My mood was terrible starting from the days leading up to Christmas and I was turning into the Christmas Grinch. In fact,this Grinch stayed till Boxing Day when Christmas was over.
As a Christian, Christmas is of course about celebrating the birth of Jesus, thanking God for sending His only Son to earth for us. That is the spiritual part.
As a Singaporean, Christmas is about running around madly in different malls at the last minute, re-checking my shopping list and keeping fingers crossed that the present will not be going onto that person's re-gifting list. That is the GDP contribution part.
As me, Christmas is spent in sunny island Singapore, having Christmas dinner on Christmas Day at this tucked away place called Cooling Close. That is the social part.
For this year, of course the spiritual part of Christmas remains unchanged and I am more than happy not to be contributing to GDP growth but I was missing the social part so much more than I thought I would!
Nearing to Christmas, I was checking my Facebook account less frequently and I told myself that I will not check Facebook at all on Christmas Day! I don't want to know about where my friends are enjoying themselves, who is getting what "wow" presents or looking at pictures of yummalicious food that is so far away from me.
These actions are not from feelings of jealousy or envy but rather homesick-ness. I could now understand why people are willing to brave all the travel chaos, travelling across continents and time zones just to be with family and friends during the festive season.
On Whatsapp with J who is also away from home for the first year, I agreed with her that we had taken the annual Christmas dinner for granted without realising it till now. From Cooling Close, friends wanted to call me on Viber or webcam but I said no. It was too sad to see them so close yet so far.
I have a friend R who have been bringing me into her lectures, karaoke sessions, etc via webcam. She wanted to have me join her Christmas party too but I also said no.
Yes, I know I don't have to make myself feel so miserable and that I have the hubby here but it is just not the same when a tradition is broken. I know the hubby misses being there at his family's Christmas dinner too.
But the good news is, I have decided to make New Year's Day better by going out on New Year's Eve to have dinner and counting down to a great 2011.
About Me
- Grace
- Hyderabad, India
- Moving into a new place where many have not been to before, me and the hubby truely did not know what to expect. As we find out for ourselves what kind of hole we have thrown ourselves into living in Hyderabad, here's a peek for all into this new world of ours.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Winter Chill
Hyderabad had just experienced its coldest winter in 5 years. Yesterday, the temperature had dropped to 9.8 degrees. Hey, no website ever told me that this place could be so cold during year end! Luckily, I somehow had squeezed in a fleece jacket in my packing and I thank myself for doing that everyday now.
I had been to many countries during winter, experienced temperatures as cold as -30 degrees and am convinced that I can deal with cold weather anytime. This is still true only if I was in a hotel room or a flat with heating!
In the morning, the hubby now appreciates his hot chocolate drink more than ever and steps out into the balcony to breathe in the cool crisp air before it gets polluted. For me, it is so difficult to resist toasting under the covers for another five more minutes.
In the kitchen, washing dishes has become more loathsome than it already is because of the cold water! Now, I really make an effort to prepare and cook using as little plates/ bowls as I can. One less used is one less for me to wash.
In the bathroom, showering is now done with military precision because of the draft caused by a missing window pane in the bathroom. I never thought much of it until now when the weather is cold. Staying in the hotel, the room is nice and warm when you step out of the shower. You can take your time to dry off, blow your hair and get dressed but here, all I want to do is to dry off and get my fleece jacket on.
One extra motivation to go to the gym these days is to use their shower facilities! I wash my hair there now so that I don't have to do it at home and because there is no draft, I can take my own sweet time.
During the daytime at home, I now wear my socks and put on my cardigan. It makes me realise that I still prefer piling on the layers than to be in Singapore where I perspire right after a shower.
So, I am not complaining at all about the cold except wishing that we had brought more variety of clothing for the cold weather. For now, I will be making the most out of it till mid Jan when the weather will start warming up.
Oh yes, eating the hot spicy Chinese style chicken curry for dinner in this temperature just makes it even more yums!
I had been to many countries during winter, experienced temperatures as cold as -30 degrees and am convinced that I can deal with cold weather anytime. This is still true only if I was in a hotel room or a flat with heating!
In the morning, the hubby now appreciates his hot chocolate drink more than ever and steps out into the balcony to breathe in the cool crisp air before it gets polluted. For me, it is so difficult to resist toasting under the covers for another five more minutes.
In the kitchen, washing dishes has become more loathsome than it already is because of the cold water! Now, I really make an effort to prepare and cook using as little plates/ bowls as I can. One less used is one less for me to wash.
In the bathroom, showering is now done with military precision because of the draft caused by a missing window pane in the bathroom. I never thought much of it until now when the weather is cold. Staying in the hotel, the room is nice and warm when you step out of the shower. You can take your time to dry off, blow your hair and get dressed but here, all I want to do is to dry off and get my fleece jacket on.
One extra motivation to go to the gym these days is to use their shower facilities! I wash my hair there now so that I don't have to do it at home and because there is no draft, I can take my own sweet time.
During the daytime at home, I now wear my socks and put on my cardigan. It makes me realise that I still prefer piling on the layers than to be in Singapore where I perspire right after a shower.
So, I am not complaining at all about the cold except wishing that we had brought more variety of clothing for the cold weather. For now, I will be making the most out of it till mid Jan when the weather will start warming up.
Oh yes, eating the hot spicy Chinese style chicken curry for dinner in this temperature just makes it even more yums!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
My 2010 Christmas wish list
As Christmas is nearing and of course my birthday after, this list will save you the trouble of what to buy for me. :)
Ok, I am kidding because this list is for the hubby! Can someone tell him to read this please?
It has been awhile since I have been left to the feeling of longing and wanting as instant gratification has been my mantra for quite awhile now. If I had managed to escape the temptation of instant gratification, I must than thank my short attention span.
My Christmas wish list for 2010 till date:
1. Sushi Tei with sashimi salad, sushi roll, beef suyiyaki
2. Adidas-Sennheiser earphones
3. Satay (thanks to MasterChef Australia that ignited this craving)
4. Set of measuring cup and weighing scale
5. New clothes
6. Christmas dinner at Aly's
7. Tod's Ivy Sacca Media Shoulder Bag
8. Basilico Sunday Brunch
Hm, after making the list, the items seem to neatly fall into two categories: shopping and food. Not too surprising I must say.
Ok, I am kidding because this list is for the hubby! Can someone tell him to read this please?
It has been awhile since I have been left to the feeling of longing and wanting as instant gratification has been my mantra for quite awhile now. If I had managed to escape the temptation of instant gratification, I must than thank my short attention span.
My Christmas wish list for 2010 till date:
1. Sushi Tei with sashimi salad, sushi roll, beef suyiyaki
2. Adidas-Sennheiser earphones
3. Satay (thanks to MasterChef Australia that ignited this craving)
4. Set of measuring cup and weighing scale
5. New clothes
6. Christmas dinner at Aly's
7. Tod's Ivy Sacca Media Shoulder Bag
8. Basilico Sunday Brunch
Hm, after making the list, the items seem to neatly fall into two categories: shopping and food. Not too surprising I must say.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Practice makes almost perfect!
This phrase is true for most things and I have to say especially in the area of cooking.
After cooking almost on a daily basis for like three to four months now, I have to say that most of my dished have improved since the first time I tried cooking it. I remember the sense of satisfaction that I got especially from the Sweet and Sour Chicken that I made for the second time.
The improvement to the dishes comes through the form of feedback from the very picky eater I have at home and reading of different recipie versions.
A homemaker friend once told me that she makes 3 different version of the same dish in order to please her husband, son and herself. When I asked why she bothered, her answer was: "Well, you want them to be happy eating what you have cooked, so it is their preference that matters over mine." Words of wisdom for me.
Recently, I got bored and tried to make the Chinese style carrot cake but it was a disaster. Thanks to me trusting a website which told me that rice flour is the same as plain flour, my carrot cake never set even after steaming for a long time. It was such a setback to me and my morale. More than that, I had wasted precious stock of my chinese mushrooms and dried shrimps. Thank goodness I was smart enough not to add in the chinese sausage.
It took me two weeks before I attempted again and this time was a mini success! I followed another recipe and made sure that I bought rice flour. It was not a huge success as I think the texture can still be a bit firmer and more chewy.
Here are the pictures of my 2nd attempt:
After cooking almost on a daily basis for like three to four months now, I have to say that most of my dished have improved since the first time I tried cooking it. I remember the sense of satisfaction that I got especially from the Sweet and Sour Chicken that I made for the second time.
The improvement to the dishes comes through the form of feedback from the very picky eater I have at home and reading of different recipie versions.
A homemaker friend once told me that she makes 3 different version of the same dish in order to please her husband, son and herself. When I asked why she bothered, her answer was: "Well, you want them to be happy eating what you have cooked, so it is their preference that matters over mine." Words of wisdom for me.
Recently, I got bored and tried to make the Chinese style carrot cake but it was a disaster. Thanks to me trusting a website which told me that rice flour is the same as plain flour, my carrot cake never set even after steaming for a long time. It was such a setback to me and my morale. More than that, I had wasted precious stock of my chinese mushrooms and dried shrimps. Thank goodness I was smart enough not to add in the chinese sausage.
