Month: July 2012

Drinking Korean Alcohol

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Sometimes I hate Korean dramas because they always make me cry! Argh! And when the actors and actresses get depressed they always start drinking! Hah! So of course, what they have I mus try ^_^ So first off I tried was soju.This is the most popular and cheapest alcohol served in Korea. In the UK, they only sell the original flavour it’s around £6 a bottle (a bit expensive for a small bottle). It’s very, very strong, just like taking a vodka shot… but it felt 10 times more lethal! 

The next drink I tried was this blackbean soya drink… It tasted like that blackbean soyabean milk I posted earlier. Can’t remember the price though…


Next one (I have shown a pic of this before when I went to Arirang) is Hite, I’m not sure if this popular in Korea but I love it! A little cheaper than soju and the blackbean drink ^_^.


Last drink I tried is this wine. It cost £5. I haven’t finished it yet, but it is pretty strong stuff.


If you want to try Korean alcohol you can get soju in China Town and Japan Centre. But the best place to get Korean food (although a fairly expensive place) is Centre Point food store which is along St. Giles High Street (opposite ASSA)…

Bizarre Oddities from Jacob’s

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I think if you have been reading my blog you can tell I like to snack ¬_¬ which I know is bad… I’m a bad geek! Whenever I go food shopping, I am always in the snack aisle to look at the healthy and the bad sections. I’ve tried boring rice cakes and those low calorie stuff but nothing beats a real snack. ^_^ … chocolate, crisps and biscuits… (I really don’t snack that much, but I just like to see what’s new and try it out!).

Here’s something new I found in the snack aisle! 

JACOB’s Oddities! – Smoky bacon and Cheese flavour only

Resealable sticker available on the back of the packet

7 odd shapes available


These are relatively new. There are two flavours cheese and smoking bacon. At the moment, they are selling them in minipacks, multipacks and single bigger sizes.

What’s fun and odd about these are the funny shapes they come in. It’s like seeing the funny shapes of spaghetti hoops that you can get in a tin. Here’s a close up of them!

Duck or Chicken?

Camera

Human being

Fetch that bone!

Ring ring – the telephone is going

?? ?? Vase ?? ??

Spacecraft!

They taste ok. Just like normal savoury biscuits but because the packet I bought is so big or these oddities are so small, I haven’t finished them 😦 … At least they have a resealable sticker!! ^_^ 

The Mascot Moment

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1 day to go!!!

I know I have said in a previous post that the Olympic Mascots Mandeville and Wenlock are ugly (and they still are), but I just couldn’t resist taking pictures (using my phone camera) of these ones along the River Thames. I walked along the river between Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge within an hour stopping several times to take pictures. I am a fast walker when I have the energy (but my friend can walk twice as fast than me!). 

One or two of them were cute in their different costumes… but they are still ugly with their one eye. Children surrounded these little monsters before I could take a shot. I guess they are used to seeing them by now since they are all over the place in London ^_^ …

Wenlock

Pirate Wenlock

Wenlock again!

Mandeville

What’s with Wenlock – there are so many Wenlock’s!!

This one is my favourite version of Wenlock!!!!

Argh! Wenlock again!! 😛

And finally here’s another Mandeville!


Well the adults can’t win everything on designs and whatnots! 
Go and see them before the Olympics and Paralympics end!!

My Pre-Olympic Fever Moment

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Argh! 4 days to go and I think I’m suffering from pre-Olympic fever. There’s so much excitement going around (and some unexcited people as well). But because I got to see the Olympic torch on Saturday I think pre-Olympic fever has struck!

I went out on Sunday just to capture Tower Bridge with the Olympic rings as well as to capture that moment in time and also picture the mascots along the Thames, which you will see in a later post…

Tower Bridge – close up

Tower Bridge


Unfortunately my camera’s battery decided to end its life on me after the Tower Bridge shots, and I forgot to take my spare battery, but luckily I had my phone on me to take this next picture – just for the fun of it!

Ducks sitting around near the London Eye ^_^ – they weren’t afraid of us humans!!


