Ripe Pickings: My Trip’s Jolly Trolley

Firstly, I have no idea what sort of name I have just decided for this post of mine.  Its some random thing which I made up.  Since coming back from my Albany trip, I have only written one blog entry on it.  After the laziness in me subdued, I have decided to wrap up the entire trip in one post.  But in a different way from how I would normally do it.  I will exclusively use my Iphone pictures crossed with creations from Instagram to rock this post ;-)!    Hope you people will enjoy the pictures ahah.

This was one of the photos I snapped while Fishman sped through the hilly asphalt roads of the South.  Goddammit! We made a pact to take it slow. So I travelled below 150 kmph at all times.  And that smarty-pants?  He was doing 160kmph.  Con people only!! Aaaaaaa.   Nonetheless, the drive was enjoyable at all times.  When I grow up with a nice ride.  Ho!Ho!Ho!  I’ll happily drive through these places again!  Oh god, and really, with the roads being so straight, it really makes me wonder why the other cars were crawling behind @.@!

One of the nicest towns to visit down South is Augusta.  The charm of this little town down South can be easily labelled as simple awesomeness.  Foreign travellers looking for migrating whales will be surprised with their other findings if the whales have not already surprised them.  Serendipity?  Maybe.  I took this picture on the way to Augusta and decided to give it a “Katy Perry – Teenage Dream” touch as the little darling calls it.  I used Instagram, the little program with magical tools.

The trip down South was fulfilling in many ways.  A subject of my fulfilment was disappointment.  Weird aye!? Who would find disappointment a good experience? I have seen plenty of it and experienced plenty of it.  The simplicity of having expectations is clearly an explanation. Adding on, who said chameleons and jelly fish are the only ones with changing colours?

For this, a friend educated me on selfishness.  The picture on the left is the patches of cloud and the fence leading to the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse.  A certain friend was left disappointed there.  It draws a scene which fits the song Despair in the Departure Lounge by the Arctic Monkeys.  But he comprehended it pretty damn well.  Awesome possum!  Like this picture, there was no lighthouse because he did not see any :(!

Ahh, the lovely house we stayed in at Margaret River.  This house surpassed our expectations in every aspect.  It’s plans were carefully laid out for maximum comfort. The owners meticulously decorated each room with unique themes such as safari, wasabi, ski lodge, Japanese and sort.  Class act!  This house was our host for two days of stay!!

On the last day, we toured around the Margaret River area. This picture was taken at the Berry Farm.  Bought a couple of jam jars home for my parents.  Strawberry Kirsch Jam and an Apricot flavoured was my pick after testing the many flavours offered :D!

Oh, something that I must bring to your attention is the bottle  inspired “chandelier” that was used to decorate the shop. I thought it looked pretty damn cool.  It is a nature loving act I’d suppose?

Tadaaaaaa:

After touring around Margaret River, we were in a bit of a rush because the little darling decided to do a favour for the holiday home owner’s friend who needed to deliver 4 crates of wine to a restaurant which I frequent for dim sum.  I loved the idea and found it to be very thoughtful, but others could not comprehend the idea.  O well.  If everyone sees the same good, it would be insulted to be a trait of communism, otherwise, it is just the way humans are.  Divided, racist or unique. Good or bad, you decide :P!

The last stop of the trip was the famous jetty at Busselton.  Unfortunately it has been under repair works since 3 years ago or so.  Is this the result of bureaucracy and an organised government action?  Yes.  Probably an overrated one.

But that is alright.  The jetty is still a beauty and Iphone did capture it pretty damn well!  I have been here plenty of times but it is still very picturesque.

Right after this, we sped home and got the crates of wine delivered.  All 48 bottles.  But because we did not have enough space in the boot, so I had to sit like a Buddha in the car with my legs folded.  There were 12 bottles of wine in the front sit @.@!  Epic-ness.

Ok mates, this is probably the shortest blog entry I have done on my holiday before.  Might get a few more pictures up.  If I do, it will be proper ones from my camera.  But at the moment, all the pictures are up on facebook, so no hurry aye?!

WenY

Bites: Denmark Riverview Hotel @ Denmark.

It has been an eventful week which saw the engineers and their companions enjoy a trip to the South West region of W.A.  Not entirely sweet, but it was pretty damn good!  While I have been down South plenty of times, this was one of the best trips ever.  The lovely holiday home at Margaret river was orgasmic.  For a good culinary experience, Denmark Hotel satisfied me once again.  The menu has changed but not the quality. 

