Posted on November 19, 2008 - by admin

Meiko

Current Mood: Content

Last March, Tom and I had the amazing opportunity to meet this wonderful singer/songwriter at the Hotel Cafe Tour here in Chicago. Although I was quiet familiar with the Hotel Cafe musicians i.e. Priscilla Ahn, Cary Brothers, Joshua Radin, Ingrid Michealson, Racheal Yamagata, etc, because I tend to follow their line-up religiously. This was actually the first time I had ever had the opportunity to experience Meiko’s music and Tom and I both agreed she was one of our favorites of the night. Her songs were good, she pretty voice, and she was really cute.

Anyways, last September she finally released her self-titled album, and her songs have been poping up everywhere, i.e. Grey’s Anatomy, The Cleaner, Moonlight, and 90210.

Although armed with the requisite trappings of a singer/songwriter - fingerplucked guitar chords, lovelorn lyrics, and a chic café vibe — Meiko brings something different to the coffee table, mixing wistful pop/rock tunes with toy pianos, muted trumpet solos, and the occasional programmed drumbeat. Her vocals take the spotlight on nearly every number, alternating between raspy whispers and a strong, radio-ready belt. There’s a Southern accent buried somewhere in there, too — a product of her childhood spent in rural Georgia — but Meiko creates her own geography with songs about low-rent apartments, Hawaii, and lovers’ arms. Breezy handclaps and a singalong chorus turn “Boys with Girlfriends” into the album’s most commercial track, yet Meiko’s real strength lies in the less conventional numbers: “Reason to Love You,” which features a cooing, hiccupping chorus; “Piano Song,” an indie pop exercise in cuteness; and “Hiding,” where minor-key progressions and a lone keyboard riff combine to form a rainy day ballad. Perhaps most impressive is “Said and Done,” a nocturnal song that pairs Meiko’s vocals with the orchestration of a John Alton film noir. When Meiko audibly exhales during the chorus, her breath sounds like a snare hit, and it’s nuances like that — smart, slyly inconspicuous tricks — that elevate her beyond the realm of ordinary songwriters.

Boys with Girlfriends - Meiko

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when i first met you i knew you were the one
till you took me home and i met her
she had your boxers on
she was listening to your song
and i thought right then that you had everything

but i knew
she was jealous from the start
yeah i knew
she was jealous from the start

‘cus i know better not to be friends with boys with girlfriends
oh i know better than that i know better
you play the victim and i’ll be the bad guy
i know better than that, i know better
(oh oh oh oh oh oh X 2)

we started hanging around after 9
i couldve sworn that i was yours
you looked at me and said
its a little too late for bed
we went to a hotel and
talked about everything

but i knew
she was jealous from the start
yeah i knew
she was jealous from the start

cos i know better not to be friends with boys with girlfriends
oh i know better than that i know better
you play the victim and i’ll be the bad guy
i know better than that, i know better
(oh)

what she did to us was tragic
oh oh oh
and i have to do what’s right
oh oh oh
what we had was really magic
oh oh oh
but i have to get what’s mine
what’s mine
i’ll get what’s mine
and you’ll get yours

‘cus i know better not to be friends with boys with girlfriends
oh i know better than that i know better
you play the victim and i’ll be the bad guy
i know better than that, i know better

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Posted on November 18, 2008 - by admin

Butter Prawns

Current Mood: Happy

I have always always loved this dish but have never tried making it before. My family and I have only ever had it if we went to some seafood restaurant in Malaysia.

Well, the last time I had this dish was over two years ago at this amazing seafood restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, called Muhibbah. Anyways since this is another dish I can’t find at the restaurants here, I figured I have to try to make it myself. I am glad to say…the dish turned out beautifully and tasted incredible! Here is my recipe for butter prawn. (Although I added some shrimps when I made it, because I didn’t have enough tiger prawns).

Fry the prawns

Prepare the butter and spice mixture

Butter Prawns

Ingredients
500g medium-sized prawns, trimmed, slit back
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp evaporated milk
5 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp curry leaves
6 bird’s eye chilies (chopped), optional
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

Seasoning
½ ts salt
½ tsp sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
dash of chicken granules

Method
1. Heat up up oil for deep-frying, put in prawns and deep-fry until cooked. Dish and drain.

2. Combine egg yolks, evaporated milk and mix well.

4. Heat up wok, melt butter with low heat. Slowly pour in egg mixture, keep stirring until the egg mixture forms into fine shreds. Add in curry leaves, bird’s eye chilies, garlic, seasoning and mix well.