It took me two weeks before I attempted again and this time was a mini success! I followed another recipe and made sure that I bought rice flour. It was not a huge success as I think the texture can still be a bit firmer and more chewy.
Here are the pictures of my 2nd attempt:
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The mixture before steaming  Carrot Cake Pan Fried |
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Season's Greetings
Received my first Christmas card! Am thinking if I should display it around the house for christmas feel but I am sure that it will be dusty with a week. It will probably be better kept in the cupboard.
This is proof that the Royal Mail and the India Post works:
This is proof that the Royal Mail and the India Post works:
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Hello Mr Postman!
When was the last time you had been to the post office? Even then, chances are that it was to run an errand, collecting your online shopping and not sending mail. For quite sometime now, Internet banking has replaced sending of cheques, letters has been replaced by emails, stamps can be bought from 7-11 or SAM machine, etc.
Last week, I had to go to the post office to send off cards which I am unsure if they would ever arrive at their final destination. For greeting cards, nothing beats one that comes with an envelope and stamp. So, I decided to put my faith in the local postal system and sent of a few cards (to minimise loss).
First challenge now is to locate the post office but luckily, the landlord's driver took me there else I would have never found it.
The one nearest to me is located inside the Department of Irrigation and the building reminds me of a primary school that had never been maintained. The driver pointed to me what looks like a classroom door with a Western Union signage and left. The room had a musty smell and the tables were seriously the old school type.
After I bought my stamps, I asked where can I glue them and he points to this round table. That table was covered with many scrapes of paper and torn stamps that probably got stuck by senders who were careless or didn't know how to use the glue/ water. Looking at the rusty four pots on the table, I figured that the miserable amount of liquid in the bottom of those pots must either be glue or water but no way was I going to put my fingers in there!
But I really am not keen to make a trip here again just because I cannot affix the stamps! What do you think are my other options? Yes, the next thought was to use my tongue to make it work but I have no idea how the stamps had been kept or what it had come into contact with before, so the idea totally turned me off. Suddenly, I remembered that because I was going to the gym, I had my bottle with me that I just washed. Maybe, hopefully, thankfully, there was a bit of water in there.
Systematically, I stuck the stamps telling myself that the water is very precious because it looked like it was just enough for me to do the needed. I couldn't help beaming at myself too for the stroke of genius. Ha.
As I handed over the letters to the guy behind the counter, he handed it to the guy sitting behind him who handed over to another guy who brought it into the back room. Talk about job creation, a lesson or two can be learnt from India.
That night, I was still thinking of my post office experience and how I had taken the postal system back home for granted. I can only trust that if the Indians have made an art out of delivering tiffin lunches across different localities, they should be able to do the same with mail.
Too bad I could not take pictures to share with you as I didn't want to attract more attention to myself as the only fair skin Chinese woman around. Oops, it had just crossed my mind now that I did not ask if it was going to be air mail! Well, I guess I will find out soon with time.
Update: Seemed like only 3 of my 6 cards arrived. Where are the others??? Oh, I received a Christmas Card on 7-Jan-2011!
Last week, I had to go to the post office to send off cards which I am unsure if they would ever arrive at their final destination. For greeting cards, nothing beats one that comes with an envelope and stamp. So, I decided to put my faith in the local postal system and sent of a few cards (to minimise loss).
First challenge now is to locate the post office but luckily, the landlord's driver took me there else I would have never found it.
The one nearest to me is located inside the Department of Irrigation and the building reminds me of a primary school that had never been maintained. The driver pointed to me what looks like a classroom door with a Western Union signage and left. The room had a musty smell and the tables were seriously the old school type.
After I bought my stamps, I asked where can I glue them and he points to this round table. That table was covered with many scrapes of paper and torn stamps that probably got stuck by senders who were careless or didn't know how to use the glue/ water. Looking at the rusty four pots on the table, I figured that the miserable amount of liquid in the bottom of those pots must either be glue or water but no way was I going to put my fingers in there!
But I really am not keen to make a trip here again just because I cannot affix the stamps! What do you think are my other options? Yes, the next thought was to use my tongue to make it work but I have no idea how the stamps had been kept or what it had come into contact with before, so the idea totally turned me off. Suddenly, I remembered that because I was going to the gym, I had my bottle with me that I just washed. Maybe, hopefully, thankfully, there was a bit of water in there.
Systematically, I stuck the stamps telling myself that the water is very precious because it looked like it was just enough for me to do the needed. I couldn't help beaming at myself too for the stroke of genius. Ha.
As I handed over the letters to the guy behind the counter, he handed it to the guy sitting behind him who handed over to another guy who brought it into the back room. Talk about job creation, a lesson or two can be learnt from India.
That night, I was still thinking of my post office experience and how I had taken the postal system back home for granted. I can only trust that if the Indians have made an art out of delivering tiffin lunches across different localities, they should be able to do the same with mail.
Too bad I could not take pictures to share with you as I didn't want to attract more attention to myself as the only fair skin Chinese woman around. Oops, it had just crossed my mind now that I did not ask if it was going to be air mail! Well, I guess I will find out soon with time.
Update: Seemed like only 3 of my 6 cards arrived. Where are the others??? Oh, I received a Christmas Card on 7-Jan-2011!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Finally Completed: Autumn Concerto!
I am not a fan of watching drama serials. I can watch like zero in an entire year but just before I left for Shanghai, I started watching this Taiwan drama called Autumn Concerto/ 下一站，幸福 and have finally finished watching it! No thanks to the frequent power cuts.
It is so good that even as I have just finished watching, I want to start all over again!
The shows that I love watching must have happy endings and you can expect to hear me go "aw..." sometimes during touching moments in romance movies. Friends who are like me in this way (you know who you are), you must watch this!
Alright, enough about hard selling this show. Life is now back to normal. I can now start to tell you more about my Shanghai trip and the hubby doesn't have to listen to this theme song anymore! Haha.
It is so good that even as I have just finished watching, I want to start all over again!
The shows that I love watching must have happy endings and you can expect to hear me go "aw..." sometimes during touching moments in romance movies. Friends who are like me in this way (you know who you are), you must watch this!
Alright, enough about hard selling this show. Life is now back to normal. I can now start to tell you more about my Shanghai trip and the hubby doesn't have to listen to this theme song anymore! Haha.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Eating Out: Chili's at Inorbit Mall
The first time we went to Inorbit mall, there was a space bordered up for renovations on the 2nd floor. But the boards were announcing the opening of Chili's in Hyderabad. Yes! Another American joint where we can go to get our fix of red meat and I couldn't wait.
Our first visit there was great. Service was friendly and the servers spoke good English. The food took awhile to arrive but I guess will have to give them some leeway as this is their first weekend operating. When our food descended on our tables, we just gasped. They had literally adopted too, the American portion. As it was a Sunday, I knew whatever I could not finish of my plate would be lunch tomorrow.
My order was the mini burgers sitting on a volcano of fries. The burgers were yummy, though it cannot beat the ones at Ice Cold Beer. As I was ploughing through my food, my sharp eye had caught a strand of hair sticking out at the corner of the plate. Since it was not in my food and I was so hungry, I decided to give this feedback to the manager towards the end of our meal.
Of course I was expecting the usual service recovery of apologies and extra attention but I certainly was not expecting the cost of my main course to be waived off. Kudos to the manager for more than making up for the service lapse.
So far, my favorite items on the menu is their Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich and the Steak Fajitas. Just thinking about it makes my tummy do a small rumble.
However, after our third or fourth visit, we realise that their portions have shrunk. It has gone from an overwhelming portion to an acceptable plate. Well, they must have realised it when people are always having leftovers to take away.
Oh, one more good thing about the India Chili's. With the receipt, you are encouraged to go online to do a survey within 4 days. The incentive? A free starter on your next visit.
For someone like me who loves to give feedback, its a pleasure to do it for establishments who really value feedback and reward their customers for doing so.
Our first visit there was great. Service was friendly and the servers spoke good English. The food took awhile to arrive but I guess will have to give them some leeway as this is their first weekend operating. When our food descended on our tables, we just gasped. They had literally adopted too, the American portion. As it was a Sunday, I knew whatever I could not finish of my plate would be lunch tomorrow.
My order was the mini burgers sitting on a volcano of fries. The burgers were yummy, though it cannot beat the ones at Ice Cold Beer. As I was ploughing through my food, my sharp eye had caught a strand of hair sticking out at the corner of the plate. Since it was not in my food and I was so hungry, I decided to give this feedback to the manager towards the end of our meal.
Of course I was expecting the usual service recovery of apologies and extra attention but I certainly was not expecting the cost of my main course to be waived off. Kudos to the manager for more than making up for the service lapse.
So far, my favorite items on the menu is their Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich and the Steak Fajitas. Just thinking about it makes my tummy do a small rumble.
However, after our third or fourth visit, we realise that their portions have shrunk. It has gone from an overwhelming portion to an acceptable plate. Well, they must have realised it when people are always having leftovers to take away.
