So I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day (originally Saint Valentine’s Feast(?) - now I would probably be a bigger fan of the occasion if it was all about feasting, wouldn’t I?) since I’m not a fan of pink, nor heart-shaped things, and especially not pink, heart-shaped things which are staining my plates in over-charging restaurants and garnished with rose petals or something of the sort.

Besides, I’ve always been one of those buy-you-flowers-for-no-reason-even-though-I-don’t-like-flowers types, and I just think presents are so much more meaningful if they just come from you just because instead of because it’s Valentine’s Day and if I don’t get you a present then I’m a bad girlfriend.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t like receiving vday presents. :) Especially if they’re self-serving ones like the latest addition to my stash of recipe books. She’s so clever she bought me Donna Hay’s Instant Entertaining ‘cos she’s seen the obsessive-compulsive menu planner in me over the past few weeks of entertaining.. what starter goes with what main and what dessert would give a good light finish to an already heavy meal or perhaps I should do smaller main courses so I can have a richer dessert since I know they love my cheesecake but then again I want to play with my blow torch so we should try different crème brulée recipes instead of sticking with the same ol’….. and so on.

Anyway. Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you out there, hope the couples have a lovely, mushy, pink-petals-and-heart-shaped-jellies kinda vday, and the singles have fun (at Que Pasa) drinking and cursing the couples. I’m gonna be at home cooking laksa pesto for the love of my life. Will post pictures for you guys tomorrow or something. :)

xx

PS: Can I just say that the best part about the present is that I now have something else to scan into my library. I’m such a freak. I know. It’s like how what I was proudest about regarding the degustation madness wasn’t so much that I pulled off a 9 course dinner all on my own, without even dragging it on for like 6 hours, but that I made a pretty collage with pretty borders that I could post on my blog. I’m such a sad, sad person.

I think this takes things to new erm.. heights. Ha. Someone should have told me about this before I went to the states in December! :p (via USA today)

A little puppy who’s trying to stay awake but is just… so…. tiiired. (Reminds me a bit of nana in class.)

There’s molten chocolate cake in my fridge, waiting for consumption. I think there are 3 in the fridge, one I presume automatically goes to Grace, but the other two are up for grabs. First come first serve.

PS: GA315 was HORRIFIC. Don’t watch it until you have gotten your hands on 16 17 - apparently it’s a three part-er. GREAT. I was swearing at the computer for a good 2 minutes.

The good: I get to go to Hong Kong (again) in December. (Yes, the March weekend trip up is still on.) Yi - can we switch my holiday to visit you there to December instead? I don’t really want to fly up twice in such a short time and anyway it’s early December in case you’re planning to come back for Christmas or sth. GRACE YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER FLAT I HAVE FIRST DIBS.

The bad: I have to look for another dress to wear because I need to attend a wedding also and the people who will be there are the same ones who were at the one last November so I can’t wear the same dress. Bah. (Amira, shall we go shopping?)

In case anyone wanted the lyrics to the hilarious version of I Will Survive that Shirlyn always sings. (via The UnXpected blog)

Ready, get-set, FREAK OUT! (via Andrea)

&ot

And behold my cooking prowess! Every single item in this 9-course extravaganza (except the burger buns - because I didn’t have time) was prepared, shaped, presented, plated, and served by yours truly.

The rest of the photos - along with the names and descriptions of each course - can be viewed in this magnificently drool-inducing photoset. (The ego will deflate to its usual size and regain some sense of modesty in a couple of days.)

friggin triumphant. Will fill you guys in - pictorially - tomorrow. Or something. Maybe when my right arm (and back and feet and rest of my body) works again.

Heterosexual people getting so wasted, they slip into seemingly gay acts. Can’t say I haven’t seen it before! (via kottke)