5. Put in prawns and mix well. Dish up and drain off the excess oil. Serve.

Owh…and I advise NOT to have this dish often!! It’s great for special dinner occasions though.

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Posted on November 17, 2008 - by admin

Weekend

Current Mood: Fun

My weekend this week was pretty simple. We went to the gym, we went to the mall, we went to an early (extremely early) Christmas Party, we went to dinners, and we watched a movie. Owh we also got Animal Crossing : City Folks for the Wii! Yay! So all in all it was a pretty full weekend.

I am dyig to use the microphone on Animal Crossing, but I’m not sure if anyone else I know will actually get the game. So if you do! Drop me a line and maybe we can share friend codes!!

Well that’s it for today.

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Posted on November 14, 2008 - by admin

New Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Trailer!

Current Mood: Amazed

I am cursing the fact I have to wait til next year to be able to watch this. I love the beautiful and fascinating world of Harry Potter and this trailer just make me more excited and anxious to watch the next installment of the series. The trailer left me mesmerized and yay! for more Ron Weasley!. Just like the other Potter movies, Half-Blood Prince looks like it will be visually stunning!

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Posted on November 13, 2008 - by admin

Feeling the blues.

Current Mood: Confused & Crying & Sad

Nothing much to blog about today.

Not feeling all that joyous or jovial today, just feeling blue.

I’m basically just looking at the clock and counting the minutes to go home.

I finished Nuri’s Press Release this morning. That was probably the highlight of my whole day.

I keep sneezing and compared to the last few days…today isn’t even cold.

Urgh! I just want to go home and watch TV and drown out the world.

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Posted on November 12, 2008 - by admin

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns

Current Mood: Fun & Thumbs-Up

A Hundred Million Suns

Snow Patrol’s new album A Hundred Million Suns, has been out for awhile now. Any of you guys given it a listen yet? I know how a million people love their Chasing Cars song (thanks to Grey’s Anatomy), but it’s now time for some new stuff.

I have not been listening to any much else really at work today, well other than XFM, which by the way is the hottest and coolest radio station out there. Especially if you’re into the British/Indie Music scene.  No offense to the American Music scene…I love you…but sometimes I think you guys are more geared to the mainstream. Ok…ok enough of that.

Often compared to fellow British swoon-rock giants Coldplay, Snow Patrol has a much more precise focus.  Gary Lightbody is a romantic, but hardly a hopeless one; his words are sturdily poetic and subtly evocative, and he seems more interested in the commas and semicolons of relationships than in the exclamation marks that occupy most pop lyrics. “Chasing Cars”, while cut from the same cloth as the band’s previous, dramatic semi-hit “Run”, was much more invested in the exclamation marks, but it also had a static, squared-off quality to it. Listeners have to understand although Chasing Cars was a great song, it doesn’t define the band.

In A Hundred Million Suns, Snow Patrol seems to try hard to stay away from the hopeless romanticism Eyes Open seemed to bring. Swelling guitar hooks and urgent, compelling choruses soar throughout this new album, as frontman Gary Lightbody avoids washing the album in any one mood—contrast, for example, the coolly slick, acoustically based “Lifeboats” with the energetic, guitar-buzzing pump of “Engines.” Between them lies “The Golden Floor,” which incorporates fingerpicking and a scratchy percussive thump around Lightbody’s restrained, seeping vocals. These aren’t songs that would normally rock the arena, but the band’s sincerity and effortless songwriting captivate on an individual level as well as a stadium-sized one.

With “A Hundred Million Suns,” Snow Patrol resists the temptation to go off the progressive deep end in favor of offering up lighter, delectable indie-pop with just enough variety to keep things interesting.

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Posted on November 11, 2008 - by admin

It’s so Cold!

Current Mood: In Love

Dreary Autumn

I just got back from lunch and it’s freakin’ hailling outside! According to my weather app on my iphone it’s 48°F and sunny in New York but it’s 36°F and hailling here! Ahhhh! I wish I was in New York right now. It’s cold but at least it’s sunny! It’s so dreary here! I’m so not ready for dreary weather!

I’m sure they have the heat on in my office but it feels like it’s freezing cold in here as well, that I still have my scarf on.