Oh, one more good thing about the India Chili's. With the receipt, you are encouraged to go online to do a survey within 4 days. The incentive? A free starter on your next visit.
For someone like me who loves to give feedback, its a pleasure to do it for establishments who really value feedback and reward their customers for doing so.
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Me enjoying my Sunday beer |
Monday, November 8, 2010
Festivities in the Air
Well, I have been lazy to write the last few weeks. Key reasons being having the flu (the cough is still bugging me) and chasing the Taiwanese Drama Serial - Autumn Concerto.
The last couple of weeks in India has been a myriad of sounds and colours. Three festivals were celebrated in the span of two months - Ganesh Chaturti, Dussehra and Diwali.
The last couple of weeks in India has been a myriad of sounds and colours. Three festivals were celebrated in the span of two months - Ganesh Chaturti, Dussehra and Diwali.
The Ganesh festival saw the whole city celebrating the birthday of Lord Ganesh (the idol that looks like an elephant) where you will see the idol being displayed everywhere. Besides having the idol in their own homes, residences and shopping areas will also display their own version. There was even one in the city where the idol was made out of biscuits. On the 11th day of the celebration, people will then bring the idols on a street procession for it to be thrown into the lake. As you can imagine how environmentally unfriendly this ritual is, people are encouraged to use environmentally friendly materials like clay for making of the idols.
Dussehra's celebrations are the mildest amongst the three. People will be giving sweets and presents to each other as a token gesture and lots of orange marigold flowers are being sold on the streets. These flowers will be used to decorate the doors of each house and also on cars. The apartment I was staying at had some block party where they played loud music till late into the night.
Dussehra's celebrations are the mildest amongst the three. People will be giving sweets and presents to each other as a token gesture and lots of orange marigold flowers are being sold on the streets. These flowers will be used to decorate the doors of each house and also on cars. The apartment I was staying at had some block party where they played loud music till late into the night.
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| A decorated car |
After Fri's experience of celebrating Diwali (or Deepavali as we know it) in India, it will no longer be remembered as just another public holiday for the hubby and myself. This is like Chinese New Year for the Indians. A few days before Diwali, you will hear kids starting to play with firecrackers downstairs.
My gosh. The first time I heard the firecrackers, I almost dropped the pot that I was holding. It was so loud and I could feel the impact even when I am on the 5th floor. Being a city dweller where firecrackers are banned and never seen (at least in my generation), I thought there were gun shots or maybe even a bomb going off! I quickly switched off the gas and walked to the balcony to see what was going on. But when I see life happening as normal on the streets with no panic, my life is also probably not under threat. :) Gradually I learnt to get used to the sound but sometimes, the loud sound of it still makes me jump.
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| A neighbour's house on Diwali |
On Diwali itself, once the sun started to set, firecrackers and fireworks were going off every second. I am not kidding you, there was barely a 10sec period when there wasn't one going off. The hubby and myself went up to the rooftop where we could see the Hussian Sagar Lake and all around it, fireworks kept going off. It was quite a pretty sight to behold. But by around 8pm, all the noise was starting to drive us crazy, so we escaped to a hotel for dinner and also to give our ears a rest.
That night, our apartment management lit a string of firecrackers outside the apartment that was about 50m long! Our first experience with firecrackers made us understand why it is banned in our small island city. For one, it is so dangerous as everyone is doing it at the same time. You have to be very careful when going out because you do not want to be too near the crackers when they go off but when the streets are so dark, how do you really see?
Even the auto drivers slow down when driving and made sure to avoid sides of the roads where people are playing with firecrackers. On the streets the next day, it is just a huge mess from all the firecrackers the last night.
Though the Indian festivals are barely done and dusted with, people are already looking forward to the Christmas and New Year season that is not too far away. For me, I am just keeping my fingers crossed that they will not be too enthusiastic about firecrackers during the year end season.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friendship Milestone: Level Up!
I had spent Sat evening like many other ones – sitting down with the girls snacking on potato chips and having multiple conversations simultaneously. We have this group habit of talking to one person but always able to butt in another conversation still clued in.
Yes, it’s the usual girl talk bonding over conversation like fashion, work, food, etc. Nothing unusual about that except that it was not over the dinner table or at someone’s house – it was over Skype. Three of my closest friends are in London and here I am in India looking at them (through my 14.1 inch screen) eating gourmet chips and them looking at me eating Lays.
The Skype call happened because two of them had just arrived in London to visit J. As J was waiting for them to get ready before heading out, we moved from MSN to Skype. After the updates of recent events, we moved on to the usual direction-less chatter.
While sitting here looking at three of them chat, they really didn’t seem that far away. For me, they really could have just been over the table. Too bad the technology of multiple video calls is not yet readily available, else we could have got the rest to dial in too.
Point is, we agreed that to be able to hang out together via Skype is akin to hitting a new milestone in our friendship. I suggested that to take this further, they should bring along the laptop for dinner and we can all have dinner together! Ha.
Anyway, girls, am counting down to CNY when we will all meet again for many steamboat sessions and mahjong!
P.S: Within 5 mins after we hung up, I had a blackout that lasted for almost 2 hours.
Yes, it’s the usual girl talk bonding over conversation like fashion, work, food, etc. Nothing unusual about that except that it was not over the dinner table or at someone’s house – it was over Skype. Three of my closest friends are in London and here I am in India looking at them (through my 14.1 inch screen) eating gourmet chips and them looking at me eating Lays.
The Skype call happened because two of them had just arrived in London to visit J. As J was waiting for them to get ready before heading out, we moved from MSN to Skype. After the updates of recent events, we moved on to the usual direction-less chatter.
While sitting here looking at three of them chat, they really didn’t seem that far away. For me, they really could have just been over the table. Too bad the technology of multiple video calls is not yet readily available, else we could have got the rest to dial in too.
Point is, we agreed that to be able to hang out together via Skype is akin to hitting a new milestone in our friendship. I suggested that to take this further, they should bring along the laptop for dinner and we can all have dinner together! Ha.
Anyway, girls, am counting down to CNY when we will all meet again for many steamboat sessions and mahjong!
P.S: Within 5 mins after we hung up, I had a blackout that lasted for almost 2 hours.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Comfort Food
It has been at least 3 months since I ate instant noodles. Not that I am a instant noodle addict but this is something that both hubby and myself had been craving for. Of all the brands here, only maggi mee is familiar to us but sadly, the taste is far far from same. No springy chew at all. :(
Even though the hubby has been bugging me to cook instant noodles, I refused because it is already not healthy stuff and if we were to eat the noodles, it had better taste good! Which the instant noodle here does not qualify.
So, when my friend gave me 2 packets of Myojo Mee Goreng and some Sri Lankan chili (similar to our sambal type), without doubt I knew that was going to be dinner last night! Knowing that the portion will not be enough,the noodles was topped up with fried egg and mutton kebab.
I could not stop thinking of dinner yesterday and kept willing in my mind for the hubby to come back earlier! Finally when it was dinner time, instant noodles had never tasted this good as I sank my teeth into it.
A taste of home.
Even though the hubby has been bugging me to cook instant noodles, I refused because it is already not healthy stuff and if we were to eat the noodles, it had better taste good! Which the instant noodle here does not qualify.
So, when my friend gave me 2 packets of Myojo Mee Goreng and some Sri Lankan chili (similar to our sambal type), without doubt I knew that was going to be dinner last night! Knowing that the portion will not be enough,the noodles was topped up with fried egg and mutton kebab.
I could not stop thinking of dinner yesterday and kept willing in my mind for the hubby to come back earlier! Finally when it was dinner time, instant noodles had never tasted this good as I sank my teeth into it.
A taste of home.
Mystery of the Dead Fruit Flies
Wednesday was everything but routine.
In the morning, I had gone to open the balcony door as usual and I could only stare at the sight that greeted me. Half the balcony was covered with dead fruit/ water flies plus a few other random dead insects. Just so that you can have a better idea of what I saw, imagine that you had disturbed the ant nest, all the ants came out but died on the floor. Except that instead of ants, they were flies.
What happened???
On Tues night as we were in the shower, we already noticed that there were more of these flies than usual. As these flies seem to like damp/ wet areas, we decided to make a bigger effort of drying out the bathroom so that they do not multiply so fast. But on weds night, things had gone back to normal, the flies from Tues had disappeared (probably dead on the balcony).
The few theories that we came up with:
#Theory 1
We leave a small light on during the night and that light had attracted the flies who tried to come in. But of course, they could not fly through the glass balcony door. Therefore, they had hit themselves on the glass, sustained head injury and died.
#Theory 2
Animal migration. It could be that they were flying through the area in a big group, some got stuck/ attracted in the balcony area and decided to die there. But this theory does not explain how they died.
#Theory 3
I had sprayed some baygon in the balcony area on Tues to kill an stick insect on the floor and my helper had removed away the dead insect. But there could have been some baygon lingering around the balcony that killed these flies. But my question is, how can the baygon on the floor kill flies that are in the air?
Can anyone solve this mystery for me?
