I am the realist.

"You see, the dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun and the realists, well without the dreamers they might not ever get off the ground."


- Cameron, Modern Family

Postcards for later.

I was going through a blog I had started in 2010. It was a blog where I put down my day in silly little paint brush drawings. As most whims go, it didn't last too long. However, today, going through those silly drawings brought back fond memories. So I decided, before I forget 2011 in the hustle and bustle of 2012, I should put down some of my fondest memories of 2011 down.

AK: Even though there were problems, AK made 2011 the best year ever. I re-discovering the joy of traveling, was exposed to new forms of art and music, added a tad more spontaneity to my life, and discovered how a little fashion everyday can lift the spirits. Thanks AK.

Kaziranga for AK's birthday: It was a short 5 day holiday, but the most memorable one we took together in 2011 (and we did take many holidays together). What really stands out for me is seeing a tiger for the first time in the wild, even though it was just a fleeting glimpse of a sliver of fiery orange and black through the binoculars held in our trembling hands. The other was setting up the whole surprise birthday celebrations for AK at Wildgrass and co-ordinating with the hotel to have flowers and the gift arranged for AK when we get back to the room.

21 days across Spain, Paris & Amsterdam in Autumn: It was a holiday that AK and I spoke about doing together from the very beginning. But sadly when it did happen, it was a holiday that exposed the cracks and eventually lead to us going our own ways.

Being on the jury of E***** 2011: In terms of work, there were many great ups and highs in 2011, but this has to be the highest high for me in 2011.

Holi party at my terrace: I played host for the first time and I wanted to be the 'host with the most'. And I think I was. The blow up swimming pool was a hit.

Cheese plate with home made bacon & spinach quiche and cheese twirls: It was all my love for cooking and eating and hours of watching the Food Channel on a platter. This has to be the most decadent thing I have ever made at home.

2011 has to be the best year ever in terms of work and personal life.
2012... hope you aren't any different.

Instant noodles don't have to be boring.

So I have been on the GM diet a few time. I some how never go beyond day 1's all fruit diet. Have done day 1 of the diet about 4 times in the last couple of weeks and have never been able to go beyond. But Tuesday the 6th of November could have been different. I stayed the course with fruit for breakfast, lunch and evening snack. I was a little light headed, but who wouldn't be after having spent a whole day at work in meetings. 

So day 1, the fruit day was all going as plan until I got a call from a friend who said there was a little party where all the boys were going. Now, how can a few drinks at a place called Banana Bar be bad for my day 1 fruit only diet day. The evening was fantastic. As a newly singled boy, out and about again, the evening felt like my first season back when I was 17.

Now getting back to my diet, I didn't just have one too many drinks. I got home with hunger for carbs like never before. So I made myself some plain boiled rice with a dash of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and a lovely fried egg, sunny side up on top. The lovely gooey yoke flowing over and into the sticky, salty, vinegary rice was just beautiful. I went to bed feeling comfortable with a stomach full of warm gooey egg soaked carbs and my GM diet out of the window, again.

With the diet broken for the 5th time, today was going to be a break day. I was going to spend time preparing myself for the 6th attempt. Oh well, who was I kidding. When I got home all I could think of was carbs and that fried egg. So with time on my hands and an inclination to make things more interesting than the night earlier, I decided to make the humble instant noodles lying in my draw interesting. 

I got out a pack of Koka Chicken Satay noodles, one onion, a handful of mushrooms, one egg and my favorite - emping. Emping is a kind of cracker made from melinjo nuts. An ex-colleague of mine from Indonesia gets me some whenever she is down here. She knows how much I love it. When fried its just like a nice rice cracker, but firmer and with a faint hint of bitterness. I don't usually fry it, just microwave it or spray it with oil and then microwave it if I am feeling indulgent.

So I made my noodles as per the instructions on the pack. It took me 2 mins. Sauted the onions till they were golden brown with the roughly chopped mushrooms. Mixed them into the noodles. Then fried the egg while microwaving the emping for a minute. 


In about 10mins tops, dinner was ready. Lovely fried egg, sunny side up sitting atop hot Chicken Satay instant noodles with mushrooms and a side of crispy emping. It was yum. It reminded me a little of the Mie Goreng I've had in Indonesia. 

Can somebody pls make me a diet with these foods? Please.

Here is the before picture. The after? Umm... I ate it all. Oops!

Yes its pink. Deal with it.

So here starts another blog with another name and another theme.
The most fun part about blogging is fussing over the name and the themes. Its like standing in front of the mirror deciding what to wear for a night out. 


I felt like a cup cake with pink frosting today. So its Pink!

Jack And Coke.

Because I am too old for nursery rhymes.