Running Away From Me (52 Books #15)

As everything this end has ratcheted up to silly levels, there has been little reading this week! Fear not! This is why the audiobook was invented! I am a bigger than big fan of the audiobook, I have been for years, only I've been listening to the same ones over and over again for a very long time now and I thought something new was needed. So off I went for some audible perusing and I came across Ngaio Marsh. I had never heard of her before, but I was intrigued (and sold on the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch was narrating it - and his voice is lends itself well to an audiobook).

Artists in Crime is a winner if you are an Agatha Christie fan. I have been a Christie devotee since my mums old dog-eared copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was pressed into my hands. Now however, Christie will have to share her place close to my heart with Ngaio Marsh. She can never be usuerped, but Marsh tells stories with a similar feel from the same era and delight my imagination as much as Poirot and Marple do.

It is a sedate murder mystery, solved with common sense, conversation and a wealth of general knowledge floating around the wonderful Inspector Roderick Alleyn's brain. I loved it and it has hit the spot with a wonderful bit of calm this week.  If you want a relaxed and easy read that stirs up a world gone by, this is an author for you. I feel that for myself this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

It Never Got Off The Ground!

So I'm two days shy of my 6 weeks and I have to tell you that my Pinterest challenge was a resounding failure, It never got of the ground. So instead, with the mass amount of fabric I have acquired and the imminent purchase of a sewing machine, I am going to focus on the self-made wardrobe side of things and my 52 books challenge which is still on track and so far manageable.

So a wee reading list:

• Under The Net - Iris Murdoch ( I love my kindle but I also like to have one paperback book on the go!)
• Sandstorm - James Rollins (OK, I lied, I have to see if anything else is any good!)  See here for the full set of thoughts! 
• The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss (I love his writing for Dr Who and Sherlock so I have to give this a whirl) 
• Moonfleet - John Meade Falkner (I have read the abridged young penguin version of this, but the original is blowing me away!)
• Inferno - Dan Brown (got to see how this compares!)

I think that's enough to be going on with for now, although I am not a heart subscriber to the following: 

Thank You Pinterest!

The Position Has Been Filled!

One of the loveliest things about HK has been the stream of visitors to our flat. Most have been my flatmates, but it has still introduced me to new and exciting people and today has been no exception. The very lovely lady who is currently in the (i think coveted) position of 4th flatmate, today cooked for all of us one of the most beautiful and scrumptious meals ever (and that's saying something as a lot of good food has come through our kitchen) and I fear that if I do not commit this to paper I will forget it!

Ingredients (as far as I can work out). All quantites are left to personal preference!

• Onion
• Garlic (fresh)
• Ginger (fresh)
• Pepper
• Dhal
• Bok Choi
• Sugar snap peas
• Rice

Method (roughly)

This meal starts, as all good ones should, with cooking the onion. We all know how we like our onions best cooked, and if you've made it here I'm guessing you've done it yourself countless times before, so cook your onions...

When you onions reach you Personal Point of Perfection (would you just look at that alliteration), then add your garlic, ginger and spices. Here, the garlic was sliced and the ginger grated but again this is down to personal preferences. Crush it, smush it, flatten it, pulverize it... whatever makes you happy! Black pepper and cumin were used here because that was what was available in the cupboard - of course you can use whatever you have going! 

As all this had been going on the dhal should have been cooking away - again however it floats your proverbial boat. Our honorary cook liked to do it with salt water and turmeric but we had none of the latter available.

When the dhal is cooked, drain it but KEEP THE WATER!!! This is a tomato free recipe and unless you want to use some then then the liquid has to come from somewhere! 

Throw the dhal into the pan with the onions et al, and throw the bok choi and sugar snaps on top. Hopefully the water will boil off and steam the veg all at once! While this is going on, cook your rice. This, of all kinds of cooking, is one of the most personal so I'm not even going to begin to go there! 

The only thing left to do is put it together and munch away...

Sadly I have no pictures of this beautiful dish, but I am going to attempt a reincarnation, upon which time I will be sure to add photos here!! Until then, happy cooking!

All Change on The Eastern Front

Everyone we meet, throughout our lives, shapes us. Some stay, some go, and some drift in and out of your life with no warning or structure. Childhood friends, school friends, uni friends, flat mates, colleagues. They all hold a different place in our hearts, some overtake others as we continue, always, to grow. All are part of us. And tomorrow is the last day I will spend at work with two people I have grown to love and will keep, I hope, for the rest of my life.

