Far Away So Close: January 2006

day 1 - pt 4

20:00 @春喜炭火燒肉"西門店"

兜轉了一天,原來最令人欣慰的,莫過於飽吃一餐
今天晚上好像吃了平生最多肉的烤肉晚餐...雖然都是很平民化的餐廳,但也真的好吃 (如果你不是吃素的話)

After the busy day, nothing can make myself more cheerful than a big big meal.
It seems that I have finished the most "meaty" BBQ buffet in my life. Though it's a very budget and local restaurant, the taste is really so nice ( if you are not vegetarian ).

Day 1 pt 3

(沒相片 - no photo for this )

放下行李後,HP 和 D 說要帶我到一個新的捷運站那邊看看,由於那個站擁有漂亮名字的關係,便帶著一點興奮的下了車,當剛站在月台的那刻,我不禁叫道,"嘩,這個新站的設計很可愛哦,外邊的風景應該都很不錯吧",三個人便快步的出了車站...

(那個叫小碧潭的站, 其實在除了月台外,外邊的風景也真的看不出和這漂亮的名稱有什麼關係)

不消15分鐘,我們便回到原來的車站等車回去好了
(那你們知道為什麼這裡沒刊出相片了 *笑*)

p.s.: 多謝Phil的提供,有興趣的話,可以看看那個小碧潭站的美麗風光

After I left my luggage at their home, HP & D said they would bring me a new place by taking Taipei Metro. It's located near the new station where they haven't been. I felt little excited when I heard the beautiful name of the station ( something like Little Green Lake ). When we were in the platform, I couldn't wait to say "wow, this station is so lovely. I guess the scenery outside won't be bad at all". Then, we didn't hesitate and walked quickly off the exit.

( hm...later, we found out besides the lovely station itself, there isn't any scenery related to the beautiful name of the station at all )...

Within 15 mins of our departure, we were back to the platform and waited for the train to return.

( well, you know why there isn't any photo for that then *grin* )

p.s. : Thanks for Phil. here you can check what this station looklike from their official website. Isn't it beautiful?

Day 1 pt 2

foggy, 13:30 @CKS Int'l Airport, Taipei

都是在飛機降落的時候才發覺原來台北被大霧籠罩,沒關係吧,旅行也不一定會碰上好天氣吧

When the flight were landing, I found out that Taipei was surrounded by fog...hmm...never mind, who said that there must be good weather in trip?

Spring Trip - Day 1 pt. 1

2006.01.31, 11:50 am @Macao Airpot

背包上沒帶什麼的地圖和旅遊書,心裡也沒預備怎樣的行程,腦內像窗外的天空一樣,連一片雲也沒有便起程了,如果抵達後也想不到行程的話,便乾脆的吃吃吃吧,反正在台北要找吃的很方便

there isn't anything called Map or travelling guide book in my backpack. there isn't anything called "Plan" in my heart. Just like the cloud-less blue sky outside the window, there is NOTHING in my mind and here the plane is going to take off.

What if I still couldn't figure out what to do when I reach there? hmm...I guess it's not a bad idea to let it become a trip of "Eat, Eat & Eat" since it's so convenient to find good food/snack in Taipei.

花開富貴

祝大家狗年 :
新年進步
心想事成
龍馬精神

恭喜發財

Beautiful flowers in new year mean bright future in China ! Wish everyone have bright future and glamorous life in the year of dog. :)

I'm OK before the end of the year

4 more days, it will be new day for the year of dog. As used to be, the work would become almost crazy when the CNY (chinese new year) is getting closer.

Tired of speaking, tired of thinking & tired of connecting...

Just in case friends want to know ...

I AM OK before the end of the year.

Amina

Amina - The female quartet from Iceland responsible for playing the string section of Sigur Ros' 'Agaetis Byrjun' and '()'

Hemipode (m4a)

from their debut 4-tracks EP "AnimaminA"

The beauty of minimal music with strings, bell, harp & electronic.

Liz Durrett

For fans of Suzzane Vega or Beth Orton, you should like Liz Durrett 's voice and music too.

The Mezzanine (mp3) from her upcoming new album.

Somewhere ( live mp3 )

Adriana Calcanhotto

It's cloudy, gray, chill outside.

It's better to explore something warm inside the quiet room.