The New London Bus with 3 doors

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Oh, I didn’t realise the new London buses were in use! I saw two or three of them when walking along Shaftesbury Avenue towards China Town…

They have 3 doors! The front entry door, the middle exit/entry door and the back open entry/exit – this door being like the old bus routermasters ^_^ … It’s a cool design… And I think I spotted a bus conductor (who doesn’t need to check fares or tickets!). It’s almost like the old days!

I must get on one of them one day! ^_^

Here’s some info from trusty old Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Bus_for_London

Update 14/09/2012

Blimey! These new routemasters are really expensive! £315,000 each. £180 million to buy 600! Hmmmmmmmmmmm….. Expensive London!



Update 24/07/2013

So as the new bus is getting popular I stepped onto one whilst going to Camden Town… heheh… Here’s an update of what these buses are like…


The top part has air conditioning so you can’t open the windows. The seats are very spacious unlike the old routemasters.


There’s a new button. Pretty and round!


Obviously there’s the back stairs. Unlike the old ones these are spacious, flat, and you won’t fall flat on the floor…


The bottom looks spacious just like the other buses we see in London. There’s even space for prams and trolleys! Can you see the front and middle door? There’s air con in the bottom part too!! Yay!!

Here’s the back entrance…


There’s a bus conductor by the way (on some buses)!! And here’s the bus from the back and front… 😀

  
Update 16/10/2016

It seems like our complaints about the air circulation on these buses have been heard! This summer, they finally decided to add small windows at the top and bottom of the buses. There’s only a few windows, but at least now there’s some air!


A Pre-Olympic Moment in Stratford

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It’s 6 days until the London Olympics start and so my mother and I decided to go and check out Stratford before it got busy next week. Thankfully it wasn’t a stressful journey AND it didn’t rain…! We got the Jubilee Line from London Bridge. Stopped off at Canary Wharf. Then took the Dockland’s Light Rail (DLR) towards Stratford…

DLR from Canary Wharf – not our train

Window cleaners on top of Canary Wharf DLR Station

2 minutes to go! – Platform 3 is the one to go to the Olympic Park…


Please don’t forget to swipe your Oyster card (if you are using a pay-as-you-go one)… I couldn’t find the machine on the platform so had to go back downstairs and I found it by the staircase! These little machines are VERY HARD to spot…

Don’t forget to swipe your card at the bottom of the stairs!!!!
And then swipe again at the station you get off!!!!


When we were on the DLR, we saw the stadium! And thankfully we took pictures as when we got to the village, it was blocked off by security…

The Olympic Stadium – DLR view

Don’t know what this is… But it looks funny

Back of a building – don’t know which arena this is

At Stratford Station


We had to take another DLR train to Stratford International… I had to swipe my Oyster card again (that’s an extra fee!), so I advise if you are going to Stratford International and you haven’t exited Stratford Station yet, don’t swipe your card just yet!!!! Here’s the Olympic Village entrance at Stratford International which is heavily secured. Only those with a badge hanging around their necks can enter!

Team GB’s Flats in the Olympic Village?

Olympic Village Entrance – No Entry to the public…


So back to Stratford Station we go… We got off and went into the Stratford Centre to get to the bus stop going back to Central London…

Stratford Centre

Stratford Station

Westfield Shopping Centre

Love the painting on the side of the building – even if it is a commercial for Gillette!


But suddenly, (I think my mother and I were very, very lucky) we both got the chance to see the Olympic Torch flame being exhanged!!! :-O It was a moment of awe….! Wow! We really didn’t know that this was going to happen – it was all by chance!!

Police on bikes securing the torch

Truck with the photographers and camera crew towed at the back

Exchange of the Olympic Torch flame!! – Sorry don’t know who 
the torchbearers 68 & 69 are… :-S

The photographers and crowd snapping away!


Finally we got on a bus 25 towards Oxford Circus, and I spotted the ugly mascot in old English style clothing near St Paul’s Cathedral… ^_^

The mascot near St Paul’s Cathedral


If you decide to go to Stratford – plan it well, and maybe get there early! It was a wonderful day today! (^_^)v

Simple Stir Fried Noodles With Veg

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So. I was asked by some of my colleagues to make some noodles for a work colleague who is retiring next week  next month (but we’re having a surprise party tomorrow – the first one of the two), and I ended up making two ice cream tubs worth of it, in which I slaved in the kitchen for an hour for! (I actually didn’t know how many people would be making food or turning up to the party so I ended making extra…).

