Shufflicious

I couldn't resist. I finally bought a Shuffle about three weeks ago. When Apple first introduced the new Shuffle, I was reluctant to buy it due to its small 1GB capacity and no screen display. But it's been perfect for me and the battery life is amazing! My old Archos Gmini has a 20GB capacity but use to cark on me after 3-4 hours. Not even a full work day. I haven't managed to drain my Shuffle on a day out yet.

The problem I have with the Shuffle though, isn't the lack of a screen or its small capacity. It's the lack of a Hold button! Having fat fingers, made even more uncoordinated by gloves, I have a bad habit of accidentally skipping to the next track. Which isn't such a big deal, but the tracks I listen to are DJ sets ranging from an hour to two hours in length. The Shuffle's fast tracking functionality is pretty crappy and it'd take too long to get back to where I was. Apart from that, I'm a happy consumer with the Shuffle. Have to admit though, I spent a lot of time in the Apple store steeling my nerves and convincing myself to buy it. Just the thought of having to deal with Apple support again if anything goes wrong put me off.

El Laberinto del Fauno

aka Pan's Labyrinth.

You know, I didn't realise it was going to be so gruesome! And it wasn't badly done gruesome either (*cough* Hostel *cough*). It's the kind of gruesome that puts the viewer's overactive imagination to good use. I couldn't stop cringing at times. With 2 days to go, Pan's Labyrinth makes it into my list of "must watch" movies for 2006. It was imaginative, artistically shot, and had a decent storyline to boot. Thanks Niffies for the hawt movie date :)

Here's one that's made it into my "don't bother" movies list - Babel. Sure, it's got Brad Pitt, and he's decent in it. So's Cate Blanchett. However, the movie is just _endlessly_ and _needlessly_ depressing. Yes, there's a theme, everyone's lives are interconnected in some way. Yes, coincidences aren't really coincidences. Hence it's possible for a Japanese businessman's hunting trip in Morroco to cause sweet little American children to lose their way in Mexico. But... so what?

Pan's Labyrinth - 4/5
Babel - 1/5

"It's like riding a bike...

... you never forget", was the advise I was given from hardcore boarders. This brought back memories of when Ula made me ride a bicycle for the first time in about 10 years. I almost crashed into a parked car!

But it's true, some things you don't forget. You just remember _really_slowly_ what you're suppose to do. Funnily enough, with snowboarding, you remember what you're suppose to do right after you stack it :P Thought to self for next time: "Use my edge more! Link my turns!"

Unfortunately, I look like a boy with a beanie and snow gear on :(

It's beautiful at Meribel. At the top, we were 2200m above sea level (I think). I've never seen snow covered mountains like this before. It's also really scary! As I watched kids a third my age whizz by on skiis, I contemplated how I was going to make it down the mountain without scraping up my face :P I wish my parents had the money to take me skiing every year for family holidays. I could be a pro by now! Then again, my parents took me to the beach every weekend when I was young, and I'm definitely not a pro bodyboarder *grin* I do feel lucky though, that I have friends now who are willing to take me to the very top, and who kept encouraging me everytime I felt I couldn't do it anymore. It was a great way to spend Christmas :)

Which way?!? Can we go to Jerusalem?

My favourite moment of the trip... Aaah, chillax...

2006 Family Portrait

Edit 29/12/2006: For the unbelievers - Behold! My right butt cheek in all its cellulite glory! Nobody make any wise cracks :P Har har har!

Worst. Present. Ever

I really hope the person who gave me this doesn't discover my blog. This is the reason why I think Kris Kringles and Secret Santas are a fcking waste of time and money:

Wtf? I know I look young, but I'm not freaking 5 years old. I'd rather have the 5 quid as a present than this. I'm definitely re-gifting this one.

Bah humbug.

And yeah, this even beats the BH90210 calendar I got one year from my brothers. At least at that time, Luke Perry was dreamy.

What I need

A Clocky. I woke up at 8:52am today thinking, "Fck, it's 8:52am, why are there people drilling outside?!?" Quickly followed by, "Fck, it's 8:52am, why am I still in bed?!?"

I don't even remember turning my alarm off. Clocky will run away from you if you try to snooze more than once :)

If you had the money...

Would you spend it on this?

Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac.

It's EUD$1170, and that's duty free prices. Bargain! According to Wikipedia:

"Louis XIII cognac is manufactured using grapes from the Grande Champagne of France. It is blended from eaux de vie, some more than a century in age, then it is aged in "tiercons," barrels that are several hundred years old, in its own cellar. A bottle of Louis XIII may be priced as high as $2,000(US) however average price range is between $1,000 to $1,300. The handblown crystal decanter is commonly valued at $400-$600 without the cognac."

