Am having my darklings over for brunch tomorrow and am attempting to recreate wonderful ricotta pancakes I had at bills on my last day in Sydney.

Alas! Ricotta is a bitch to find in the Heartlands, so I decided to make my own. It's super easy!

Enjoy!

Fresh Homemade Ricotta
2 litres Milk
1 cup Heavy Cream (optional)
1/2 tsp Salt
3 tbsp Lemon Juice

Equipment: Large Sieve, Fine-mesh cheesecloth
Line sieve with cheesecloth and place over large bowl

Combine milk, cream and salt in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil on medium heat. Stir to prevent burning.
Add lemon juice, reduce heat to a low flame and simmer, stirring for about 2 minutes or until the mixture curdles.
Remove pot from stove and pour mixture into sieve to drain the liquid and retain the curds. Leave for 1 hour. Discard liquid. Spoon out ricotta, chill, covered.
Keeps for 2 days in the fridge.

So I pretty much worked the whole frigging weekend. w00t!

But I had my fun too:

Friday: Drinks @ Siam Reap + Supper at Al Amin

Saturday: Gym + Work + Interview + Dinner at Tampopo + Drinks at Wine Garage

Sunday: Erm... wasn't much excitment at all today ... unless you count staying in the office till midnight (in 10 minutes) *sob*

Meanwhile: Photos are up! :)

Two of my Favourite people

Busy busy busy...

I can almsot taste, smell, revel in the weekend, but alas no! I shall be wrenched from my grasp, cruelly, coldly, cunningly. Oh sigh sigh sigh. T__T;;

But it's a press holiday on Labour Day (Tuesday), happiness and joy! I get a upcoming break -- now to finish the four to five pieces meant for the next few days. Onward!

How to scare my boss at work...

I think I finally cracked... there's a low humming in the office that's bugging the shit outta me and causing my ears to ring madly in response, but no one here seems to be hearing it.

It's going: Hngggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggngngnngnggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhnnnnnhhhh

OH FOR THE LOVE OF CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN STOP THE MADNESS!!!!

mmm....fried chicken.....

ARGH! I forgot to eat dinner again... maybe the noise is my stomach digesting itself....

So already I'm missing Sydney, but that's to be expected. I felt so taken care of and so loved during my trip... Thanks guys so so much for taking time out, for taking care of me and for sharing in all the Advenjahs (tm: Hunt).

The wedding surprise was priceless
The wedding ceremony was interesting ... and silent (no vows...Greek Orthodox style)
Impassioned dancing at a Big Fat Greek Wedding is intense
The Foodage on the trip was awesome
At no point did I go hungry
On average I was eating every 2.5 hours
K was ridiculous fun
We forgot to sing Summer Loving Damnit!!!!
Overeating was great while it was going on, but not so great when required to move
Those turd-like meat things at Fi Fi's are fantastic
Also the Baklava
The company rocked
Tubs of hair that resemble pubes left to lie randomly around a house is JUST WEIRD!
Homecooked noodles Chinese stir-fry Aussie style is yummilicious
Spicy salty nutty topping stuff is MAD!
Melbourne was also mad fun
You can never shop too much
Or eat too much
But you can underestimate how fat one has gotten after doing the former when one accidentally zips up one's skin while trying on a tight skirt... owiee
"Sorry? Egg-jacky!" is a game which will eventually lead to no one ever daring to apologise ever again (thanks Ju)
Nazi Jazz Clubs that play good music but frown on any talking whatsoever are a little creepy
Experimental Jazz where drumstick are used to make scritchy scratchy noises on cymbals for a 'drum solo' are pure torture *shudder*
The theme in Melbourne was brought to you by the letter FART, as Ju and I were chased around the city by mysterious smells
Bunkbeds that remind me of haylofts are great fun, but a bit scary
Friday Frolic with Cupcake made up for Sparkly Sunday -- only no fireworks and elephants!!
Circular Quay lunches with no shade = BLACK arms T__T;;
The route from Marrickville to Croydon Park is fraught with strange turns and is surprisingly LONG, but could just be due to lack of an inner GPS (thanks Ogee)
Wii is crazygoodmadfun
My Wii Mii is too short lah
'Hotpot tastes like burning' should be a Jellybelly flavour
It should replace 'Tastes like pesticide' aka Jalapeno (eeee-yer)
Having terrible luck at picking Jellybelly flavours is my recently discovered speschul skill
Also eating three dinners and then feeling ill
Getting lost in the car again was not so fun and a bit sick inducing, but still an Advenjah
Ogee needs to Learn 2 Minimap d00de!
The story of the Fluffy Fabric Softener will probably become legend within my circle of friends
Also one day, when I stop blushing just thinking about it, the story of getting stuck in the dressing room *blush*
Breakfast at Bills was a Genius idea... mmmmm ricotta pancakes....mmmmmm....corn fritters......
It is possible to find Love on an eight hour plane ride
But it really freaks out your fellow passenger when she wakes from a nap to find the passengers next to her sucking face
Yes the Fluffy made it back intact
And no one stole the 3 dozen Krispy Kremes while I was sleeping
Everything in my room smells like Fluffy now...mmmm...Fluffy!