Photo: From Happy Valley Racing

I arrived in Hong Kong with no clue what the next stop on this journey of life held for me. Having never traveled before, or been so far away from home for such a long time, I had no idea how I would adjust. I was lucky that my colleagues arrived at roughly the same time as me and we knew that we would be spending a year together. And boy were we together. Here, where space is at a premium, we've been as near as makes no difference teaching on top of each other, working in each others pockets. I could not have shared this time with more brilliant people.

We are three very different personalities, I'm not sure that in a crowded room that we would have gravitated towards each other. But that had been the joy of coming out here, that was part of the adventure. Luckily for us, it worked. We compliment each other, we get on. But all good things must come to an end, and while I stay here the others are moving on, moving away. We are fortunate that in this age of technology, keeping in contact has never been easier.

It's not just these two wonderful girls who are leaving, it's all change on the Eastern front in the ext 6 weeks, this is the nature of our job, people come and go like the ebb and flow of the tide, albeit a tide that takes many months to complete its cycle. The fresh waves carry with them new travelers, ready to explore and discover. I have already met one and I am looking forward to meeting the rest. It is exciting.

It is a common phrase that, when one door closes another opens. I have no door to close, but more time to explore where this door leads.

On Soy Sauce

I love soy sauce. I think its one of cooking's great inventions and without doubt a store cupboard essential. I thought, moving out to Hong Kong that finding soy sauce would be a doddle... I was partially mistaken. In the UK when you go into the supermarket you will find your Amoy and your blue dragon soy sauces, often in large and small sizes and Often with a choice of light or dark varieties. Sometimes there may be a third or even a fourth brand to choose from. So far so simple. Often the choice is dictated by which ones are on offer if any,  and at the end of the day there isn't much scope for going wrong when faced with barely a shelf of choice. Well let me show you the wealth of choice in Hong Kong:

I tell you the scope for making mistakes is huge, but then alongside that you've got all the exciting new discoveries. One such discovery has been chili soy sauce.

This packs a punch with out and out chili heat and it's wonderful. This is my favourite thing to do with it: stir-fried veg and noodles, sometimes with bacon, sometimes with chicken, but always wonderfully yummy. It's western Asian cuisine at it's most comforting! Sadly I've no idea if there is anything similar floating around in the UK but if it's ever stumbled across then do try it, but remember to practice caution. Only the tiniest amount is needed.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

So the heat and a humidity have arrived! While it's not as much as a shock as it was arriving to the heat last year, it's still no more enjoyable. Spending any time outside in the heat can get on the uncomfortable side, and the sensation of going from cold inside to hot outside still bemuses me. Today though has very much been an "I <3 Hong Kong" Sunday! It's days like this that make me never want to leave and it has nothing to do with the temperature. I was given a call by a friend and she introduced me to a place I know is going to become one of my favourite haunts, -t-e-a-k-h-a-.

This wee cafe is tucked away in Sheung Wan, a place I am not hugely familiar with but on that I am now itching to explore more thoroughly. It's not as built up (literally up) as other parts of Hong Kong and it has a very laid back and relaxed feel to it, -t-e-a-k-h-a- in particularly. It really is tiny, but the outside seating means there's a lot of space for overflow on a sunny day. Wooden tables and chairs amble outside, and even though you're in the heart of the city, it's a nice view. I could be saying that just because I've been here so long, but there's something about Hong Kong that makes it more than just grey buildings.

My drink of choice was the Thai Iced Tea (left) and my friend had Caramalised Lemon Tea. The Thai Iced tea was the most amazing orange colour thanks to the spices in it (I can't remember exactly of the top of my head) and was made into a milk tea using condensed milk - my first milk tea in Hong Kong! Only taken me a year! The feedback on the lemon tea was that it too, was excellent.

It's not a place that does a lot of food - it has some cakes and the lightest of light snakes (the toast with ham, scrambled eggs and tomato salsa had me salivating as it went by) but instead we each settled for a scone, I had a fig scone, my friend a ginger one. Light, fluffy and with just the right amount of flavour, they complimented the tea perfectly. You really can't get better than tea and cake in sunshine!

Quite some time later as we moseyed down to the Western Market and the tram stop, we passed a new Chinese curry takeaway that is newly opened, Currysing. We tried some chicken kebabs (excellent!) and I just have to share this with you - their chili levels:

So if you happen to be on Queens Road in central, drop by and give it a whirl!

To Boldly Go...

Having a wee check back i've seen it is five months since I last went to the cinema! I used to go at least once a week back when I had a cineworld card, but alas there is no equivalent that I have yet found out here and tickets are a little on the steep side. Still, every so often a film comes round that you just have to see. Deep within me there is a Star Trek fan. Star Wars I can take or leave, but I remember coming home from school and Star Trek being shown on BBC2 at around 6pm. Those were the days.

