Next Step

These two weeks I took study leave for the professional assessment next week. We have to pass 9 papers in total in order to be called an ‘Architect’. Yes… 5 years of study is not enough to be recognized.

I can hardly focus at home. (I am at home now so I am writing this entry) So sometimes I have to study in a café or such. There is emerging number of nice cafés in the city. Nice in terms of the decorations and spaces, not necessary the coffee. By the way, I have tried Movenpick’s coffee in a French restaurant at North Point, it was really good.

After studying a small portion of the unorganized materials I am a bit tired. And I do not know why I am doing this anymore. I feel it is kind of meaningless. All I can think of now, is all the stuff that I want to do after the exam. What I want to do next.

Am I being quite negative sometimes? I think I should pick up my momentum again, try to force myself back to the mood of studying. Till next time.

Short Summer Break

I went to Kansai again last month! This time it’s mainly for the music festival that I wanted to attend, Summer Sonic. My companions were not enthusiastic about it though, they just wanted to relax. Turned out the music festival was alright, not very exciting because the musicians weren’t the powerful live band type. That included The Cardigans, Garbage, Rihanna, Kesha… Luckily I still had Foster the People and they were great! We also had some near death experience.. The weather was so bad and we could clearly see strokes of lightning happening near us with dramatic scream from some Japanese girls.. And people were packed in a stadium just like refugees..

Other days were so great. My friend drove us to some place that I’ve never been to. We went to 和歌山 and had very nice grilled seafood at 黑潮巿場.

We also went to 丹後, which is on the north of Kyoto near the seaside.  久美浜 had some really nice beaches and hotspring. And 天橋立 is famous for it’s white wine and soba. The trip was relaxing. I like the countryside of Japan more than the cities. Kyoto was still fine, just a little boring for me now. Its contemporary side was more attractive to me this time.

How are your recently? I am doing well and quite comfortable in various aspects of my life in this stage. I feel like I’m kind of lucky and blessed.

I guess we are the type that would attract gossips? Sometimes I just do not understand why people like to gossip about me. I wasn’t even friends with those people, so why do they care? I have no interest in their lives whatsoever and I hope they would do the same. I’m fine with people talking behind me without me knowing it.. But when I know it, it’s kinda annoying.

Head South

Last month I had a brief weekend break to Singapore with our colleagues. It is actually more like a site visit for work but I would like to consider it a relaxing weekend instead. I quite enjoyed spending time with my colleagues, so I had fun in this trip.

We have this nice theatre commercial complex project in Singapore (bottom right image). Although I did not take part in its realization, I am quite proud of our team for achieving this.

I hope I will see your Road to DISCOVERY instead of Road to Recovery next time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Road to Recovery – 1

There are two ways to mend a heartbreak, a rebound guy or a holiday. And my holiday in Provence was exactly what I needed to feel fantabulous again!

When I planned this holiday, I had 3 wishes: wine tasting, lavender fields and beach. I got all 3 granted.

I started at a cute little city in Avignon. It’s a bit like Lucca, a small city surrounded by a wall that is still largely intact. It was a lot more vibrant than Lucca though, because it was hosting the theatre festival where there were 50+ independent groups putting on various small shows around the city theatres. I didn’t manage to get any tickets, and my travel partner knew as much French as I do Mongolian. But the overall vibe on the streets was buzzing; a fake crime scene blocked off the main road, a beautiful French girl stripped topless in the middle of a plaza that was part of an outdoor restaurant, parades by odd characters. The atmosphere was simply too much fun.

I then booked myself on a full day wine tour. Between coffee tasting and wine tasting, wine wins, hands down. So we should definitely meet at a wine bar next time I’m in HK:) We went through 4 wineries and way too many vineyards. Not only did I learn how to taste like a sommelier and look after a vineyard like an owner, I was completely mesmerised by the landscape.

I made a brief trip to Pont de Gard in the evening, when the sun was more forgiving. Sorry it’s ancient and massive and everything, but I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to be admiring. So I sat reading. And ever since I started cycling to work, I struggle to find time to read. Glad you did though. Due to my shrinking flat size I’ve turned to ebooks – but I can also proudly say I’m not playing brainless shitty games on my phone when I’m on the underground!

