Fotopic Is Back!

Well, not really. If you remember, Fotopic shut down a few years ago (back in 2011) because parent company Snappy Designs Ltd went into liquidation. The private buyer was supposed to resurrect the service, but that plan was eventually abandoned. And now, finally they're allowing users to download their photo collections. Access is provided on a rolling basis alphabetically, with usernames starting with "0" to "9" or the letter "a" getting priority. Once the process is complete, the site will be permanently shut down. Downloaded all my albums in a jiffy.

Sony CMT-CX5BiPB Micro Hi-Fi

The unit is a bit smaller than I expected. Good thing, too, because we actually had to take away some family photos on top of the TV stand to make room for it. Retails for $249, bought it online for much less than that.

What I like about it:

• Wall mountable - not like I'm gonna put nails into my wall to mount it.
• Digital radio - reception not too good in our area, but it works.
• Nice, clean, crisp sound quality.
• iPod connectivity. Now, my iPod nano with the broken screen can get some use.
• 3 x iPod universal dock adapters provided. None of which fits my 4th-gen iPod or 4th-gen iPod nano.
• Top slot-loading CD drive - a space saver.

Cons:

• No USB input support
• Speakers not attachable to the main unit
• Rear connectivity area (for power, audio in, and L/R speakers) too cramped
• Doesn't support the 4th-gen iPod classic, even though it's "Made for iPod and iPhone"
• No AM band support

Recipe 2012.10.08 - Toyomansi Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 kilos chicken wings
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or calamansi)
• 2 cloves garlic, squashed
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Marinade chicken wings overnight. Remove marinade, then fry chicken wings. Easy peasy.

My first attempt resulted in the chicken pieces being too salty. Maybe switch to a less salty soy sauce, or dilute marinade a little bit with water.

Pioneer SE-NC31C

Took the Pioneer SE-NC31C earphones with active noise-cancellation for a test drive on the daily commute. Happy to report that it works as advertised. Instead of simply blocking out everything, it merely cancels out (up to 90% of) the constant noise. That means it doesn't really eliminate the engine revs, but the constant bus hum is gone. Great when you still need to be aware of your surroundings. Audio quality is pretty good but not as good as my Brainwavz M4 IEMs. In terms of controls, there is an on/off switch to enable/disable the noice-cancelling feature. There's also a monitor button to temporarily turn off the audio, so you can "monitor" your surroundings. One AAA battery is supposedly good for 120 hours of noise-free audio.

More, More Toys

It's another Kid's Market at Five Dock, and you know what that means. More toys, more books, more DVDs. Not that we need anything. Personally, I just like looking around and hunting down bargains. Fisher Price Amazing Animals Sing & Go Choo-Choo train complete with the giraffe, elephant, and monkey figures with the articulated joints and textured feet for only $10? Deal! What about the LeapFrog LittleTouch LeapPad that comes with one cartridge and two books for $5? Bargain! Disney DVDs for $2 and mugs for 50c. These stuff are so cheap, in case Aidan didn't like them, I can use them myself.

$60 Wagyu

At $60 per kilogram, this Costco wagyu beef must be the most expensive piece of meat I've bought. Was it worth it? Not really. It's quite flavourful and tender, but not mind-blowing as I expected. Maybe I just didn't cook it properly. About 5 minutes each side on the frying pan (high heat), then into the oven for about 10 minutes.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

There are three components for this timeless recipe - the marinade, the batter, and the sauce.

Ingredients for the marinade:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Ingredients for the batter:

2 eggs

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch white powder

Ingredients for the sauce:

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup chicken broth/stock

1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 slices lemon

Get yourself half a kilo worth of chicken breast and cut into 1-inch cubes. Put the pieces in a ziplock bag together with the marinade in the fridge for half an hour. Make the batter using the mentioned ingredients. I've got half of the batter left, so it would be a good idea to halve the original portions. Coat the chicken pieces with the batter and deep fry until cooked/golden brown. Let them rest on absorbent paper.