Naturally when the first film in the reboot series came out it had to be seen. I loved it and even though at times it did teeter slightly on the edge of cheese it's up there with my favourites. It has, however, been blown out of the water (no pun intended if you've seen it) by its sequel, Star Trek  Into Darkness.

There is so much to love about this film. 

First, the beginning. It opens with fast paced action and then slows right down. It's two completely different tones that actually set the scene perfectly. It's a touch that is echoed throughout the film in both actions and characters.

Second, the dialogue. The Script is very good. Funny, emotional, serious and JJ Abrams constructed scenes brilliantly. 

Third, Benedict Cumberbatch. I was a little unsure, much as I love Cumberbatch, but every single doubt I had was quashed the moment he appears on screen. The best way I can put it without spoiling it or giving too much away is to say he is the best villain I have seen in a long time, by a long, long way. 

Fourth, the music. Michael Giacchino has done it again, worth praise for the track London Calling alone!

Fifth, the costumes. Who doesn't love a bad guy in an epic black coat (or a good guy Morpheus/Neo a la The Matrix). Nuff said! Actually, a man in any decent coat, i.e. Matthew McFadden's Mr Darcy and Colin firth's Mr Darcy a la Bridget Jones! 

Sixth, the me against the world complex. My does this call for epic fight scenes and some bad ass heroics! 

There is so much more besides, but I don't want to give too much away. This has already been added to my list of DVD's needed, and I'm seriously debating going again!! 

In Search Of Something New (52 Weeks #14)

They really are coming thick and fast at the moment. I'm just devouring books that come my way. This one did not quite hit the spot. It's always risky reading a book in the same genre and style as your favourite author, but I'm always willing to give something new a whirl! I came upon Excavation by James Rollins by accident (yes, it's another one from Flow) and more than anything I wanted to see how it compared with Matthew Reilly's Temple or Seven Ancient Wonders.

I do like the cover!
Sucker for a cover me!

Excavation was neither a success or a disappointment. It held me for the first few chapter, but then I found that it jumped around too much with no real plot direction and characters coming and going like nobody's business. The first two thirds of the book did move at a decent pace, but all my reading of Reilly's books had clearly spoiled me. He introduces his characters to you and gives you enough time, but not too much, to get an idea and feel for them before he tips them headfirst into action and adventure. Rollins just tipped me straight into the action and adventure with these people I had never met and knew next to nothing about. So we have a group of people blasting one man behind his back... why? Show me a reason he deserves that first! I also found Maggie to be a touch on the stereotypical side.

The last third was more of a mess, like looking out of the window when you're on a train. The scenery is all there, you know it is, but you can't really see anything, it's gone in a flash. And the ending, lackluster. I'm glad I gave Rollins a go and I wouldn't say no to reading another one of his books were one to come my way, but I'm not going to go out seeking one just yet.

Out Of Africa (52 weeks #13 )

So number 13 in this 52 books challenge is Little Bee by Chris Cleave. This is also known in the UK as The Other Hand.

I am a sucker for an interesting cover
and this was no exception!

This was a gripping, miserable and yet despite it all, hopeful book. Cleave uses language brilliantly to differentiate between narrators and writes in a way that flows well. Each chapter isan extra layer, a new colour added to a black and white picture, each new addition filling in gaps and making the picture bigger and more vibrant.

A lot of people refrained from picking up this book as there is no blurb, but this is exactly why I decided to bring it home (again this was another Flow find). There had to be something that made this book different, to make it stand out, for there to be no blurb. I was not disappointed.

Towards the end I did find that my enjoyment tailed off somewhat, but none of that could detract from what is, at base level, an excellent story. All the characters (well nearly) are likable and believable. Charlie grates after a few chapters, and the kindest way pf accepting it is to believe that it makes an obvious difference between him and the others.

In the end, I would recommend this as a book to be read for the enjoyment of some its more beautifully written passages. Yes, it is a hopeful book that was in many places a joy to read, but the ending left me hanging and I feel perhaps a little more could be done. Give it a chance though, and see if you think it is a book worthy of no blurb!

The Quick Read and the Non-Starter (52 Books #12)

I whipped though this book in no time at all, admittedly helped by the fact that it was only just over 100 pages long, but don't let that belittle it in any way. Hell Island but Matthew Reilly was the only Scarecrow book I had yet to read and there it was sitting on a shelf in Flow, calling to me!