Christmas in April...

I hope you remember the sounds of George St
The heat of a December afternoon.
The beauty of a gum tree thrashed in the summer thunder,
The grains of sand at Manly
The sunburn,
The chorus of seagulls savouring for the taste of that last deep-fried chip,
The rosey cheeked tourists...

I wish I could bottle it all up for you and post it for Christmas,
but I am sure that Australia and I are always in your heart.

-- Mikeycakes, Dec 2006

Yes, yes, yes and Bronte. And yes, I remember and am so blessed to have had a chance to relive it all (or most of it anyway).

A milestone... of sorts

You know those weird once-in-a-lifetime occurances that you think only happens to other people or in the movies?

Such a momentous thing just happened to me...

While filing the household bills, I accidentally breathed a fly right into my mouth! Go me!

Mmmmm...crunchy...

Australia, in australia
I want to fly and run till it hurts

Best Holiday Ever!

Pictures to come...

Almost afraid to say it in case things get fucked again, but the visa got approved (1 year tourist visa + no more hassles the next time I travel to Australia) and more importantly, got a flight to Sydney that is in time for the wedding I was planning to crash.

Oh dear I'm too tired from all of this.

But Sydney is on and all the lovely things. Some of my darlings have made other plans, but that's okay... as long as we get to see each other, it's all good.

Onward!

"TO SHERALYN COMING TO VISIT HER FRIENDS IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA SAYS 'NO!'" (Mikeycakes, 2007)

That's the gist of it.

This trip's been a series of obstacles:

1. Gulf Air halves its fleet
Messy swap of flights with me being booked on two separate flights on two separate days.

2. "Not ticketed"
Panic when told -- two days before the flight -- that was not yet ticketed. Turns out transferred passengers only get ticketed the day before.

3. "No Visa or ETA found"
Nice lil surpise when trying to check in.

4. "No Visa or ETA found" + "Required to apply in person at Australian High Commission"
Time: 8am
Time of flight: 9.30am
Time Australian High Commission opens: 9am
Situation: FUBAR

5. "HSA will make their own assessment if you are fit to fly"
With what? Their oujia board?

6. "HSA will not accept any recommendations from your doctors, if needed you'll have to see one of the ones on their panel"
Great, now that's gonna be speedy.

7. Wait

8. Wait

9. Wait.

10. Give up.

No Syndey, no wedding, no Mikeylove, no cupcakes, no animelovemadness @ K, no Fi Fi's, no Melbourne, no Bennet's Lane, no Sydney Fish Market, no kebabs and pide, no Baklava, no Fluffy fabric softener, no Starburst orgies, no pancakes, no passion flower, no k-steamboat.

/sad sad sad

Maybe it just wasn't meant to happen. Pure gankage all the way...

Situation FUBAR

Alrighties, three weeks of intense work and very little sleep have culminated to this... I'm off to Sydney!

See yas!

Off to Sydney in about 9.5 hours. Utterly exhausted, slightly hysterical and quite anxious about leaving The Office behind for ten whole days.

It's been a draining three-day sprint to the finish, but the weekender is done - mostly. And I've got reliable help to babysit in case there are any last minute snafus.

:)

Why does it always rain on me?