I’m sure many people know how to make this and it’s really, really, REALLY simple!! ^_^ From a teenager to an elderly person can make this!

These are the noodles I used…

These egg noodles really taste nice!


Empty packets of shredded veg (I promise they were full before I took a picture ^_^)…

Cheap veg from Morrison’s – and only 50p each!


Light and dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce is for the taste. Dark soy sauce is just for colour…

Light and dark soy sauce


In the wok it goes!

A wokful of noodles and stir fried veg


And out into an ice cream tub…

Lots of noodles!!!!


Ok, this isn’t the first time I made this, it’s just constant stirring and frying the ingredients (that’s why my arm aches from making two tubs!).

My geeky rating for my noodles: 5/5 (I did taste it and I didn’t add any extra salt)

Ingredients:
1 dried medium egg noodles (Sharwood’s for £1.59 is good!)
Half a pack of ready packed stir fried vegetables
One third of a ready packed beansprouts (optional)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce
Vegetable oil
Water for boiling the noodles
Meat (chicken, beef, seafood) (optional)*

How to cook (for one person):
1. Boil the noodles in a big pan (cook as instructed on the packet) – cook 1 dried noodles for 1 person
2. Drain the noodles and rinse in cold water, then put aside
3. Next, heat the wok (or a non-stick pan if you have no wok), add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and swerve the oil around the wok
4. Add the vegetables and stir them for 2-3 minutes until it looks slightly soft
5. Add the drained cold noodles.
6. Splash a teaspoon of dark soy sauce (don’t use too much, otherwise you will have dark noodles and veg!)
7. Add in 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
8. Mix and stir fry the noodles and the veg well (and all the dark soy sauce has coloured most of the noodles and veg)
9. Finally serve in a plate!


*Tip – if you are adding meat, cook the meat first, next add the veg and then add the noodles!!

Easy peasy!

Rock of Ages – Film versus Theatre

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Yay! So after “partying” in Rotherhithe, eating Japanese food and shopping around I went to see Rock of Ages the musical! ^_^ I had no idea what this was all about until I watched the film (which I was thought was great and had very good moments!). And then four weeks later I watched the theatre version with Miss Pinky and my brother (Mr Loud)! 

Outside the Shaftesbury Theatre

Close up of the poster


So it’s quite obvious for you to think that the theatre version would be the better version of the two, and it definitely was! O-M-G! 

Well, in comparison to the film, the theatre version was fast paced, a little more for the adults and it had excellent music! It was a lot funnier than the film and very interactive with the audience ^_^ … I enjoyed it so much and by far this is the most enjoyable musical I have ever been to! (^_^)b

The film had a lot of script (dialogue), an extended plot, some extra songs to it, a few more characters (like the mayor’s wife) and some characters who were removed entirely from the film (the German’s)… But they kept to most of the love scenes, which was slightly altered in the film. I think the best parts of the film were the songs, and the plot was slow for you to take it all in.

The best parts of the theatre version were the narrative parts from the character Lonny (played by Simon Lipkin)! This character was the best one of all (in my opinion) – he was funny, very, very funny!  But all in all, ALL the characters were fantastic!

Inside the theatre – Grand Circle view… Really good seat!!

Framed poster


My favourite song of all was The Final Countdown which was originally sang by the Swedish band Europe. Unfortunately this song wasn’t in the film. 😦 The best film song was Don’t Stop Believin’ originally sang by an American band Journey (this song was also in the theatre version).

My geeky ratings:
Film: 4/5 – funny but not as good as the live version!
Theatre: 5/5 – excellent live music and so funny

p.s. Sorry for lack of film poster pictures… I will try and take one if I go near a cinema in the next few weeks!
Here’s the theatre trailer…


And here’s the film one…

Which one do you think is the best version???