Our group of 15 people ordered pretty much everything that can be ordered from the menu.  Steaks, pork chops, lamb, seafood and chicken.  Not to mention salads and soups too!!  But since the table was super duper long, I did not take every single picture.  Driving 500km was tiring and definitely took a toll on my legs.  Hehehe.  Now for the good part, time to dive in to the food.

For starters, Xin Ling and I shared a chunky tomato soup!

The soup was super good.  YiHeng loved it.  Xin ling who does not like sweet foods was also tempted to try a spoon and kept spooning more afterwards.  Definitely a winner:)!

For my main, I choose the marinated lamb pieces with a rocket salad on a bed of pumpkin mash with fetta cheese and an onion something ahah.  Finished with sauces that tasted awesome.

The lamb was yummy!!! But the goddamn serve was so small =X!! Luckily I ordered the soup beforehand.  It helped fill me to the halfway mark.  To enjoy the flavours that were scattered around the plate, I cut small pieces of everything and mixed it in my mouth.  Totally kickass!  But the mash and Balsamic vinegar sauce is not for everyone.  For example, UWA’s top Civil Engineer Anthony did not enjoy it ahahaha.  I think he likes his lamb with poppy seeds xD!!

Next up is Yi Heng main.  The Denmark Sirloin Steak with salad and cheaps.

While the cut is as big and juicy as ever, this lovely steak no longer comes on a sizzling plate :(!  It’s now the pub style steak served with chips.  I tried a small piece of it and it was perfectly cooked.  Juicy with some fats enveloped around the meat!!  I like it that way, but I’m not sure about the preferences of health conscious people.  Oh yeah, Jim who ordered the same thing had his NOT cooked to order. It was slightly overcooked :(!  I think 15 people was too much for this small town restaurant to handle @.@!

And the little darling’s dish was the oven roasted chicken wrapped with prosciutto served with polenta and finished with grilled asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.

The best way to describe this was visual pleasure.  I feel rested with her selection even without tasting it.  While the chicken meat alone is dry, combining the polenta with the chicken meat and some cherry tomatoes make it taste a whole lot better.  The juiciness within the tomatoes were eagerly waiting to burst out in every way.  Super yummy too.  I think she enjoyed her chicken quite a fair bit.  However, the polenta was not as creamy as we would have liked it to be.  Expected a more refined texture, but it was still acceptable hehe.

Another dish that received thumbs up for the night was the pork chop.  I have to admit, it looked legendary.  Like a house built on an isle surrounded by a red sea.That was my second choice if I had not chosen the lamb.  It was totally juicy inside like chicken thigh fillet :D!

Ok peeps, that is all for now.  Will be updating more posts on the trip ahah.

WenY

Filling in the Gap: Problem & Solution.

Problem: The 40 degree insanity.  Dying Perth-lings

Solution:

Self explanatory.  Perth and its beaches are one of the best things ever.  Fact! :D

WenY

Filling in the Gap: The best combination.

39 degrees.  That is the weather in Western Australia at the moment.  Tomorrow, we might see it peak at 40 maybe?  Me and heat, that is a cursed combination.  Yesterday, XL and I went to Carousel to catch the new Harry Potter movie.  While I’m not the biggest Potter fan on screen, the new movie impresses when compared to its predecessor.  Lunch time was kept simple, McDonalds for the win.  A nice large value meal with cold drinks to quench my thirst!

 

McDonalds.  The great combination a.k.a McChicken McValueMeal

I have always thought of the McValue meal at Meccas as great value.  Awesome combination that fills me up to the brim with added satisfaction in the process.  One of the best things about McD is the apparent consistency that is present now matter how far apart the restaurants are.  The one in Australia pretty much tastes the same like the one in KL, so does the branch in Hong Kong.  It is pretty damn wicked, sick is it not?  This makes some restaurants pretty damn shit.  Same restaurant, same chef, same food, different day, different taste.  This especially applies to all the Malay and Indian restaurants back home in KL.  But I guess this consistency comes with all the hype and experiments regarding how long can the food last before rotting.  But truth be said, no one cares.