I read / watched One Day with you in mind too. But I’d say I was the ugly half of Dex plus the insecure side of Em; whereas you had the solid/supportive part of Dex and the loving side of Em. Everytime I screw up I run to you for moral support and reassurance. As for over-romanticising our friendship – like I said, I love you.

To expose my fragility and vulnerability demands unconditional trust and total acceptance from the other person. The few people I entrusted have been let-downs. Then I start to believe I’m too flawed in character, or just I attract (and also am attracted to) fuck-ups. So I try to keep people at arm’s length, that said I throw myself into the unknown before I know it… sigh.

Dex and Em

On that One Day in Lucca, you said you were disappointed because of me not reading. From that day, I’ve always wanted to pick up the reading habit. I guess I can now say I am a person who read. And I’m proud of holding a book in MTR instead of obsessing with smart phones like everyone does in Hong Kong. Thank you for that. For encouraged me to be a better person, while you might not know you could have such impact on me.

One Day, is probably the only film that I watched after I read the book. And I realized now why people always say the same comment about adapted film, ‘The book is way better than the film.’ Still, I know it’s a bit unfair to say that, since people read the book before the film, and people only watch the film because the like the book. So it’s difficult for the film to meet the reader’s expectations. An adapted film is just a way to publicize a good book.

I’ve wanted to write something about One Day for a while. But I did not have the time to tidy up my thought… I still don’t. So this would be quite random.

The obvious reason I like One Day, is I kind of relate our friendship with Dex and Em’s. This may overly romanticize our friendship. But I guess we have similar bonding despite we meet so not frequent. Of course I hope I am more clever and less of a jerk like Dexter. But you are certainly as charming and intelligent like Emma.

When I was reading the book, I realized, the more you care and trust someone, the more fragile you appear in front of that person. I’ve experienced that recently. But it’s kind of a blessing to have someone to show your fragile side to. And I hope you would find that someone and hold on to it too.

I hope our friendship can be kept as long as Dex and Em’s, even though we just meet One Day every now and then.

PS. Emma is so Anne Hathaway!

BitterSweet Bitter

 Check out the Olympics vibes – it’s gonna be chaotic – I can’t wait.

Like two summers ago, I got my heart wrecked, again. It amazes me, I still believe it when a guy says he’s not a bastard; before I know it, he’s gotten too close. It’s not so bad this time, instead of a total shatter, it’s more like a series of sharp stabs. And I learnt my lessons too, I ducked out of it before he destroys me.

So I jam pack my weekends. Last time I had you with me in Italy so I was all smiles in no time. Can’t travel as much as I used to, it’s harder to sneak off on Fridays or Mondays with this new job. (I’m doing shitty crazy hours anyway.) But there’s plenty to do in London, especially with a bike:)

I took a coffee class. The 2009 World Barista Champion was Gwilym, and he started his brand Prufrock, serving coffee in a Japanese clothes shop in East London. Literally a man with an awesome machine. The he branched out to a coffee specialist shop last year, offering classes and equipment that looks more like lab ware.

I don’t think Gwilym hangs around here too often; there’s a new guy called James Bailey who’d won the UK Brewer Cup in 2012.

We started with some basic theory; with this light roasted blend of beans, we worked with 93-94 degrees, 16grams of ground coffee with 33secs to extract to bring out a perfect 27g of double expresso. There was a lot of art with this science. Lots of variables to control: extraction, strength, crema, acidity… I had a lot of fun with a world barista espresso machine:)

Also played with a Syphon Filter to make light, fruity coffee that tasted like red currant tea… and of course latte art, which I don’t think I have mastered yet.

You never know, it might come in useful one day, when I run my own business, I need to know how to serve proper coffee. Oh, I was watching 陳豪 on 品味咖啡, the man was drinking latte, then called it a cappuccino; eating a creme caramel and said it was a creme brulee! *Cringe*

By the way, I’m so glad you took your parents on a beautiful Japan trip; the cherry blossoms looked incredible. Most importantly, you said the main purpose was to be make them happy. I make every effort to take my parents on a trip every year, let them experience something new, something different, something they wouldn’t do by themselves. It’s hard work, but like you said, it’s so worthwhile.