Mother's Day Lunch at Emperor's Garden

I actually posted this a couple of days back, but since blogger was really retarded and it sort of malfunctioned, I'm editing everything all over again. POO.

My 5th birthday party!
The theme was fairies and pirates?
Something like that.

I think my mum is wonder woman. I know it sounds quite funny and maybe even a tad bit retarded, but it's entirely true. 

Here are some of the reasons why:

1. She manages to do so many things in one day. She has said before that she wants to be a stay at home mom, but we all know she can't cause she's a stress junkie. 

2. She pretty much cooks all of our lunches and dinners.* Mind you, it's not just cooking for the sake of it, she actually plans a menu and makes sure that we have a balanced diet. Plus she makes most of the stuff from scratch too.

3. She tutors my little sister who is really tricky and naughty**

4. Did I mention she works full time as well? She handles all sorts of difficult people, she's also the glue that binds the company together.

5. She's always got everybody's back no matter what situation we are in.

6. She gives the best advice.

7. She knows how to turn a gray day into one bursting with sunshine.

You see, I've always loved eating.
In this case, it was cotton candy.

Now, do you see why I think she's one in a million wonder woman? I guess her efforts were acknowledged but sometimes under-minded in the past since I'd expect all mums to be flawless like her. But since I've migrated to Australia to study, I've realized how much effort she actually exerts for my life to be such a breeze. She's the BEST! 

Meet Fresh Taiwanese Dessert House, Chinatown

Hi, hello, there has been a ton on my mind lately- cycling, the Beatles, cardboard models, Ferran Adria, bathrooms, running, and the infamous new iPad. It's quite the range of stuff, yeah? I'm listening to Beatles right now, and I think they're fabulous! I say that in the most non-gay way! With regard to the bathroom, we're designing one, fixtures and the works!:)

Isn't that a hilarious name?
You'd prolly think it's a supermarket or something else in that category!

I've been out so much lately which obviously leads to eating out and other stuff. So after a crazy indulgent and filling lunch at Happy Chef, you'd think that there's not going to be any more food calories! Why don't you guess again? Late last year, there was this lucrative dessert store that has the longest lines. Seriously, it was crazy and there were times that it would go around the block. And since the fad has faded (a tad), it was time to check it out!*

You see, the staff is talented, she makes the desserts too,
on top of that, she cleans the tables!
Talk about Asians being stingy with employment.

For me, it's a bit reminiscent of the dessert shacks in Hong Kong.** This one happens to be Taiwanese, it's also a cleaner and more refined version. Well, not that I'm trying to be all racist, but there weren't a lot of white people in view cause I reckon it was a bit intimidating. I'm Chinese and even I it's intimidating, what more for the whites? It all starts with the menu, they basically have the same core thing (taro balls, herbal jelly, crushed ice, tofu pudding, whipped cream tea) with the slightest variations aka the toppings. 

Slipping Away for a Bit: Friday Night Markets

3 more weeks and uni will come to a close. I'm handling too much drama right now. There's failed ideas and concepts, sleepless nights, and these sick days. I hate being sick, sickness for me usually comes in the form of cough and colds. Just that? Yeah. I can hardly breathe through my nose and my voice is husky. It's disgusting.

gotta love T2.

Despite these things, I managed to let time slip away a bit. A wee little bit. I just had to relax and focus. First thing after uni today, I went to T2 to replenish my tea supply. I'm such a sucker for a good cuppa tea. I spent a good 20 minutes in T2 trying to figure out which packs of tea to get. Trust me, averaging at $12-$15 for 100g, you'd want to be sure that you're getting the perfect ones. Since green tea is just something that I have to have, I sniffed my way through their selection of green tea before I decided on which to get. I chose Marrakech which is a middle-eastern blend of green tea and peppermint. As for the second one, I picked up Monk Pear, a delicate all day round tea- really fruity and floral.

i think street food reflects a country's culture and cuisine more than anything

by far, the most takoyaki griddles i've ever seen!

Headed down to Chinatown with fingers crossed to try this new Taiwanese dessert place that has been constantly raved about these days. The line was way too long that my friend and I decided to pass. There happened to be Friday Markets in Chinatown, so we planned to grab some food and head to Darling Harbour. There were so many Asian street food stalls to choose from, we took ages trying to come to an agreement what to get. We ended up getting BBQ Beef and an assortment of Takoyaki.

you're looking heartbreakingly smashing!

On the way to Darling Harbour, we passed by of the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards. My friend happened to jump up and down! She saw Callum Hann from Masterchef. Callum is definitely one of my favorite masterchefs, he's brilliant, inventive, and determined! My heart leaped for joy! I absolutely love this guy! He knows what he wants and he is focused to achieve it. I looked like such a tourist yanking my camera out of my bag and constantly snapping pictures of him. Can you say paparazzi? I also caught glimpses of Matt Preston, Adam Liaw, Rove, and Stan Walker. This made my day, really.

CHOW DOWN

see what i mean when i say it looks really really good?

The Takoyaki would probably be the best that I've ever had. It was really chewy and squishy. Not the usual invisible pieces of octopus, prawn, and crab. These were really eye-catching ones! You could see the tails and claws poking out. They were very generous with the Bonito fish flakes and the sauce which makes it CHECK PLUS, PLUS!:) Oh, I might've wanted a lil bit more veggies inside!:P

the letdown

However, the BBQ beef however was a downer. Maybe it's because I've just had my fair share of moreish ones? This was nothing compared to Bee Chiang Hiang. And it costs quite a bit as well.

T2
Sydney Central Plaza
450 George Street
Sydney 2000