Birthday Trip to Hunter Valley

This is what I did on the 26th May 2009: Drive down to Hunter Valley in BMW z4 for lunch!

Yeah~ no picture of the car ~ but I can safely tell you it was SO awesome I couldnt even think about my camera! So there we were driving down to Hunter Valley with the top down and the wind in my hair (more like slapping the shits out of my face)

*On the way ...we had to stop to look for directions lol*

So my friend found this awesome restaurant called The Cellar, located right in the Hunter Valley Gardens Village, best known for "contemporary Australian fine dining"

The Chapel located in Hunter Valley Gardens Village...so picturesque...

Entrance to the restaurant

and inside.....

Quaint and darling interior!

So on to the food...

We chose the Degustation Menu, which is a set menu of 5 courses for two. AUD$85 pp without wine and AUD$130 pp with wine. We chose one with and one without wine, which was great because the staff actually 'split' the wine of one person into two glassses so we both got to drink, just...less! Awesome because #1 Although I can appreciate wine, I'm not the biggest wine drinker, #2 because obviously one of us had to drive the awesome z4!

Course 1
Seared Scallops with Pork Hock Terrine, Crackling and Sticky Mustard Dressing
Wine - Pannier Brut Champagne

The pork was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!! no...seriously! or maybe I was just hungry XD but the scallops were just a tad overdone. The champagne was good...nice and light for a starter

Course 2
Crystal Bay Prawns with Crab Zucchini & Pinenut Tortelinis, Safron Butter and Tomato Broth
Wine - Scarborough Chardonnay

This was OK. While the prawns were nice, the tortellinis were a bit bland. The broth was really intense with flavour (though you really couldnt tell by looking at it). This course had my favourite white: Scarborough Chardonnay! Good flavour, not too strong which is why I like it.

Course 3

Confit Duck & Fois Gras Terrine with Crispy Soft Poached Egg and Toasted Brioche

Wine - Allandale Pinot Noir

This was my favourite dish by far! The duck confit was so flavoursome and the fois gras was just intense! LOVE! and the egg was awesome!! The external and internal were completely different textures, but it worked really well together. And take a look at that yolk! ...so orgasmic!

Course 4
Wagyu Rump with Porcini Polenta, Creamed Spinach, Speck and King Mushrooms

Wine - Tullochs Pokolbin Dry Red Shiraz

This course only gets a small picture...because it was...crap! hmmm that may be abit harsh, and maybe its because I was really full by the time this dish came out...but to be honest, it really wasnt great at all! The wagyu was abit tough (I got tired just from cutting and chewing), and the serving of the polenta/spinach/murshroom was abit much.


Course 5

Desert Tasting Plate of: Chocolate Creme Brulee with a Little Strawberry Tart & Hazelnut cream AND French Crepes with Rhubarb, Orange and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Wine - Scarborough Late Harvest Semillon

Desert was OK. I wouldnt say it was bad, but not mouth watering either. And because I'm not a big fan of super sweet desert wines, I didnt enjoy the accompanying wine either.

To finish off, we adjourned outside to enjoy coffee and tea and complimentary brownies!

*outside*

*very rich brownies!*

Unfortunately, the timing was so bad, we didnt have enough time to stick around to buy wine and smelly cheeses...which is what everyone does at Hunter Valley. Such a shame to make the 3hr trip only to have lunch, but having said that, lunch at The Cellar is superb! Service was great, but that might be due to the fact that there was no one else in the restaurant. I wish I could say that my boyfriend was so romantic and thoughtful, he hired out the whole restaurant so we could have an intimate lunch for two, but unfortunately..I dont have a boyfriend, and if I did I doubt he would be so romantic (or rich) to do that!

The drive on the way home was much much shorter (about 1.5 hrs) ...and 5pm is such a great time to be heading home because the weather is just right

Japan's Crepes and Parfaits

New York Cheesecake Crepe

I know! wtf right?! They have all flavours you can possibly imagine...and made into a crepe!