I guess this barely counts as a luxury item when you take into account:
- World's most expensive tequila = $225,000 (It comes in a gold and platinum casing, and someone did buy it)
- World's most expensive whisky = $38,000 (Macallan 1920, sold out!)
- World's most expensive beer = $2,595

Though the world's most expensive beer only gets its aclaim because a drunken Kiwi misread the bill and thought it said $2.45 when he signed it *lol*

Personally, I'd go for one of these cocktails. Although, I can see some of them being a choking hazard. Men, if you want me to say, "Yes", this is how you do it :P

Urban surfers

What do you do when you don't have a beach? Surf in a canal of course! This looks totally insane and fun at the same time. Guys literally just jump on their boards and ride the current. Wonder how they'd deal with a real break...

München

I spent the entire weekend munching on wieners, deep fried potatoes, Nutella and sour cherry crepes, hunk of venison, Augustiner beer, lethal schnapps, chicken wings, fish, calamari... My stomach was in pain by the time I was on the plane back to Rondon. It was great! For the first time since we've known each other, T, B and I went on holiday together! The Xmas Markets were great, but I had the best time just being partners in crime with T and B. We were together in München.

Sound of Music Sing-a-long

Brown paper packages wrapped in string - Check.
Leiderhosen - Check.
Nuns - Check.
Drag Queen - Huh?

If you're a fan of SoM, it has to be done. Or in poor Sarah's case, Kate and I just dragged her along cause we wanted to see it *grin* Full credit though, Sarah got right into it, and amazingly, it was the first time she'd seen the entire movie! Where was her childhood?!? My fave part has always been the Goatherd song:

One little girl in a pale pink coat heard
Lay-ee odl, lay-ee odl lay-oo-oo
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd
Lay-ee odl, lay-ee odl-oo
Soon her mama with a gleaming gloat heard
Lay-ee odl, lay-ee odl lay mmm mmm
What a duet for a girl and goatherd
Lay-ee odl, lay-ee odl-oo
Happy are they layee odl-lay-ee-o oh lay-ee odl-lay-ee lay-ee-oo
Soon their duet will becoma a trio
Lay-ee odl, lay-ee odl lay-ee-oo...

Xmas Lights

I spent the night wandering around Oxford St. It's all lit up. A bit tackily. Then again, I always thought Christmas was a tacky affair *grin* My fave lights are the giant lightbulbs on Carnaby St.

Bye Jules!

*sniffles* Jules is the first friend to leave me in Rondon and return to Sydney. I really wish you could've stayed longer in Rondon. I finished all the Jaffa Cakes you gave me (and it's not even Xmas yet!). And I'm still hankering for chocolate crepe...

Steeeak!

Occasionally, I get the hankering for RED MEAT. Screw instant noodles, screw pasta - I want a freaking piece of cow to munch on. So yesterday, I wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of my steak, including my flatmates *grin*

Me: "Do you want steak for dinner?"
(what I mean: It doesn't really matter what you say, I want steak)
D: "Err, isn't it 10 quid? That's expensive."
Me: "I'm going to get it anyway, so if you want it, there's going to be one for you"
(what I mean: I don't care if you don't want it, I'm still eating it for dinner!)

Come to think of it, 10 quid for 2 pieces of raw meat is quite expensive if you convert it to Aussie dollars (approx AUD$25). But dang it was good. I've seriously discovered the best way to cook steak medium rare. It's turned out perfect for me thrice in a row so far. Adapted from Becasse's recipe for roast tri tip of veal:
- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees;
- Season steak with salt and pepper and leave at room temperature;
- Heat up pan with olive oil over high heat;
- Sear the steak all over;
- Throw it in the oven for 8 mins, turning constantly;
- Rest the steak for 3 mins.

Tada, one perfecto steak. Sorry, I munched a quarter of it before I remembered to take the picture:

Slow blogging month

Things I surprisingly fell in love with this Winter:
- Stripey socks from Tabio
- Stiletto knee high boots from Nine West

- PUFFY JACKETS (I can't stop trying them on in shops... They're everywhere!)

Things I can really do without:
- Cracked and blistering lips

*Uggh* In the space of one day, my bottom lip went from slightly peeling to busted, yellow and infected. It looks like I have a flesh eating disease on my lip :( Definitely not kissable :P All the moisture is getting sucked out of my body.

View from my window

What a difference a week makes...

Fresh! From Sydney!

Authentic Laksa paste :D Homemade by my parents :) Sprinkled with fried onion flakes made by my aunt, and flown in from Malaysia. Accompanied by snapper fishcakes made by authentic Thai gal, T.

Also on the menu this weekend, mutant prawns! Madagascan, apparently.

Smile!