Tofu Dessert 豆腐花

This is a re-post about Tofu Dessert 豆腐花 because unfortunately the Blogger App on my phone isn't great and doesn't sync properly with the web version. :P And unfortunately, I did not save a copy of the previous post! 

So, do you like tofu and have you ever tasted Tofu Dessert before? If not, here's a few pictures of what it looks like. If you're lucky and live near a Chinese / Asian Supermarket or store, you may be lucky to find ready made ones. If not, there are instant packets you can buy to make them yourself. Or if you are very, very lucky you can try them out in a Chinese bakery...

Well, tofu desserts are made with the obvious - tofu. But what is added is syrup and water to give the tofu a sweet taste. And what you have to do is actually scoop or slice the tofu plus add some of the syrup onto your spoon then eat it.

This is an easy dessert to make but as like jelly it takes very long to set.

Try it out if you can find it!! ^^

Row House for Port Board

Well I have taken a break from carving the stonework into the main board. I was excited to start the work on the Row Houses. I am struggling to have patience with this because I want to see the end results. This is my first stab at really trying to do any kind of wood work. I just poured the plaster and I am about to do some stone work. Hopefully it turns out. Anyway questions and comments welcome. I have posted more photo's on Facebook for memory reasons.
Cheers,
John...

Mauler with Chicken Pox

I know I have posted this guy once before. I finally got off of my lazy butt and finished the base. You know how it is... well maybe you don't because you may not be a slacker like me. Anyway this is for my son's army. I really wanted to be different with his army. I lucked out and this turned out okay. I have fallen in love with the color of the spikes and the fingernails. I know the teeth don't match and someone was really excited to point that out to me (you know who you are). Anyway question and comment are welcome.

I have posted more photo's...

I have another Mauler in the wings. The overall theme will be the same but I have to come up with something different. Hmmmmm...

Cheers,

John...

IKRPG... Sort of

Well I am making a fig for the IKRPG but I will not be playing. Not comment from either of you Grim or Scotty!! I mean it!!! I did want to jump in and give it a try anyway. This will give me a chance to practice my skills at sculpting that are less than par. I plan on throwing some blades on her but just not sure what kind and how big. I need to really be in the mood to create them. I did get some ideas for her that I hope I can pull off. They look good in my head but executing them is another thing. I would also like to give her a pistol but I would like one that has a look of Clint Eastwoods in the movie Outlaw Jose Wells. Have a holster with a barrel sticking out of it. I am not that good to pull off something like that though. Anyway... enough blabbing. Here is a picture of where I am at.

If you would like to see more....

If you have any question or comments feel free. 

Cheers,

John....

Jisms.

Papa J-isms: for those who don't have the time to say Papa J-isms. Jisms. Like Jizzims. But not.

I'd like to start of the blog post by saying that it is freezing at the moment. I am typing with mittens on right now. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS?!

And that's not the only thing that is hard...

Script-writing. Script-writing is also hard.

Here's some soap,

clean your filthy mind with it.

I'm trying to write my creative project's script at the moment, which is a superhero mockumentary. Basically, I wanted to create a fake documentary setting, and fill it with comedy and a character that the audience can relate to. The protagonist is portrayed as quite an isolated character, who is picked upon by society for his quirks. He's just an every-day guy who has grown bored of the mundaneness that is reality, and has created a world of his own as a way of coping with reality, a world in which he possesses superpowers.

My mind's a little muddled, so that probably won't make much sense to any of you. I'll post the script for it here once I'm finished writing/re-drafting it.

Friday's lesson was quite short in all honesty. We were doing a two hour lighting class. But fifteen minutes of it was spent on a coffee break.

I can't link you the video we were watching on said coffee break. It involved two people doing it doggy style... before the guy somehow swivels around and   starts (for lack of a better explanatory term) see-sawing the woman.

ME: Why do I feel as though we should stand up and give that man a ten?

DOUGAL: I don't think anyone would be able to do that... well, maybe Przemek.

PRZEMEK: ... What?

The rest of the day? Well... it wasn't any classier.

SIMON: ... What would happen if a Siamese twin had a stroke? Would one side just... die? *realises what he's saying* This sounds like it should be in one of Frankie Boyle's sketches.

And when the Papa J stories came out... yeah. All possibilities of mature conversations went out the window. 

