Wednesday 4th November



Procrastination extraordinaire. Today we painted a test tube rack, base and colour. Took a nap, ate pizza, went dancing and that was about it...

I first typed this under Monday. It's Wednesday?! What happened to the other days?! I've been so busy researching laptops, and internet, phone plans, it's a bit overwhelming. And that's moving prep, there's still the 3 projects to be done. 2/3 are due this Friday!

We're back the the first and fav dance studio this month! Dance with beyonce on Sunday, morman today and graphics design brad is back! I don't think I've seen him since last summer almost! Had a great time tonight. 


In the mail lately we got an awesome box of cookies & co, and a Harry Potter book. :) Because I wasn't more specific about the cookies there are several parcels that contained cookies and I think it was this one?



Thursday


What is this 'Tornado warning issued for Melbourne'? It's sunny outside. Turns out there was a little rain, but "A tornado reportedly touched down at Tullamarine around 2.30pm". We're nowhere remotely near there. 

Advantage of being tall: no one gets poked in the eye by your antlers or big headpieces. XD Lets be honest I'm going to wear what I want anyway. Though have been requested NOT to wear a hat as then I can't see anything above me.

My fb feed is flooded with racing pictures, friend said this means I'm in the group that the races are targeted towards, though have no interest in prancing around in heels while sinking into the grass, or wearing dresses in a storm and no practical hats/sunglasses. I'd only go if I was invited. :P



Xmas has started and everyone's stress and discussions of what to buy age/gender/r'ship has started. Looks stressful! I'm kinda really glad we don't do xmas!

Side Note - Please don't get me a candle or handcream. I'm told candles make the smoke alarm go off, and don't want to cause an evacuation. :P 

Its been so long since my first few years of uni/college when Friday night were spent at the library research, google and books, that I feel like I've almost forgotten how to approach a project. Specifically a research project, this one's one of my last ones.

Sunday


A day or rather afternoon spent checking out Labassa Manor which was divided into x units all sharing the same entry. Like your average apartment in NY, the one with lots of doors and hallways, not the fancy each person has a level type with a penthouse. 

Each unit was pretty much a room, kitchen and bathroom. But some units were bigger. My favorite room was the music room. Dark purple/burgundy ornate wallpaper with dark carpet and white lace curtains over the window. Nice and dark.

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Pocky is a Japanese snack food produced by Ezaki Glico. Pocky was first sold in 1966, is chocolate-coated biscuit sticks. Usually thin ones, but there's a variety. Think KitKat, but different shapes and less flavours.

In Melbourne the actual Japanese made ones are uncommon, instead there's the grey import ones made in Thailand, found at asian shops like Tokyo Hometown. 

And then there's Pretz, which is an unglazed version of Pocky, featuring flavors like tomato, pizza, and salad, as well as sweet flavors such as French toast - though I've only seen the savory ones. Why would you eat a salad flavoured cookie? O.o















Demitasse (Gold) - Choc cookie sticks with dark chocolate coating. 
One pack instead with 20-ish sticks. 

Midi (Blue) - Just 12 regular sticks, but shorter and fatter. Value for money? No.

These two are the smallest boxes.

Gokuboso (White) - Dark chocolate.

Otonano Milk (Black) - Milk choc, thick coat. Two packs instead, prefer for sharing.

Glico (Red) - Milk choc, this is the original.



Almond Crush -  6 x 2 sticks. These are the smallest pack, but so good! 
Coming second to strawberry.

Strawberry! One is heart shaped, sorta, the other isn't. They both taste the same. But the pink box is 51g while the red is 41g. Go for the pink one. 







I've seen butter custard (midi 12 pk) $4.15, Sicilian Lemon, Milk Cocoa ($3), Matcha ($3.45), Panda ($3), Peanut ($3.45), Red Bean ($6). Those are all at Tokyo Hometown, there's one on A'Beckett Lane and another on Elizabeth. All those we have yet to try.





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The GREAT FOOD BLOGGER COOKIE SWAP brings together food bloggers from around the world in celebration of all things scrumptious. Fortunately postage won't kill it as you are matched with others within your region, this also means the cookies take a week or two to post rather than a month+.

How it works is that you donate $5USD to the charity of the year 'Cookies for Kids' Cancer' and are made into groups of 4 and so send out 3 dozens to the other 3 in your group. In Australia there were only 3 sign ups so we went a package to NSW and another to WA.

The challenge to to reinvent an old tested and tried recipe or make and bake something you have never tried before. I picked the prior and made 'Matcha Triple Choc Chip Cookies', the triple referring to the use of white, milk and dark choc chips. Le beau would be disappointed it wasn't a choc cookie base, with choc chips, and the whole thing encased/dipped/drowned in chocolate :P.

Matcha Triple Choc Chip Cookies


Base Recipe from Masterchef Australia.
Makes 25 large cookies (serves 1 each).

