I had an Awesome 2011 Christmas

Wow! This year's Christmas is probably the most busiest Christmas I ever had in my life!
I'm loving it!
I started my Christmas pretty early.. A week before! haha.. Met up with friends that I haven't seen for a while and gave them my Christmas Cupcakes! I think they were quite shock that I made them. hehe.. I'm glad that they like it! :D

Then my workplace had a little office xmas lunch with secret santa! So much food and drinks!

The day before xmas eve, Joe and I went to Dan & Elle's house to have Christmas dinner. Elle cooked so much lovely food for all of us! It's soooo delicious! I just kept eating and eating while they were talking :P



The ham is just perfect! I can eat the whole ham by myself! Okay, maybe not in a day :P Then we had the lovely pavlova as well for dessert!! SOOOOooooo goood!!!

Then the time that I'm waiting for!! Opening the pressies!!



I'm such a sucker for pressies. I don't know why! I just love pressies! Nicely wrap with cute papers, tie it with pretty ribbons, then you can tear the wrapper and box apart and there you go! There's something inside!!! :D
I love my pressie~ the M spoon that I always wanted and the beautiful jar of scented candle! Smell really really good too! Thank you secret santa~

On Christmas eve, we had BBQ at Alan's place!
The weather was nice, food was good and lots of laughters.



Joe and I came home around midnight to have a family Christmas night with Frances at home. We open a small bottle of champagne, sat around the Christmas tree and open pressies~ Best feeling ever~



We bought Karzan lots of gifts too! Santa Paws sent him a chewable card too! haha He loves his toys :) So cute!



Then on Christmas day, I prepared lunch for 3 of us (with Joe's help of course haha)
We had prepare summery entree, which is the Mango, avocado and Prawns appetizer. Mains is my mom's Chicken Chop with mushroom sauce. Sides are baked sweet potatoes and freshly picked tomatoes from our garden. Dessert is Chocolate Tofu Mousse. Oh and a glass of gin tonic. :P

We had a short rest after that and we watch a movie too! Guess what we watched! The famous Singaporean Movie - I not Stupid. hahaha

After the movie, we started our Boxing day party preparation.



Oh by the way, we roast a chicken for dinner. Yum!

Preparations for boxing day party aka birthday celebration is kinda insane. Cook 11 dishes and bake a cake for the birthday boy.

Below pic is Joe cooking his family traditional Christmas Dish. Devils Curry.



See how big a POT!!! Can feed me for a whole month!



While he is cooking, I decorate the house a bit more and bake a cake ready for me to decorate the next day.

Boxing day party was great! We all had a great time! I have invited my blogger friend Lillian and her friend Cindy to our boxing day party. It was fun having them! They are so friendly and funny too! Best thing was all of us including my family friend Weiching kinda have our Malaysian group at one corner, chatting happily away about Malaysia! Surprisingly found out that Cindy was actually studied the same college as me in Sunway! We know the same lecturers but just different year. What a small world!



Joe prepared all these dishes for the party! Alan prepared the Ox tongue, Franky prepared Fried Meehoon for the party too! Oh, I forgot to take some of the dishes... silly me.





Lillian brought her homemade macarons! Isn't it pretty?? So smooth and shiny!! Such a talented girl.



After dinner, we had a Quiz Night prepared by Franky and Joe especially for Mark's birthday! It's was hell fun!!! Everybody had a good laugh, scratching heads cuz they can't think of the answers and yelling out at the game host for more points!



After the games, we did the secret santa thing! Then a birthday song for the birthday boy!



Made this cake for him with my limited skills on fondant modeling. It's a rush job + never decorate a whole cake before. haha I did my best!! :P Him playing footy! with his West Coast Eagle shirt! Honestly the cake was a bit too sweet but happy it's edible haha oh wells!



Anyway, this is the gifts that I have received from everybody! So much loveeeeeeeeeee!!! I love all my gifts! I will slowly explore them throughout this year!
Thank you all! :D
I really feel that I'm the happiest girl on earth! I wish every weekend is Christmas day hahaha
okay.. maybe not :P

Have a lovely New Year Everyone just in case I forgot to wish you! :D

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I've been busy preparing everything Christmas and going to dinner after dinner!
It was great! Love the festive season!

