Who is your favourite celebrity couple?.

I started writing this post with the intention of sharing the Rice Noodle Salad I made for lunch with friends on Wednesday but then I realised I didn’t note down how I actually made the salad.  You see when it comes to creating dishes, it mostly comes down to convenience and subconsciously what I’ve been reading on the blogsphere. For example few weeks ago my work colleague mentioned an ice cream she tried few years ago (lemongrass and ginger) which made me start to think about tea, then thai food but how I’m not a fan of curries especially during the summertime even though Wellington summers are extremely mild compared to the Northern regions. I can’t recall where this whole train of thought was going but it ended up in a self hosted lunch with friends.  The dish: Thai Noodle Salad with lemongrass coconut ginger ice cream with lime syrup

The noodle salad was fresh, summery with hints of coriander, mint, toasted peanuts, sesame crusted tofu and very lightly drizzled with a homemade lemon sweet chilli sauce. If I create this again – would anyone be interested in the recipe? I’d probably be more consciously aware with measuring and noting things down  and so on if I knew that someone else may be inspired by my limited culinary skills. AND the ice-cream – pretty much 5 gold stars in terms of first time ice cream making skills.

Coconut, lemongrass and ginger icecream (adapted from Nordjus) 

5 lemon grass stalks
370ml coconut milk ( I used a standard can of coconut milk which came to about  400mls)
3 egg yolks (whoops used the whole egg, don’t think it made much difference)
90g caster sugar ( I was a bit liberal with this one and added a bit 10g more)
10ml cornflour (2 teaspoons)
120ml double cream ( for NZ readers -regular cream worked just fine)
finely grated rind of 1 lime

8 slices of fresh ginger cut into quarters

For the lime syrup

70g caster sugar
70g water or in my case of not knowing how you convert water into grams – enough water to cover the bottom of the pan
1 lime, thinly sliced
30ml lime juice ( I used lemon juice. Limes are expensive yo.)
Cut the lemon grass stalks in half lengthways and bruise them with a rolling pin or any other heavy object, I used a watermelon. Go figure. . Place in a saucepan with the ginger , add the coconut milk and bring to just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about half an hour. Remove the lemon grass and ginger if you want . I left some of the ginger in to give the ice cream a bit more POW.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar and cornflour until pale. Gradually add the coconut milk, whisking constantly.

Return to the saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the custard thickens. Remove from the heat, strain into a clean bowl and leave to cool. Chill.

Stir the cream and lime rind into the custard. Churn in a machine until thick. Freeze. ( or If you know the process on how to make ice-cream without a machine, I’d be interested in learning how)

To make the syrup, heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Boil for about 5 minutes without stirring. Reduce the heat, add the lime slices and juice and simmer for another 5 minutes. Cool.

Drizzle the syrup over the ice cream and then serve with fresh mint as a garnish.

images from weheartit

p.s I’m currently trying out themes for the blog as I’m currently annoyed that the previous one totally messed up my lists.

126. Living in a city where everything is within walking distance

127.  the wonderful combination of caramel and sea salt,  blue cheese and pear, peanut butter and jam, watermelon and feta or chocolate

128.  Figuring out something without the use of google

129.  my blog as a hobby

130. floral prints (image source)

131.   the colour burnt orange

132.  making up care packages

133.  Instant makeover in a $15 dollar hair dye bottle

134. the first day of feeling well after a period of being sick

135.  first dates that go super well.  I haven’t had one of those in a loooong time.

136.  Coffee where the normal shot is double.  Did you know that in Melbourne and as I recall Sydney too  I think,  coffee is only single shot and you have to ask for double. SINGLE.

137. Crystals.  They have a childlike nostalgic charm.

138. bandcamp

139. Purchasing a dress online and finding it fits

140. Cake that tastes good without icing.

141.  This quote by Margaret Cho

                “I love heavily tattooed women. I imagine their lives are filled with sensuality and  excess, madness and generosity, impulsive natures and fights. They look like they have endured much pain and sadness, yet have the ability to transcend all of it by documenting it on the body”

142. Falling by The Civil Wars

143.  Being fiercely independent.

144.  the joy of being able to wear dresses without tights on warm  windless summer days.   Its very rare here.

145. Riding a bike.  I really enjoyed doing this in Japan and wish I could do so here but the whole cycling on roads plus wind factor is a little too scary for me.

146. Seeing friends content and happy with their lives

147. the person who painted this picture and the one who inspired it. (image source)

148.  Being able to save

149. Taking risks

150. Having goals

Watching: The adventures of Merlin

Really excited about: more I’m looking forward to Death Cab for Cutie in February then friends wedding in December.  I need something in between to get me through!

Laughing at: nothing at the moment. I’m in quite a serious mood

Wondering why: I’ve never had a long term relationship and whether its something I will ever actually experience. It is something I would like but I can’t really visualize the reality of it.  I like to note out that my life is pretty good right now.  There are still things I want to work on but I’m not in this constant state of anxiety and in need of either reassurance that things will work out or subconsciously seeking out stuff that gives instant gratification but nothing else.

Wearing: blue floral dress with a coral cardigan

Dying of cuteness because of:  the facebook Squeelandia posts. So much cuteness

artist: Gene Guynn

So my goals for 2012 are:

• Keep going to the gym on a regular basis. At least 3-4x a week
• Switch to herbal teas from coffee after 3pm. I’m a big coffee drinker so this is big.
• Save at least $300 per fortnight especially from mid Feb
• Blog everyday for a month.  I think I might do this in February since the month is shorter
• Write and post letters to 12 different people.  Let me know if you like to be a recipient :)
• Finish a PS3 game
• Go to work early for a month.
• Rewire my thought processes so I’m not so negative on my body/self image.
• To comment on a different blog every day for a month.  I skim through 5 -6 blogs a day. This can’t be hard.