Prepare the lemon sauce on a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and slowly add in the sauce. Don't get the oil too hot or the sauce is not gonna like it. Mix until sauce becomes clear. Remove the lemon slices and pour over the fried chicken pieces.

Fillet of Fish with Vegetables

Was planning to cook sweet and sour fish tonight, but forgot to buy the pineapple juice. To keep things simple, I switched to fried fish fillets with vegetables.

First off, cut the fish fillet into 1-inch thick pieces. Add oil to the frying pan and bring to high heat. Fry the fish till a bit brown then remove. In the same pan with the oil, put in some chopped vegetables - carrots, onion, brocolli, potatoes, whatever you can find. Toss and turn for 1 minute, then add:

• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix 1 teaspoon water with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and add into the stock. Mix everything gently until sauce has thickened. Pour on a plate and add the fish fillets on top.

One Week in Greenhills

Did pretty much what we did in Shanghai - shopping and eating.

Not much shopping on day 1 as we had to start with basic stuff like converting our money, doing the laundy, buying groceries, etc. Lunched at Shakey's, then dinner at MoA. Well, the wife had dinner at MoA; I had to stay behind to take care of the baby.

Day 2 we got down to serious business - dental appointment. Went to SM Megamall to have lunch at Pancake House, then dinner at C2 with the family.

Spent the next day shopping for shoes at Shoppesville. Had lunch with the wife's aunties at Gerry's Grill, then tea at Coffee Bean. Dinner at Bizu where it's less crowded.

Day 4 is BarKD Day at Jollibee (EDSA Ortigas). The old kids and the young ones had lots of fun taking pictures and playing games with the dancing Jollibee. As expected, our kid was mortally afraid of the mascot, but warmed up to him very quickly as he was exiting the venue. After party is at the adjoining Cafe France till late afternoon. No chitchat for me, as I was the designated yayo. There's only so much you can do with a balloon and the birds outside. Late dinner at Crystal Jade with the family.

Day 5 saw us having brunch at UCC. Yummy! Dropped by the old house for a short tour/inspection, then off to Resort World Newport City. Not too many shops, and not too many gamblers in the casino. Went to Glorietta for some Red Ribbon cakes and Fino leather goods. After a short rest at the hotel, went to Virra Mall for takeaway Chickenjoy and bought an SGY on the way back.

Day 6 - Raisin bread for breakfast and Starbucks for mirienda. Went to Cubao to have the baby checked out. The Aussie GPs are saying that the sniffles is normal, but it's always good to have a second opinion. Left the clinic with bottles and bottles of medicine. Lunch at Pho Bac at Centris Walk, then mirienda at Angelicum. Went to Trinoma in the afternoon to kill time. The lines at M&S were so long, the baby and I got bored walking round and round the block. Farewell dinner at Okegawa in Tomas Morato.

One Week in Shanghai

Our whole stay in Shanghai can be described in just two words: shopping and dining. First night we arrived in Shanghai, we trooped down to the nearest Chinese restaurant for late dinner. The weather was fairly cold, but I had a sleeping baby wrapped around me for warmth. And with the wife feeding me tasty morsels, I can't complain, except for the locals smoking cigarettes beside us.

Strangely enough, I woke up quite early the next day, so I went out to buy a big pack of bottled water and an electric toothbrush. We were told the local water supply is not suitable for foreigners. As for the electric toothbrush, that's another story. Had breakfast of some pastries we bought last night. Off to Super Brand Mall to have lunch at Chamate. Killed time at the arcade for a while, then the group broke up. Some went for more shopping. Some wanted to visit the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. I and the wife and SIL brought the kids to the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium. It presently has the longest underwater tunnel in the world. Entrance fee for adults is RMB160, kids under 1 metre go free. Went to Xintiandi for some Bavarian fare at Paulaner Brauhaus. Haven't had iced tea for a while, so I ordered Long Island iced tea for drinks. Tasted a bit bitter, so I had to dilute it with some Coke.

