夏菲米克的時代 MILK

Milk is based on the true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician in California.

Director Gus Van Sant made it like a semi-documentary, very smooth mixing old clips in the movie.

Sean Penn's performance was amazing as Harvey Milk, there are some pics of the real Harvey Milk, Sean does look alike Harvey a lot and so as the other characters. He deserves the BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE in the Oscar!

This movie also won the BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY) in the Oscar, the speech from writer Dustin Lance Black was beautiful.

Total Failure!

It was the first time making Chinese dinner (excepts Wan Chai Pier dumplings)... and it was a total failure!

We got rice cooker for a few months, it was left in the box, finally used it last night!

First, I put way too much water in the rice, i think doubled the water than i should have put. It looked like mashed potato at the end...

I made two dishes:

1- Beef in black bean sauce... it's as easy as, chopping peppers and onion, cook them all with "garlic black bean sauce"... stupid me put salt in it... made the whole dish too salty and the beef so hard.

2- Fried Kale in ginger sauce... This one is better than the beef one, just too strong ginger, too hot...

I will be back! It's just wrong that I cant handle Chinese food huh!

Beautiful Cake + M Bar

Last Saturday asked me where is good to do birthday drinks for his girlfriend. Since he ordered the cake from the Mandarin Cake Shop, I suggested to go to M Bar on the 25th floor of the Mandarin.

I am not a big fan of cakes usually, but this is so pretty and delicious! The top part of this red ball is made by dark chocolate, and the base is a creamy tiramisu with raspberry.

Since the Mandarin Hotel renovated 2 years ago, the M Bar (used to named Vong which was more mature and luxury) has been my favourite place for a nice chat with nice view. The big ship-shape-bar is cool and big enough to have some space available anytime. The service there is excellent in a casual way. Drinks are reasonably priced. Chill, nu jazz music.

Shing Shing Lamb Chop in Red Wine Sauce

This recipe was provided by ar Shing. Last Friday I walked pass his restaurant on my way to Friday happy hour drinks, dragged him out of work for one drink, he told me this is his new idea for SS09.

Ingredients:

Lamb Chop x 2 (~0.4lb each)

Butter: 1tb

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

Red Wine: 250ml

Ribena (利賓納): 250ml

Balsamic Vinegar: 100ml

Sugar to taste

Add the Wine, Ribena, and Balsamic Vinegar. Raise the heat to medium; simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1/3 of the amount. Add Sugar to taste.

Heat butter in frying pan over medium heat until the butter has melted.

Cook the chops until nicely browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side for medium (70%).

Add salt and pepper while cooking.

I made it with brocolli, baby carrot, and mashed potato, but i guess fried sliced potato might go better with the lamb.

《白銀帝國》柏林影展Poster

我真係好鍾意這張POSTER!

首先POSTER構圖像幅水墨山水畫. 清裝的郭富城, 盤膝側坐構圖左邊, 那座山又像連綿不斷的絲綢, 由圖左邊, 往右往下的飄出畫面. 很有詩意的.

淺灰"天空"加上粗糙的紋路, 令海報多添一份滄桑感.

整幅圖的灰TONE, 有紅色印章的電影中文名稱作點綴.

這不是中西FUSION的最佳例子嗎? 真係靚到呢... ...

官方網頁的電影介紹:

《白銀帝國》一片旨在體現晉商制度，發揚晉商精神，向全世界介紹縱橫五百年於中、蒙、俄地區商業霸主的文化。此片描寫一山西票號起落的故事，由於清朝商業發達，晉商發明匯票制度，以匯兌代替危險的鑣局押現銀運輸，且兼營存放款，是今日銀行制度的前身，其勞方身股（即員工配股）的制度，更是首開世界先河。由於山西票號掌控當時的全國金融，甚至有「清廷的財政部」之稱。

而此片描寫之「天成元」票號，擁有自中國各地遠至俄國、蒙古、日本及南洋的二十三個分號。本片主軸即描寫此商業帝國兩代之間的傳承，除了一段糾纏在父子與一奇女子的三角關係外，同時亦是中國兩大思想體系——法家與儒家的義理之爭。而天成元票號在歷經綁票、擠兌、八國聯軍、官方與民爭利，以及辛亥革命等事件，所顯現的大仁大義的恢宏氣度——商人重義，亦即晉商的仁義精神，與其他商人不同之處。

Coldplay Viva La Vida Live tickets

Finally bought the tickets, at 10am this morning. I was expecting better seats but guess it's harder to complete with others as we are looking for 3 tickets, myself with Ivian and her bf.

Went to their last concert Twisted Logic Live in HK in 2006. It was the X&Y album which was my favourite of them. The concert was so good even the seat was just okay (everyone pushed to the front standing on chairs) I couldnt see much as... you know there are taller ppl~

I am looking forward to this concert, the Viva La Vida album is full of passion, hopefully it will bring a more exciting atmosphere.