*There are no pictures as it is just too gross
Anyway, I have kept the balcony door closed the last 2 days (even in the daytime) to keep out all these unwelcome visitors. But because I had to dry the laundry today, I had started to keep it open again.
Every morning now, I say a very short and quick prayer before opening the balcony door. Lord, please no dead insects/ flies/ creatures.
What else kept Wednesday far from routine was:
1. Gmail seem to have lost/ not able to display the emails from the past one plus month. I freaked out as I do not use an email client and everything was online. There was no important emails lost (I think) but how could Google do this to me?!?
I did a quick search online and realise that this is not a new issue for Google except that it is not common. My emails started showing again yesterday, so I had quickly downloaded them all. So guys, you have been warned by me.
2. Installation of Windows 7. With the Gmail incident, I decided that it was finally time to do the upgrade on my lappy. As most of you will know, this is time consuming and not fun at all.
3. Power cuts. Of course, it had to happen more frequently today because it will disrupt the internet connection that I need to install Windows 7. Murphy's Law. Didn't help that today the building's back up generator took its own sweet time to kick in. At about 7-ish, I sat in darkness with my backup lamp staring into space for about 20-30mins.
In the morning, I had gone to open the balcony door as usual and I could only stare at the sight that greeted me. Half the balcony was covered with dead fruit/ water flies plus a few other random dead insects. Just so that you can have a better idea of what I saw, imagine that you had disturbed the ant nest, all the ants came out but died on the floor. Except that instead of ants, they were flies.
What happened???
On Tues night as we were in the shower, we already noticed that there were more of these flies than usual. As these flies seem to like damp/ wet areas, we decided to make a bigger effort of drying out the bathroom so that they do not multiply so fast. But on weds night, things had gone back to normal, the flies from Tues had disappeared (probably dead on the balcony).
The few theories that we came up with:
#Theory 1
We leave a small light on during the night and that light had attracted the flies who tried to come in. But of course, they could not fly through the glass balcony door. Therefore, they had hit themselves on the glass, sustained head injury and died.
#Theory 2
Animal migration. It could be that they were flying through the area in a big group, some got stuck/ attracted in the balcony area and decided to die there. But this theory does not explain how they died.
#Theory 3
I had sprayed some baygon in the balcony area on Tues to kill an stick insect on the floor and my helper had removed away the dead insect. But there could have been some baygon lingering around the balcony that killed these flies. But my question is, how can the baygon on the floor kill flies that are in the air?
Can anyone solve this mystery for me?
*There are no pictures as it is just too gross
Anyway, I have kept the balcony door closed the last 2 days (even in the daytime) to keep out all these unwelcome visitors. But because I had to dry the laundry today, I had started to keep it open again.
Every morning now, I say a very short and quick prayer before opening the balcony door. Lord, please no dead insects/ flies/ creatures.
What else kept Wednesday far from routine was:
1. Gmail seem to have lost/ not able to display the emails from the past one plus month. I freaked out as I do not use an email client and everything was online. There was no important emails lost (I think) but how could Google do this to me?!?
I did a quick search online and realise that this is not a new issue for Google except that it is not common. My emails started showing again yesterday, so I had quickly downloaded them all. So guys, you have been warned by me.
2. Installation of Windows 7. With the Gmail incident, I decided that it was finally time to do the upgrade on my lappy. As most of you will know, this is time consuming and not fun at all.
3. Power cuts. Of course, it had to happen more frequently today because it will disrupt the internet connection that I need to install Windows 7. Murphy's Law. Didn't help that today the building's back up generator took its own sweet time to kick in. At about 7-ish, I sat in darkness with my backup lamp staring into space for about 20-30mins.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Eating Out: Chutneys @ Banjara Hills
Wikipedia: Chutney is incorporated into English from Hindi describing a pasty sauce in Indian cuisine. It is a term for a class of spicy preparations used as an accompaniment for a main dish. Chutneys usually contain an idiosyncratic but complementary spice and vegetable mix.
Since the time we arrived here, we kept passing by this restaurant that didn't look too welcoming but there was always a crowd. Later, we found out that it is an established vegetarian restaurant that we should go try. However, the location is not too friendly as it is near a busy intersection and there was no other shops nearby. It has been 2 months plus now and finally, I had gone there for lunch today after gym.
I had been craving for masala dosa/ thosai for a few days now and my friend so kindly gave into my craving, suggesting that we have it after gym. Thanks D!
My first masala dosa was at Minerva Coffee Shop and I had tried it at Ohris before too. Dosa is made out of rice and black lentils and you can have many different fillings. The masala dosa's filling is mashed potatoes with spices but it is not too spicy which suits me well. I cannot quite describe why I like dosa, but to me it tastes very clean, is healthy and satisfying.
Out of the many chutneys, the one that I like best is this peanut-coconut chutney that is very full flavoured. Besides that would be the sambar (looks like a watered down curry) which is usually served along with the dosa.
The place was so crowded when we arrived as it had clashed with lunch hour which is around 2pm+ but we only waited for around 15mins. One reason why this place is popular with locals is also its friendly-priced menu. D had the steamed dosa and we ordered idly (soft steamed rice cakes) to share. With a drink each (coffee for D and mango lassi for me), our meal came up to about Rs350/ SGD12.
So on a Sat when I went to the gym, had my craving of dosa satisfied plus a good time of girl-bonding, it was a great start to the weekend.
Since the time we arrived here, we kept passing by this restaurant that didn't look too welcoming but there was always a crowd. Later, we found out that it is an established vegetarian restaurant that we should go try. However, the location is not too friendly as it is near a busy intersection and there was no other shops nearby. It has been 2 months plus now and finally, I had gone there for lunch today after gym.
I had been craving for masala dosa/ thosai for a few days now and my friend so kindly gave into my craving, suggesting that we have it after gym. Thanks D!
My first masala dosa was at Minerva Coffee Shop and I had tried it at Ohris before too. Dosa is made out of rice and black lentils and you can have many different fillings. The masala dosa's filling is mashed potatoes with spices but it is not too spicy which suits me well. I cannot quite describe why I like dosa, but to me it tastes very clean, is healthy and satisfying.
Out of the many chutneys, the one that I like best is this peanut-coconut chutney that is very full flavoured. Besides that would be the sambar (looks like a watered down curry) which is usually served along with the dosa.
The place was so crowded when we arrived as it had clashed with lunch hour which is around 2pm+ but we only waited for around 15mins. One reason why this place is popular with locals is also its friendly-priced menu. D had the steamed dosa and we ordered idly (soft steamed rice cakes) to share. With a drink each (coffee for D and mango lassi for me), our meal came up to about Rs350/ SGD12.
So on a Sat when I went to the gym, had my craving of dosa satisfied plus a good time of girl-bonding, it was a great start to the weekend.
Chicken Curry via SKYPE
Technology is a life-saver in many many ways. For one, it gives me direct access to a walking cookbook also known as my mum. :)
A few days ago, I had by mistake cut open a packet of coconut milk instead of tomato paste. Yes, it is possible when both packs are identical with only the printed name on the pack as differentiators. When the fire is going and there are 10 others things lined up to be done, you (or is it just me?) just don't take a second look.
I know I am not ready to cook curry with no curry paste but I also don't want to waste the packet of coconut milk. So I decided to improvise with what I have and try. Finally, I took out the mortar and pestle that I had bought on a whim when we first got here.
My plan was to try to re-create something close to curry paste. I have helped my mum do this chili paste thingie for vegetables (think sambal kangkong) before when she cooked and thought that would be the next best substitute. I know there was chili, onion, garlic, belachan, ginger but what else? Then the other questions came up. Was there lime juice? Do I have to add water to the coconut milk? Does the paste go in first or later?
I tried looking for chicken curry recipes online without using curry paste but could not find any. So I decided to call home using Skype to ask mummy. We had paid to get Skype credits for calls to Singapore and these calls do not cost much at all. So I have the luxury of calling home when I want to. I mean, if it was 10 years ago when the call might have cost $10+ for a few minutes, would I have called for curry? I doubt it.
So, she told me what went into the paste and of course, I didn't have all the ingredients. Though she was saying "the taste will be different without this and that", I just had to make do. I felt quite happy with the end result though I just could not get that red colour typical of our chinese curry.
This was what the end product looked like:
A few days ago, I had by mistake cut open a packet of coconut milk instead of tomato paste. Yes, it is possible when both packs are identical with only the printed name on the pack as differentiators. When the fire is going and there are 10 others things lined up to be done, you (or is it just me?) just don't take a second look.
 |
| The metal version of pestle and mortar |
My plan was to try to re-create something close to curry paste. I have helped my mum do this chili paste thingie for vegetables (think sambal kangkong) before when she cooked and thought that would be the next best substitute. I know there was chili, onion, garlic, belachan, ginger but what else? Then the other questions came up. Was there lime juice? Do I have to add water to the coconut milk? Does the paste go in first or later?
