Homecooked : Assam Laksa

If you are looking for an Assam Laksa recipe to try out, check out Rasa Malaysia's!

Pretty pansy

Germinating baby succulents

Good Food & Wine Show in Melbourne 2015

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So, last Saturday, Mr. C and I trotted along to the Good Food & Wine Show (GWFS) at Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre. He is forever scouting for deals on OZ Bargain with our fellow colleagues and came across free entrance tickets to the GWFS.

I've been wanting to check out GWFS that occurs every year and throughout the year. We saw a line of people at the booth queuing to pay for entrance tickets. If I am not wrong it was about $30+. Definitely not worth it in my opinion if you had to pay to enter.

Ok. My take on GWFS:

1. Too many people and layout of booth made it harder to maneuver around.

2. Had to pay if you wanted to eat/ drink or attend masterclasses/ classes and it's not necessarily cheap.

3. More or all shops should offer samples or sell at a discounted price from their usual to promote awareness

4. The Aussies were jovial and a happy bunch with their drinking and drink holders around their necks! They sure know how to have a good time!

5. We won't be going back anytime soon unless to bring friends/ family and if entrance tickets are FREE!

Masters Knoxfield Free Sample Pot !!

With Project Paint No.52 underway, a free sample pot is always welcomed! That was why I was giddy with excitement when hubby showed me the above Masters brochure early on in the week. 

Masters was giving out Valspar Diamond 500ml sample pot of paint on Saturday and a Crescent 8m tape measure on Sunday.

The catch - be the first 500 customers to present the voucher!

Despite wanting a sample pot that is free, I wasn't kiasu enough to wake up at 6am and head to Masters although the thought did cross my mind. Only for a second though. But hubby and I decided we wanted to sleep in (it is after all the start of our long weekend holiday, lol, 3 day weekend) and head to Good Food & Wine Show.

After the Show, we had plenty of time on hand with nothing else to do. Guess what? We decided to head on to Masters near home and try our 'luck' to score a sample pot. Suffice to say, we made it just in time as there were only a few more left.

Besides purchasing a vase and two plants, we bought three $30 shelves each to better organise our garden shed! Definitely a bargain. I know because I have been eyeing shelves for the past few months. Also have a few more items on my mind to look out for with the upcoming EOFY (End of Financial Year) sales.

And this is why I love this awesome part of Aussie - the specials!

The only setback - we were told the sample pot was more suited for indoor use AFTER we picked a colour, dark grey! I would have picked a lighter, prettier colour had I known it was for indoor usage.

Anyhow, I am still going to try painting the fence under the carport with our free sampel pot and see how it goes. Fingers crossed!!

Homecooked : Soup for the soul

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Potato, Leek and Bacon Soup

Ever since Mr. C and I bought a Phillips Hand Blender (Phillips Avance 740w), we've been happily utilising it to make Avocado Shakes and soups! 

I had been researching for awhile now on blenders and food processors. Friends recommended Spectablend and even Thermomix, both a bit pricey in my opinion. Hence, the hesitancy and the lag in obtaining a desired appliance. I did not want to buy these appliances (as most ladies who cook in the kitchen do, true life story of a few friends!) only to use them a couple of times in the first few months and subsequently collect dust at the back of my cupboard from neglect. 

When Catch of The Day had this Phillips hand blender on special for about $70, it was a deal I just couldn't say no to and the rest they say is history!

Thus, began a wonderful journey between us, The Clemsters (I know, lame of me to combine our names but oh well... or you rather The Esments) with our Phillipie, the hand blender!

Stay tune for more Phillipie adventures...

Fight of the century : Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao

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So, the fight of the century came and gone on 2nd of May 2015. It was between undefeated five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

Was the fight really the ultimate fight? Did it live up to the hype? Did spectators felt their money was well spent? Who was the better fighter? Was it rigged? What was up with both boxers?

Loads of testosterone

Best view

Unfortunately, even as a noob about boxing, I could tell the fight certainty fell short of anyone's hyped expectations of a worthy match.

All our efforts to try and secure a spot at Stamford Hotel intersecting between Wellington Road and Stud Road was for naught. Even as the match progressed, I kept asking Mr. C or more like annoying him with my thousand and one questions "Is this it? Is this really what people want to watch? Where got the chikekness? The excitement? The awesome wow fighting? Why did Mayweather keep dodging and dancing away?? and Pacquiao looks short".

And now, there's a lawsuit due to the lackluster fight. Aaahh.. how American. 

The crowd at the sports bar

Did my good deed for the day - saw an elderly lady standing by the railing without a chair and saw an empty seat. Carried the chair to the lady amidst the loitering male bodies!

Goingkookies Bake : Macha Sugee Cake

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Hulk Hogan in Knox Westfield !!

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What a turnout at Knox Westfiled Mall! It seems that everyone wanted their moment with Hulk! Even Mr. C :)

Bouchee at Chadstone

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It's nice to have a shopping buddy especially on Thursday nights when the shops closes late. Yes, in Australia, shops don't close at 9/10pm everyday like what I am accustomed to in Malaysia! They close late usually on Thursdays and Fridays!

Hence, few Thursday ago saw WM and I at Chadstone, affectionately known by the locals as Chaddie.

After walking, shopping and talking, we headed for dinner. Walked past Bouchee and decided to give it a go. The food was simple and flavoursome! If I remember correctly, there's specials, too and that's what we ordered - carbonara and risotto (both yummy!).