Its all about NEW...

Harlo everyone, how's ya doing? Apologize for being vanished for a period of time. I have made a few crucial decisions and gone through a huge transition in my life. Yeap, I have decided to return to my home country to proceed to another stage of my lifetime journey. Today is 16th March 2009, it also marked as a "Brand New Day" to pursuit my dream life and temporarily putting a full-stop in student life. However, I still have two-sided feelings about this life-changing decision and I have to admit it will take some time for me to adapt such changes. I will definitely try my best for that, get my fingers crossed and open my eyes widely to see things clearer (DD boss, am I right?)

For sure I am sad to leave all my great mates and food in Brissy, you guys have been so awesome~ "Food monster", that's the nick that is been given by the Optimus Team, I will always remember that!! Thanks for your companion all these while and I will never forget all the great times we had together for the past few years! I wouldn't have been a person I am today without all of your supports and cares. I sincerely wish all of you having a bright and prospective future, please do keep contact. Take good care...Till then, I have faith that we will meet each other in some part of the earth in the future...^^

Below are the "great catch" early this year...enjoy~

Dusk@Inderawasih football field, Penang, Malaysia.


Glamorous lightings@Kek Lok Si temple, Penang, Malaysia.

My MTIM Graduation@UQ (15th Dec 08')

Harlo mates, how's it going? Hohoho, Merry Christmas, everyone!! I've just got back from my superb wonderful trip in Melbourne, don't really want to come back from that fantastic & fun city!! Great city, friendly people with nice weather!! I will blog much about the trip soon...so stay tune for that~

Yeap, finally, I have graduated with my postgraduate course (Master of Technology and Innovation Management) on this very special day, 15th Dec 08', at University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. After a year and a half of hardships, its time for me to step up and face the reality to get into working career!! There were 2 important things that made this a very special day. First, my ever beloved dad and mum managed to attend my convocation, my two brothers (Hooi & Jiow) with their warmest regards and the luxurious Tissot!! Second, KC & her family attended my convocation too...really thanks to them for spending their precious time here.


The gigantic UQ signboard...


Thanks Dad & Mum...Happy to see you here!


Thanks dad, for nurturing me, teaching me, protecting me all these while!!


Million thanks mum, for tolerating my stubbornness...



All the master class transformers with PhD Optimus-leader (Darren)
From left: Jake, Jenny, Millie, Darren, Charmaine, me


Thanks Ernest, my great housemate...for being my private cameraman!!


Thanks fellow friends, you guys have been so AWESOME~



My great coursemates...Caramel (formerly Jasmine) and Charmaine


Good luck, guys...keep contact ya~

This marks the temporary end of my formal academic career, at the age of 23. But I will keep learning for sure, from people around me, things or even news around the globe. It is always intriguing to meet people from different cultural backgrounds, demographics and geographical locations~ I'm really glad that all my fellow senior friends (the usual gang) have done with their study career too, some will go back for good and be good government servants (Kidding ya)...some will apply for PhD studies (Good on 'em)! No matter what it turns out to be, I will be here to wish them best of luck for their future in all sincerity!! Please keep in touch, people...miss all of you~

Love,
Kev XOX

Friendships that never fade...

Hot summer, hot hot summer!! The heat wave is hitting the Sunshine state (Queensland). I can't wait to head south for cooling weather...The scorching sun has burnt my skin and I'm like a big PeachyBoy now...;-( Someone please help me to treat my sunburnt cheeks...

The graduation week has started from this week onwards, the dates of the convocation differ according to the faculties in the university. Oh yea, I have successfully finished my postgraduate course and the convocation will be held on 15th Dec (Monday), Weee~! All my fellow gang of friends (biotech geeks) have graduated on 1st Dec as well...JZ has booked me in to be his personal photographer, hmm...its time to sharpen my skill before YOU come over next week...heee!

I have known all of them ever since my arrival in Down Under...These 85' born people have been my greatest mates, chilling, eating, growling, fooling and so on...Time passes in a glimpse and our study life has put up with a great fullstop. However, our friendship will definitely continue to grow for sure...These are all the wonderful moments:


ZW's 21st Birthday - 2006 (KF, PW, Ena, HW, Sailo, Me, Shirley, ZW)


The Fantastic 4 - Jacey's Convocation - 2006


My 22nd Birthday - 2007


The usual gang - My BSc convocation - 2007


JZ's 22nd Birthday 2007 - Everyone is HIGH~


Trip to Rainbow Beach (2008) - Let's JUMP!!!


All-time soccer hardcore fans (My Barcelona vs JZ's Real Madrid)


Its your turn, folks...!!! Congrats...

For those Pharmacy graduates (ZW, KF, Shirley, Amy, Ena), I have to apologize for not able to attend your convocation on the 12th Dec as I will be in Sydney with my family. Hereby to congratulate all of you, take care and stay well...