Actually Chris Martin doesnt have great skill on singing, he sings off tone all the time, but his voice just has the power to touch ppl's heart.

I remember the first time I heard him singing live, their concert was playing on TV while I was travelling in Hanoi, Vietnam with Kylie. We were in the hotel room all ready to go out, but we stayed for a long time, we just couldnt stop watching...

Chicken Fajita Warp

This is easy to make and taste good, especially the weather is getting hot and wet. Making this at home doesnt cost much less than eating in a Mexican Restaurant... but as it was Valentine's day yesterday, cooking this at home at least save us an hour bagging for table.

Ingredients:
1/2 Yellow Capsicum
1/2 Red Capsicum
1 Green Capsicum
1 Red Onion
300g Chicken
1 pack Fajita Spices Mix
1 jar Salsa
1 pack Flour Tortilla

Slice all ingredients; cut vegetables in 1/4 inch strips, chicken brest in 1/2 inch strips.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Stir-fry chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked.
Add Fajita Spices Mix and vegetables mxing with chicken in frying-pan.
Stir-fry for another 3 minutes until all vegetables and chicken mixed well with the spices.
Heat up the tortillas.

Ready~ Spoon some of the mixture and slasa on warm tortilla, fold it and enjoy.

聖訴 DOUBT

I really enjoyed this movie, the scripts are great! The acting battle between Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman is just amazing!





"Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty"

Coldplay live in Hong Kong 2009!!!

Coldplay return to Hong Kong for their second concert here.

They will play AsiaWorld-Arena on March 25 as part of their Viva La Vida tour.

Tickets are priced at HK$980, $780 and $480 and will be available at HKTicketing and Tom Lee outlets or online via http://www.hkticketing.com/ from February 17.

尼斯燴雜菜牛肉螺絲粉 Beef Fusilli with Mixed Vegetables

I had a cold for 2 days, nose has been running. For tonight's dinner, wanted to make something healthy, and something i have made before, don't feel like tryingnew things with my sick brain.

This mixed vegetable pasta is very easy to make, just need to chop them all into small cubes and sauteed them in a big frying pan.

Ingredients:

螺絲粉 - 200g (Fusilli )
碎牛肉 - 1 pack around 0.3-0.5 lbs (Minced Beef)
紅甜椒 - 1/2個 (1/2 Red capsicum)
黃甜椒 - 1/2 個 (1/2 Yellow Capsicum)
洋蔥 - 1 隻 (1 Onion)
茄子 - 1隻 (1 Eggplant)
蒜頭 - 2粒 (2 Garlic)
罐頭蕃茄連汁 - 1 罐 (1 can of Chopped Tomato with sauce)
o急汁 - 2湯匙 (Worcester Sauce- 2 tsp)
砂糖 - 1.5湯匙 (Sugar- 1.5 tsp)

碎牛肉以黑椒、糖、豉油醃20 分鐘。
螺絲粉煮熟備用
所有蔬菜切粒.
燒熱兩湯匙油，爆香1粒蒜頭, 炒碎牛肉至8成熟盛起.
燒熱兩湯匙油，爆香1粒蒜頭及洋蔥，拌入茄子炒片刻,
拌入紅、黃甜椒，加入蕃茄連汁,
拌入o急汁及砂糖，用慢火煮5分鐘至所有蔬菜軟身,
放回碎牛肉煮3分鐘。
最後以鹽及胡椒粉調味。

Original recipe from 浸雞胸肉伴尼斯燴雜菜 (http://www.towngascooking.com/ )

Sauteed Pork Chops with Apple Cider Sauce

Tonight I made "Sauteed Pork Chops with Apple Cider Sauce" for dinner.

First time making pork chops, usually I don't like them cos they are hard to chew, so I did sauteing instead of baking as told by the recipe.

>>>

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
5 pork chops
seasoning salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle Apple cider

1 apple, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chops with salt, pepper, garlic. Place in hot oil, and brown on both sides. Drizzle Worcestershire sauce over chops, and pour in apple cider.

Add apple and onion, saute until apple and onion are tendered, and sauce is about 1/3 left, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove chops, apple and onion to a plate. Add some cornstarch and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Serve sauce over chops with mash potato.

Original recipe from:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Cider-Sauce-and-Pork-Loin-Chops/Detail.aspx

親密 Claustrophobia

Saw this movie on Thursday.

I love the movie name in English- Claustrophobia (密室恐懼症). The whole movie were divided into 8 scenes, in the car, in the lift, in the office...

Havent seen Canton love stories for a while, I am glad to have seen this one. I didnt feel much when I left the cinema, some parts were pretty long and slow, did need some time to digest it.

As mentioned in their synopsis- 淡淡的來, 卻縈繞不退... I have been thinking of this movie for a few days. So as director (岸西)Ivy Ho's past screenplays <男人四十> & <甜蜜蜜>, not too dramatic, but feel so close that the story could happen on you or any of your workmates.

Worth watching if you dont mind a bit slow...