 

Ok enough ranting about McDonalds.  After the Potter movie, all of us, including the guys that have finished exam headed for a swim down at the Victoria Park AquaLife centre.  5 bucks rip off!!  Did not really enjoy the swim there.  After the swim, it was dinner time.  A bunch of overjoyed engineers and steamboat was on the schedule.  But the weather killed us all.  Despite buying just enough food, I was full even though I did not eat much.  It was so saddening.  Sitting at the table, I saw all the balls floating around the broth.  This again was all thanks to the stupid weather.  Summer and steamboat, officially the worst combination EVER.  Ok enough complaints.

 

Off to bed I go.  Time to enjoy the comfort of an antique air conditioning systems.

 

WenY

Bites: Atomic @ Mends Street, South Perth.

It has been ages, since I last had a cuppa.  The usual places would be Tiamo @ Nedlands or Dome  @ anywhere.  Or perhaps, after dinner over coffee talk.  Just yesterday, the little darling and I decided to head over to South Perth for a drink before coming back home.  Dome would have been an automated choice, but something different would be good aye?  Yea? Yea?  Haha!!  But this time around, we decided to go to Atomic Cafe @ Mends street.  It is just opposite Dome.  The drinks there tasted OK.  Xin Ling had an orange juice.  Sugar free, 100% orange.  This and that but jeez.  It was sour.  Upon tasting it my hair spiked & balls dropped.  But it is ok, girls have their reasons for enjoying the acidity I’d reckon?

But for me, I will do it the kids way..

Iced Chocolate @ Atomic. Made by IPhone, Nursed by Instagram.

 

With the mercury topping temperatures this spring paired with a century-long heat record broken, this remedy was divine.  But sadly, I’m not Aussie enough to appreciate the finesse in a barrister’s effort.  Froth.  I enjoy a thick layer of froth though :D!  Does that count?

 

WenY

Filling in the Gap: My Lady Luck!

Most people know my stories.  From the outside, it is pictured like a grasshopper, but inside, its really just incompatibility.  But when you find your very own charmer, it does not need a second thought.  It is simply just too obvious.  The riddles are self-explanatory and it all comes together.  The busy year slipped through like a breeze despite the entanglements involved.

She’s my 88.  Made by IPhone, Nursed by Instagram.

 

The no. 88 is a simple Chinese representation of prosperity.  Depicted above is mine.  But there are a few other ladies in my life.  My mom, sister, grandmother and a few others.  I must really thank them for all the ease and encouragement they have brought to my live.  For some, their presence alone makes a difference.

 

WenY

Filling in the Gap: Exams?.. Over?

It is funny that I’m blogging about examination period coming to an end for me. This is so considering the time that has passed since the engaging period of my 4th year came to an end.  But there is a certain difference when you finish exam alone, and, when your partner  or friends finishes with you. Alone its funny.  They study while you spend the whole day killing aliens or invading Vietnam.  But since Xin Ling finished her exam two days ago, CR today and the rest of the mates on Thursday or so, this calls for a celebration ey>? Haha!!! A little bit on the premature side but after I went to pick up a cake for the little darling after brunch at a new dim sum restaurant.

 

Holiday Birthday.  Made by IPhone, Nursed by Instagram.

 

A cake fit for dessert lovers.  The mango cake from Esthers @ William Street, Northbridge.  The top of the cake is layered with a thin slice of mango.  And between each sponge layer, a lovely combination of cream and more mangoes! 

 

Holidays :)!  15 years of exams and counting.  We never stop learning do we?

 

WenY

Bites: Deevine @ Victoria Park.

The peeps are still very busy with their exams.  Xin Ling is still on her 3 till 4 routine every night.  The guys, still busy, but that has not dampen their spirits for Starcraft.  Never a day without their daily dose of computer games haha.  I on the other hand, have finished the new Call of Duty: Black Ops game :D!  After finishing the game, I headed over to my sister’s house.  Could not decide where to go for dinner.  Therefore, instead of going to the same place all the time, I suggested that we try somewhere new.  A restaurant from the Entertainment book.  We ended up choosing a place called Deevine Cafe near the Ford Dealer on Albany Highway.  The place was simple in decoration.  Very neat, with a simple outcome and a clean feel to it.  But that did not matter to me.  My brains were not functioning.  Felt as if everything were moving too slow.  Must have been the hardcore speed of the games I have played!!  After flipping through the pages front and back, analysing top to bottom, I went for the Crumbled Veal with Aglio Olio pasta and creamy prawns. (Sorry for the picture, they are IPhone material!)