Some music that you are going to love from the first listen. Adriana Calcanhotto's songs are perfect examples. ( She is a brazillian singer and of course, she sings in portuguese...well, don't ask me the meaning in of the lyric cos i know nothing about portuguese though it's one of the official language in my city )

If you like Bossa Nova, her songs are definitely cool and lovely.

Try some songs from her latest live album - "Adriana Partimpim O Show ( 2005 )"

Saiba (mp3)
Ciranda da bailarina (mp3)
Ser de sagitário (mp3)

Belle & Sebastian - Another Sunny Day

The new album "The Life Pursuit" will be released in early February.

Download the new song "Another Sunny Day" ( from their record company here )

The song is very typical Belle & Sebastian style...70's, fresh, young, sunny & warm.

José González - Heartbeats

Congratulation to Jose Gonzales. Though his debut album "Veneer" has been released since 2003. He finally got his first UK Top 10 hits with his song "Heartbeats".

Veneer is one of my favorite album and has been in my ipods for the whole 2005. It definitely is an album you can't miss if you are into acoustic and moody sounds like Nick Drake. He really deserves to be a new star.

Heartbearts ( wma - window media player required )

Stay of the shade ( mp3 ) the last single

beast killed the food

as i would go to see "King Kong" after dinner, i only had 2 hours to cook and finish the dinner ...so i was trying to make the simple dishes tonight (without too much meat).

Well, i quite enjoy my own recipe...and actually they are quite easy to cook and yummy to be good home-made dishes. and it's the first time to have dinner in the sitting room cos the dining table is still being repaired.

btw...King Kong is really a very amusing movie because you can see almost all kinds of Monsters/Beasts/Horrible Insects in one time. I laugh a lot in the theatre especially when KK torn the T-Rex's jaws and played it like a toy. :P funny and I love this stupid Beauty Killed The Beast movie !

I also like my own version..."Beast killed the food". :P

today I enjoy cooking again

it's been so cold these weekend and sunday. well, didn't enjoy going out except to the supermarket to buy something for my another cooking "project". I always love "zuppa di porcini" very much when i visit italian restaurant so i decide to cook a home-made one. I didn't have much expection to my cooking since...before this year (before these 2 weeks), i really seldom go kitchen though i've read a lot of cook books and watched many cooking TV programmes. "Yeah, it's time to take some REAL action if I want to try!"...that's my own wish in 2006. I hope someday my dishes are "presentable" to friends who dare to try.

Pasta All' uovo with mushroom, beacon & salmon

my own comment...i like the zuppa most, then bresaola cheese bag with melon. the pasta, the cream sauce is not enough though the egg taste of the pasta is so great even without any sauce. (shameless) i like my dishes tonight quite well indeed. :)

David Kitt

His music is always compared with David Gray or Damien Rice. Hmmm...I can't find obvious similarity except they are all the talented singers & composers.

This is not his latest CD but it's my favorite of this irish singer - David Kitt.

I have picked 3 songs together to recommend.

When Doves Cry (Prince cover)/ Dance With You / Your Smiling Face ( MP3 download expired )

David Kitt's homepage here

the comfort of the strangers

http://bethorton.astralwerks.com/

The new Beth Orton album, 'the Comfort of Strangers', will be in stores on February 7th, 2006.

You can try her new song "Conceived" ( need "real player" ) in her new website.

or the mp3 here. (mp3 download expired)

H&H

Traditional & Contemporary Danish Music
by the Violinist Harald Haugaard
& guitarist Morten Alfred Høirup (the bearish one )

http://www.hhduo.dk/

well...it's so refreshing after having such a delightful continental breakfast.

"Middag i Haven" (Dinner in the Garden)

"Bladet / Meget gammel vals"

2nd try on 3rd day

Before the passion is over, it's the 2nd try to make Muffins ( started from 10pm ).

I think I wouldn't get boring ( haha, maybe too early to say that ) easily in bakery since everytime I could change the ingredients a little bit. This time I used Expresso, 88% dark chocolate and walnut.

By the time I was having the late night snack ( 2 muffins ), i already started to think what little idea could be applied next time. I guess I enjoy the "creative idea" more than the muffin itself.

Cowboys & Angel

Before I can see the movie, I can hear some songs for Cowboys and the original score by Gustavo Santaolalla.

King of the road by Rufus Wainwright & Teddy Thompson

From the Original Sountrack of "Brokeback Mountain"