Oh woe! To be defeated by the weather. And it was sooo nice out this morning. But the weather, sensing my optimism just had to step in and send in a legion of storm clouds.

"Rain? What rain?" said she, as she sat prettily before her offerings of gastronomic delight. "Tis but a mild drizzle," she scoffed, slicing up chunks of fresh bread and cutting a thick wedge of chocolate cake. Such blatant disregard pleased not the party of storm clouds. They ceased their playful trickle and unleased their fury, scattering the party of happy picnickers, even as Picnic Fairy screamed, "WHAT RAIN?! WHAT RAIN?!" as she was dragged towards safe shelter.

Look who found us at the picnic! Our new furry friend, all decked out in autumn colours. Brown fur is so in!

Then D tried to eat it.

one word meme
Copy.
Paste.
Answer.
Questions.
In.
One.
Word.

1. Where is your cell phone? DESK
2. Describe your boyfriend/girlfriend? WONDERFUL
3. Your hair? NICE
4. Your mother? COOL
5. Your father? ANNOYING
6. Your favourite item? NOTHING
7. Your dream last night? NOISY
8. Your favourite drink? WATER
9. Your dream car? TANK
10. The room you are in? PURPLE
11. Your ex? CHEAT
12. Your fear? HEIGHTS
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? HAPPIER
14. Who did you hang out with last night? ME
15. What you're not? TALL
19. The last thing you did? COOKED
20. What are you wearing? PJS
22. Your favourite book? SCIPIO
23. The last thing you ate? NASI LEMAK
24. Your life? BLESSED
25. Your mood? CONTENT
26. Your friends? BLESSINGS
27. What are you thinking about right now? BABY
28. Your car? RED
29. What are you doing at the moment? TYPING
30. Your summer? WHAT?
31. Your relationship status? HAPPY
32. What is on your TV? DUNNO
33. When is the last time you laughed? FRIDAY
34. Last time you cried? FRIDAY

The Return of the Picnic Fairy

Hear ye, hear ye... thou lovely Picnic Fairy doth returneth. On the 'morrow she shall bless thee with much yummy vittles.

The Spread:
Hummous
Tunisian vegetable dip
Potato salad
Roast veggie and wholemeal pasta salad
Rosemary chicken 'sausage'
Veggie stix
Ham and egg ring
Dessert: A decadent double layer chocolate devil

Am totally pooped-th as hath been slaving thy posterior off for the last week --maketh that three weeks -- includingth today-eth. :(

BUT I DECREE THE 'MORROW SHALL BE PERFECT...ETH

Scary Email... The Movie

Lol. Didn't realise just how tired I was last night. Replied to Man's email about this vid.

This was my reply:

From: Sheralyn
Re: FW: Alanis' Humps
no idea what the song is. anywya wtach later mayb e never asi always put it off. anyway i'ma the office still tired v cranky v incohent anf dizzy i hate my life right now

From: Redzman
RE: FW: Alanis' Humps
Your email scares me. It’s like one of those B-grade horror flicks where the innocent victim receives an incoherent email, and then dies mysteriously...

Whoops. Sure hope I didn't send out any work emails like that last night. T_T;;

It's like I'm a crazy person, mind's buzzing and ticking along when my body just wants to collapse in a soft heap. I really should be sleeping in a bit, but I can't seem to.

Feel stretched out and assualted by the various voices in my head reminding me to do this and that. Trying to stay on track with The Plan for the day while getting banzai-ed (yes, it's a word) by all the randoms that are part of my job.

Been composing emails, questions and killer leads in the shower, on the bus, on the train, but each time I get to my desk, I lose all my nicely worded phrases and sit like a dumdum, hands poised over the keyboard, with a BIG FAT BLANK.

Been blindsided twice by bad (PR?) communication in the last two days. Been keeping late (work) hours and working the weekends for going-on three weeks now. And will be working this Easter Friday too. But it's all for a good reason, I keep telling myself. Although the colleagues think I'm insane for banking so many things. B u t . I . M u s t !

Chug along wee girly.

It's really late and I oughta be in bed
But I thought to commemorate
My latest ever day at work
Left at Midnight when the paper went to bed

wah still can write in rhyme. must be all that coffee...

*staggers to bed*