27/02/2018
I tried the new gym for the first time, after an almost month long break. It really feels good to be back. Now fitness classes make me feel alive and a sense of purpose, not to mention refreshing my mind and relaxing my brain. I had a new instructor in a new class today. Feeling a bit challenged right now physically but I am sure I will improve in a few months.
On the snow side, it seems that most of UK apart from where I live is covered with snow today. Oh well, it's a blessing as the road traffic doesn't get affected too much here.
Tomorrow we are treated with fish & chips at work.
28/02/2018
Well, it turned out that snow decided to visit us today. We probably got at least two inches of snow at home and three inches worth at work. It pretty much snowed through the whole morning and stopped at 1pm. The temperature dropped to -6C when we went home, possibly the coldest temperature since I arrived in this region.
The fish & chips arrived fine though. Quite an experience to have F&C looking out at the snow.
02/03/2018
It's a record. We have had snow fall every day this week. Quite something to remember as I don't remember we had such a sustained snow fall before. The main roads are well gritted so commuting is fine. Lucky for us, I know.
I've tried the new gym a number of times this week. I like it very much so far. The new gym has much for space for exercising, classes and changing. So far I am also satisfied with the quality of classes. They are all new to me and I've been enjoying different challenges. Did I tell you that it has underfloor heating in the changing room? Heaven especially on a sub-zero day like this week.
Saturday, 3 March 2018
Saturday, 24 February 2018
2018 weekly - Week 8
Still having fun with my family. 2018 weekly will return to normal soon.
Be well.
Be well.
Saturday, 17 February 2018
2018 weekly - Week 7
11-12/02/2018
Good morning, Alishan.
13/02/2018
Just bite the bullet, go see my dentist. :-(
16/02/2018
Happy Chinese New Year (of the Dog)!
Good morning, Alishan.
13/02/2018
Just bite the bullet, go see my dentist. :-(
16/02/2018
Happy Chinese New Year (of the Dog)!
Saturday, 10 February 2018
2018 weekly - Week 6
04/02/2018
Two last meetings before I take off to the green island!
05/02/2018
Sharing a bottle of bubbly with our neighbour, F, to thank her for the support.
Two last meetings before I take off to the green island!
05/02/2018
Sharing a bottle of bubbly with our neighbour, F, to thank her for the support.
Saturday, 3 February 2018
2018 weekly - Week 5
30/01/2018
Courgette and mint, what a great combination! Made a frittata tonight with courgettes, potatoes, onions and dried mint. The mint flavor is quite subtle in the final frittata but somehow lifts and enhances the overall flavor. Even the carnivore hubby praised it tonight. Success!
31/01/2018
"Once in a blue moon" means something happens very rarely. I am sure you know? Tonight is a blue moon astronomically as we are having a second full moon within a calendar month. It turned out that tonight the moon is also very close to the earth which makes this blue moon a super moon! And this super blue moon is really special because of its third feature and I shall let you find out from here. Don't forget to watch the night sky tonight!
01/02/2018
Cookie brittle, a recipe I've been meaning to make but never got around it. Got home early tonight so what can be a better opportunity/excuse?! It's basically a blondie recipe (minus the egg) but bake it thinly so that it comes out crisp. The recipe is easily halved which is what I did (can't justify making the whole thing with just one month into the new year!). I can see why many people say it's addictive. Be warned!
Next time, I will mix the chocolate chips into the dough rather than dotted on the surface. Other than that, it's a keeper!
Half-portioned cookie brittle
- 100 g butter
- 100 g demerara sugar or brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 140 g flour (1 cup)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of chopped nuts and chocolate chips
Preheat the oven at 175C.
Melt butter and sugar in a pot. Keep the heat medium-low. Once the butter is all melted, beat the mixture vigorously to blend sugar and butter into one cohesive mixture while cooling down.
Once the butter-sugar mixture cools to body temperature, stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Tip the dough onto a prepared tin (lined) and use your fingers/spatula to flatten the dough out to a thickness of 0.5-0.8cm.
Bake the dough at 175C for 22-25 minutes. Rotate the tray twice at the interval of 10 minutes. If the cookie browns too quickly, drop the temperature to 160C.
Cool the cookie brittle completely before breaking or cutting into smaller pieces.