But first of all, I wanna wish everyone Merry Merry Christmas!! Thanks for supporting me and cheering me up with nice and funny comments in my blog :P

Now.. it's time for Pressiesssssss!!!!
Have a lovely lovely Christmas!!!! Love you all!! :D

Cutest Ever

Maybe I should open all the presents under the tree now and then sleep too. :)

I love my Christmas Cupcakes

Festive season is here! Meaning me going insane again!
In a GOOD way. haha

The reason why I didn't blog for daysssss is because I was busy perfecting a gift. Edible gift.
I have planned it for quite some time and all I need to do is experiment it, design it, taste test it, and perfect it!

and I did it. :)



I am so so happy with the final product!
Staying up late making this is totally worth it! :D

I'm very happy because I have finally perfect the basic vanilla cupcake! Light and fluffy!! Top with light & not too sweet buttercream! Which is the most important part of the cupcake!
As I am giving these cupcakes to friends and family, I taste test these cupcakes like.. so many times! Just to find the flavour and texture that I'm looking for.



After I'm happy with the cupcakes, now it's time to make the Christmas toppers!
Making these toppers is probably my favourite part of the process. :D
My ideas just kept expanding while I'm kneading the fondant and kept making more toppers!
I'm in love making the toppers!



I had one of my friend to come around and do this with me, I think I have kinda tini tiny winny shocked her for a little bit after looking at a table full of stuff just to make the Christmas toppers. She is one talented girl too! Learned really quickly and the most precious moment is when I saw her happy and excited face after making the toppers!
Well, actually both of us have that happy and excited face together haha like a little girl saw their favourite toy!

Now comes to transporting my cupcakes. I admit I am kinda fussy when it comes to packaging. I couldn't find a nice packaging that can hold 2 cupcakes in the shops. They either look plain or not my style. So yea.. I made my first and very own cupcake box! From measuring, creating, designing, cutting and putting them together!



My friends said I'm crazy, and I think I am too! Most of my friends and my cousin thinks that I bought the box! But they have to believe it because my cartoon character Mantou is printed on the box! Haha I just love their eyes big big and mouth big big look :P




Cupcakes all fitted in perfectly in the box and ready to go :)



I have given them all away as my christmas gift to my friends and family. Glad to see that they love it!

I miss my little snowmans... good thing is I have photograph them! Individually too! So I can look at them again every now and then haha



I was thinking... will any one of you would be interested to purchase the Christmas Cupcakes if I'm making them again for this coming Christmas (2011)? 7 days til Christmas! Maybe as a gift for your special someone? Please let me know if you are interested!

Anyway, little snowmans and me wishing you..



Yay! :D

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Hi Everyone!
Sorry I had to closed off the ordering for the Christmas cupcakes due to huge demand.
Stay tune for my next cupcake project!
Thank you for the support everyone! Love you all!!!!!!

Hi Lillian!

I met my blogger friend today for the first time after knowing each other through our blogs for one and 3 months!
Not sure if you remember about a post about her few months back, where she sent my a postcard all the way from US!

Anyway, I was glad that we finally met! Great time to meet because of Christmas too~! haha Everything just seems so beautiful although it's quite a hot summer day here. We contacted each other through twitter and finally agreed to meet up at The Tuck Shop in Northbridge.


Photo grabbed from A Brewing Mind

A few weeks ago, me and my friends were playing with Instagram liking each other's photos. Then my friends asked me about a person call @iamlillian. (Me and Lillian like each others photos quite often too haha) They thought Lillian was my long time friend, because of the way we chat on Instagram! They were shocked when I said I haven't met Lillian before and I told them that we are blog buddies. haha. They just stared at me with weird eyes!

Few days ago, I told them that I'm meeting Lillian soon and they were quite excited for me! Honestly, I was nervous too! haha It's kinda weird but excited at the same time! You know.. just feel like going for a blind date! Nervous about all the "What if " !! But look at us!!!



We chatted for 2 and half solid hours and felt like old friends!!! I can't believe it! Lillian is such such such a nice and sweet and funny and lovely and down to earth girl! I'm so glad to meet her!

We both came with our handmade gifts! We are like kids excited and thrilled to receive pretty things!

I made her Christmas Cupcakes in a box! All from scratch! The cake, the decorations and even the box. I think she probably had a shock seeing it. Who the hell make things like this!?