Day 3 found us buying breads and pastries and coffee at Apple Garden for breakfast. Spent the day at Xu Jia Hui district. SIL was looking for a new SD card for her digicam, so we went to one of the tech malls there. If I'm not mistaken, it's probably the Grand Gateway. Since we're already there, I bought a case for the wife's new Ixus. Cost me RMB100, which I'm sure is a rip-off. The other guys were on the hunt for iPhone 4s, which I'm told is currently very hot and very rare. Lunch is at this old traditional restaurant at the basement for some authentic Shanghai dishes. Spent the afternoon looking after Aidan, while the wife did some shopping. Passed by FIL's favourite DVD store for the latest TV series and movies (ahem!), then dinner at Heng Shan Xiao Guan for some HK cuisine. The guys later went out for a massage. Me, I took a stroll along Jin Ling Road until I got to The Bund. The night is a bit cold, but magnificent views on both sides of the Huangpu River. Too bad I only brought along the wife's Ixus instead of my proper DSLR. By 10pm, the buildings started turning off their lights. Took a left at Nanjing Road, and headed back to the hotel. Things got scary when I got the pedestrian street. This may be Shanghai's main shopping street, but at this time of night it's a bit deserted. Some guy would approach you with flyers or stuff they want to sell. I was later approached by a smartly-dressed woman asking for directions. I admitted that I'm a tourist myself, and can't really help her. This doesn't seem to deter her, as she struck up a conversation asking me personal questions. She then invited me to join her (and her friends) for some coffee. Right. Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not about to pay for overpriced drinks for you and your partners in crime. Giving her a lame excuse about meeting my friend back at my hotel, I went my own way.

The next day is FIL's birthday. Had birthday lunch at the posh Royal China on the top floor of the Jiu Guang Shanghai. The kids went to sleep after lunch. Bought some training chopsticks and lucky charms to entertain them. Took a tour of Jing An Park across Nanjing West Road with MIL, then went to Jing An Temple by myself. Entrance fee is RMB30. First time I saw an 800-year Buddhist temple beside a shopping mall. Main attraction would probably be the Jade Buddha Hall on the west side, which houses the 3.8-meter jade Buddha, the largest sitting jade Buddha in the country. (Not to be confused with the other jade Buddhas in the Jade Buddha Temple along An Yuan Road.) More shopping at Nanjing Road. Dinner is at Moon's Steakhouse in Xintiandi.

Day 5 saw us having a photo session at Barefoot Portraits along Huaian Road in Jingan. Took us a while because Aidan was sleeping and we can't risk waking him up. Finished late, so we just had a quick pasta and sandwich at the Italian cafe downstairs. Then off to Han City (a.k.a. Taobao City) for some cheapo shopping. The locals can immediately tell you're a foreigner, so have your bargaining skills ready. From the first quoted price, divide it by ten. Yeah, it might be too low, but the saleslady will let you know anyway. Name a price which you're comfortable with. Be prepared to walk away. The saleslady usually will give you her best price by then. If not, you can always still ask around, and come back later. That's how we got Crocs for RMB30, sweaters for RMB50, rubber shoes for RMB50, and three T-shirts for RMB100. Note that these are all kiddie/toddler items. Nothing for the adults. Dinner at Maboonkrong Restaurant.

Did some major shopping on day 6. Went to Shanghai Times Square and after some deliberation, the wife finally decided which Coach bag she wanted. Lunch is at Lisboa. Went back to that tech mall at Xu Jia Hui for some iPhone4s and laptops. Word of advice, the next time you want to buy a Sony Vaio S (or Acer Aspire S3), just get one back in Sydney or online. At the very least, you get the official English version of Windows 7, not some Vistalizatorized Chinese version, which took literally hours to complete. And you don't get shonky excuses like "Oh, the laptop you wanted was actually out of stock. Why I don't I give you one with a slower CPU and chipset and smaller hard drive, but I'll give you an extra 2GB RAM. Heck, I'll even throw in a free 4GB USB stick?" Supposed to have dinner at Din Tai Fung, but the place was packed. They're willing to open a function room for us, for a minimum consumable charge of RMB3000. No thanks.