ASSA よりみち Japanese Restaurant – London St. Giles High Street (Closed)

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This is no longer a Japanese restaurant… It’s turned into an extension to its neighbour – Assa Korean restaurant!!
After the pit stop at the Rotherhithe Festival, Miss Pinky and I went towards Tottenham Court Road. I had eaten breakfast at 9am that day, and my friend only had fruit and beer from the festival… so we were both hungry! I indicated to Miss Pinky that there are a couple of Korean restaurants and a Japanese restaurant we could try out… And so we both decided on the Japanese restaurant ASSA よりみち (Yorimichi) as their pictures on the window were so convincing! Next door is the Korean restaurant also called ASSA! The Japanese one is newish (I think it used to be a cafe), and I guess this is owned by the Korean’s next door. There is also a downstairs – but I also guess that opens at night time!
Outside ASSA よりみち
Inside ASSA よりみち
Although there wasn’t a lot of choice on the menu it still took us a few minutes to decide on what to eat because all the dishes sounded so appetising.
The menu cover
In the end we chose the following dishes… 4 starters, and 2 mains… (we were hungry!). The karaage was hard to get through because it was still hot and I couldn’t get the tenticles off!
Karaage – Deep fried octopus
This was the favourite starter, it was sweet and buttery…
Takoyaki – fried octopus balls
Inside a Takoyaki – fried octopus balls – Yummy ^_^ (it was our favourite starter!) 
The croquette was ok… just like a normal croquette…
Korokke – Vegetable Croquette
I think Gordon Ramsey would’ve been proud of these scallops. They were succulent and juicy, not burnt, overcooked or rubbery at all!
Hotate Gai – Scallops – cooked perfectly!
This is Miss Pinky’s dish, the Buta Kimchi Don set which consists of kimchi and stir fried pork, rice, miso soup and pickles. She’s a light eater and this was perfect for her…
Buta Kimchi Don – Kimchi and stir fried pork
This is my meal… Miso Soup followed by Oyako Don, which was absoultely hot and delicious…!
Miso soup
The Oyako Don consists of chicken, egg and rice and I think a soup base (miso)… The chicken was very fresh! Quite delicious! ^_^
Oyako Don – egg, chicken and rice
Since I didn’t spend much at the festival, I was the one who ended up paying! It came up to a reasonable price of £47 (this included a beer and a green tea). Not bad!
My geeky rating: 5/5 – all food was piping hot and delicious – A BIG THUMBS UP!
Good points:
Food was very hot when they were served
Excellent quiet service
Quick service
Favourite starter – the takoyaki ^_^
Bad points:
Slightly cramped seating area on the ground floor (but I guess I’m a bit big – compared to a Japanese person), and the lower ground floor compensates for it.
Geeky information: 
Address: 52 St. Giles High Street, London, WC2H 8LH
Telephone: 020 7240 3490
There’s no website, but as mentioned there aren’t pages and pages of dishes to choose from… Quite simple ^_^

Pit Stop at Rotherhithe Festival

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Miss Pinky who lives in the Surrey Quays area told me about a festival that was going on in King George’s Field, which is a few metres away from Canada Water station, so we decided to have a look and see what it was about before we started our afternoon shopping and evening theatre show… As we got there, the rain had stopped, the sun was almost peeking out, music was blasting away and there were stalls out… Plus it was free entry! 
At the entrance


The Rotherhithe Festival is in aid of a charity and this year they were supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust…

So Miss Pinky spent quite a bit on raffles, fruit and alcohol (I spent a smaller amount than her… But made up for it later on in the day!).

Here’s some pictures of the festival…
Miss Pinky’s balloon

The stalls that were selling raffle tickets

The HOODOO band – these guys are cool!

The Paul Wood Trio – Wow!! They are so good I felt like I was in a ballroom!!

Bouncy stuff for the kids

This fruit bowl was from the fruit stall – £2 a bowl… It was worth it!! ^_^

Website: http://www.rotherhithefestival.co.uk/index.html
Here’s a video I edited (just to try it out) …  just speeded up a view parts of the song from the band HOODOO…