財政預算

財爺補貼電費，我而家每月電費約＄６８（全年冇用冷氣及暖爐），＄１８ＯＯ補貼足可以唔使俾電費兩年，環保計落都有著數．

Books as props

Sometimes books in my photos functioned as props but this time pls pay attention to the beam of sunshine. It is so beautiful.
Inspired by xh,I took leave and spent a whole day in bc and Kubrick for watching movies and reading book.

Oscar movies

'No country for old men" This english title of the oscar film is more close to what the film is about than the chinese title but the chinese title is more eye catching no doubt.
It is a good film but not everone can stand it. Audiences sitting next to me were upset by the ending. They simply could not understand.....
To me, the film is an old man's reflection. The questions raised by the movie: is there a choice? a real choice? To kill or not to kill? To retire or not to retire? Can we ever predict anything? How do we choose? Is fate the answer? is God the answer?

About 'there will be blood',another unusual film. but a bit too long I think.

Happy Birthday to my niece

Today my niece has her birthday party!

Hiromi's sonicbloom (HK ARTS FESTIVAL)

Hiromi is a very crazy pianist, more crazy than the girl in 交響情人夢.
She jumped and shaked her heads while playing music.
Crossover with diff instruments: With one hand on piano, another hand on digitial keyboard.
She also hit the strings inside the grand piano in order to create a tune.
Her band is fabulous. Very strong and passionate performance.
I like the guy who played the drums Martin Valihora, cool!

My love affair with books

I once had a bookshop with my friends. it was now history
But i am still interested in whatever related to bookshop.
I bought a book which is about bookshops first published 1997, republished 2007
One of the bookshops mentioned in the book is called Shakespeare and Company, Paris. It is very special.
In the film Before Sunset, the male protagonist slept in that bookshop.
Now this bookshop is run by the owner's young and beautiful daughter Sylvia at her 20's.

The other book I bought is about cooking, Le Gordon bleu is a famous cooking school

Lunch with secondary school teacher

This sat I had lunch with my secondary school teacher and 2 classmates Yannie & Blanche.
Agnes B Causeway Bay this time, kingston street one
I still remembered what she taught me when I was in secondary school, in particular a short story about a music teacher. My teacher reminded me that it was Katherine Mansfield's writing. Also a poem called 'a watched clock does not move'. Glad that I chose to study Eng literature. I really study what I truly love.

My poetry 'homework'

Courage to be

Our world is too small
We do not understand something that we cannot imagine
Uttering hollow words
Yet pretend to have a voice in everything

Our world is too limited
We do not allow exceptions
Living in an entrapped world
Yet pretend to have choices

Our world is too simple
We do not think more than we can understand
Embracing the shadow
Yet pretend to be a ‘know it all’

We shout We complain
We know not where to find answers
Deep down, we lack
the courage to be

p.s.
Paul Tillich wrote a book. The title is ''the courage to be"

Are you ready?

火車頭河

屋企附近ｇｅ日本料理變左越南餐廳越河，住宅區食店８點爆場，湯底鮮味，唔囗渴．火車頭河份量多，芽菜河粉另上，河粉幼身又滑，鮮蝦粉卷賣相吸引．Ｃａｆｅ　Ｏ亦會進駐同區，多左選擇，好開心呀！

鼠年傳奇

程翔獲釋，陳冠希事件．李國寶請辭，郭炳湘放假，肥肥逝世，事件發展急促又沒有預兆，十大新聞，十日已有五大，鼠年的開始充滿傳奇．

一年一度渣打馬拉松

第二年參加１Ｏｋ，非常順利．同人Ｃａｒ　ｐｏｏｌ坐的士去天后，落車已經係ｃｈｅｃｋ　ｐｔ．由天后行到城市花園對出，係起步點，我排好前，好有氣氛．跑完後，交晶片，就痳煩Ｄ，個個指我去唔同地方．維園其實可以做迷宮．
Ａｎｙｗａｙ之後同左ＫａＭｉｎｇ及佢ｄ朋友／中學時代ｇｅ老師飲茶（佢地都跑完１ＯＫ），中場見有時間，睇埋戲魔法奇緣，再直落同班跑完ｇｅ同事係皇家太平洋酒店食ｔｅａ　ｂｕｆｆｅｔ，百四蚊，好抵又好味（最近賣廣告話用Ｌｉｎｄｔ朱古力做甜品個間），跟住先番屋企目訓到天光，起身又係另一天工作天．

Breaking and Entering

Last week I had Hugh Grant. This week I have Jude Law (a losing hair Jude Law though) still charming.
Instead of Sandra Bullock, I have Juliette Binoche (seemed aged)

This is not an easy movie if you think about what it really wants to touch on - the distance urban man experiences.
It is a deep movie that has 'layers'. Images that linger. The use of arcitecture, tailoring, music, mac, colour in the movie reminds you constantly of the idea of breaking and entering. The movie title is exactly what the film is about.

The movie's setting is in King's Cross, Britain.
I went there 3 years ago. I did not realise that King's Cross is such a complicated district. I got a new sense of 'Britain' from the movie.

Yellow dotted cup and Honey dipped Toast

Consumed the Art

睇電視播電影

除左Before sunrise, before sunset，我仲睇左見習黑玫瑰，仲有明珠台播ge《Two weeks notice》，我都唔知上過畫，Sandra Bullock + Hugh Grant，Donald Trump+ Norah Jones客串，唔錯ge愛情小品．

一場展銷

初三中午的一個特備節目，不是一般賀年節目，藝員載歌載舞，表現樣樣皆能，可是節目令我覺得像一場展銷，不難受嗎？人像產品被展視，為了甚麼？為了爭取多些客戶？為了掙更多ｓｈｏｗ錢，值得嗎？

Love at first sight: magazine cover

I love this magazine cover, so warm and chic

C'est bon!

Fung Ping and I went to Telford and had dinner at C'est bon. Food ok but Tsing Yi one has better ambience.

* photo taken by Fung Ping

Chinese New Year Routine

Routine is like this: Eating, sleeping, visiting relatives, watching the same movie 'Ka Yau Hei si'...

This year everything is as usual but a bit different...
First, watching Before Sunrise, before sunset on TV instead of 'Ka Yau Hei si'
Second, The relatives who usually come to our hse on 'Lin Chor 2' changed plan.
Third, my almost one year old niece joined us for the dinner. (Last year she was in her mother's womb.) She was so excited when she was allowed to be near to the dining table.

BTW, thanks to Maxine, the Franc Franc plate made the dish extremely beautiful, thanks again for the plate.

Interesting cafe

http://www.taiwanfun.com/north/taipei/dining/0510/0510cafetree.htm

Wish you have a sweet, sweet Year of Rat!

More Healthy! More Food! More Joy!


This time I used the recipe that I saw in a cookbk and made dessert on the first day of Lunar Chinese New Year.

Spoil cafe: Crunch cake

Happy Birthday to my sister's husband!

大埔萬利小食店

魚旦腸粉，多謝九蚊．
My sister asked me what so special about this combination. All I can say 魚旦腸粉 is a standard combo.

大埔街市(near chui ping)

林同學新居入伙，打邊爐助慶．大埔街市買野好正，價錢平，食物新鮮．檔主好傾．
打邊爐食物有肥牛．脆鱔．生菜．芋頭．粟米．杏鮑菇．墨魚滑．蘿蔔．酸梅湯．魚腐．魚旦．菠菜丸 etc，位位都係五十蚊．肥牛（from吉之島）．街市脆鱔勁掂！

吃花

花花Ｃｕｐｃａｋｅ，手工食物，有心思又出乎意外地好味．

不一樣的碟

林同學做的碟超櫬車厘子

ＣＪ７《長江七號》

玩完ｖｓ還原
機械貓叮噹ｖｓ彈性物料小狗形７仔
借說教黃飛鴻還魂
集體回憶：唔．．．配樂，冇新原素，所以好「娘」
predictable笑位，細路鍾意, fans難免失望
冇新idea，可以點？

Happy Chinese New Year

Guess what?

Mrs. Chu insisted me taking a photo of the can because of the funny chinese words/Japanese "Chinese character".
Does it mean if the can is broken, don't eat it????? Any guess?

Citysuper recipe

This is not cooked by me, but by my sister. She followed the recipe that she got from citysuper. Ths dish she made was very similar to the photo on the recipe.

My sister shared with me this dish. Though she claimed herself as a desperate housewife, she defintely surprised me with how well she coped with the housewife role.

Ｏ８最佳建築師

Ｗａｌｌｐａｐｅｒ選了安籐忠雄做Ｏ８最佳建築師，上年我寫過有關他的文章，乘勢與大家分享：

遊俠建築師
一個年代的過去,另一個年代的來臨,人們會很輕易放棄舊有的一切,無限擁抱新世界的種種.現代主義轉到後現代主義的過程中,要跟得上時勢,很多人斷然否定現代主義所帶來的簡潔理性規律.要排除眾議,堅守自己的理念,個人需要自信和堅持.安藤忠雄作為一個非科班出身的建築師,就有這份勇氣和能耐.他認為在過往二十年,應見到竭斯底理抗拒現代主義,根本不能孕育甚麼重要的東西,惟有保住傳統,加以改正,透過具邏輯的提問和清晰的表達,才能提取足夠養份,打破墨守成規,創造有文化處境的建築.
來自日本的建築師.身為多個建築獎項的得主,更在一九八七年被邀到耶魯大學作講座教授.這樣的名氣都隱約顯出不與世俗苟同的超然地位.安藤忠雄的名氣叫我忘記了草根的成長背景.一個人的兩面竟如此統一.他的建築有一種原始的力量,大量使用混凝土,灰色一幅幅厚厚的牆.在牆與牆之間,有股原始的力量,一種正面的壓迫感,促使你無可避免,面對面在狹縫中窺見及體驗大自然.愈簡單的線條幾何建築愈容易創造和規限空間,形成更大的對比和力量.上年十二月,與友人到四國的直島,親身體安藤建築的力量.在混凝土牆的盡頭,就是有一道光,在黑喑中無法避而不見,由喑到明,由窄到闊,由隱閉到開放,人被推向與自然溝通,酒店有幾種不同形態的房間,尤以Oval房間最為特別,多間房間圍成鵝蛋形狀,房間兩旁及屋頂長滿綠色植物,中間有一個水池,水池的上方是沒有頂且露天的.由於這些房間位於山頂,上落進出都要乘搭無人駕駛單軌四座小纜車.一出站進入鵝蛋形建築物,突然會強烈感到天人合一的感受.人以外,還有天,還有水,還有其他植物,在建築場境催化人與大自然的互動和溝通.在1995年由海亞特基金會(The Hyatt Foundation)設立的普利茲克建築獎(PritzKer Prize)得獎演講指出建築要透過人藉經驗介入,才會完整,建築空間因人的感觀成為有生命,並由有生命的東西作連繫,植物,水,花,人.

安藤自己到處遊歷,像個遊俠,有股熱心腸,喜與不同人交談溝通,包括學生,甚至家庭主婦.他關心生活及一切有機之物,在對比中讓人發現流麗簡潔具靈性和宗教性的美.他的美學來自他在日本傳統文化所吸取的啟發,日本傳統建築對大自然的尊重深深影響他的風格.四一年出世的安藤,童年不是住在背山面海的樓房,二次大戰後他在大阪與祖母同住狹少的日本屋貼屋式狹窄樓房.然而屋外的世界令他著迷,他去學做木工,體驗學習手藝的過程,鼓動了他對美的熱誠和追求.而真正改變他生命的時刻,是十五歲那年,在住處附近的舊書店,他找到建築師Le Corbuiser全集,自此無師自通,結上建築緣.十七歲更當上職業拳手,因此他的氣質有點不同,長髮的他眼神非常銳利,發放著鬥志和戰意.
這建築師不單極具個性,而且一早自立門戶,有自己一套,源於生活, 不失幽默和對人的尊重.他養的狗兒叫le Corbuiser.畫圖則以外,他的手還打泰拳,泰拳講求集中和表現,使他的思路更清晰.他的思考不限於建築,他認為單以言語反思社會問題並不足夠,作為建築師,他可以用物質形態去表達他的主張,他要實踐他的信念.從他的訪問去了解他,是一件有趣的事,他對提問的回應非常簡短,很隨意,很沒有所謂的樣子,甚至沒有著意閱讀建築及設計的書籍.
環境成就安藤忠雄這個人和他的建築,他的建築和他生命的表達(Manifestation)代表了一個建築師對世界的責任.他透過建築去表達和啟發群眾.香港近期有很多關於環境和建築物的討論,單以民間個人喜好去做決定,未必得到更有創意的結論,純功能性和商業性的建築方向都在扼殺人創意的空間,臨海豪宅沒有令我們更愛及更接近大自然.如果香港建築專業有更多參與和更自由的空間發揮,以專業知識幫助人群表達自己,這個城市或許能有煥然一新的面貌.

愛死了中環

我還有很多年假沒有放，快將ｆｏｒｆｅｉｔ，不放白不放．見近來天氣寒冷，早上要了半天假，去周末非常人氣的Ｂｒｕｎｃｈ　Ｃ１ｕｂ，寧靜舒適悠閒地進食及看雜誌，麵包是Ｈｏｍｅｍａｄｅ，很好吃．然後行去有食緣逛逛．Ｔｒｕ１ｙ ｗｉｎｄ　ｄｏｗｎ．查實我上星期已經有三天由中環行回家，我愛死了中環，高中低檔食物都有，日與夜不同韻味，旅遊香港，必要到中環．

回鄉

內地來的研究生跑來跟我說新年快樂，他要坐飛機回山東，不能坐火車（途經湖南，下雪路不通），看他說回鄉的神情，加上透過電視看那些人（當中不一定全是民工）捱餓．忍凍．淋雨，心裡只想著回鄉，就知回鄉是一件多麼重要的事．
我沒有在外國生活過，也沒有到過鄉下，恨回鄉的感受欠奉，但電視新聞片段使我想起幾件事：
１．前幾天看旅遊節目介紹湖南鳳凰古城，我挺想去看看古城，不知現在是否也下雪了？
２．玩具大王開放宿舍讓民工居住，這很好．企業應該有社會責任．
３．如果我係內地電訊公司，我會提供免費電話服務，讓人打電話回鄉下報平安．
４．內地有很多小孩子獨留在家，不是幾天或幾小時，是一兩年，父母在外面掙錢，小孩子在等，等父母回家團聚的一天．