Spent the last day in Shanghai packing. Went to Raffles City for some more shopping, then lunch at Watami.

Hardly Normal Ixus

Cocky fat salesman either doesn't know his stuff, or trying to push me to buy a higher-priced item with a higher commission for himself.

Was after a 115HS for $148, but he was recommending the 220HS, which is priced at $70 more. According to the guy, compared to the 115HS, the 220HS has a better processor, full HD recording, and dual-core. Wow! But wait, there's more! He's also throwing in a 4MB SD card $40, a carry case worth $25, and extended warranty worth $100. All this for an extra $70! Man, I would be crazy if I don't take this deal!

Well, call me crazy, but I know for a fact that both cameras use the same DiG!C 4 processor. Heck, even my 550D DSLR has the same processor. Dual processor? We're talking about an ultracompact IXUS here. Only the EOS 7D and the EOS-1D Mark IV pack dual processors. As for full-HD video recording, both models support it. It's even written on the body of the camera. Did I point these out to the salesman? Of course not. Gerry Harvey is not paying me to educate his staff.

Even at the last minute, the guy was still pushing me to get the $100 extended warranty. For a $148 camera? No, thanks. I have a feeling the salesman might pull a fast one, so down at the cashier, I quickly opened the package to make sure everything is there - camera, cables, battery, etc. Only when I got home did I found out that he slipped me a blue camera, instead of the silver one I asked for. It's a good thing the wife is not too fussy.

Din Tai Fung at The Star

Went to the city to look at QVB's new light show projected on the central dome. Had a bit of time to kill, so ended up at The Star. Didn't know the renovation work on the facade is already completed. Mighty impressed with the clean open design. Some of the boutiques like Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Salvatore Ferragamo are not yet open, but you can still window-shop at Chanel, G-Star RAW, and CK Jeans. Food court open, too. There's Flying Fish and Chips, Kampung, Messina Gelato, and Din Tai Fung. Adriano Zumbo's Patissier is also supposed to be around, but I don't see it.

Whole-Day Sunshine

Customer tried to do a remote upgrade and failed. Now the system is in a funny state, and the only way out I can see is a clean install. Bootloader-based FTP install doesn't work possible due to VLAN issues. What do to? Tried calling my colleague down in Melbourne. No answer. Boss says worst case I have to fly down first thing in the morning. After having only three hours of sleep during the night?! Sure!

So there I was at the domestic airport waiting for the last possible moment to check in. Final call to Melbourne colleague - no answer. Sunshine, here I come. Just before I turned off my mobile inside the plane, I get the call. See you soon, dude.

Spent the rest of the day doing backups and clean installs and restores. Customer finished their checks by 3:30pm. Got back to Sydney by 8pm.

Churros at the Baby and Toddler Show

It's a day of discounts. Went down to the city for the Baby & Toddler Show at Sydney Exhibition Centre. Parked at the newly opened Wilson Parking at Darling Quarter for $9 flat-rate. Entrance to the show was free as we got complimentary tickets from Coles.

On our way out, we were offered complimentary tickets to MasterChef Live. Went to the nearby St. Moritz at Harbourside for $5 churros and hot chocolate for two - courtesy of Groupon.

Lunch 2011.09.25 - Bianco

Wrong day to have lunch at Bianco Brighton-Le-Sands. Supposed to have a nice walk along the beach before or after the meal. With this pounding rain and howling wind, I don't think so. Couldn't find the restaurant so we called them up. No wonder. They're along the Grand Parade, instead of Bay Street as listed in Eatability and their own website. And yes, they offer complimentary parking at the Novotel. Apparently, that parking lot was being shared with a shopping centre, which is not doing too good. And we thought we parked at the wrong place.

