new msn messenger is bloody crap !

who thinks the new msn messenger is crap ? i do ! there are so many reasons.....

firstly, Microsoft forces us to install the new version, otherwise you can't use it ! how dodgy is that ? they are so up themselves ! they are taking away our freedom

secondly, the use of green, red, and yellow coloured boxes for availability status is such a copy of IBM's Lotus Notes!....Lotus notes has been using that design for many versions now. And when you look at a contact or you scroll over the coloured box, it doesn't tell you which status it is in words. So, newbs wouldn't be able to figure out what the coloured availability boxes mean.

thirdly, the email count only shows "99+" when you have more than 99 emails in your inbox, which i do. It doesn't show the exact number. So now I can't freakin tell if my email has new messages or not.

the new msn messenger is just bloody crap !

anyone else have more complaints ?

we should all boycott it !

what i've been doing - IBM training and Database assignment

we haven't posted on this blog for a while now (actually just a few days), so i just wanted to post something to let you know that we haven't disappeared. we are still alive !

anyways, i'm having an awesome week at work, because for starters, i'm on training for the whole week, so there is no work!..lol

I'm on the IBM Websphere Message Broker 6.1 course, which is what i work with everyday, so it's good i can finally get some formal up-to-date training. Although i find the course quite straight forward, there are some fine details i find useful and interesting.

My database systems design assignment has also occupied some time. I need to data model a Drivers license and infringement database system.

As for veron, she's become a tile and carpet expert now..haha

P.S
Our future post will be about Spanish cuisine. We went to a Spanish restaurant in the weekend, and the paella really does look like something we cooked before

Breakfast on the Bridge - your chance to picnic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time ever!

I went on www.Sydney.com this morning and came across with this Breakfast on the Bridge event which is hosted by the NSW Government.

On 25 October 2009, for the first time ever, we will be able to picnic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge road deck (so exciting!). We will be able to stand, sit or lie down in comfort and enjoy breakfast with our family and friends ON the Sydney Harbour Bridge!!!

For more information, visit http://www.breakfastonthebridge.com/.

The only downside is the event is gonna go from 6.30 to 8.30 am, meaning we needa wake up relatively early for that (umm... that's a bit challenging).

Also, due to the capacity of the Bridge, only 6,000 lucky winners of the ticket draw will be eligible to attend.

So, go onto the website and register for the ticket draw today! I am gonna do that the second I finish writing this post!!!

Tetsuya’s Restaurant Menu Pictures and Photos - Japanese/French fine dining in Sydney

Last year I was fortunate enough to dine at Tetsuya’s Restaurant with Veron and her family. For all of you that don’t know Tetsuya’s, it is a Japanese & French cuisine fusion restaurant in Sydney run by the head chef Tetsuya Wakuda (duh). The restaurant serves a thirteen-course degustation menu, which is $195. For more info, go to Tetsuya's website.

This year it was awarded:
- the highest rating in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2008 (Three Chef's Hats)
- Restaurant of the Year and Best Fine Dining at the Restaurant & Catering Association Awards 2005

Most notoriously, is Tetsuya’s world restaurant rankings.
- In 2007 - 5th , Australia, Sydney
- In 2008 - 9th , Best Restaurant in Australasia

To view the other world ranking restaurants visit the hospitalitymagazine website.

Our favourite is definitely Mr Wakuda's signature dish, the confit of Petuna ocean trout served with konbu and fennel.

Okay enough of the writing ! here are pictures and photos of the dishes we had :
* Note the menu was from 2008, so it would have changed a bit now.

1) Pea with cream soup served in a little mug



2) Smoked Ocean Trout & Avruga Caviar with egg yolk cooked to perfection



3) Scampi in 3 different styles....start from middle and then right to left..the last one seemed the best


4) Scallop..even sipped all the juice...hehe


5) Tetsuya's signature dish - Confit of Petuna Tasmanian Ocean Trout with Konbu, Daikon & FennelSeasonal Green Salad...the topping gave it a rich flavour and the texture was like sashimi..yummm.... Veron and I's favourite !!!