I guess despite my complaining I do admit there are good things that come with the cold weather. Like hot chocolate, cute wool coats, hats, scarfs, holiday sales, owh and cuddles. Cuddling under the blanket with your significant other is probably the BEST thing that comes with the cold weather. It’s the only reason I can tolerate freezing my toosh off all day, cause I know…at the end of the day I can crawl under the blanket on the sofa and into Tom’s warm and inviting arms. Hehe. I love being in love.

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Posted on November 10, 2008 - by admin

Chicken Kurma

Current Mood: Content

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 large potatoes, peel and cut into 1/4
1 large carrot, peel cut into 1-inch
2  white onions, cut into 6 wedges
2  fresh red chilies cut into half
1 large tomato cut into 4 wedges
5 tablespoons kurma curry powder mixed with
3/4 cup water
2 cups plain water
1 cup thick coconut milk
3 pieces tamarind pulp or
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
3 cm cinnamon sticks
2  star anise
4  cardamoms
1/2 cup oil
salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar
1 stalk spring onions cut into 1-inch

Pounded/Blended ingredients
3  garlic cloves
2 inches fresh ginger
5  shallots

Preparation
Heat oil in a deep saucepan and fry pounded ingredients until fragrant.
Add cinnamon, star anise and cardamom. Fry for 2 more minutes.
Add kurma curry powder paste and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until oil separates.
Add chicken pieces and 2 cups of water and cook chicken on low until half cook.
Add coconut milk, potato, carrot and cook until potato tender. Add more water if the gravy too thick.
Add onions, chillies, tomatoes and tamarind. Cook for 2 more minutes. Season with salt and sugar.
Garnish with spring onion.

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Posted on November 7, 2008 - by admin

Japanese Obsession

Current Mood: Happy

Living in Malaysia for most of my teenage life I have always had an obsession with Japanese Culture. (Although, I think it was more the Japanese pop culture rather than the traditional culture; which I’ve always thought a very beautiful culture. However, I was never in anyway pretending I was Japanese or acted like I knew more about Japan, than the next person like some people do. Only coz I don’t think I do.) I think it mostly started when my best friend Melissa Yenty started talking about J-rock bands like Glay, Hyde, L’Arc~en~Ciel, etc. That eventually evolved to being completely obsessed with Japanese movies and doramas, and of course animes, mangas, fashion, food, etc.

Yen and I spent hours fantasizing about the day we would be old enough to go on our own Japanese adventure. It’ll be just us, checking out the sights and going to some random j-rock gig, just totally being immersed in the culture, we grew up obsessing about. I’ve visited Japan before…but I’ve never felt that I’ve actually seen Japan. At least not how I and Yen intended to see it. Yen and I have yet to fulfill that teenage dream of ours, and now that we are living oceans apart…I’m not really sure we ever will.

Yen’s sister works for J-House Rock Entertainment now, and she was actually lucky enough to live in Japan for awhile, but since her job requires her to move around so much…she’s basically a nomad now. Secretly (not so secret anymore) I envy her.

Anyways through the years I have met and actually bonded with other fellow Malaysians who are Japanese obsessed culture freaks, namely Fizah! She was the one who actually got me into Nana. An awesome anime/manga series written and illustrated by Ai Yazawa. I have yet to see the live-action version though. I do love Mika Nakashima though, she is GORGEOUS! Sometimes I think Fizah looks a tiny bit like her, in her pictures.

That said I now must admit my obsession has faded somewhat. I don’t dress as “kawaii” as I used to (sorta grew out of it, I guess), I have not seen J-Horror in like forever! I have been so out of the loop on this one, so anyone out there with any suggestion as to what new j-horror I should watch please let me know! I don’t even remember the last dorama I watched was, and music?

Omg…I so need help here! Music! Be it J-pop or J-rock. I am soooooo not in the “know” of who’s hot and who’s not or who’s good or who’s not. Although, I am looking forward to Mika’s new album “Voice” (it’s a surprise that I even know this information) but I think the last Japanese music artist I was totally into was Angela Aki! Whom I personally think is absolutely beautiful, although she does remind me of Tina Fey hahaha. Of course there’s always Utada, but I have always been a Utada fangirl so that doesn’t count. I will always seek out for Utada’s stuff. But only her Japanese stuff, as much as I love Utada…I can’t stomach her English albums. They’re just not the same…they sound too generic, if that makes any sense? Or maybe it’s just I don’t really know what Utada’s singing in Japanese and it just sounds better? IDK.