I agree I went a bit crazy here but I really enjoyed it! Especially making for people that will appreciate it! It just make me really happy to see the happy faces when they receive my gifts unexpectedly! That feeling is their gift to me. :)

But hey, Lillian surprised me with her handmade MT tape bag and homemade macarons!!! PINK!



Thanks for the lovely gift Lillian, although you have already given me your handmade Christmas card!!! So much LOVEEEE!! hahaha :D

Happy~~~!! ^_^

Glass

J Rabbit. What a cute group!

I wish to sing and play like them!! Cute :)
Christmas oh Christmas~~~

T2 Kids Tea Set

When you are a little kid, do you play with plastic food, plastic plates or any other kitchen related stuff but in cheap plastics? In my country, we call it 'masak-masak', meaning 'cooking-cooking' if it's direct translation :)

Well, when I was a kid, I was obsessed with 'masak-masak'. I can play with it every day! Sometimes me and my brother will play 'Police-serves-delicacies-to-the-thief-in-the-cell' game. We even made a menu for it! Miss those fun and games :)

So, here comes the story. One day I was walking and saw the new T2 shop opened in the city. I went it, sniffed some sample tea leaves, check out the teapots and cups then I saw something really really mesmerising... That thing was staring at me at my face and putting words in my mind!

BUY me~~~~Buy ME~~~



So yea, I got them.
The cutest thing EVER!!!! T2 Kids Tea Set!



Isn't it nice?? Say YES!

Okay..okay... the tea set didn't brain wash me.. I just can't help it when I see cute kitchen stuff like this!!

The T2 Kids Tea Set comprises of a Teapot, Sugar bowl, Creamer, two Teacups and Saucers, Side plate and two Spoons.The tea set is sweetly wrapped up in gingham fabric that can be used as a little picnic rug for outdoor tea parties. Made from food safe melamine. The set will comprise of a mixture of several colours. Suitable for ages 3+ :D



I took it out and showed my cousin Jil when she was at home with me. As usual, people will show me a shock expression, but she agreed to play with me! She probably wasn't as excited as me but she definitely enjoyed taking photo of it! So win-win situation here! hahaha



We had Prince of Wales tea from Twinings and some yummy pastries from New Norcia Bakery.



Milk and sugar in my cup of tea please~
Normally I drink it black, but for this tea set! I am willing to change!!!



I know I know...I am nearly 30 but my 'masak-masak' obsession is still there! I am still excited when I see these! A bit crazy I know but I just can't help it. At least this set is a usable ones :P I can pour hot water in my tea pot and drink it for real!

So.. anybody wanna join me for a cup of.... Tea Shots? :P

Dinner @ Sake Bar, Northbridge

Found Sake Bar Restaurant by surprise while I was walking along Francis Street yesterday!
I stopped and look at it carefully, Sake Bar?? Since when this is here and I don't know about it?!



Then I saw the Flowers and stuff and immediately knew this place opened just recently. I had a peep in the restaurant and it look absolutely like JAPAN!! OMG it's impressive!

So happened that I was planning to have dinner with my cousin Jil that night (it's her last day in Perth), so I thought why not try out this place? I went to pick her up and went there at around 8pm. Got in and still feeling impressed by the interior. A whole cupboard of Sake!



A nice sleek looking bar. Love it... LOVE IT!

Then you walk further in, you will see on the left of the restaurant, a stretch of floor seating tables enclosed by sliding wooden doors. There are a number of these rooms which I believe can be joined together to form a large function room. Maybe I'll have my birthday here next year! :D



The photo below is how the restaurant look like on the left :P



See the booths on the right?? Yea, we sat there after we requested it :P

For just 2 of us, I think we ate quite alot of food! First, we had cocktail to try.
I forgot the name of it because Jil ordered it. I think it is called Cherry Blossom or something like it :P



Now food time.
First up! Tori Karaage $10. This is my taste test dish always whenever I go to any Japanese Restaurant. So far, there are only a few restaurants that impressed me with this dish. I can say Sake Bar's Tori Karaage is on my list now. I like the flavour & the juiciness of the chicken. The plus side is the wasabi mayo sauce. yum.



Aburi Sushi 6 pieces $19
I am absolutely loving this plate of sushi. It is definitely not a normal sushi! The sushi was soft, the rice done just right, the seafood on top of it was seared to perfection. Then some sprinkles of truffle sea salt to give it a pop of saltiness.. OMG I want the sushi again!