Eating crepe in Harajuku land XD

Giant Parfait!!!

This was 2800YEN!! but it was worth every penny / yen!!

On the way back from our day trip to Kyoto ~ couldnt resist the temptation coz it was the BIGGEST fuckin parfait that we have ever laid our eyes on! hmmm I think we skipped dinner that day lol my monster friends finished the whole lot!

p.s. I miss my long hair! Dont I look awesome in it? Le sigh~

Strawberry Cheesecake!

Le Sigh ~ My first ever!!!
yeap!! and I made it from scratch!!

*The Mixture*

Looks kinda gross huh?

*In the oven*

Before refrigerating, we made a layer of strawberry jelly and cut strawberries on the top! So pretty right? Meant to make a pattern with the strawberry slices...but, failed =(

END PRODUCT:

A MOTHERFUCKING AWESOME STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE!!

OK it wasnt motherfucking awesome...but you have to admit, its pretty good for a first time. No one could believe that this is my first time baking a cake from scratch. I chose to make a cheesecake, because everyone said that its the easiest! hehe But I figured, at the end of the day, its really just so much CHEAPER to BUY one than to MAKE one!

*Total Bill*

wtf so expensive right??

Probably not a good idea to mention this, but we forgot to put the eggs in. FOUR motherfucking eggs!!

there's my baking virginity...gone!

The Infamous Deep Fried Mars Bar

There's deep fried fish, deep fried crab, deep fried prawn, deep fried calamari, even deep fried sushi...

......and then there is DEEP FRIED MARS BAR!! wtf?!

Yeap! They deep fry Mars Bars! I think its the same sort of batter that they use to fry the fish...

*Not just your average fish 'n' chip shop: Bondi Surf Seafood*

*the-chunk-of-deep-fried-mars-bar-that-looks-like-shit*

Seriously, when you first open the paper...it looks like sh*t! I mean, it just look like nothing-ness. We were abit wary to bite into it...but once you take the first step...its all goodness from then on...

*mmmm chocolate oozing out of batter*

GREASY GOODNESS that is!! Although it tastes really good in the first two/three bites, you soon start to feel the heart attack coming on!

Its a definite MUST TRY!!! ...just for experiential purposes...but not something I would eat everyday. XD otherwise...it would be straight to cholesterol hell for me!

Address:

128 Campbell Parade
Bondi Beach
NSW

Langkawi

This trip to Malaysia, I decided to venture out a little bit...so since my bestie finally had some time off from college...we decided to go to Langkawi.

Pulau Langkawi / Langkawi Island is best known for...their beaches. Thats about it really...beach, beach and more beach. Well, duh! its a freakin island!

How to get from KL to Pulau Langkawi:

First, we took a bus to Kuala Perlis, which is the closest port to the island. I would probably recommend food lovers stop at Penang and spend a day or two there, but as we were short of time, we just looked for the fastest way to get there. Which, turns out, wasnt really that fast at all! Its a 7hr bus ride from KL to Kuala Perlis (RM43 one way) and then a one hour ferry ride (RM18 one way) to the island.

*arriving at the port*

Seeming as it was school holidays, and that it was a last minute plan, we actually found a really really good place to stay! My friend searched the internet and called up a few places, only to find most of the hotels booked out. However, they stumbled across Langkapuri Inn, and voila! there was a spare room!! and what do you know, it was right in front of a beach!!

This is me in front of the chalet, taking a picture of my friend who is taking a picture of me! evidence that the chalet was right in front of the beach!!!

SO our chalet was right alongside Pantai Cenang. You would think it was expensive...but it wasnt! RM140 for a double bed room with an adjoining bathroom. Obviously wasnt five-star sort of luxurious hotel, but for that price, it was very reasonable! And being the cheapskates that we were...we squashed four of us in the one room!! hehe

WHICH, may I jsut say is actually really dirty!!! dont be deceived by that photo!! We stumbled across beached jellyfish multiple times...and not just small little jellyfish...they were HUGE!!!