Looks like we're the only party at the restaurant, as only our table was set. It's all good because it's nice and quiet. The kids have the whole place for themselves - the main dining area, the lounge, and the bar. The food's not so bad, but for the price, I expected better. The pork belly (slow-cooked for 15 hours) was kinda small, and I would've liked the skin to be crunchier. The lobster pasta didn't have a lot of lobster. The mashed potato is quite chunky, and the cod fish is a tad too salty. Service is excellent though.

Dinner 2011.09.22 - Piano Room

Not as classy as we thought. Perhaps the pictures on the website was taken from a different era. And to think that we actually dressed up. Can't find any decent parking space nearby, so had to use Wilson Parking. $20 per hour, can you imagine!

Can't find where the place was, so we just followed where the others are going. The place was so dark, I can't see the decor. Most of the light was coming from the surrounding streets and the giant Coca-Cola sign below through the wide windows. Entertainment was provided by an old-timer on a baby grand piano and a crooner singing Sinatra on the centre stage. Food's ok, but slow in coming. We had calamari and bocconcini-stuffed risotto balls for entree, lamb cutlets for mains, and ice cream for dessert. Red wine to wash it all down.

Lunch 2011.08.28 - ABBA on Rhythmboat

Took on a Rhythmboat Cruise with the family. There's a three-course meal plus an ABBA tribute show. What more can you ask for?

The meals' not too bad, but nothing spectacular. The same thing can be said about the tribute show. The sound system is not the best, and the acoustics of the "room" leaves much to be desired. Most of the patrons on the boat liked the music and the performers nonetheless. Liked them enough to get up and dance. Me, I'm here for the cruise, which took us from the King Street Wharf to Pyrmont to Balmain to Luna Park to Kirribilli to North Sydney to Cremorne Point to Mosman then back with spectacular views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from the top deck.

If you don't want to miss the ABBA action while checking out the views, there's a fenced opening on the floor, so you can still dance to the music.

Swatch Metal Flash

After selling the Brise-Glace (GK274) and the Sheikh (GG183), both with expandable metal bands, mind you, I bought a brand new Metal Flash (SSK104). This is the first time I've owned a Swatch Stop watch, and I quite like it. The watch has only one crown and it controls all functions on the watch/stopwatch.

Pull out the crown to adjust the time. Slow turn adjusts the minute hand one minute at a time. Fast turn moves the watch forward (or backward) by an hour. Press once to activate stopwatch mode. (Hands go to 12:00 position.) Press again to start couting. Press again to stop. Press once more to switch back to normal mode. In case the stopwatch doesn't reset to 12:00, do a long press (about 3 seconds). Pull out the crown. Turn crown clockwise to adjust the minute hand. Turn crown counterclockwise to adjust the hour hand. Once at 12:00, push crown back.

Trip to Costco

Today, we went to check out Costco Auburn. We've been given some warning that it's gonna be packed, especially on a weekend. I guess that's to be expected, given that it's been open for only a couple of weeks, but I mean, how bad can it be?

So from M4 we took the Silverwater exit, then left to Parramatta Road. Street's blocked. On a Sunday afternoon? That's strange. Looks like quite a few cars are turning into the Bunnings parking lot. There's actually a Bunnings staff talking to some of the drivers and waving them off. Next left is the Costco parking lot entrance, but that's been closed off. Ahead, I can see someone putting cones in front of the other parking entrance. Drove to Olympic Park, doubled back, and parked at Lidcombe Power Centre. Even that one's almost full. Crossed the street with about a hundred other people to Costco. The warehouse club is so full, I can't even have a good look at what's on the shelves. The checkout lines stretched all the way to the other side of the building. I had to ditch our trolley because there's no way I'm lining up. All we managed to buy is a combo pizza, an all-meat hotdog, and a very berry sundae from the food centre.