With saying that my very vague 5 year goal plans are

• Become debt free
• Increase my income by 5 – 10k
• Lose 20 kilos
• Live overseas for a year
• Live on my own comfortably.

What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? I went overseas to Japan on my own. So glad I did.

Did you keep your New Years resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Yup, I started a new job in April , moved to my current flat in May, learnt some Japanese through listening to people in Japan and asking what it means, started to exercise for the first time in my life.

2012 is mostly about making a few more adjustments to continue with the progress I made in 2011.

Did anyone close to you give birth? not that I know of.

Did anyone close to you die? no

What countries did you visit? Japan and Brisbane

What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?  A date? But more importantly – a little bit more money to play with. I feel like I achieved quite a bit financially last year but at a cost

What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory? September 2^nd, typhoon in Japan – camera got wrecked, stranded at train station in a small Japanese city that I had never been to, with no idea where to go or to ask for help – no one around. Walked up and down that train station for 4 hours, then found a small travel agent place where thankfully one of them could speak minimal English, burst into tears, tried to call Hugh who was living in the city, couldn’t reach….. many hours later, reached Hugh through a mutual friend.   It was just one big stressful night.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? Paying off my wisdom teeth debt and going to Japan on my own and not coming back with a debt.

What was your biggest failure?  I think I could have done better with eating healthier, something to work towards in 2012

Did you suffer illness or injury? Just the usual migraine, knee and shoulder pains.

What was the best thing you bought?  Hotel accommodation for the first couple of nights and last night in Japan, totally glad I splurged out a bit for that. My third tattoo which was really an extension to another one.  Gym membership and oh I recently just bought death cab for cutie ticket.

Whose behaviour merited celebration? Hmm, in my own personal circles – my friends Erin, Angela, Fugue and Pamela.  Erin for becoming more confident in herself (she may not actually realise this but this past year I think she definitely has) and finishing her Masters in International politics? Angela for her commitment to LGBT rights and queer activism and having a podcast on Feast of Fun. Fugue for her musical contribution to the world and Pamela for knowing that she deserves better in life.

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? I won’t mention names

Where did most of your money go? Paying off wisdom teeth debt and Japan trip

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Japan of course and my tattoo

What song/album will always remind you of 2011? Oooh I didn’t really listen to that much music this year.  Hmm that Lana Del Rey song has been playing a lot lately but she’s a bit too whiney for me.  I did listen to a lot of The Civil Wars. and possibly Ceremonials by Florence and the Machine?

Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? Happier,  I feel I’m more on track, more in control of my life.

thinner or fatter? The same thanks to Christmas period but healthier

richer or poorer? Richer since I cleared one debt

What do you wish you’d done more of?

What do you wish you’d done less of? wasting days in bed,  eating bad food

How did you be spend Christmas? Lunch with flatmate’s family then went to house sit for a friend in Petone

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? Hugh and Pam

Did you fall in love in 2011?  No thankfully, this was the first year since living in Wellington where I focussed solely on myself and not on relationships.

How many one night stands in this last year? None

What was your favourite TV programme? I was introduced to Doctor Who by Hugh and starting to get into that, Game of Thrones, Community, Gilmore Girls, Sherlock Holmes.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, utter waste of time

What was the best book(s) you read? Books I enjoyed:  A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood,  Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde,

What was your greatest musical discovery? bandcamp

What did you want and get?  A tattoo

What did you want and not get? An iphone

What were your favourite films of this year? I only saw one film this year and that was the one with Owen Wilson in Paris, Woody Allen film, can’t remember the name of it.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I celebrated it by getting my tattoo the next day.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More money.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Same-old.  Like 2010 I hardly did any shopping.  I’m hoping to change that a bit this year or at least update my wardrobe a bit.

What kept you sane? Routine,  a lot of alone time and exercise

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? none

What political issue stirred you the most? Welfare

Who did you miss? H, my sister, friends in Auckland, friends in London, the usual.

Who was the best new person you met? Siobhan my previous flatmate was definitely a good addition to the house.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.  You can create your own happiness. A smile is a choice, not a miracle.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?

You need not to climb mountaintops,
You need not to cross the sea,
You need not to find a cure for everything that makes you weak.
You need not to reach for the stars when life becomes so dark,
And when the wind does blow against the grain,
You must follow your heart,
You must follow your heart.

When all your friends have come and gone,
And the sun no longer shines,
And the happiness for which you long is washed away like an ocean’s tide,
When all the hard times outweigh the good,
And all your words are misunderstood,
When the day seems lost from the start
You must follow your heart,
You must follow your heart.

If you feel you’ve paid the price,
And your wounds should cease to heal
And everything you love in life spins like a winding wheel.
If you should wake to find you’re abandoned,
And the road you’ve traveled leads to a dead-end
When death creeps in to play it’s part,
You must follow your heart,
You must follow your heart.

Watermelon mint  and Feta Salad, Quinoa Bean salad, Chocolate Log and Strawberies, Cherries, Roast Beef, Warm Turkey and Walnut Salad, Corn and Mozarella salad, Christmas Pudding, choc log and berries. 

cherries

Champagne and strawberries

pavlova

summer salads

bruchetta

Christmas fruit mince pies

All so delicious.  What about you?