I wish you all the best, may all of you have a prospective future and shine like Twinkle Little Stars...Without all these cares and companies, I wouldn't been able to keep going until this point...Thank you, my beloved friends...

Love,
Kev XOX

Safe Trip Home...

**That it comes and it goes, and I can't seem to hold
**and there's nothing i own, and it breaks me when it goes

Hee, I'm singing Dido's song (It comes and it goes) in her latest 3rd album - Safe Trip Home!! The Red music review even termed Dido as British soul-folk siren kills softly with songs and said that if you only listen to one thing this month..I'm so ecstatic to get her album this afternoon when i got to know that JBHifi already has the album stocked in. I'm been anticipating this album for so long after her previous records 5 years ago.


Dido's 3rd creation - Safe Trip Home


Deluxe Edition set - with enhanced cd (including 3 bonus tracks)

Dido's soft-pitch yet subtly seductive power voice really tying me closely to her songs, listen over and over again!! Being a die-hard fan for Dido, I've been followed her songs ever since her debut song with Eminem named "Stan", which is a theme song for 8 Mile movie starring Eminem. This album is aimed to continue in creating micracles after the successful results from its predecessors - 1st album (No Angel) and 2nd album (Life for Rent).


Inspiring songs...Nice!!

Head to iLike.com to hear all the tracks...ENJOY!!

Alright, now come back to my story here...Yeap, finally I've done with my final exam for MTIM course, will have to move on in my life...Work and earn some pennies? Stay or Go? PR application? I totally lost my direction...But one thing that I stand firm is that, I will never forget to EAT, because I'm da Food Monster...Muahaaa! Just like this...


Throat-burning curries@Curry Connection with (from left) YiXin, Darren, JJ!! YUMMY~

I will continue to get some guidance, advices, ideas from the people around me, including you! Yesh, its you! Hmm...will get back to you guys soon with some updates about our much long-waiting farewell steamboat dinner at my place tomorrow...Ok, till then, catch up with you guys soon...For the one who is still stressing with exams, GOOD LUCK! For those who is free-of-bound, just CHILL!! Take care, cheers...Summer is here~

Love,
Kev XOX

Kev's Wonder Recipe - Wonder Bread Pudding

Heyo folks, how's it going? Hope all of ya are doing well...don't be too stress with works or studies...!! I've been rushing my heavy-loaded assignments, aiming to finish them before the Swotvac break (Study break for uni students)~ Aikkss, don't have much time to do revision...ooh ooo :-O!! I'm really flattered that someone did try out my recipe...feel so honoured here!! Let me introduce the FUN-Sized girl -->Nicole!! Thanks for that oo~

Why not we take this opportunity and put away all your tasks (just temporary), and savour something YUMMY! This post features one of my all-time favourite desserts --> Bread Pudding. The hot and fluffy soft texture with sign of crispiness, I'm gonna die for this...

Kev's Wonder Recipe - Wonder Bread Pudding



Ingredients:
A: White Bread - 1 Loaf (approx. 750g)

B: Peanut Butter/Fruit conserved (any choice of your liking)

C: Fine White Sugar - 100g
Butter - 300g
Milk - 200mL

D: Egg yolk - 3 (discard the egg white)
Vanilla Essence - 2 teaspoons (optional)

E: Dry/Fresh fruits or nuts

Procedures:
1. Firstly, spread a slice of bread with the peanut butter, with another plain bread stacking on it, and spread with the peanut butter, again stack with a plain bread. It is then formed a 3 bread block.
2. Remove all 4 sides of the bread edges (as it will affect the pudding texture), and then cut them into tiny cute square blocks.
3. Arrange those tiny bread blocks onto a baking dish, scatter with some raisin on top of the breads.
4. Mix together fine white sugar, butter and milk and cook with low heat. At the same time, add in the egg yolks (one at a time) and vanilla essence for more fragrance. Constant stirring is needed.
5. Pour the above mixture to cover all the bread cubes, make sure each of them is well-soaked with the delicious mixture.
6. Place the baking dish on top of a roasting pan filling with water to reach halfway ip to the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes with 170 Celsius until it turns golden brown.
7. Let it cold down on a baking rack and serve immediately when it is still HOT...

P/S: The sugar content can be adjusted according to personal preference...feel free to 'mix n match'!! I'll bet you'll get addicted for such delicacy...hehe! It is always fun to do some baking yourselves at home...hope you guys can try this out when you need something to MUNCH!!

Alright, have to continue working on my LAST assignment as I will be heading for the BBQ session with all my usual gang later@ SouthBank...Its gonna be hot out there...Applying Sunblock is definitely a MUST...Till then, take care mates!

Love,
Kev XOX

MidSem2 08' Getaway - Toowoomba (27th Sept 08')

Aikkss...I was being poked by JJ to update my procrastinating bloggie~ Yeap, I'm back here again to inform all of you about my status quo!! This post is specially written for the roadtrip we (WJ, PW, Alice, Michelle, JJ, little KC, Ernest and I) had to this well-known garden city - TOOWOOMBA!! The city has the flower festival every year in Spring season, only IF there isn't water restriction at the area~ For now, let's yumbayamba....haaa!


