A trip we took earlier this year to a place in China called Fugong. Here are some of the photos.
Yes, I did do the zip line over the angry Nujiang river. It was just a rusted pulley with a hook that had you suspended with a piece of rope that you literally sat in. This was the ‘harness’ we were promised with. Crazy views as you crossed the river valley. Amazing experience and highly recommended!
Feels like what I imagine an American diner would feel like if i’d ever been to a legitimate one in America. The restaurant has posters, numberplates and red-white-blue decor. The booths give it a cosy feeling.
Menus are printed on a single sheet of A3 paper and are clear and easy to navigate around.
Their buffalo wings are a must try. Deliciously juicy with just the right amount of flavour. Highly recommended!
Come prepared to eat a decent amount. Large servings with generous chips on the side. This place really hits your American food craving spot. Can’t do it too often though. Wow, really craving this as i’m currently in a place that does not serve much of this sort of food.
Check it out if you live nearby or seriously crave some of this food.
angelxling rating : 3.5/5
These amazingly simple brown sugar cookies are quite decadent and rich. Using dark cocoa powder and brown sugar, it ensures the cookies are rich, yet not overly sweet. They go really well with a cup of tea or coffee.
Made these recently and they turned out really well!
Original recipe from: averiecooks.com , modified by angelxling
Ingredients
1/2 cup of softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1 large egg
1 tbs of vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain, all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt (I did not use this)
***Makes 12 – 15 cookies, depending on size.***
Procedure
1. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer), combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed. Approximately 5 – 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined (approx 1 – 2 min).
3. Make tablespoon sized balls and place on a plate. Flatten mounds slightly and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days before baking. (Baking the warm dough will result in thinner, flatter, spread out cookies)
5. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper or spray with cooking oil.
6. Place cookies onto the baking trays, spaced 4 cm apart (they will not spread too much).
7. Bake for 8 – 9 minutes, or until the edges have set and the tops are just setting. Rotate the trays at the 4 minute mark. Do not bake the cookies any longer than 10 minutes, as they will become hard, crumbly and crunchy. I look for the slight cracking of the edges.
8. Allow cookies to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool further.
Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yummy for your tummy. Enjoy!
Here’s my review on the Charles and Keith bag I received as a gift recently. I love the design and uniqueness of the shape.
Below are some quick details on the bag, my review of it and website details. Also, there is a quick What’s in my bag? section below.
Model Number: ART #CK2-50660194
Style: Trendy
Colour: Taupe
Description: Handbag with detachable strap
Website: Charles and Keith
This bag was such a unique shape so it really caught my attention. If you know me, you know that I love really unique designs and special features on a bag. This bag was adorably boxy shaped, but also soft to the touch.
It is a medium-sized bag with two top handles and a detachable shoulder strap. It can be hand carried or worn cross-body. Cross-body is a great hands-free option, although the boxy nature of the bag can make it a little awkward to sit against your hips.
It has one large main compartment once the zip is opened. It also has decent sized back zipper pocket and two other slip pockets on the other size.
The material is polyurethane and is quite soft but still holds it’s shape. The lining is good quality material that feels very durable. The bag has good quality light gold hardware.
The zips, clips and metal details are high quality and unique in design. Two areas that catch your eye are the clips where the detachable straps attach to the bag, and also, the unique way the zip and end fasten securely. The zip closure on the bag is really what caught my attention. It is a large zip that secures with a clip on one end, and the other zip end also has a clip.
There is also a key fob that hangs on the outside of the bag with the key ring protected inside the fob. This is a really nice touch that adds class to the bag.
The quality of the seams and attachments are very good.
This is my first Charles and Keith bag, so I’ve not much to compare it with, but friend’s of mine have had C and K bags before, and have been pleased with the quality.
I really love using this bag and will enjoy using it in future. I would not use it as an everyday bag due to it’s unique shape, but more for special occasions.