115g unsalted butter
110g soft brown sugar (packed)
75g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
180g plain flour
1 heaped tsp matcha
1/3 rsp baking powder
200g chocolate chips (or chopped) 


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Cream butter, sugars and vanilla on a high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg and mix for a further 2 minutes.
4. Sieve flour, matcha and baking powder over mixing bowl and beat on a low speed until just combined.
5. Fold through chopped or choc chip.
6. Roll into balls and place on a baking tray, 5cm apart (my trays fit 8 at a time). 
7. Bake for until just golden around the edges, about 10 minutes*. 
8. Set aside to cool.

*Oven times/setting vary. My fan forced oven took 16 minutes. 
I like to bake two racks at a time.

The size is up to you, do you prefer bite sizes or one cookie per person?


Tips
Generously dust your hands with plain flour to avoid sticky hands working with sticky dough.





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Thursday 29th October


Leaving things till the last day we finally saw 'An American in Paris (1951)' today, the story line was a bit meh, but we watched it for all the elaborate dance routines.






The black & white party, Bal de Beaux Arts is awesome in terms of costumes! You can see it here.


Tomorrow night we're going to a concert, with music from the film. 

Friday 30th 

The struggle to be normal. I had a great-good time lost in my dreams. Missed most of the day! But we drove in a van through a small side street decorated with Halloween deco! It's a memory I think, of home. There were some guys in swimwear and water. Water is never good, drowning is closely associated there. 

We had dinner at 7pm, 196 Creamy Tomato Tortelloni – it’s pretty good. Though there’s something strange about the filling. So as the name says it's tomato sauce based (healthier than creamy) and the filling is spinach/ricotta.


Off to the city for a concert, made it just in time! An American in Paris, which we saw last night. "Gershwin’s An American in Paris evokes a journey through the bustling streets of the French capital, punctuated by taxi horns and a bluesy trumpet solo." Unless there's an accordion I can't identify Paris through audio along. While I'm sure there's nice places like Park Avenue, the story is set in the old quarter, a bit old and dirty. A stark contrast to Swedish design, with open fields of snow, and space, so much space everywhere. 

During interval we made a dash to Zumbo, but they were sold out of what we were after. Got back just in time, again.

The second half had an amazing end, which I know as 'that piece from the pig movie - I hate pigs!' le beau was there, but I didn't see him.



Afterwards we went for donuts... spider web decorated original for me, and cookies n cream for George. 


Then onto ice cream, no pumpkin. :( We tried something new, the strawberry sorbet which was fresh and fun. But I'm starting to realize I prefer ice cream over sorbet :P It's much creamier, and I do love the cereal milk gelato. As it's Halloween Dex2rose had a 'pick a card game', I saw someone else get trick, but I was very lucky to get treat! My treat was an apple cider, it's fizzy apple juice but different. Have it before the ice cream, or you won't get the full taste.




I was going to make cupcakes, but we ran out of time. We picked these as they were fun and simple, all you need after you ice it is a piping bag for the chocolate and a toothpick. 

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Wednesday 28th October





Mr Scruff's is a bar that has been on my to-eat list for years. On Wednesday nights they have 50% off food, except jars and desserts. With 4yrs of marketing and Wednesday dance classes we've never made, till now. 

Located in Collingwood, it the other side of town for us. I'm quite happy on Flinders St, and so we don't get out of the city enough.









There was three sitting areas, front, back and middle. Bar stools are third size benches were in the front, along with some tables.Out back downstairs there was an outdoor area covered with black umbrellas. And inside were big family sized booths, opening up to the city of the room where there was a dj board. Front and back being outdoors are smoking zones, so we sat inside. Fortunately being a Wednesday there was no DJ.



Been the weekly special night, the place was full and we were lucky to get the last table. This was around 6.30pm. I reckon you could get takeaway too, as the food is served in takeaway boxes. And there's a park a couple blocks away opposite Fitzroy Libary (not walking distance).

As the menu online wasn't updated I was lost and confused, and made bad decisions. 





They no longer have the crab & duck bao, so we went with the beef. It was good, but strange as the flavours didn't go well together. The sharpness of pickled purple cabbage and fatty slabs of beef.





I love fish tacos! This one was very hot though. I'd get it again if they made it less hot. Also I would have thought these come in a pair? But then the price says no. Jas said they remind him of Maya Mex, which I think is more oily.




The croquetas were very powdery and I could only eat one. Deep fried onion rings were on the oily side. I love some fried food, but not all.





For our mains I was a bit full so only had a couple bites of the vegetarian souvlaki, it was ok. This one is for real vegetarians. Next time I'll get something with meat.





Eat this at midnight and you'll be wondering why you diet is failing :P Jas had this are it was delicious! It's not just a sandwhich like I thought but one grilled in butter. Served hot it was delicious! And much better than what I ordered. :P



Service was good, and everything was served in takeaway boxes, perfect for take-away and min. cleaning, though jas says it would get $$. 

We'll be back on another Wednesday, though I'm happy to pay full price ($12) for that sandwich. Even at usual prices Mr Scruffs is a cheap eat. Jas plans on returning with the boys. A casual bar to go to with mates, though not a date.

They also have a $15 main + chips + a drink lunch special. 11.30am-2pm. I'll be back for that. And on a Wednesday Night, where they have 50% from 6-10pm.

Notes - The menu on urbanspoon hasn't been updated. The updated one can be found on fb...





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