6) Crab risotto with buck wheat

7) Grilled Fillet of Barramundi with Braised Baby Fennel

8) Twice-Cooked De-Boned Spatchcock with Caper & Olive Jus.... couldn't resist...oops took one bite of it already...haha

9) Lamb - we don't really like lamb to start with, so nothing much to say here..haha

10) Great dessert starter - Comte with Lentils - sweet lentil topped with cheese

11) Left is beetroot Sorbet, right is a mixture of many things haha...dip the bread well in...everyone tasted different things ( caramel ? egg ?)

12) Caramelised Fig with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream...the pastry was soo crunchy!

13) Chocolate Terrine with Mascarpone & Cognac Anglaise

14) Last dessert course...was so full afterwards...green tea mousse was the best

But hang in there !! We are going to Tetsuya's again next month. So be sure to catch up on the updates ! We will post up more photos and pictures of the heavenly delicious menu.

P.S. Veron and I hope Mr Wakuda goes on the next Masterchef !! :p

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Spring time! Tulip is my favourite flower~

Spring time! Having been living in Canberra for nearly three years now, spring time (Sept/Oct) has always been my favourite time of the year. During spring time, I especially enjoy driving along Gungahlin Drive (which is very close to where I live) to admire the beautiful scenery and play "spot the kangaroos" game with my boyfriend (hehe!).

More importantly, Floriade (http://www.floriadeaustralia.com/) is on in Sept and Oct every year in Canberra. According to Wikipedia, it's the largest flower show in Australia (how exciting is that!). As seen from the ad, Floriade is gonna start on 12 Sept this year. The reason why I always anticipate going to Floriade is that tulips have always been the central display flower every year. Tulips have always been my favourite flower since I was young.

Talking about tulips, it reminds me of this little incident. Two years ago, Mr M took me out to this revolving restaurant at Telstra Tower on the top of Black Mountain for a very nice fine dining dinner. Not knowing me too well back then, Mr M didn't know I easily get motion sickness. I have been feeling dizzy and wanting to vomit throughout the dinner (but I was too scared to tell him because we weren't too close back then and it was an expensive dinner). After the dinner, we walked around the Telstra Tower. Eventually, Mr M gave me a rose (rose! OMG! How old fashioned! I hate roses!). Having seen too many chick flicks, Mr M assumed that all girls like roses. Two years onwards, I still find it soooo funny that I can't forget Mr M's disappointed face when I told him I hate roses and tulip has always been my favourite flower. Hahaha!

From then on, Mr M has learnt his lesson and eventually became my lovely boyfriend (the co-author of this blog).

On a side note, for those who will be visiting Canberra for the Floriade, you may be interested in knowing about the Tulip Top Gardens (http://www.tuliptopgardens.com.au/) which Mr M and I went last year. It is just a 15 mins drive north from Canberra. People driving from Sydney to Canberra will actually drive past it. It displays half a million of tulips and cherry blossom trees and is less crowded and thus more romantic than the Floriade (as not many people know about the existence of this place).



By: Veron

Joke of the week: The Millionaire's Loan

I was googling Millionaire today and found this joke on loansblog.co.uk : Enjoy !

Before going to Europe on business, a man drove his Rolls Royce to a downtown NY City bank and went in to ask for an immediate loan of $5,000. The loan officer, taken aback, requested collateral.

"Well, then, here are the keys to my Rolls Royce," the man said.

The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the bank's underground parking for safe keeping, and gave him $5,000.Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank's doors, and asked to settle up his loan and get his car back. "That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest," the loan officer said. The man wrote out a check and started to walk away.

"Wait sir," the loan officer said, "while you were gone I learned that you are a millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?"

The man smiled.

"Where else could I park my Rolls Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?"

Post By: Ming

Run4Fun - Sydney's newest 10km fun run

http://www.run4fun.com.au/

This new 10km fun run is to be held on Sunday, November 8 2009 at Sydney Olympic Park.

For the first time, we will be able to experience the spectacular journey through the tunnel of champions onto the hallowed turf of ANZ Stadium with a 100m finish straight.

I am quite tempted to participate. Are you?

By Veron