I was engrossed from the beginning as Reilly drew me in the way he always does. The fact he managed to explain so much and continue Scarecrows development in so few words showed his skill and the story moved along at incredible pace but never felt rushed. 

I'm not going to go into plot detail, Reilly's books have to be read and appreciated by the individual and this is no exception. I'm also sure I read it differently to anyone who's picking this up as their first Matthew Reilly book. It is a magnificent introduction to his style and to this set of characters and I can see how this book can make a reader want to go and find out what happened before and after the events on the page. 

Scarecrow will always be a favorite of mine and I doubt I'd ever be able to talk about any or Reilly's book without bias. He is brilliant and I CANNOT wait for his next offering - see I'm so excited I'm using capitals!! 

I also started Vernon Godlittle by DBC Pierre last week. I battled through a few chapters before I had to put it to one side. It did nothing at all for me and I felt no reason to trudge my way through the rest of it. I can appreciate that it is a style that would appeal to many, but sadly it didn't float my boat. Instead I trawled through the kindle backlog and came across a sample of Divided Kingdom...I had to buy the book so that I could find out what happend next...nearly done now so will let you know how it goes! 

Yes, We Have Another One! (52 books # 11)

I may be doing appallingly in this personal challenge of mine, but it's still going...only another 41 to go... This equates to roughly 6 books per month from now to the end of December! If I can read the entire Hunger Games trilogy in a couple of days then I can complete this challenge by 31st December!

Today then we have another kindle store snap purchase: White Bones by Graham Masterton.

Crime Fiction just isn't Crime Fiction
without the gloomy backdrop!

This book was majorly creepy, there were bits of it I had to force myself to get through, wincing all the while, but I couldn't stop reading it. Masterton wove a story that I just had to know the end of and it couldn't just be a skip to the end. There were so many interweaving facets to the story that on occasion the brain got a little befuddled, but it all came right in the end.

I initially picked up in this as it is essentially a crime novel, with Katie Maguire as the leading protagonist who is as strong a female detective as you'll find anywhere. she has a steeliness and yet open vulnerability that makes her easy to like and respect all at once. She doesn't try to be macho or hide everything just to keep up with the boys, and I like that. She expects to be taken as she is, not what people assume. I was not expecting it to be as creepy and gory as it was (I've never heard/read Graham Masterton before) but it was one of the most captivating detective stories I've read in a while.

Horror/Creepy stuff isn't really the first thing I look for in a book, they're pretty far down my radar, but Masterton cloaked the creepyness in History and Irish myths (which are my cup of tea) and made it much more palatable and readable.

It's not a book for the squeamish or fainthearted and if you can't cope with gore or any kind then it's not for you, but if you can cope with the aforementioned then read this book. It's an excellent story, I like the characters and I had to read it to the end. I had to know who, why and how. It wasn't what I was expecting,  but it was an excellent 59p purchase and I am off to go and find some more (tame) Graham Masterton to read...

Afternoon Tea...We Made It

This weekend finally, having planned it since August last year, my friends and I made it to Afternoon Tea. We had been planning on heading to The Peninsula  but we had been informed that Hullett House was better, so off we went to The Parlor. Hullett House (or Heritage 1881) is a lovely old colonial building that has many terraces. It has been added to more and you can see where the old ends and the new begins but it's still a nice place to be.

The Parlor itself is in the old part of the building and its interior also has a very colonial feel to it.  The food was good, if a little sweet, and the tea was lovely. I had Earl Grey (as anyone who knows me well will know I drink gallons of the stuff - literally gallons this is no exaggeration!) It wasn't too heavy on the citrus flavours and it wasn't too bitter either. 

My flatmate had a Chamomile tea that smelled lovely but went everywhere when it was poured as not only the the liquid but also the chamomile glooped out of the lovely silver teapot. Definitely no tea bags here. We did have a wee tea strainer (fondly referred to as the gizmo/gizmology) to contain the gloop, but it was filled rapidly and the tea still went everywhere...

The food looked amazing: 

And it didn't half taste bad too! We weren't really sure what the sandwiches were (there was one we were really unsure of, but I'd hazard a guess at coronation chicken) and it tasted good whatever it was and all in all we are delighted that we finally managed to make it (and oh my lord I have become someone who photographs their food.......)

The other think that has taken up a small part of my weekend has been fabric acquisition. Ok... so I've had a few bits for a while (but no sewing machine) and despite still having no sewing machine I've still got a few more. I seem to have a colour theme running though my choices, but they were all just too irresistible:

I am now trying to weigh up handsewing...will have to ponder it for a wee while longer I think!