so I can point you to a decent, and authentic Chinese restaurant, that knowledge eludes me when it comes to Indian and Sri Lankan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This posts actually marks the second time that I’ve been here, the first time it was for a work lunch, this place recommended by an Indian colleague and it is always a bonus when they know the owners. We ordered like crazy the first time around and unfortunately I have no photos from that time, I figured that since it was a work lunch, it wouldn’t be that appropriate for me to snap photos at everything before we ate despite everything there at least knowing to some degree of this blog. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Garlic Naan $3 each</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Butter Chicken- Marinated chicken fillets, smoke roasted in tandoor and cooked </span>in a<span style="font-family: inherit;"> special mild sauce $15.90</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kerala Prawn- A popular South Indian dish from the coast of Kerala cooked with coconut cream flavoured with exotic spices and mustard seed. $17.90</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For a casual dinner for two (mum and I) we opted for a curry for two and a naan each (each piece is then cut into two). </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">After having it already, I just simply couldn’t overlook their delicious and fluffy garlic naan, in fact why have normal naan, or even butter or cheese naan when the option of garlic naan exists- so worth your while. I also prefer naan with curry rather than rice because I have eat more than enough rice at home and who doesn't like eating with their hands. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would </span>have<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to concur with my mum's opinion on how expensive curry is. For what you pay for, you basically get a few pieces of meat and loads of sauce. I admit that a lot of effort goes into making the sauce and the sauce is the tastiest and most important part but somehow I also find it hard to justify the small serving size. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed both curries, it's not something I have often, which is why the price, for me is a minor qualm.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1551164/restaurant/Sydney/Neelam-Resturant-Parramatta" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Neelam Resturant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1551164/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4140887390128306899.post-23482136989358573902014-12-25T14:00:00.000+11:002014-12-25T14:00:02.644+11:00My love for luxe handbags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I must confess that I'm one very crazy bag lady. I know that shoes may be a weak spot for many women out there and that there are countless quotes about how shoes > bags and thereabouts anything else we can indulge in but no, I like my bags- a lot more than your average person. These photos were actually taken a while ago when I tried to enter a Sunglass Hut competition with the theme, 'Make it Reign'. Alas, I didn't win (I would have mentioned it otherwise) but I did use it as an opportunity to pretend that my house is a photo studio- sadly I don't have the space to cater for one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If there is one thing a girl need that instantly boosts their confidence and transforms a look from plain to chic, it would be a good bag. It doesn't have to come attached with a huge price tag but you know if (and only if) it is within your means then it wouldn't hurt to spoil yourself or others with a coveted bag. And because I covet bags, far more so than I should, I've shown a few from my (expanding) collection below. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09972928887928547196noreply@blogger.com0