Zaru Soba $10
Typical Cold Soba. I'm not an expert at it but love the dipping sauce for the noodles! Jil and I nearly wanted to drink the whole bowl of it! We stopped ourselves of course.. :P



Zucchini Flower Tempura $23.80
Honestly, not many restaurants do Zucchini Flower in Perth except for those fine dining restaurant. I was really happy to find it here!



Zucchini flower was stuffed with tofu, parmesan cheese and shitake mushroom.



Then we go for the desserts.
Black Sesame Ice Cream and Fresh watermelon cube pudding.





The dessert wasn't really that impressive. In fact it was kinda normal. I was hoping for a nice decorating plate of dessert but obviously I was hoping for too much here! hahaha
Ice cream was good! Very smooth for sure. Creamy and not overly sweet :) I like it.
As for the watermelon pudding, maybe a no for me. To me, it's just like watermelon cut up in cubes. Don't know where is the pudding :\


After dessert, Jil and I decided to have another dish! I know we are a bit crazy but because we were having such a great night, we stayed longer and order another dish!



Crispy Salmon Skin and Ponzu Sauce.
Looks nice definitely! It is crispy but taste wise.. I think I need some salty pop. Taste is quite bland so you really have to dip ponzu sauce with it :)

Overall, I enjoyed it really much! Good company, good price, good food (some of it), good service, good atmosphere! Love it! Perth finally have a restaurant that impressed me! (interior wise haha)
By the way, I did asked the waitress when did Sake Car open, because I didn't know about it! Apparently, it was the first day open to public when I was there yesterday! :D

So, when are you going to try out this place? :)


Sake Bar Restaurant
71, Francis Street
Northbridge
Ph 9328 3380

Open Lunch & Dinner
Tuesday - Sunday

Koko Black 2011 Christmas Collection

Anyone stuck and don't know what to get for Christmas? How about a magical Christmas present for your love ones? :)
Koko Black has a range of beautiful Christmas Collection!! Chocolatessssss!!!! Mmm... :P~

Koko Black's Chocolate is to die for. At one stage, I had to go to Koko Black every once a week because I was kinda addicted to their chocolate! I had to stop myself from having so much chocolate!

Anyway, here are the delicious collection!

Koko Black Advent Calendar, $45
The much anticipated Advent Calendar will delight adults and children alike, adorned with illustrations of a magical tree with gold leaves and playful elves. The triangular-shaped Advent Calendar contains 25 chocolate surprises including a selection of limited edition handmade Christmas chocolates - the Strawberry Pop with its sherbet fizz, the deliciously light Pineapple Pavlova and the traditional notes of the Peppermint Crackle.


Chocolates of Latitude, $46
Chocolates of Latitude celebrate the origins of flavours grown in the tropics. Smoky 66% chocolate cigars from Mexico, 38% chocolate batons from Venezuela, dark chocolate coated peaberry coffee beans from Kenya and 54% cocoa nib chips are all housed in solid oak, reminiscent of a traditional cigar box.


‘Summer Carol’ Pencil Tin, $19
Twice Koko Black Drawing Prize winner, Katja Krummel, has been commissioned to illustrate an adorable limited edition pencil tin titled ‘Summer Carol.’ Each tin contains white chocolate wands, milk chocolate baubles, a chocolate-shaped snowman, Santa and Christmas tree as well as playful dog stickers.



Koko Black Stocking, $32
Chocolate-loving children will be tempted by colourful Christmas stockings to hang from mantles and door knobs. Filled with treats such as snowmen and Santa chocolates and the Ballerina Princess and Soldier Prince, we suspect the collector stickers inside will be the favourite long after the chocolate has gone.



Koko Black gift boxes: 9-piece $22, 16-piece $35, 25-piece $52
The magical tree features on the 9-piece, 16-piece and 25-piece gift box, on a beautiful keepsake sleeve. Gift boxes can be customised with Christmas-themed chocolates or can be filled with a loved one’s favourites from the handmade range.

Snowmen: (Small $16, medium $34, large $98)
Finally, a traditional Koko Black favourite, our adorable hand-painted snowmen are available in three sizes, in either white, milk or dark chocolate.


So which one is your favourite?
I like the Stocking one! So colourful and cute!