I tried looking for chicken curry recipes online without using curry paste but could not find any. So I decided to call home using Skype to ask mummy. We had paid to get Skype credits for calls to Singapore and these calls do not cost much at all. So I have the luxury of calling home when I want to. I mean, if it was 10 years ago when the call might have cost $10+ for a few minutes, would I have called for curry? I doubt it.
So, she told me what went into the paste and of course, I didn't have all the ingredients. Though she was saying "the taste will be different without this and that", I just had to make do. I felt quite happy with the end result though I just could not get that red colour typical of our chinese curry.
This was what the end product looked like:
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| The weak looking curry that tasted not too bad! |
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Made in India
Take a closer look at things that we usually buy and chances are that it will be a "Made in China" tag.
Not surprising since everyone know that in a populous country, production costs can be kept very competitive.
Right here in Hyderabad, most things that we see are "Made in India". Refreshing change, I thought. I mean after all the news about China using inferior or unacceptable materials for toys or even milk, how worse can it get right?
When shopping here, most of the tags shows that the clothes are manufactured here. When a country is big, I can see how important it is to support your own domestic market. It creates jobs and when things are produced here, of course it is cheaper as compared to goods that have travelled on a plane/ ship.
I have not mentioned it before but if you shop here, you will see quite a few major brand's boutique. Nike, Adidas, Lacoste, Esprit, Mango, Aldo, Pepe Jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. I was thrilled! There is actually shopping to be done!
Well, true and not true. I can go shopping for an entire day and not buy anything. Some of the things are cheaper than back in Singapore but the quality and design is totally different. Nike shoes were heavier and most designs totally not cool. Casual bags were of cheap material and even though I really need a bag (mine is peeling after arriving here), I could not bring myself to buy one.
Brands like Mango and Aldo has got a good mix of local and important products but the imported ones are so expensive! I reluctantly stepped into Charles and Keith to look at the bags after much persuasion from the hubby (I mean, to buy Charles and Keith outside Singapore?!?!) and found that the bags are more than SGD100!
Closer on the home front, my kettle just malfunctioned on me today. The hubby had mentioned that his morning drink tasted different and I told him that we had changed from choc Horlicks to the Cadbury brand. Since it is not nice, let's not buy it again.
Later in the morning, as I was having my breakfast, I did my morning routine of drinking warm water first and nearly choked. The water had the taste of something burnt. I smelt it and confirmed the same. I went to the electric kettle and that same burnt plastic smell was overwhelming. So, it wasn't the Cadbury.
Hubby had gone to buy a new one in the afternoon and we agreed no "Made in India" kettles. The price difference was great but what to do? When I bought my pots and pans, I had insisted on getting imported ones just in case if the coating of the pans was not of accepted standards. After searching high and low, we finally found Teflon (Made in France) and bought it.
We bought honey on one of our supermarket trips for me to make honey drink or to cook with but never got the chance to use it. A few days after as I was reading the papers, it was reported that most honey made in India had a higher level of antibiotics than normal and was not allowed for import into certain countries. They did not mention anything at all about what should local consumers do (how about a product recall and get a refund?) but I reckon that the same product in the domestic market is usually the same quality or worse.
Let me show you what happened to one of my plates one fine day after microwaving food on it.
Not surprising since everyone know that in a populous country, production costs can be kept very competitive.
Right here in Hyderabad, most things that we see are "Made in India". Refreshing change, I thought. I mean after all the news about China using inferior or unacceptable materials for toys or even milk, how worse can it get right?
When shopping here, most of the tags shows that the clothes are manufactured here. When a country is big, I can see how important it is to support your own domestic market. It creates jobs and when things are produced here, of course it is cheaper as compared to goods that have travelled on a plane/ ship.
I have not mentioned it before but if you shop here, you will see quite a few major brand's boutique. Nike, Adidas, Lacoste, Esprit, Mango, Aldo, Pepe Jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. I was thrilled! There is actually shopping to be done!
Well, true and not true. I can go shopping for an entire day and not buy anything. Some of the things are cheaper than back in Singapore but the quality and design is totally different. Nike shoes were heavier and most designs totally not cool. Casual bags were of cheap material and even though I really need a bag (mine is peeling after arriving here), I could not bring myself to buy one.
Brands like Mango and Aldo has got a good mix of local and important products but the imported ones are so expensive! I reluctantly stepped into Charles and Keith to look at the bags after much persuasion from the hubby (I mean, to buy Charles and Keith outside Singapore?!?!) and found that the bags are more than SGD100!
Later in the morning, as I was having my breakfast, I did my morning routine of drinking warm water first and nearly choked. The water had the taste of something burnt. I smelt it and confirmed the same. I went to the electric kettle and that same burnt plastic smell was overwhelming. So, it wasn't the Cadbury.
Hubby had gone to buy a new one in the afternoon and we agreed no "Made in India" kettles. The price difference was great but what to do? When I bought my pots and pans, I had insisted on getting imported ones just in case if the coating of the pans was not of accepted standards. After searching high and low, we finally found Teflon (Made in France) and bought it.
We bought honey on one of our supermarket trips for me to make honey drink or to cook with but never got the chance to use it. A few days after as I was reading the papers, it was reported that most honey made in India had a higher level of antibiotics than normal and was not allowed for import into certain countries. They did not mention anything at all about what should local consumers do (how about a product recall and get a refund?) but I reckon that the same product in the domestic market is usually the same quality or worse.
Let me show you what happened to one of my plates one fine day after microwaving food on it.
Best! I first saw sauce leaking and I thought that the clingwrap was lousy. But when I started to take the plate, I was shocked to see that the veg remained in the microwave and I had a ring plate in my hands! But well, I honestly am not that surprised and thought it was quite funny even. And yes, these plates are sold as microwave safe.
I am sure that this will not be the end of my "Made In India" story. Ask me the next time you see me and see what else.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Eating out: TGIF @ Banjara Hills
Thank God It's Friday!
Well, I haven't been saying that for awhile now but I still echo the same sentiments when my friends says that on Facebook.
Back to point. Lunch on Sunday was at this American diner that is quite far away from where we stay. Food was not the main draw that convinced us to take that long dusty auto ride. The hubby wanted to go to this electronic shop - Croma to buy his netbook and TGIF was enroute.
Initally, I had wanted to order wings as well but I knew it would have been too much. :( Oh, have to mention that they do serve ribs here and you have a choice of Indian ribs or imported ribs. The imported ribs costs like 1.5 times more than the imported ones! Well, I guess some pigs die a worthier death.
The food met my expectations, portions were generous and the meat was also of a good cut. Nothing to rave about but in a city like this, coupled with the ambience, it does make a good Sunday brunch place. In total, the meal costs around SGD40 for us both.
Yes, I will be back again for their wings with ranch sauce and probably tenderloin quesadillas again. I admit to be a boring eater once I find food that hits my sweet spot. :)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Shanghai Baby!
We are headed to Shanghai in November for a week! Woo hoo!
Haven't been to China for about 2.5 years now. Am thinking of the foot reflexology sessions, massages, eating the xiao long paos, shopping at the markets...
Reason for the Shanghai trip is because Hubby will be attending a 3 day conference there and we will extend the trip. As I was planning for the trip, I realise that one of the easier routes to get to Shanghai is to transit through Singapore! This took me awhile to accept, considering the fact that China and India are neighbouring countries.
First of all, there are no direct flights from Hyderabad to Shanghai. We have to transit either in New Delhi or Bombay. To get to either of these 2 cities, it was equivalent to flying halfway back to Singapore. Throw in the terrible transit time where you have to wait for hours, we would have arrived at Changi Airport.
Secondly, the flight time from either Bombay/ Delhi to Shanghai is about the same as from Singapore. Though when I checked online, Singapore is about 500 nautical miles further. Few reasons that I could throw up was use of different aircraft type or wind directions?
Lastly, when it comes down to between Singapore Airlines and Air India, the choice is very obvious isn't it? Also helps that it didn't cost that much more to transit in Singapore.
Our grand plans have been hatched. We are choosing the longer transit time for both transits in Singapore. This will let us go home first to pack the clothes we need for Shanghai and on the way back, we can stock up on essentials for India! Another thing that I am very excited about is picking up my new camera before the trip. I have been eyeing on the LX5 even before its release a few weeks ago, so its time to get my hands on it.
Initial plans for Shanghai now also includes meeting up with a few friends while Hubby is in conference, do all my favourite activities and throw in a day trip to Zhou Zhuang and Suzhou. While flying, I never really took pictures of Shanghai. Felt that it was too touristy then. So now, I am going all out to photo document this trip!
November is still like a long 1.5 months away. I know most people will tell me that time flies and its true only when you look back at time.
Just a few days ago was our 2 months wedding anniversary. When I told Hubby " Happy 2 months anniversary", we both agreed that it had felt like 2 years. Now, who can tell me if that is a good thing or not?
Countdown to Shanghai: 51 days
Haven't been to China for about 2.5 years now. Am thinking of the foot reflexology sessions, massages, eating the xiao long paos, shopping at the markets...
Reason for the Shanghai trip is because Hubby will be attending a 3 day conference there and we will extend the trip. As I was planning for the trip, I realise that one of the easier routes to get to Shanghai is to transit through Singapore! This took me awhile to accept, considering the fact that China and India are neighbouring countries.