Owh…and as for language wise…it seems hard to believe I actually even earned a basic level certificate for Japanese…coz I can’t speak and remember ANYTHING (well I remember a tiny tiny bit) from what I learned! Hence, I have made a decision to actually make that certificate I earned 3 years ago worth something, and I will be learning the language yet again, and this time hopefully actually retain what I learned and go steps further than just beginning Japanese. Hopefully if I get myself focused enough…I might even be able to master it. I mean it’s always something I’ve wanted to do…I might as well do it right? So maybe…once I get that done I can finally start that French Language course I have always wanted to, France, french, my other obsession (though I have never been there!! Booo!). Tom took a few years of French in highschool…so maybe I can speak French with him once I start that. But first things first…get back to learning Japanese.

I’m actually excited, I actually miss studying and even though I won’t be in any sort of formal classes or anything ’studying’ a language will be a nice change from my mundane and somewhat repetitive life I have right now. So Yay!!

Well I’ll end this post with a Nana Osaki (大崎 ナナ) inspired set.

Set includes: Miu Miu Large/Medium Vit Vintage Hobo, Zoe - Gryson Tie Up Ballerina, SILK Narrow NeckTie EXTRA Skinny BLACK Thin Men’s Neck Tie, black patent headband, TopShop - plain white shirt, Victoria’s Secret Pink motorcycle jacket, Belle by Sorelle Smooth Glass 8″ Bangle Bracelet, Red/Black Rayban Wayfarers, Black Acrylic Razor Blade earrings and Red Plaid Miniskirt.

Nana by zaianne

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Posted on November 6, 2008 - by admin

Soto Ayam With Pegedil/Begedil

Current Mood: Cheeky & Content

Last Sunday I tried my hands at making one of my favorite Malaysian dishes. Soto Ayam.

I can’t even remember the last time I had really good Soto, it must have been a couple of years ago. I know the only Soto I truly ever enjoy are the ones my mom made, and I can’t remember when that was. So that being the case and the fact that I know I can’t find a place where I can get really good soto here…I decided I would make it.

Tom enjoyed it and I actually enjoyed making it. I was worried it wouldn’t turn out right, but it did (even down to the chilli kicap condiment) and I am happy.

Soto Ayam Recipe

Ingredients For Soup:
2 tbsp canola oil
1 red onion - sliced
5 cloves garlic - sliced
1 inch ginger - sliced
1 cinnamon Stick
2-4 whole cloves
1 star anise
2 liter chicken broth/stock
1 chicken - skin removed and cut into pieces
1 Sup Bunjut ADABI
Salt to taste

Chilli Kicap Ingredients:
1/2 cup sweet soy sauce (Kicap Manis)
2 cloves garlic
5 chillies.

Extra Ingredients:
1 packet Nasi Impit (Rice Cube) - Follow cooking instruction on packet.
Fried shallotss -garnish
Spring Onions - chopped for garnishing
Chinese Parsley (Cilantro) - chopped for garnishing
2 cups bean sprouts, pluck off roots and blanched.

Method to preparing the soup:
Heat oil in stock pot and add sliced onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a couple of minutes on medium heat then add the cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, fry until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and the sup bunjut. Cook under low heat (simmer, not boiling) for about half an hour till aromatic. Lastyly add the chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer, until chicken is tender and falls off the bone. Once cooked. Remove the chicken from the soup, debone, shred and set aside. You can filter off the soup ingredients or leave it just as it is.

Method to preparing the chilli kicap:
Blend the chillies and garlic together and then mix with the sweet sauce.

Prepare the extra ingredients as advised like above.

Soup/Gravy

De-boned Chicken

Pegedil Recipe

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes - skin peeled, sliced, fried and mashed
3 spring onions, sliced
2 tbsp fried shallots
150g minced beef - fry till beef is cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
Oil for frying

Method:
1. Mix together mashed potatoes, spring onions, fried shallots and cooked minced beef.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Shape into golf balls.
4. Heat oil to medium-high heat.
5. Coat patties in egg and fry a few at a time.

Mashed Fried Potatoes

Potatoes with cooked minced beef added

Potatoes, minced beef, spring onions, fried onions mixed

Cooked Pegedil

Preparing the complete Soto dish:

Place cooked and cut rice cube in a individual bowls, add the shredded chicken, and blanched bean sprouts. Pour in the hot gravy (soup) and garnish with chopped spring onions, cilantro and fried shallots. Add the pegedil and chilli kicap (use as much as you want).

Prepared Soto

Soto Ayam with Pegedil/Begedil

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