DEAN: I remember me and Alison went to vist Papa J in his shop one day, and there was this girl trying on an outfit. She was with her boyfriend, but he wasn't really paying attention. So she asked Papa J if she looked alright, and... okay, you're me, and I'm Papa J! *turns to his left* "Aye..." *slowly spins around towards Simon once more, eyes wide* "I love my job."

Simon pretty much collapses with laughter at this point. Someone suggests that Papa J should have his own book/film.

ME: Papa-Jisms.

DOUGAL: Jisms. *Simon starts listening in at this precise moment* Ummm... maybe... not... Jisms.

Just a little catch-up for you all.

Can't believe it's December now. How can it only be twenty four days until Christmas?! 

Also, yes. I have an advent calendar. I don't care if I'm eighteen *coughcoughandahalfcoughcough*. Chocolate is chocolate, and chocolate is good.

Wisdom. 

Lauren xxx

Movies with Robert

My best bud Robert took me up on my offer to come over and watch some screeners. He arrived around 9:30am and we got started. He first went through my pile of screeners and picked out movies that he wanted to see. I then went through and pulled out a few that I have seen and didn't wish to see again. We wound up with six movies and put them in a order that we though was good.

We weren't sure if we would get through all of these but we started with Rise of the Guardians. Now I saw this last week and loved it. It became an instant yearly Christmas movie for me. And on my second viewing I loved it just the same... it's a Christmas classic already for me.

After Rise ended we were hungry so we headed out for some lunch. We went with Wienerschnitzel as it's one of Robert's and my favorite places. Back home we popped in Moonrise Kingdom. Again I had seen this one a few weeks ago and was mediocre about it. But Robert really wanted to see it and I enjoyed it enough to watch again. I have to say that I actually enjoyed this movie more the second time around and I'm glad Robert wanted to watch this one.

Next was The Perks of Being a Wallflower. And if you read my blog about hanging with Brett yesterday you will notice that I watched this with him as well. So this is going to be my third time watching this in a matter of a few weeks.. and you know what... I don't care. I love this movie. Everything about it is just so good. And I'm actually the one who suggested that we watch it. Robert knew I had just seen it and it wasn't in his pile to watch.. I actually put it there because he needed to experience this fantastic movie.

So the first three movies I had seen.. now it was time to watch a movie that I have not seen yet. Madagascar 3. Here's the synopsis: Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still trying to get back to the Big Apple and their beloved Central Park zoo, but first they need to find the penguins. When they travel to Monte Carlo, they attract the attention of Animal Control after gate crashing a party and are joined by the penguins, King Julian and Co., and the monkeys. How do a lion, zebra, hippo, giraffe, four penguins, two monkeys, three lemurs travel through Europe without attracting attention and get back to New York? They join a traveling circus. Their attempts to get back to New York are consistently hampered by the Captain of Animal Control who wants to make Alex part of her collection. Once they make it back to New York Marty, Alex, Gloria and Melman realize that they want to be part of the traveling circus.

My Review... I enjoy the Madagascar movies. I've seen the first two several times and was looking forward to watching this. I had heard such great things about it and folks comparing it to Toy Story 3 which I just adored. Well it's defiantly not Toy Story 3. The first hour or so the movie is kind of crazy. Robert kept looking at me and saying "I feel like I'm on speed" the movie was so disjointed and fast pace it was very bizarre. Once they joined the circus the movie slowed down and actually started to get good. And it ended great bringing this trilogy to a conclusion. Maybe that's why folks were comparing it to Toy Story 3 as that movie did the same. It nicely ended that series. I give Madagascar 3 a C+

Made some pizza for dinner and started with our fifth movie Flight. Again another movie that I had not seen yet. I have heard from friends that it's not what you think, that it's a much darker film about alcoholism. So I was warned about the movie before watching it. Here's a brief synopsis: An airline pilot saves a flight from crashing, but an investigation into the malfunctions reveals something troubling.

My Review... As I mentioned the previews are a bit deceiving but I was warned about what the true story is about. The movie is not bad, but it's wasn't enjoyable for me. I have a hard time when the person, who is the main character and protagonist, is just horrible and never really changes until the end. But by that time I didn't care what happen to him. There wasn't one redeeming quality about him. The acting was excellent but I just couldn't get pass that I hated the main character. Maybe I didn't enjoy the movie because it was too real, I mean I understood that alcoholism is a sickness and that part of his actions were not controllable because he was sick, but it was just to hard to watch someone so self destructive.  Maybe that's why I enjoy Fantasy as I have enough real life drama in real life I don't need to see it on the big screen.