First of all, there are no direct flights from Hyderabad to Shanghai. We have to transit either in New Delhi or Bombay. To get to either of these 2 cities, it was equivalent to flying halfway back to Singapore. Throw in the terrible transit time where you have to wait for hours, we would have arrived at Changi Airport.
Secondly, the flight time from either Bombay/ Delhi to Shanghai is about the same as from Singapore. Though when I checked online, Singapore is about 500 nautical miles further. Few reasons that I could throw up was use of different aircraft type or wind directions?
Lastly, when it comes down to between Singapore Airlines and Air India, the choice is very obvious isn't it? Also helps that it didn't cost that much more to transit in Singapore.
Our grand plans have been hatched. We are choosing the longer transit time for both transits in Singapore. This will let us go home first to pack the clothes we need for Shanghai and on the way back, we can stock up on essentials for India! Another thing that I am very excited about is picking up my new camera before the trip. I have been eyeing on the LX5 even before its release a few weeks ago, so its time to get my hands on it.
Initial plans for Shanghai now also includes meeting up with a few friends while Hubby is in conference, do all my favourite activities and throw in a day trip to Zhou Zhuang and Suzhou. While flying, I never really took pictures of Shanghai. Felt that it was too touristy then. So now, I am going all out to photo document this trip!
November is still like a long 1.5 months away. I know most people will tell me that time flies and its true only when you look back at time.
Just a few days ago was our 2 months wedding anniversary. When I told Hubby " Happy 2 months anniversary", we both agreed that it had felt like 2 years. Now, who can tell me if that is a good thing or not?
Countdown to Shanghai: 51 days
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
BLACKOUT
There is a new phrase that has come into my daily routine - Power Cuts.
In this country where demand for electricity outstrips supply, what happens is that electricity gets cut in certain areas. Sometimes it is planned and you can check the newspaper if your area is scheduled for one and at what time but more often than not, the cuts are just unexpected.
Because of this, one of the criteria we had for selecting an apartment is that they should have backup generators. Else, we will have to go get inverters to keep the important appliances up and that does not mean aircon. That will be your fridge, computer and a essential lightings. Usually when there is a power cut, the backup generator will kick in within 5-10 seconds but sometimes it doesn't.
These power cuts just continually reminds me of how uncertain things are in this country. On a good day, it would happen once or twice,with the generator kicking in almost immediately. I absolutely dread it to happen when you are showering after dark. Remember that it is not only this block that has a power cut. It is the entire area, including the street lights, so it is pitch dark. Luckily, I haven't been in that situation yet but the hubby has. We usually do not move for the first few seconds, crossing fingers that the power would come back up. Else, we would be inching for the torch or powerlight that we have in the house.
Everything goes down during the power cuts, including the internet connection that takes some time to start up again. Sometimes in the evening, I will sit on the couch trying to see how often is this going to be and if I should start cooking because I am totally not interested to cook in the dark.
So far most things are quite tolerable but this really can be unbearable. Everyone has been telling me about it gets only worse in summer when everyone wants the aircon/ fan/ cooler switched on. With temperature going up to as hgh as 40 degrees, I can only imagine. In any case, my backup plan is to run back to Singapore if it gets so bad. HA!
In this country where demand for electricity outstrips supply, what happens is that electricity gets cut in certain areas. Sometimes it is planned and you can check the newspaper if your area is scheduled for one and at what time but more often than not, the cuts are just unexpected.
Because of this, one of the criteria we had for selecting an apartment is that they should have backup generators. Else, we will have to go get inverters to keep the important appliances up and that does not mean aircon. That will be your fridge, computer and a essential lightings. Usually when there is a power cut, the backup generator will kick in within 5-10 seconds but sometimes it doesn't.
These power cuts just continually reminds me of how uncertain things are in this country. On a good day, it would happen once or twice,with the generator kicking in almost immediately. I absolutely dread it to happen when you are showering after dark. Remember that it is not only this block that has a power cut. It is the entire area, including the street lights, so it is pitch dark. Luckily, I haven't been in that situation yet but the hubby has. We usually do not move for the first few seconds, crossing fingers that the power would come back up. Else, we would be inching for the torch or powerlight that we have in the house.
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So far most things are quite tolerable but this really can be unbearable. Everyone has been telling me about it gets only worse in summer when everyone wants the aircon/ fan/ cooler switched on. With temperature going up to as hgh as 40 degrees, I can only imagine. In any case, my backup plan is to run back to Singapore if it gets so bad. HA!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Eating out: Hard Rock Cafe @ Banjara Hills
Never did I think one day that I would be in possession of this. When I started my collection, this cafe was not even in existence!
I don't remember exactly when but somewhere during my flying days, I started collecting Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) shotglasses. Not sure how many I have altogether now but there should be about 30-40 of them. For my collection of HRC shotglasses, I make it a point to buy them only if I have been to those places. That's why I will always tell friends not to buy me HRC shotglasses when they travel because they have been there, not me!
When I was moving to the hubby's place, I had to pack them all into a box and while packing, many memories came back to me. When I look at each location, it reminds me of the city and sometimes, finding HRC in a foreign city is not easy at all!
In Seoul, I was alone and had walked for almost 1.5 hours before I found Hard Rock. I had a good time walking in the city but I had almost gave up. I still remember what the restaurant looks like in my mind. On a hot afternoon in Sydney, this kind stewardess had offered to go with me in a cab to HRC. At Niagara Falls, we took our passports along so that we can walk through immigration to the Canada side, Ontario to buy a different one. And my Boston's shotglass is still with Keith!
Some of the HRC shotglasses that I have are collector's items because they have shut operations in the city. And it goes on and on and on...
Last Saturday, I was brooding at home with no appetite as I felt the onset of a flu. When the hubby asked where we should go for dinner, my moody reply was I don't want dinner. It was already coming to 9pm and thought we would phone for food delivery eventually. That was until I watched Man vs Food on cable television. The host was in one of the American states trying to conquer some eating challenge and when I saw the humongous steak sandwich, my stomach gave a weak growl. I want my steak too! The power of television...
Beef is not a staple in most restaurants, so besides a hotel, it would be HRC that is closest to us. The menu is largely the same as the other outlets but of course, they had plenty of Indian vegetarian options too.
I didn't have to think because all I wanted was the 8oz steak. Hubby had the burger as usual. I must have been hungry because I found the 8oz steak not enough! A 10oz would have been perfect.
We only found out that the fryer was not working when the food was served and the onion rings were replaced by nachos instead. Was a tad disappointed because what is a burger without fries or onion rings with ketchup? I was so looking forward to snitching the onion rings from the hubby.
Anyway, the place was buzzing with really loud music (FYI: not Indie music) and cricket was being screened. Conversation was difficult with the loud music but it is interesting to people watch instead. HRC Hyderabad opened late last year. Though it is not as crowded as the HRC back home, it is one of the happening place to be with a young crowd and small number of expats. However, it is a different story on Thurs nights when the local crowd throng this place to listen to performing bands. The last time we went on a Thurs, we couldn't even get near the door.
As we left, the music was still buzzing in our ears. So, even though I have bought my shotglass, this will not be a one time visit. I will be definitely still be back to get my steak fix from time to time. Just hope that the fryer is working!
Update: For the third time that we were there, there was still no onion rings available. Makes me think that maybe they do not serve it at all!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Day of Coffee and Postcard
Most days, my day to day routine is the same as mentioned but today, I made a new friend. She is a Singaporean Chinese who has been living in the city for awhile and we had made plans for coffee. I was quite looking forward to the meeting as I am always open to making new friends and partly also because I get to go hang out which is not something I do often here!
We went to this place called The Chocolate Room - a local cafe chain. The coffee was ok but the waffle that came with ice cream was harder than biscuits! A bit disappointing but nevertheless, the ambience was nice for a coffee session.
So over the hardened waffle and coffee, we bonded over common topics like family, skincare, fashion, etc. She gave me a lot of good advice and tips about living here. Hope to be able to catch up with her more often in future. What an angel sent by God!
As I was returning to the apartment, I had this prompting to check the mailbox and I did. Finally, the postcard that Lea had sent to me arrived!!! I had asked her to send a postcard to me just to test the local post. What a surprise because I had been prepared not to receive it all all. This is my first mail received in India and it is not a bill. :) Thanks babe!
The postcard had taken about 10 days to arrive which is not too bad. My friend was saying that postal here can be a bit erratic. She receives most mails within 1-2 weeks but there were some that took a month. What happened in between is anybody's guess!
We went to this place called The Chocolate Room - a local cafe chain. The coffee was ok but the waffle that came with ice cream was harder than biscuits! A bit disappointing but nevertheless, the ambience was nice for a coffee session.So over the hardened waffle and coffee, we bonded over common topics like family, skincare, fashion, etc. She gave me a lot of good advice and tips about living here. Hope to be able to catch up with her more often in future. What an angel sent by God!
