garden.report

this was how it looked like last weekend, but you know the tiles are now on and you should have a new garden this weekend...

 you can't wait to enjoy your new garden

and you know, plants, trees will be planted when you are home ^^

coffee.grinder

you acquisition over the weekend, from the antique market in delft. product of west germany.

::seashell::

you had a late dinner with your girlfriend at marylebone. an english style seafood restaurant with a fish and chips take away at the next door.

 you had a plate of traditional english fish and chip. haddock fish to be exact. perhaps you are bias, but you prefer the dutch plate of lekkerbek with dutch fries more than this... then again you are in uk, this is just how they do the fish and chip...

 and your naked spotted dick as dessert. the name caught your attention and since you are in the traditional mood might as well go all the way.

the spotted dick covered by hot custard sauce. it taste like a bread pudding or sticky pudding with a very natural vanilla essence.

it's a great night out to chat and catch up with friend.

today you officially informed your client that you will be out for 4 weeks starting 9 July. you will have a full team this week and your cover during your absence will also be onboarding this thursday but you still have tons to do before you are finally off. let's say you'll have to burn some midnight oil tonight as it is almost impossible to do any planning during office hour where there's plenty of meetings and distraction.

perfect.plate

it all happened last thursday, you should have done your home work better but because you didn't, you ended up in queensway only to find that kiasu has permanently closed down. what a disappointment.  it must be ages ago since you last came to this area. you didn't want to settle with chinese food nor another thai fast food that doesn't look great. you return home with an empty stomach. you were debating earlier if you should come out and eat or settle within bank area. you needed some fresh air and so the trip did serve the purpose only left you in hunger.

after much research in the internet, you believe you have finally found the holy grail, nothing complicated, its just a plate of char kuey teow (CKT). a plate of satisfaction to perfection is not easily found. you believe the restaurant at old street is the old nyonya at notting hill, only you found out too late on last thursday night. you can't wait to get there next week. fingers crossed^^.

today, you put on your running shoes and jogged to old street, found the humble restaurant and ordered your plate of CKT.

with much expectation and anticipation, the first spoonful in your mouth, you know this IS IT. you have found your perfect plate in london.  you will look no further, anytime you want a plate, this is the place to go. the portion is small, but that didn't matter to you, after all you don't need that much intake of carbs, so a small portion to others, is actually a perfect size for you.

 the sambal prawn with okra is delicious too, just the right amount of spiciness and sweetness.

a plate of perfect CKT and sambal okra, mark a perfect ending of monday.
good night all!

a.twenty.four.turnaround

a late saturday morning. you all woke up late and he whisked up a plate of brunch for you all...

 meaty brunch with grilled beef tartare, mushroom cheesy omelet and some greens

 while you baked a cherry clafoutis using the latest seasonal fruit - cheery... you wanted your friend to have a taste of european seasonal fruit...

 and hence a custard eggy clafoutis with a generous dash of kirsch, it's best served with vanilla ice but you only have a box of cherry ice cream and that has to do the work... you thoroughly enjoyed the hot and cold melting moments in your mouth.
with such a heavy brunch, you went to delft weekly antique market, as your friend is keen to search for some vintage crystal wine glass. as for you, you just to walk off the extra calories.

 the weather is fine, a little windy but enough sunshine to warm up the temperature. this is really the first time you stroll the antique market slowly, taking your time to search and admire the things that are nice but not necessary needed in life...

spring flowers are blooming

 bicycle and canal...

 a lot more bric-n-brac, the stalls are quite entertaining...

 A was in search for crystal wine glass, but there are not many of them, so you just browse through casually and occasionally spotted some highlights.

 peculiar things like these...

 a lamp that he likes and a crystal two tier that you like but no purchase were made... it's just nice to browse and touch ^^

you then rest your feet at this cafe that you usually visit whenever you stop by this city.  much to your disappointment they no longer serve the kusmi tea that you love, so you settle for a glass of chai latte heavily spiced with cinnamon...
and then off to the airport to bid good bye to your friend. it's a short and intense get together in less than 24 hours literally, but you thoroughly enjoyed yourselves and her presence...

it's late now, you are about to hit the sack, for tomorrow you will be on the flight again.
good night and have a blessed week ahead!

::TGIF::

friday, as soon as you are landed, you met up with your girlfriend from hong kong who were here for business and stayover for another night/day so that you could meet up. you went straight to a greek restaurant together with another friend and his son. you didn't want any chicken as you already had enough of chicken meat throughout the week in london, so greek sounds great to you.

 begin your friday night with ouzo,

 your deserts at hotel new york cafe, his apple tart, his tart of the month lemon curd pie, the morocan head, and your tompouse.

a bottle of wine that last you all till early in the morning...

it's not before 2.30 am when you dive to your bed and zzz

scheveningen.face.lift

perhaps this is not new, just that you haven't been to the beach area for awhile.... 

but you like these bronze public arts, sculptures....

these photos were taken in early june. you just didn't get around to post them. this is another scheduled post, when this get posted you are already back to your lowland home, enjoying your dinner and drink with your honey and a girlfriend from hong kng who is visiting and staying with you for the weekend. you are curious about the progress of the garden as well ^^.
enjoy the weekend!

thriller.thriller

 you've been wanting to watch this for a few years now, well since 2009...

 you found a deal at last minute and so you just beat the west end...

it's a nice entertainment show. you loved the dance and and the stage. very lively, not a second of boredom and you almost relive the jackson five era. the vocalists were a bit inconsistent, then again they're a six people playing MJ and thus the voice changes from time to time. you didn't expect you drop a few tear when the song "heal the world" was sang. you became a little emotional but not for long before you're fully distracted by dangerous and other famous MJ songs that you grew up with. he is indeed the king of the pops, although none of his song really occupied your teenage-hood, they are familiar... thriller is indeed a tribute to MJ.

 you had a quick roaming at china town after you collected the ticket, before the show time. you found the small alley,

had a plate of fried flat noodles (char kuey theow), it's not as good as you expected. you had taste the better one at another restaurant at notting hill.

a deep fried ngo hiang/five spice roll (五香), deep fried food is never your favorite, you ordered this because it's nostalgic, a taste of child hood, even though it didn't has a very strong shrimp flavor, it's a good rekindle of something that your mum used to make for festive season.

nonetheless, it's a pleasant thing to do mid week in london. especially venturing out from bank business area to a more touristic west end.   life is certainly more vibrant here in london.

white.mountain

another day with laduree...

 well, this was a treat from yesterday

the french version with a meringue inside the chestnut cream... 

this is a scheduled post, when this getting posted, you are still somewhere at the china town area, perhaps still watching the thriller musical or perhaps just finished with the musical on your way home or may be you will take a supper at one of the restaurants in that area.

london.bridge

london today, dry with pleasant sunshine and temperature

 a quick stroll to the london bridge via monument

 the view of tower bridge from london bridge

 with lovely sun ray

and then joining the crowds at a pub for england vs ukraine football match, just for the kick of it ^^