All the crew-members...ehh? No, WJ was the photographer, credits for him ;-P

Once we've got our private transport - Toyota Tarago, we began our long-haul journey straigh-away with me being the lone-driver...haa! Ernest was my man-made GPS despite having Jane (MK's favourite GPS device) to further help us in locating the exact landmarks and destination. It took us around 2 hours to reach the high-lanscape city...


See? Serious driver hay...must make sure the safety of all my passengers


Toowoomba i-centre - A must-stop place to get full information

Our first stop will be the biggest open-garden in the city - Queens Park Garden. I'll let those pictures speak on its own...


Queens Park Gardens - Time to fully utilise my dear Issie (IXUS-75)


Hot spring with delightful Brissy kids...


Flower carpets...

Below will be the vivid flower shots...Photos captured manually with Macro function and ISO-400 settings
















Purple Blush...


Surrounding with TULIPS...Little KC and I


Love this photo particularly...From left: Me, JJ, WJ, Ernest, Lil KC, Alice and Michelle...aiks, PW was the photographer this time, applause for her, folks...!!

Yeap, following will be the photos captured in the 2nd garden with asian theme - Japanese Garden. The garden is situated beside the University of Southern Queensland.


Nice and serenity environment...


The crew-members for Toowoomba's FlowerFest 08' (srry WJ, you have to be the photographer for us, thanks!)






Finally, the ultimate complete crew members shot...


Nobody is happier than I am now...Woohoo~


But, nobody wants to be like him...


Little cute 'Puppy' statue, visited you 3 years ago and here I'm again...take care there...stay cute until my next visit oo...


Fragrant Lavender...sweetest thing in my heart~


Alright folks, this is my most "flowery" post I've ever had before, hope you guys enjoy this short and quick walkthrough to the garden city...
For more detailed experience, please visit JJ's bloggie...

Till then, I need to rush for my assignments...Not to forget to say welcome to those honourable guests from Newcastle (Joelene and others), happy to see all of you enjoying your Brissy trip so far...Take care, buddies!

Love,
Kev XOX

Kev's Wonder Recipe - Versatile Cupcake Base

Hellooo...how's it going? Had about 6 hours of sleep but yet still feeling a bit lethargic, maybe I've had alcohol overdose? "Thanks" to my dear big sis - JJ for pouring nice wines into my "Magical Belly" yesterday! Of course, not to forget to thank Machi for her magnificent imported sake from Japan, YUMMY!! Having constant pressures from my fans (as if), I've decided to update my bloggie after a month's time...Yeap, welcome to my first ever Kev's Wonder Recipe post, have to thank JiaJi for suggesting this awesome bloggie idea!

As you can see from the title of this post, it is about my secret recipe that I really proud of...Haaa! I've even got the praise from the ever-experienced baker - Aunty Cindy when her trip to Brissy last month...I will churn out more brilliant and yummy recipe in the near future!! I have altered the baking ingredients needed by referencing to various basic butter cake recipes together with humble baking experiences, let's try it out:

Versatile Cupcake - Basic Recipe

Servings: 12 equal size cupcakes with standard baking tray

Ingredients:
Combo A:
150g butter
140g sugar
1 tsp of salt
270g self-raising flour

Combo B:
3 eggs
160mL milk
1 tsp of vanilla essence

Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius.
2. Melt the butter and put i n both sugar and salt, beat it until light and fluffy (where the butter mixture is sort of well-mixed).
3. Sift the flour with a sifter into the butter mixture and stir it well.
4. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat well (add the first egg then mix them well before adding the next one).
5. Add the milk simultaneously while folding the mixture at the same time.
6. Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure the batter is well-mixed.
7. Scoop the batter into muffin cups/tray until 70% of the column. Then bake at 170 Celsius for 45 minutes in the centre of oven until in turns golden colour. It is then ready if the skewer comes out clean from the middle of the cupcake.
8. Open the oven lid to half and leave the cupcakes sitting inside for 15 minutes before taking out to be served.
9. You can add any icing sugar or any of your favourite fruits as the topping. As for the locals here, they prefer to place a thick layer of sweet butter icing sugar with attractive decorations and colour...

Just like this...Birthday cupcakes for KhaiChin from Samantha's sis...SUPERB!!!

Hope all of ya try it out and feel free to give me some feedback, thanks...!! Aikss, its 15mins to 12noon, I need to catch up with my studies and presentation slides. Alright, that's all for today, will probably post up my latest creation - Fried Radish Cake's recipe as soon as I could, till then, take good care yoo!! Yea, anticipating John bro and Joelene to come over to Brissy, get yourselves some sunlight in this brilliant sunshine state!!

Love,
Kev XOX