Courgette and mint, what a great combination! Made a frittata tonight with courgettes, potatoes, onions and dried mint. The mint flavor is quite subtle in the final frittata but somehow lifts and enhances the overall flavor. Even the carnivore hubby praised it tonight. Success!
31/01/2018
"Once in a blue moon" means something happens very rarely. I am sure you know? Tonight is a blue moon astronomically as we are having a second full moon within a calendar month. It turned out that tonight the moon is also very close to the earth which makes this blue moon a super moon! And this super blue moon is really special because of its third feature and I shall let you find out from here. Don't forget to watch the night sky tonight!
01/02/2018
Cookie brittle, a recipe I've been meaning to make but never got around it. Got home early tonight so what can be a better opportunity/excuse?! It's basically a blondie recipe (minus the egg) but bake it thinly so that it comes out crisp. The recipe is easily halved which is what I did (can't justify making the whole thing with just one month into the new year!). I can see why many people say it's addictive. Be warned!
Next time, I will mix the chocolate chips into the dough rather than dotted on the surface. Other than that, it's a keeper!
Half-portioned cookie brittle
- 100 g butter
- 100 g demerara sugar or brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 140 g flour (1 cup)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of chopped nuts and chocolate chips
Preheat the oven at 175C.
Melt butter and sugar in a pot. Keep the heat medium-low. Once the butter is all melted, beat the mixture vigorously to blend sugar and butter into one cohesive mixture while cooling down.
Once the butter-sugar mixture cools to body temperature, stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Tip the dough onto a prepared tin (lined) and use your fingers/spatula to flatten the dough out to a thickness of 0.5-0.8cm.
Bake the dough at 175C for 22-25 minutes. Rotate the tray twice at the interval of 10 minutes. If the cookie browns too quickly, drop the temperature to 160C.
Cool the cookie brittle completely before breaking or cutting into smaller pieces.
Saturday, 27 January 2018
2018 weekly - Week 4
23/01/2018
Tried a new restaurant tonight, Trinity. It's a restaurant whose menu is heavy on seafood and boy did they do it well! I had octopus as a starter and lemon sole for the main. Both were cooked to perfection. My octopus is tender, perfectly grilled, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. Just when I thought that may my dish of the night, my lemon sole surprised me. It's pan fried crisp with lots of flavor from the fish itself and also from the clams. The fish is meaty and firm. One of the nicest fish dishes I've tasted.
Two restaurants in two weeks (thanks for company's business dinner budget). Trinity definitely won in this case.
24/01/2018
It looks like my favorite fitness instructor is not continuing with the new gym. For whatever reason, S and her routines managed to keep me motivated and her routines actually have a positive impact on me. I am so sad not being able to see her again. But life goes on, doesn't it? I take part of S's training with me and move along to my next stage of exercise. I look forward to the new gym with new instructors and new routines.
Tried a new restaurant tonight, Trinity. It's a restaurant whose menu is heavy on seafood and boy did they do it well! I had octopus as a starter and lemon sole for the main. Both were cooked to perfection. My octopus is tender, perfectly grilled, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. Just when I thought that may my dish of the night, my lemon sole surprised me. It's pan fried crisp with lots of flavor from the fish itself and also from the clams. The fish is meaty and firm. One of the nicest fish dishes I've tasted.
Two restaurants in two weeks (thanks for company's business dinner budget). Trinity definitely won in this case.
24/01/2018
It looks like my favorite fitness instructor is not continuing with the new gym. For whatever reason, S and her routines managed to keep me motivated and her routines actually have a positive impact on me. I am so sad not being able to see her again. But life goes on, doesn't it? I take part of S's training with me and move along to my next stage of exercise. I look forward to the new gym with new instructors and new routines.
Saturday, 20 January 2018
2018 weekly - Week 3
14/01/2018
Two weeks into 2018 and I finished my 5000 meters at 41 minutes and 4 seconds. Not bad, eh! I am still aiming at 40 minutes for 5000 meters this year but hey, I am not ruling out revising the goal time should all stars are aligned.
17-19/01/2018
Four meetings in three days. I just hope to keep enough energy for a mini gym run this week.
Two weeks into 2018 and I finished my 5000 meters at 41 minutes and 4 seconds. Not bad, eh! I am still aiming at 40 minutes for 5000 meters this year but hey, I am not ruling out revising the goal time should all stars are aligned.
17-19/01/2018
Four meetings in three days. I just hope to keep enough energy for a mini gym run this week.
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