Great Deals At Blue Max

I bought 2 Korean DVD sets yesterday at the Blue Max Video Store at Toa Payoh Central. I got "Witch Amusement" for only $15 and "Lovers In Prague" for only $10. What a bargain! Starhub VV channel had shown "Lovers in Prague" sometime ago but i did not watch all the episodes as i feel that some of the scenes were too draggy although i like the scenery of Prague. But my friend kept saying that the drama is really nice and since its so cheap, i decided to just buy it and would watch when i run out of dramas to watch.



"Witch Amusement" is showing on Channel U from 29 November 2007 at 10pm daily but i can't watch as my hubby wants to watch "Jumong" on Starhub VV channel. For those who are struck like me can consider buying the drama. For those Korea drama lovers, can go to Blue Max as i saw other nice drama (like Surgeon Bong Dal Hee, Mr Goodbye) selling for around $10-15 also :>





Lovers in Prague Info:







TV Premiere: 2005-09-24




Main Casts : Jun Do Yeon as Yoon Jae-hee, Kim Joo Hyuk as Choi Sang-hyun, Kim Min Joon as Ji Young-woo, Yoon Se Ah as Kim Hye-joo, Lee Jung Kil as Yoon Jung-han, Jung Dong Hwan as Ji Kyung-hwan (Young-woo's father), Yoon Young Joon as Suh Yoon-kyu, Kim Seung Ok as Hwang Dal-ho (Sang-hyun's partner), Kim Na Woon as Shin Kwang-ja




Total Episodes : 18 eps





Synopsis: The president's daughter, Yoon Jae-hee (Jun Do-yeon) is a Korean diplomat in Prague. She has only recently recovered from a devastating break up five years earlier with Ji Young-woo (Kim Min-joon), the son of a prominent Korean businessman. Choi Sang-hyun (Kim Joo-hyuk) is a detective who goes to Prague searching for his ex-girlfriend Hye-joo (Yoon Se-ah). Hye-joo broke up with Sang-hyun over the phone from Prague and Sang-hyun cannot accept it.




Sang-hyun meets Jae-hee in Prague and misunderstandings abound. Eventually the two help each other and become friends. When they return to Korea, love blossoms, but their respective ex’s and very different social status put it to the test.













Witch Amusement Info:



Episodes: 16



Broadcast period: 2007-Mar-21 to 2007-May-10




Cast: Han Ga In as Ma Yoo Hee, Jae Hee as Jae Mo Ryong, Kim Jeong Hoon as Yoo Joon Ha, Jun Hye Bin as Jang Sung Mi, Dennis Oh as Jamie Oliver





Sypnosis: Ma Yoo Hee has an independent personality and is the only daughter of the owner of an advertisement company. She works as an advertisement planner. After she is introduced to Jae Mo Ryong, who is a student learning cooking, she falls in love with him. Dennis Oh will play a famous French Chef from America. He is a perfect guy named Johnny Kruger from New York. He plays a big part in hooking up Ma Yoo-Hee and Jae Mo Ryong. Jang Sung Mi is the ex-girlfriend of Mo Ryong.

Susan Wiggs: The Winter Lodge

I just finished reading a very nice book that i borrowed from the library. I like that the writer tells more than 1 story at a time and the book has a very easy style of reading. It is very nice to just relax at home reading the whole day. Especially as it has been raining daily and i'm struck at home.

In her latest bustling romance, Susan Wiggs cooks up a rich stew of family plots past and present, spiced with plenty of generations-old Polish recipes, in this second installment of the Lakeshore Chronicles (after Summer at Willow Lake). I would definitely be going back to the library to borrow it :> Returning to Camp Kioga in Avalon, a small New York town where the wealthy Bellamy family has deep roots, Wiggs trains the spotlight on Avalon native Jenny Majesky, a food columnist and bakery owner who learned in the last Lakeshore tale that Phillip Bellamy is her birth father. Alone and grieving following the death of her beloved grandmother—Jenny's mom left her at age four—Jenny's life turns even worse when her house burns to the ground.