My dinner for the night.  Loved the crumbled veal, hated the Aglio Olio.  It was super dry to begin with.  The Aglio Olio was cooked with sausages and finely cut chilli, but it did not feel so.  It felt as though the taste was separated into many different parts.  Chilli.  Sausages.  And no Aglio Olio.  No garlicky taste or oil coating.  Totally dry!! :( !!  That is really saddening!  Nonetheless, the slices of crumbled veal was lovely.  Thin, and yummy.  The creamy garlic sauce from the prawns was super delicious too!  I would recommend this dish if the pasta was not so dry.  And mind you, this pasta is half of what the plate is.  If it is not even half edible, then its a situation!! :P!!

My sister on the other hand, opted for the scotch fillet on a bed of mash!

A slab of hearty steak.   The way my sister like it is Medium Rare.  She has increased her tolerance towards raw meat I guess @.@!  My preference is still medium ahaha.  I tried a slice of her steak and thought that it was like all other steak.  Not the best neither is it the worst but there was nothing to shout about.  It was a slice of steak well cooked.  If the sauce had more taste, it would be lovely!  Kevin had the Penne Bolognaise and he said it was OK only ahah.  Oh and the most epic thing was the appetizer, which was the garlic bread.

The garlic bread was so god damn freaking FLAT… and HARD.  Edible but should have been LOADS better.  I honestly thing someone accidentally flattened the sandwich maker or something. FAIL. 

By the way, notice the issue with the picture?   That’s the problem I have with the IPhone at the moment. The middle turns out blue-ish while the sides are just covered with warmth.  WTH is happening?!!!

This will be all for now.  Looking forward to the Albany trip in a weeks time :)!

WenY

Bites: Bateman Chinese Malaysian Cuisine @ Bateman

Since coming to Australia, the only fish dishes I have eaten is fish and chips or fish balls.  Sometimes “Ikan Bakar” when we go to the Malaysian hawker.  But yesterday, I rekindled a familiar taste that I had 4 years ago when I came to Perth.  My sister brought Yi Heng (a.k.a fish man) and I to Bateman for some yummy-licious fish head noodle-soup.  This time around, I went to the same place, but with Cr and fish man.  Our tummies were rumbling from all the “computer exercise” we have been doing after the hardcore Environmental Geology and Geomechanics exams!

Bateman Chinese Malaysian Cuisine was seriously crowded when we got there at about 8.  I saw Kong’s Oriental Shop owner eating there with his family.  Both his wife and him gave me a smile. (I guess I am remembered?)  The hype about this place is the fried fish head that is served with the noodles that comes in either curry or preserved vegetable soup.  These yummy fried fishes were so crispy that I had no problem eating it like potato chips dipping them in cut chilli soy sauce!!!  No foul stench or anything.  I think they used snapper head, which I am fine with.  Ok I’m too sleepy to type too much.  I am actually next to the little darling in the wee hours of the morning to see her do the same revision for the zillionth time.  SO here comes the pictures:

Oh yeah! Super crisp and tasty fish head.  This was 1 serve which is pretty damn big.  And for this, fish man chose to go with a curry base noodle soup!

This was the noodles that CR had.  It had plenty of fish balls and sliced chicken.  A plus point about this was the ridiculous amount you get for your buck.  It was So goddamn big!  Fish man’s bowl of noodles looked similar but there was not any fish balls but 4 massive chunks of fish head which I happily stole !

Also, as we were starving and as part of CR’s recommendation, we ordered the Chilli and Black Bean Pork Ribs.  I must insist, this was the best dish of the night.  I totally enjoyed the thick and delicious bean sauce that coated the ribs!

Super delicious!

Besides the food in the pics, I also ordered a Hokkien Noodles that came in a serving which could easily serve 3 people. =X!  Fish man, Cr and I were so full.  I did not even feel like walking back to the car. Rolling back seemed like a method better suited to my mood after the meal.  Super lazy!!  At the end of the meal, we were satisfied.  All the wait for the food and poor service was worth it.   The fish head was lovely, the pork ribs legendary but the Hokkien Noodles was mediocre!! I’m starting to think that maybe I should ditch Northbridge for awhile now.  Time to go far away and do not come back until I really miss the restaurants in that place!!

Oh yeah,this is the very first time I’m using my camera after a few months of inactivity.  Recently all my pictures were taken using the Iphone. 

and..

TO finish up, I’ve finished the engineering component of my course and all that is left is the commerce part.  My time as a student is almost up.  But to all the mates that have finished their degree, kudos and all the best!

WenY