1. Charles and Keith bag in Taupe
2. Panda pouch I got from Ocean Park few years ago.
3. Double sided mirror – gift from friend
4. Small umbrella
5. Hair clip
6. Sunglasses and case
7. Baby Lips Colour in Coral
8. Phone (a friend’s as mine has died)
9. Sweet Pea Hand Sanitizer from Bath and Body Works
10. Ice Breakers fruity mints (watermelon, citrus, apple flavour)
11. Small packet of tissues
12. Bus pass in limited edition Skittles bus pass holder and lanyard
13. Black quilted wallet
Normally, my keys would be in there too. This is what I would bring when going out. Will do a school bag edition soon!
These yummy fragrant cookies are perfect for peanut butter lovers. You can also substitute M&Ms or chocolate chips instead of the peanut butter chips.
Also, see below for flour to self-raising flour substitute.
Ingredients
150g softened butter (I used between 100 – 150 so that they were less buttery)
1 cup white sugar ( I went with slightly under a cup so that they weren’t too sweet)
1 egg
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour (see below for flour substitute)
400g ( 1 large packet) Peanut Butter Chips (I used Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips, but chocolate chips or M&Ms may also be used)
*** Makes approx 15 – 20 cookies ***
**** Flour – Self-raising flour substitute. I didn’t have any self-raising flour, so I added 2 teaspoons of baking powder to each cup of flour used ****
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.
2. In a large glass/metal mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3. Add egg and stir until runny.
4. Add self-raising flour and mix with your hands (If mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour and mix until soft dough forms).
5. Using a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll, place on baking trays.
6. Cookies can be gently pressed down to flatten slightly.
7. Press 5+ peanut butter chips into each cookie.
8. Bake for 10 – 15 mins or until golden brown. You can rotate trays at the 5 – 6 minute mark for even baking.
9. Remove from oven and leave for 5 minutes to harden.
10. Transfer to cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.
Keeps for 1 week in an airtight container once baked. Unbaked dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
See below photo for M&M alternative. Enjoy!
Decided to try love4cre8ivity (on Instagram) recipe for Ramen Salad. Here it is, with my modifications!
Salad Ingredients
1 medium (head) cabbage – chopped OR 2 bags of shredded cabbage (I used red cabbage this time)
1 bunch spring onions – chopped
3 large chicken breasts – cooked (steamed) and shredded
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted crushed almonds
2 packs of oriental flavoured ramen (instant) noodles – uncooked and broken up
Dressing Ingredients
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 flavour packets (from Ramen noodles)
Procedure
1. Mix all salad ingredients together.
2. Mix dressing ingredients together.
3. Pour dressing over salad.
4. Let the salad sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.
** Serve hot or cold **
Ate the ‘left overs’ the following day. Decided to heat it up in the microwave for about 2 minutes as there was chicken in it. My biology brain told me that eating chicken cold is not the best idea. I think it tasted even better the following day! I really loved the toasted sesame flavour. Super delicious!
Enjoy! Please let me know if you try this and how it turned out!
Well, I’m here in China learning Chinese in Yunnan.
What an experience! Here are some of the experiences I’ve been able to have so far!
The climate
It’s super dry here. I feel like I may nose bleed anytime. My skin is usually oily combination skin, but here, it has become quite normal. Good or bad?! Who knows. I am almost regretting not bringing the thicker body butters, moisturizers and BB creams. Gah! Who knew?!
I am also getting more and more tanned. I ride to school and my arms are mostly exposed. Getting a seriously dark arm tan. Face isn’t too bad as I wear a helmet, sunglasses and a face mask (for dust!).
It is so dry here that they are subject to spraying the roads and walk ways with water that they pump out of the ‘sewage/drainage’ waterways and into trucks. These trucks drive up and down roads spraying the nasty refuse behind or infront. It smells pretty bad. Supposedly it also helps the sub-par quality road from cracking if you keep it moist. The only warning you get is that the trucks play random icecream-truck-style music as they spray. Do NOT get caught behind or next to one of those.