As I was returning to the apartment, I had this prompting to check the mailbox and I did. Finally, the postcard that Lea had sent to me arrived!!! I had asked her to send a postcard to me just to test the local post. What a surprise because I had been prepared not to receive it all all. This is my first mail received in India and it is not a bill. :) Thanks babe!
The postcard had taken about 10 days to arrive which is not too bad. My friend was saying that postal here can be a bit erratic. She receives most mails within 1-2 weeks but there were some that took a month. What happened in between is anybody's guess!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Eating out: Deccan Pavilion @ ITC Kakatiya Hotel
ITC Kakatiya is a 5 star hotel that is near our apartment. Reviews online for this restaurant seemed pretty good and so off we went last sat night for dinner.
Price?
Buffet dinner with free flow beverages (alcoholic drinks included) - Rs 1300 / SGD40+.
As usual, we were the early diners. In India, the dinner crowd only starts to build up around 9pm+. Ambience was cozy with live music playing love ballads.
Though I would think that this is pricey for the locals, the restaurant had only about 1 or 2 tables of Caucasian guests and the rest were locals. I have been told that people in this city are considered to have good spending power. Guess I am just starting to see this for myself.
When the hubby had wanted to order from the a-la-carte menu instead of having the buffet, they were flexible enough to accommodate to his request. Not surprising, he had ordered his comfort food of burgers.
The buffet spread was quite extensive, covering a good range of local and international food.
As it was the ramzan (ramadan) month for the Muslim, there was a selection of food just for these guests. There was the spread of dates, bread and this item called Haleem. Since I arrived, I have been reading the local paper about this food called Haleem. Available only during ramzan, people travel all over town to get the best Haleem. Made out of wheat, lentils and meat, it is like a stew but so thick that it looks like a paste.
Of course I had to give it a try! The waiter was very kind to explain to me how Haleem was made and then offered to get fresh naan to be sent to the table to be eaten with the Haleem. The taste is not overwhelming as there are no spices and I felt like I was eating the filling of a chicken mayo sandwich except that it is warm. Overall, I would eat it again if I see it but not as a whole meal and I definitely will not go all over town hunting for it.
There was a grill counter available and I went straight for that. 3 servings of grilled beef steak, prawns, pineapples, eggplant and mushrooms. So satisfied. I so missed my red meat.
With my palate satisfied, I went around the buffet line again looking for interesting food. There it was - a corner labelling Rajastani food. Looking like the lost Asian, the waiter came up to me and explained that they are promoting Rajastani food in the buffet today. Food from this region is spicy and the must have is this combination of wheat ball (bati) and lentils (churma) eaten together. The wheat ball is dry and crumbly but when eaten together with the lentils, it is quite alright. Anyway, it was so spicy that I could not finish eating it.
Just for kicks, I took a bit of the briyanis and different curries though I wasn't really craving for it. The selection is so great that it is impossible to finish sampling them.
Then came desserts! As there are many vegetarians in the city, you will find many of the desserts made without eggs to cater to them. So I had eggless brownies, bread pudding, apple crumble, panacotta. It is these city cosmopolitan desserts that I miss eating!
Polishing all of that off with a cup of tea, its a perfect end to the evening. And yes, it is a place that I would return to again.
Price?
Buffet dinner with free flow beverages (alcoholic drinks included) - Rs 1300 / SGD40+.
As usual, we were the early diners. In India, the dinner crowd only starts to build up around 9pm+. Ambience was cozy with live music playing love ballads.
Though I would think that this is pricey for the locals, the restaurant had only about 1 or 2 tables of Caucasian guests and the rest were locals. I have been told that people in this city are considered to have good spending power. Guess I am just starting to see this for myself.
When the hubby had wanted to order from the a-la-carte menu instead of having the buffet, they were flexible enough to accommodate to his request. Not surprising, he had ordered his comfort food of burgers.
 |
| Me with my Mojito; Hubby with his American Burger |
The buffet spread was quite extensive, covering a good range of local and international food.
As it was the ramzan (ramadan) month for the Muslim, there was a selection of food just for these guests. There was the spread of dates, bread and this item called Haleem. Since I arrived, I have been reading the local paper about this food called Haleem. Available only during ramzan, people travel all over town to get the best Haleem. Made out of wheat, lentils and meat, it is like a stew but so thick that it looks like a paste.
Of course I had to give it a try! The waiter was very kind to explain to me how Haleem was made and then offered to get fresh naan to be sent to the table to be eaten with the Haleem. The taste is not overwhelming as there are no spices and I felt like I was eating the filling of a chicken mayo sandwich except that it is warm. Overall, I would eat it again if I see it but not as a whole meal and I definitely will not go all over town hunting for it.
There was a grill counter available and I went straight for that. 3 servings of grilled beef steak, prawns, pineapples, eggplant and mushrooms. So satisfied. I so missed my red meat.
With my palate satisfied, I went around the buffet line again looking for interesting food. There it was - a corner labelling Rajastani food. Looking like the lost Asian, the waiter came up to me and explained that they are promoting Rajastani food in the buffet today. Food from this region is spicy and the must have is this combination of wheat ball (bati) and lentils (churma) eaten together. The wheat ball is dry and crumbly but when eaten together with the lentils, it is quite alright. Anyway, it was so spicy that I could not finish eating it.
Just for kicks, I took a bit of the briyanis and different curries though I wasn't really craving for it. The selection is so great that it is impossible to finish sampling them.
Then came desserts! As there are many vegetarians in the city, you will find many of the desserts made without eggs to cater to them. So I had eggless brownies, bread pudding, apple crumble, panacotta. It is these city cosmopolitan desserts that I miss eating!
Polishing all of that off with a cup of tea, its a perfect end to the evening. And yes, it is a place that I would return to again.
 |
| Satisfied... |
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Settling In
This post is long overdue and I know it because it has been sitting in my head for a few days now. Of course I have the 101 excuses of internet access being not reliable, busy cleaning up, cooking, etc but the real reasons are really getting hooked on watching TVB drama series online, chasing CSI episodes on cable TV and reading.
It has been about 1.5 weeks now since we moved in. Most of the setup has been done - sofa arrived, broadband up, gas stove cooking. Top question given to me these days is: How do you spend your day?
Ok, if this doesn't bore you: I get up with the hubby at around 815am and prepare breakfast for him. When he goes off around 9am, I go back to dreamland for awhile - usually not more than 90mins. Then begins my favourite period of the day when I have my "me time". I eat my breakfast with my favourite cup of tea, read the local papers and Straits Times online, the mandatory Facebook catchup and whatever else I feel like which could be reading, updating the blog, replying emails, etc.
By then, the cleaning lady would have arrived and I spend the next 1-2 hours watching her do her chores. Everyone including the locals tells me that you should never lose sight of them. Seriously, though I do not do the chores but just watching her and giving her simple instructions is also tiring!
I have a late lunch after she leaves and do the chores that I prefer to do myself like washing clothes, ironing, airing and making the bed. Then, it's the planning of menu for dinner and lunch tomorrow. Dishes that I want to cook but do not know how, there is always the world wide web. Or Skype to call mummy! The internet really "rawks"!
Its rock and roll time now with the pots and pans. If I have not mentioned it before, I really hate washing! There is just so much to wash all the time! Bleah. I try to get everything done by 8pm so that I can go shower and sit in comfort before MasterChef Australia shows on telly! It's usually snack and telly time while waiting for the hubby to come back to have dinner together. This is a great time to msn/ video call with nocturnal friends who are still online.
The hubby gets home anytime between 1030pm to midnight. Dinner is when we catch up on what happened in the day. Though it's been a long day for him, the hubby will still want to do the dishes for me and take out the trash. :)
Weekends are a break from the kitchen and we will go out to different places to eat. Last sat, we went to the ITC Kakatiya Hotel for their buffet dinner. There was a grill counter and I went all out for the steak. Super satisfied. Free flow of alcohol too! Has anyone tried an Indian Shiraz? I have!
To end off the week, Sunday is a go slow day for us where we do not really plan. The hubby gets up so early every other morning that he really deserves to sleep in on Sundays. Going to church is on the cards but we are looking for a church that has evening English services.
Right now, I am not feeling bored yet and am rather enjoying the time I have to myself.
If case you have not noticed, I have not mentioned anything about going out at all during weekdays. Surely, I have set my own record of staying home 5 days in a row.
But this is fine with me so far because I think it is important to find my routine and feel settled first before introducing other activities. What I have in mind now is maybe going to the gym twice a week.
There are 2 places which I have shortlisted and the one that I prefer charges ridiculous prices that is comparable to what I pay in Singapore for gym membership! So let's see which I decide on next week.
It has been about 1.5 weeks now since we moved in. Most of the setup has been done - sofa arrived, broadband up, gas stove cooking. Top question given to me these days is: How do you spend your day?
Ok, if this doesn't bore you: I get up with the hubby at around 815am and prepare breakfast for him. When he goes off around 9am, I go back to dreamland for awhile - usually not more than 90mins. Then begins my favourite period of the day when I have my "me time". I eat my breakfast with my favourite cup of tea, read the local papers and Straits Times online, the mandatory Facebook catchup and whatever else I feel like which could be reading, updating the blog, replying emails, etc.