Does it mean she finally has the chance to follow her dreams. But what, really, does she want? After her mother ran off, her grandmother raised her. Then, just as Jenny was packing up to leave their tiny Catskills town of Avalon, and the family bakery so popular with locals and tourists alike, her grandmother had a stroke. Jenny has taken care of her widowed and disabled grandmother ever since. Now Rourke McKnight, the arrogant and handsome police chief with whom she shares a turbulent history, has complicated matters by taking her under his wing and into his home, and everyone in town seems to have an opinion about what she should do next. Wiggs cleverly structures this emotionally intense contemporary romance and continuation of her Lakeshore Chronicles around food-related anecdotes and recipes, and she adds a search for Jenny's long-absent mother and a troubled pregnant teen to the mix for even more poignancy.

Those interested can borrow the book from the library under WIG-(RO).

Beautiful Christmas Decor at Orchard

Yummy Food at Wisma Food Republic

Really like the minced pork noodle at Wisma Food Republic (next to the Chicken Rice Stall). Had it twice last week :> The dumpling quite normal but the noodle tastes very good. Should try if you are shopping at orchard and wants a simply meal!

HERO

I just watched the Japanese Movie "Hero" starring Takuya Kimura and it is always a joy watching Takuya's acting! I used to wonder why he is so popular and why all the girls are crazy over him. But i was hooked once i watched his TV series "Long Vacation" in 1996. I was attracted to his great acting and of course his cute look hehe and have been watching all his TV series. I especially love his TV series "Love Generation" which he starred with Takako Matsu. I feel that they really make a very good pairing in the show.

The movie "HERO" is as good as the TV series and what i really like about the TV series and movie is that Takuya's character, who is a persistent prosecutor, will go to all means to gather evidence to prove his case. There is always a moral story behind each story and it's inspiring to see the passion the characters in the movie have for their job even though it is not glamorous. It really makes me wish that i could also share his passion for his work :> Takuya and Takako Matsu also show great chemistry in the show and some of the scenes were very comical.

For those not familiar with "HERO", this movie is adapted from the most watched TV series (2001) and Special (2006) of the same name in Japanese television. Channel U has recently shown the Hero Special last Saturday and the movie is a sequel of the special. After six years of professional exile to local District Attorney Offices in Okinawa, Sapporo and Yamaguchi, Kuryu Kohei (Takuya Kimura) returns to Tokyo Prosecutors Office Josai Branch. Kuryu is immediately asked to prosecute a seemingly open-and-shut case of manslaughter. However, the defendant changes his plea to not guilty in the midst of trial. All these are spin from a more serious political bribery conspiracy. To pursuit the truth, Kuryu and his loyal assistant, Amemiya (Takako Matsu), went to Busan, South Korea. In the midst of finding evidences, they receive great help from an elite Korean Chief Public Prosecutor, played by Lee Byung Hun. Kuryu's youthful passion and dedication to his trade makes him an interesting contrast to his colleagues who have become only too accustomed to the stuffy and hierarchical realm of public prosecutors in Japan. Once past the initial dismay of Kuryu's unconventional ways, his colleagues gradually find themselves infected by his dedication and sense of mission.

While pursuing the truth, the romance sparks between the couple rekindles after the years. First airing in 2001, "HERO" became the most watched mini-series in Japanese television averaging viewer ratings of 34.3 percent. After a 5 year hiatus, Fuji Television Network brought "HERO" back in 2006 with a triumphant two-hour special that once again captured a 30-plus percent television audience share and paved the way for a much-anticipated big screen transition.

Dong Dae Mun Seoul Food at Takashimaya

I have been going to the Takashimaya Basement food hall frequently as i really like the yummy and super sinful food there. Other than buying Omu Rice, another of my favourite stall is the Dong Dae Mun Seoul Food. I would always buy the Street Sausage French Fry $2.50 ( potato cubes are studded on a massive bread roll housing a delicious grilled chicken sausage and dunked in hot oil) and Pork Balls home to eat.