The altitude was a huge issue to get used to. It is much harder to breathe deeply here. The oxygen content per breath is far less. So, walking up stairs is a chore and you can become so much more short-of-breath than back home. Let’s just say, with the amount of walking, riding and climbing stairs, we are like those long distance ‘high-altitude’ runners training. 😀
The culture
To be honest, the culture shock is ongoing. It wasn’t so bad, as I’ve been to China before. The people in Yunnan are very different. They are kind, usually nice and when they find out you are a foreigner, are genuinely interested in why you are in China. They don’t purposely go out to rip you off, but you may get one or two.
The hacking and spitting thing is audible everyday. But far far less than it used to be. I think the idea is to get rid of the pollutants breathed in and not to swallow it. But yes, a long way to go yet.
Drivers and riders. There are more and more cars here now. Until about 5 years ago, it was mainly just bicycles. So, alot of the current drivers you see are brand new drivers. Most have driven less than I have! They drive like they ride their bikes. Wherever there is a space, go for it! If the light is red, one can still ride through in a gap between oncoming traffic. Let’s just say that riding has been a funky experience. I definitely need to ask for protection every time I head out. I’ve yet to run over, or be run over, by someone. Let’s just hope it stays that way.
Still getting used to things such as – no lining up, just push your way through (although it is not as bad as I expected) and hanging produce (meat in particular) just about anywhere along with washing.
Overall, I am slowly getting used to it. But like most things, I think some things will always take me by surprise.
The language
So, I know all of you Asians with some sort of Chinese heritage are going to expect the next line. I am so glad I did some sort of Chinese School back when I was younger. Thank you parentals! It has come in handy. No matter how little practical stuff I actually learnt. Just a basic understanding of pinyin can take you far.
Malaysians and Singaporians (and Taiwanese) – WOW, how different our Mandarin is to the people in China! I have had to learn other words and new words to replace some of the ones that are not heard of here. An example is the word ‘fridge’ – There are four different ways to say it! Also, ‘pineapple’. And I’ve noticed that M’sians and S’porians also don’t do our ‘_h” words very well. Such as ‘sh’, ‘zh’, ‘ch’ , etc etc.
So, will take some time to get used to, but getting there, little at a time. Feel free to practice with me!
The other thing that makes learning difficult is also that not everyone speaks ‘pu tong hua’ Mandarin here. Some will speak their dialects. There are 20+ minority groups (out of 50+) living in Yunnan, so each one has their own unique dialect. So… like Mandarin, but not.
Final words…
But overall, I am loving this place. Loving learning new things daily, being challenged, making new relationships, strengthening old ones and getting used to the hustle and bustle.
What a blessing it is to be in this land. I am looking forward to many more exciting experiences ahead!
*** WARNING : The following images may make you drool, cry or gasp uncontrollably.***
Over Christmas I went on a family holiday to Taiwan. I had no expectations and not exactly a huge desire to go there to begin with. But as I traveled and explored this new country (to me), I slowly grew to love the place. Especially the FOOD.
Here are some of the food you can expect to find in Taiwan.
Tip: Don’t be afraid of lining up for it (notice the lines behind me). It is so worth it!
So… did you drool? I drooled whilst reminiscing and writing this blog! Now… get yourself over there! I would go back just for the food. Hope you enjoyed!
Any questions, comment.
Hope I fed some food dreams 😛
Hi everyone! Have been away on a family holiday with hubby and my fam. It has been a whirlwind 2 weeks.
I will post more on our holiday soon. Look out for amazing food!
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013! Hope that you all had a safe and wonderful festive season.
If it ended FAR too soon and you are still sad about returning to work and school, please check out some videos my brother and I made during Christmas. Just a bit of fun! Click on the links below!
Christmas $20 Stocking Stuffer Challenge Part 1
Christmas $20 Stocking Stuffer Challenge Part 2
Wishing you all a happy and safe start to 2013. An exciting year ahead!