By then, the cleaning lady would have arrived and I spend the next 1-2 hours watching her do her chores. Everyone including the locals tells me that you should never lose sight of them. Seriously, though I do not do the chores but just watching her and giving her simple instructions is also tiring!
I have a late lunch after she leaves and do the chores that I prefer to do myself like washing clothes, ironing, airing and making the bed. Then, it's the planning of menu for dinner and lunch tomorrow. Dishes that I want to cook but do not know how, there is always the world wide web. Or Skype to call mummy! The internet really "rawks"!
Its rock and roll time now with the pots and pans. If I have not mentioned it before, I really hate washing! There is just so much to wash all the time! Bleah. I try to get everything done by 8pm so that I can go shower and sit in comfort before MasterChef Australia shows on telly! It's usually snack and telly time while waiting for the hubby to come back to have dinner together. This is a great time to msn/ video call with nocturnal friends who are still online.
The hubby gets home anytime between 1030pm to midnight. Dinner is when we catch up on what happened in the day. Though it's been a long day for him, the hubby will still want to do the dishes for me and take out the trash. :)
Weekends are a break from the kitchen and we will go out to different places to eat. Last sat, we went to the ITC Kakatiya Hotel for their buffet dinner. There was a grill counter and I went all out for the steak. Super satisfied. Free flow of alcohol too! Has anyone tried an Indian Shiraz? I have!
To end off the week, Sunday is a go slow day for us where we do not really plan. The hubby gets up so early every other morning that he really deserves to sleep in on Sundays. Going to church is on the cards but we are looking for a church that has evening English services.
Right now, I am not feeling bored yet and am rather enjoying the time I have to myself.
If case you have not noticed, I have not mentioned anything about going out at all during weekdays. Surely, I have set my own record of staying home 5 days in a row.
But this is fine with me so far because I think it is important to find my routine and feel settled first before introducing other activities. What I have in mind now is maybe going to the gym twice a week.
There are 2 places which I have shortlisted and the one that I prefer charges ridiculous prices that is comparable to what I pay in Singapore for gym membership! So let's see which I decide on next week.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Homecooking in India
Finally, no more KFCs, Macs, Pizza Hut and Chinese takeaways! Woo Hoo!
After surviving 3 full weeks here on fast food, restaurants eating and takeaways, I was so ready to cook! Can't wait for a taste of home.
On Mon when I first cooked, it took me 3 whole hours from the start of preparing the ingredients to the washing. The results: Potato, Carrot and Onion Soup + Sweet and Sour Cabbage for dinner; chicken fried rice for hubby's lunchbox tomorrow. 3 dishes and I was so knocked out.
Tues was better because I told myself that I need to plan. Even the usage of plates needs to be strategic! Here's what is on the menu: Melon soup with dates + Pepper beef with french beans for dinner; Mince chicken corn fritter + Chicken with potato in dark soy sauce for next day's lunch.
Ok, I was very happy with the end results and the time was shaved by 30mins to 2h30mins. As a result, I could shower and then sit back to watch Masterchef Australia on StarWorld (yes, my fav show currently) and wait for the hubby to come home. :)
But... over dinner, we found out that the beef was so tough that it was inedible! Not sure if it is because I overcooked it or because they sell beef here in cubes and that the cut is meant for stews only. Anyway, I still have half of it in the freezer and I will experiment stewing with it!
Today,I clocked in 2h30 mins too. 2 course dinner tonight of Tomato Garlic Prawns + Tofu with Mixed veg; Lunchbox tomorrow has Onion Omelette + Cabbage with Chicken in Oyster Sauce.
1. My nails are peeling! This is the worst state I have ever seen my nails in, suffering from the food prep and washing. MUST use the gloves more diligently. Thank you Claire for your thoughtful gift of L'occitane hand cream, most useful!
2. Garlic. I love garlic and can eat lots of it but it is such a pain to include garlic in cooking here. The cloves of the garlic are so small that after all the effort of peeling it, you only get that much! Either I am going to try that garlic paste that supermarkets are selling or I will eat less of it.
3. For the last 25 days, me and the hubby had not tasted pork at all. Closest to finding pork would be the canned sausages that contains pork. This is definitely the longest time I had gone without pork for sure! This could be because 40% of people here in the state are Muslims. I heard you can get it at 5-star hotels and specific "pork shops" but I wonder what is the freshness of it.
Things to rave about:
1. Teflon pots and pans are definitely one of the best thing to have in a kitchen! I found out that because they are non-stick, I can get away with not washing the pan at all if I plan the cooking well (i.e. start from dishes with no sauce to the one with sauce/ strong flavours). Just let it cool a bit and wipe it with napkins.
2. Microwave oven is an essential item. On Mon, the gas was leaking and I couldn't start cooking. Called for a gas repair person but given their rubber band timing, was not sure if they would turn up at all. I was determined to eat home cooked food today at all costs! So, I started using the microwave to cook rice and it works. Made me realise that one can cook an entire meal using a microwave. Just make sure you have read the manual or still have it around.
3. The satisfaction from seeing all your dishes gives me a real high! Sense of great accomplishment! :)
Anyway, one challenge is that I need more recipes so that I can do many varieties of the same ingredients. So, please do share with me recipes that works for you and is simple!
P.s: I am still keeping the fish in the freezer till when I feel more confident to handle it. Maybe tomorrow.
After surviving 3 full weeks here on fast food, restaurants eating and takeaways, I was so ready to cook! Can't wait for a taste of home.
On Mon when I first cooked, it took me 3 whole hours from the start of preparing the ingredients to the washing. The results: Potato, Carrot and Onion Soup + Sweet and Sour Cabbage for dinner; chicken fried rice for hubby's lunchbox tomorrow. 3 dishes and I was so knocked out.
Tues was better because I told myself that I need to plan. Even the usage of plates needs to be strategic! Here's what is on the menu: Melon soup with dates + Pepper beef with french beans for dinner; Mince chicken corn fritter + Chicken with potato in dark soy sauce for next day's lunch.
Ok, I was very happy with the end results and the time was shaved by 30mins to 2h30mins. As a result, I could shower and then sit back to watch Masterchef Australia on StarWorld (yes, my fav show currently) and wait for the hubby to come home. :)
But... over dinner, we found out that the beef was so tough that it was inedible! Not sure if it is because I overcooked it or because they sell beef here in cubes and that the cut is meant for stews only. Anyway, I still have half of it in the freezer and I will experiment stewing with it!
Today,I clocked in 2h30 mins too. 2 course dinner tonight of Tomato Garlic Prawns + Tofu with Mixed veg; Lunchbox tomorrow has Onion Omelette + Cabbage with Chicken in Oyster Sauce.
 |
Tofu with Mixed veg + Tomato Garlic Prawns |
 |
| Cabbage with Chicken in Oyster Sauce + Onion Omelette |
As I am writing this, its 1010pm (India Standard Time) and I am waiting for hubby to come back to have dinner together. He called earlier to say that today will be a long night. So, that gives me the time to update the blog!
A few peeves about cooking so far:
A few peeves about cooking so far:
1. My nails are peeling! This is the worst state I have ever seen my nails in, suffering from the food prep and washing. MUST use the gloves more diligently. Thank you Claire for your thoughtful gift of L'occitane hand cream, most useful!
2. Garlic. I love garlic and can eat lots of it but it is such a pain to include garlic in cooking here. The cloves of the garlic are so small that after all the effort of peeling it, you only get that much! Either I am going to try that garlic paste that supermarkets are selling or I will eat less of it.
3. For the last 25 days, me and the hubby had not tasted pork at all. Closest to finding pork would be the canned sausages that contains pork. This is definitely the longest time I had gone without pork for sure! This could be because 40% of people here in the state are Muslims. I heard you can get it at 5-star hotels and specific "pork shops" but I wonder what is the freshness of it.
Things to rave about:
1. Teflon pots and pans are definitely one of the best thing to have in a kitchen! I found out that because they are non-stick, I can get away with not washing the pan at all if I plan the cooking well (i.e. start from dishes with no sauce to the one with sauce/ strong flavours). Just let it cool a bit and wipe it with napkins.
2. Microwave oven is an essential item. On Mon, the gas was leaking and I couldn't start cooking. Called for a gas repair person but given their rubber band timing, was not sure if they would turn up at all. I was determined to eat home cooked food today at all costs! So, I started using the microwave to cook rice and it works. Made me realise that one can cook an entire meal using a microwave. Just make sure you have read the manual or still have it around.
 |
| Clockwise: Our Reverse Osmosis water machine, Whirlpool microwave, Teflon pot, Drinking Water |
3. The satisfaction from seeing all your dishes gives me a real high! Sense of great accomplishment! :)
Anyway, one challenge is that I need more recipes so that I can do many varieties of the same ingredients. So, please do share with me recipes that works for you and is simple!
P.s: I am still keeping the fish in the freezer till when I feel more confident to handle it. Maybe tomorrow.
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