The stall has alot of other deep fried treats which i have not tried yet and korean style yakitori. Would definitely try those on my next trip there :>

Yummy Coconut Crunch

I recently learnt how to make super yummy coconut cookies from my aunt. She got the recipe from Alex Goh Baking Class Cookbook. My hubby and i couldn't resist finishing up all the cookies hehe i'm already planning to make the cookies as a gift during Chinese New Year for my relatives ;> I'm looking forward to learning how to make more yummy cookies from my aunt!

Cookie Crunch Recipe for those who would like to try it out:

Ingredients:

(A)
230g Butter
1/4 tsp Salt
220g Sugar

(B)
1 Egg

(C)
50g Desiccated coconut (I bought mine from Cold Storage)

(D)
250g Flour
2 tsps Baking powder

Method:

1. Cream (A) till smooth
2. Add in (B) and cream till light
3. Add in (C) then sieved (D) and mixed till well blended
4. Shape it into balls and roll it in desiccated coconut. Place it into greased pan and press it slightly
5. Bake at 175 Deg C for 20 minutes

Christmas Gifts Ideas

I went Christmas shopping yesterday at Orchard and for those who are not sure what Christmas gifts to buy for your love ones, here is a sneak peek at what i bought ;>

For the Adults:

Esprit Cup with coaster, $12.90 each

Spa Bathset in Tub with 6'' Bear from Watsons, $9.95

Esprit Men Perfume, Promo Price $15.90, Original Price $19.90

For the Kids:

Stabilo Color Pencil Set from Popular, member price $7.40, original price $10.90

Pen Set from Popular, member price $9.95, original price $18.90

Sudoku Adults Fun Activity Set from Popular, $9.90

Great Bargain at Metro :>

I bought this very cute Renoma bag at Metro Causeway point. There was a 20% discount and i only had to pay about $60 for the $69 bag hehe felt very satisfied to get a great bargain.

Relaxing Lunch at Gloria Jean Cafe Raffles City

Potato Salad

Chicken Curry Pie and Iced Mocha

Went raffles city yesterday with hubby and as he always spends a long time at MPH (bookstores are his favourite place and like his destress haven), i decided to have lunch at the cafe nearby and read my favourite Nancy Drew book. Since watching the movie sometime ago, i have started borrowing the books from the library.



I used to read alot of Nancy Drew books in Primary School and reading the books again really bring back fond memories :> i used to enjoy relaxing in my bed reading and was always excited to read about the latest adventure of my favourite heroine. I also can't remember when i stopped reading them. It was so relaxing just drinking my iced mocha and reading. I especially like the festive atmosphere at the shopping mall. Really puts one in a good mood. hehe i can already hear festive bells ringing... time to put up my christmas decorations and tree in my house.




Christmas has always been my most favourite part of the year, not only because of the presents but also because i really enjoy shopping and buying gifts for my love ones. It is also my way of showing that i care for them and appreciate them :>

6 Ways to Stop Your Stressing

I came across this article from this website: http://www.self.com/livingwell/articles/2007/10/1022worry_sidebar and find the tips quite interesting and useful :> Hope it would be useful for you too!

1) Hop off the worry train. Just because you have an idea ("I might get fired") doesn't mean you need to ride it to its terminus. ("There are 50 ways I could screw up, and I've got to avoid them all.") "Worry can waste energy—you're trying to fix every possible problem, even if none exist," psychologist Robert L. Leahy says. Instead, think of a few tasks that will help whatever happens, like bonding with coworkers.

2) Plan to fret. "Take half an hour to worry intensively, then move on," says Penn State professor Tom Borkovec, Ph.D.

3) Keep a journal. Jot down your worry, then in a few days or weeks, write the outcome. What you'll find: Things usually turn out better than you think they will.

4) Challenge the likelihood of your worry. If your husband is late coming home and you imagine he has been hit by a bus, think about the emotion behind your worry. (You are anxious because you love him and want to keep him around.) Once you have identified the emotion at the heart of your worry and allowed yourself to experience it, see if it's a reasonable worry (hint: probably not). Then let it pass rather than allowing anxiety to ruin your quiet night at home.