*triple the size of my head...not shitting yuo here!!*

But, dont worry, obviously not ALL the beaches are dirty!! If you want a cleaner beach, visit Pantai Pasir Tengkorak...which is uber clean and paradise-like!! I love!

*See how preeeeeeettiful it is??*

*yeah so pretty, I had to camwhore with it!!*

Okay, so Pantai Cenang wasnt all that bad!! A beach is still a beach...so while we were too scared to swim in the water, we did have alot of fun! There are really cool cafe's all alongside the beach that you can chill at...a particular favourite (and also because it was right next to where we were living) is Yellow Cafe. And yes, the cafe was yellow.

We just sat down, with a can of beer, smoking menthol ciggarets (which is really surprisingly refreshing....coming from a person who hates smoking!), and watching the sunset. It was awesome. like. really. really. A W E S O M E!

As you can see...we also did a bit of Toyota jumping in front of the sunset...Oh, What a feeling!! XD

If you dont want to be stuck in your hotel all day and all night, you really need to hire either a scooter/bike (if you're travelling alone- RM30 per day) or a car. We hired a car, since there were four of us which costs about RM200 for the four days that we were there...and only spent about RM60 (I think) on petrol. Really not that expensive when you divide it all up!

So, the next day, we drove off to Air Terjun Termuruh (Termuruh Waterfall). Its right next to that uber clean beach!!!

Unfortunately, the waterfall was dry, that time of the year. So...it just looks like one massive cliff. Nevertheless, we did climb all the way up to the end of the waterfall...

And yes, I proceeded to do another Toyota jump. Its cool OK??

Eventhough the waterfall was dry, I'm still glad that we got to go...because it really was a nice place. The water was so green ...but not in a dirty way!! It was really really clear! could go all the way in, with the water up to my thighs...and watch tadpoles and little fishies swim around my legs!! Really felt like I was 'in touch' with nature...whatever that means!

You know when you watch one of those movies where the stars are stranded on a deserted island and they start taking baths in the river, and you think..."wow I know that's dirty, but they make it look so good I wanna jump in too!" ...Well, guess what?? It actually is uber clean and uber refreshing...and eventhough I didnt strip myself down and proceed to take a bath in it...I had a really really strong urge to do just that!!

best of all...it was deserted!! As in, the area wasnt commercialised, so you could really explore the place without a million and one tourists milling all around it as well!!

After visiting the waterfall and beaching for a bit, my friends and I went Kayak-ing!! ...hmmm not sure if that's a word...but anyway...here I am...ready to take on the sport of kayak...

*I was really happy!!*


*And that REALLY is me!! behind these two other kayak-ing people!*

We actually kayak-ed all the way to that island right opposite. I swear!! I REALLY DID!! Ok, so it wasnt just me...my friend did most of the work getting us there. But it was actually really really tiring. My arm muscles never got such a workout in its 20-year life!! But its an achievement all the same!! we actually got to that island!!

Apparently, the weaker person (ME!) sits in the front, because the person sitting in the back can steer the boat better but need lots of strength (thus, strong friend sits behind!!).

We were actually really unlucky, because eventhough the first night we got to enjoy the perfect sunset, alas, that was not to be said of the next few consecutive nights. It rained!!! =(

However, my uber awesome friends still managed to built a campfire!! How freaking awesome is that!! And its awesome because they used wet twigs, wet cardboard, wet leaves, wet (dry) coconut ....and then we had tequila!! =P

Left KL at 12.30 am ...so techinically we spent the first night in the bus. Next three nights in the chalet. And that was the perfect timeframe to spend in Langkawi. Two nights would have been two rushed...and if we were to stay there for the rest of the week, it would have been just a tad too boring. There are only so many things you can do at a beach!!

All in all, spent about...RM450 for the 4(ish) nights and 5 days...including all transport, accomodation, food and a few souvenirs!

It really was a holiday within a holiday!! =)