As I said this isn't a bad movie I just don't think it was the right movie for me. If you enjoy extreme drama then this movie is right up your alley and I'm sure you'll love it. Am I glad I watched the movie.. sure, will I ever watch it again.. nope. I give this movie a C

After that depressing movie we watched our final movie of the night Dr. Seuss The Lorax. This is the third movie of the night that I had not seen. Here's a brief synopsis: In the walled city of Thneed-Ville, where everything is artificial and even the air is a commodity, a boy named Ted hopes to win the heart of his dream girl, Audrey. When he learns of her wish to see a real tree, Ted seeks out the Once-ler, a ruined old businessman outside of town in a stark wasteland. Upon hearing of how the hermit gave into his greed for profits and devastated the land over the protests of the Lorax, Ted is inspired to undo the disaster. However, the greedy Mayor of Thneed-Ville, Aloysius O'Hare, has made his fortune exploiting the environmental collapse and is determined to stop the boy from undermining his business

My Review... I enjoy Dr. Seuss and don't ever remember reading The Lorax so I wasn't sure what to expect. This was an environmental film animated for kids. This movie is all about deforestation and how it effect the environment. Robert mentioned several times how this film just hits you over the head with their message and I agree.. it's not a subtle message. But with that said I did enjoy the movie and I did like the storyline, though a bit heavy-handed. My biggest complaint were the musical numbers that they would do in the middle of a scene.... Those felt very weird. Nowadays most kids movies are written for kids and adults and can be enjoyed by both. This is definably a kids movie and one that I don't think I'll watch again. I give it a solid C +

So I saw three movies that I had already seen and three new movies, but the best part was spending the entire day with one of my favorite peoples in the world.. Thanks for hanging with me all day Robert, you're AWESOME!!

Yum Cha at Golden Dragon 金龍軒 - London China Town

It's been a long time since I've been out to China Town to 'yum cha' 飲茶 (this literally means 'drink tea'). This type of Chinese dining happens between 6am and 5pm in Hong Kong... In London, it happens between 12pm and 5pm I guess... I actually went out today to take some pictures for another blogpost (which is coming soon) and two days ago Miss Pinky decided to come along, so she invited herself! Hah! ^_^ And in the end, we both ended up at Golden Dragon 金龍軒 (gam long hin) to eat lunch. We have been there before, but that was a very long time ago! And Miss Pinky doesn't remember!

Don't be surprised to find a wait at this place because everyone wants a cheap and cheerful place to eat! Plus people reading their newspapers after eating is normal... The older generation of Chinese people don't rush like us youngsters!!

Outside Golden Dragon

On the first floor!!

So many people!! There were more people behind me!!

I had already eaten breakfast, so I wasn't too hungry and had ordered 4 different dim sum. (Sorry for some of the fuzzy pictures!!). I was craving for ha cheung fun (prawn rice noodle rolls) and the wu gok (fried taro balls) for a long time!

Ha Cheung Fun 蝦腸粉 - Prawn Rice Noodle Rolls (was craving for this!)

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 - Mini Glutinous Rice Wraps

Siu Long Bao 小籠包 - Steam Dumpling

Wu Gok 芋角 - Fried Taro Balls (craving for this too!)

Miss Pinky was craving for duck. She also ordered a few dim sum dishes.

Siu Aap Faan 燒鴨飯 - Roast Duck and Rice (the skin was tough for Miss Pinky)

Cha Siu Cheung Fun 叉燒腸粉 - BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Rolls

Fung Jaau 鳳爪 - Spicy Chicken Feet

Ja Yau Yu 炸魷魚 - Deep Fried Squid (tasty and very chewy!)

All I can say is that, it is GREAT food. 

Surrounded by food! ^_^

I think China Town's dim sum restaurants are always the best. Authentic. Traditional. And always filling!! I have tried Ping Pong which is a modern dim sum restaurant, it's not that filling and I find it expensive.

Total price came to £38.10 - reasonable for 2 people! (Includes a beer and green tea)

My geeky rating: 5/5 

Good points:

- Food came quick

- Good portions

- Reasonable prices

- Friendly service

- Super quick at tidying (as they do in Hong Kong!)

- Will record your name if there's a queue

Bad points:

- Not many that I can think of... Just cramped tables... (as Miss Pinky said to me, there's a very high table turnover!)

Address: 28-29 Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JW
Tel: 0207 734 1073

Website: goldendragonlondon.com

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