5) Peel an orange. The next time a thought threatens to snowball into a stressfest, grab an orange or grapefruit. Press your nail into the skin, peel it back and smell the citrus scent, focusing on every sensation. "Rather than worry about the future, you can bring yourself into the moment," Leahy says.

6) Get nostalgic. Visualize your key life events of the past 10 years. You probably can't recall the worries linked with these experiences, or, if you can, you may see that most never happened (e.g., you didn't trip and fall at your wedding). Tell yourself that current worries will fade from memory, too.

More on Japanese Drama: Hotaru No Hikari

I just finished watching the whole series of Hotaru No Hikari and really enjoyed all the 10 episodes! Watching the drama makes me realise that the most important thing to look for in a life partner is whether you are comfortable with him/her at all times and he/she does not judge you by your looks alone. Through Hotaru's experience, i saw that the most important thing in a relationship is to be able to always show your true self to the person you love. If the person loves you then he/she should accept everything good or bad about you. It is common for everyone to show only their best side to the person we like initially but to do so forever would be so tiring. A relationship built on lies would also not be lasting.

I particularly like this drama as it not only focuses on the romantic side of love but also on the realistic side, like being able to be comfortable with your feelings when in front of the person you love. There was a scene when Hotaru was dreading going back to Makoto's place after work as she has to pretend to be cheerful and full of energy after a day of hard work. All she wanted was to just laze around when she reach home as to her, home is a place where she can drop all her defenses and be her true self. I like the part where she can be truly comfortable while staying with her manager and he also accepted her for who she is. Do watch the drama if free and do share your thoughts of the drama :>

Japanese Drama: Hotaru no Hikari

I have been watching another very interesting Japanese drama at (http://www.mysoju.com/hotaru-no-hikari/). I was attracted to the drama by its simple and light-hearted story line and also because one of my favourite actors Fujiki Naohito stars in the drama. This drama broadcasted in Japan in July 2007 and is about a girl who falls in love for the first time and she did not know what to do. She relies on her friend, her boss, her landlord, her housemate who is the only one person to help her. Every detail of the feeling of being in love can be seen from the main character Amemiya Hotaru (Ayase Haruka).

The funny part about Hotaru is that even though she is in her 20s, she has no interest in finding love and all her spare time is spent at home being lazy and messy. She works for a famous interior design company. It's a glamorous job but Hotaru's private life is totally the opposite of glamorous and none of her colleagues know about it.

This all comes as a shock to the new home owner - also her boss Takano Seiichi (Fujiki Naohito), who is forced out of his wife's home and comes to live at his father's house. He was shocked at the mess in the house and also at Hotaru living there. His father had gone overseas and had rented the house to Hotaru without his knowledge. Hotaru is very happy with her lifestyle until one day she falls in love with Teshima Makoto (Kato Kazuki), an employee in the company. Adapting to the changes in the house she rented and at the same time perusing her love, thus start a comedy love story.

Awards:
12th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (July-Sept 07): Best Drama
12th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (July-Sept 07): Best Actress - Ayase Haruka
12th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (July-Sept 07): Best Supporting Actor - Fujiki Naohito
12th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (July-Sept 07): Best Supporting Actress - Kuninaka Ryoko

Saybons

I have been reading alot of great reviews about this new food kiosk at basement 2 of Plaza Singapura and being a soup lover :> i went with my brother to try it yesterday. The kiosk serves thick, smooth, delicious soups in sturdy takeaway cups you can tote anywhere. There are four soups available and the reviews that i read said that the best one is the seafood bisque ($3.60 for small/$4.60 for large). It's made with what tastes like a tonne of crab and prawn shells and is rich and powerful. However as i 'm a mushroom lover, i ordered the wild mushroom soup instead and it tastes as good! I would definitely try the seafood bisque on my next visit.

With the soups, try the foccacia bread ($1.40 for two pieces). Me and my brother loves the garlic herb spread foccacia bread! It really goes very well with our mushroom soup. For dessert, there are crepes filled with fruit or chocolate. My brother really enjoyed the crepe with nutella chocolate. Do try it if you happens to be in Plaza Singapura :>

Saybons, B2-32 Plaza Singapura, tel: 6884-9018. Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily.