Archive for April, 2007

one fifth grill

Friday, April 27th, 2007

14754door試過 Morton’s 以後大概沒再吃過像樣的牛扒。

今晚跟朋友在 one fifth grill 晚飯,因為飯前去了 happy hour,已經沒停過口吃小食,以為自己不會太有胃口。

但還是點了一個 5-course dinner。

頭盤是鵝肝,夠份量,表面煎得夠鬆化,內裡入口即溶。

餐湯是三色湯,waiter 很鄭重地提示要先喝 mushroom soup,再喝牛尾湯,最後喝蕃茄湯,一定要依次序喝。意思當然是由淡到濃,每「杯」份量跟 schnapps 差不多,喝罷剛好...飽了。

Main course 是紐西蘭牛扒。明明已經飽了,還是覺得美味,order medium rare,就真是 medium rare(這點很多餐廳也做不到),而且肉質很好。牛扒是 grilled 的,肉質出奇地鬆軟,水準頗高。

我本身愛吃牛肉,但只對質素好的牛肉有好感,我看一間西餐廳是否出色,通常都會試牛扒。牛扒像樣,餐廳不會差得到哪裡去。

基本上由頭盤到咖啡都沒有失手的地方。

朋友比我先到,到達時她稍稍地告訴我經理給了她一張 coupon,buy 2 get 1 free,明明是已經送了入口的羊,還給我們 discount,算是大方。埋單每人不到五百,很合理。

http://www.openrice.com/big5/sr2.htm?shopid=14754

裁決

Thursday, April 26th, 2007

至親的人因病而記不起自己,固然是痛。發現至親的人原來一直不是自己認識的一個,最後也不能當面弄個明白,更是痛。

想說的是徐步高的家人。

這些日子以來,除了他的妻子及母親,其他證人及至傳媒的報導,對於這一個人都是負面的,當然我相信,人有多面,我們面對家人,面對朋友,面對工作,有時都有不同的面孔。只是,明白還明白,要面對整個香港的人,又是另一個問題。

看罷整個死因裁判,我覺得除的家人的回應相當得體。尤其是他的母親,表現得很堅強,她說他人已經不在,她在場聽審是對他的唯一支持,因為他已經不能作辯。在母親眼中,兒子永遠是個好人。她看到的,從來只是好的一面。對於裁決,她選擇接受,對於以後的路,她選擇堅強地生活下去。

一個六十多歲的平凡女人,面對全港的傳媒,壓力其實很大。可以大方面對,頗令人尊敬。

明日的記憶

Monday, April 23rd, 2007

Lp05_memoriesoftomorrow 試想像,當你事業如日方中,忽然發現患上了年輕的老人痴呆症,你的記憶力開始快速衰退,衰退得在鬧市中也可以迷路,衰退得連自己下屬的名字也記不起,工作能力沒有了,漸漸地照顧自己的能力也沒有了。明明是一家之主,卻只能呆在家中,等待妻子下班回家,自尊心沒有了。

試想像,當你一生相夫教子,女兒長大了,要出嫁了,發現丈夫患上了老人痴呆症,要出外工作,因為沒有工作經驗,被認為跟一個高中生沒有分別,下班後要照顧丈夫,要擔心他忘記了吃飯,還擔心他有一天連自己的會忘記了。

妻子偉大,選擇了不離不棄,再辛苦也堅持照顧丈夫。但畢竟也是人,再偉大也有受不了的時候,丈夫埋怨她早出晚歸,她受不了,哭訴他過去也是如此,沒有關心過女兒的成長,以往家中所有事情她都獨力承受,哭訴他以往是何等自私。

女兒奉子成婚,原本覺得丟臉。在那一刻他卻感到還可以留下一點的記憶是如此珍貴。回憶是生命中很珍貴的一部份,沒有了回憶,便什麼都沒有了。

沒有誇張的情節,卻細緻動人。有一刻,我以為導演是個女性。老套說句,還是要珍惜現在的所有。

聰明的女人

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

如果你已婚,一日出 trip回來發現睡房內有陌生香水味,還發現床上有支唇膏,你會怎樣做?

A. 立即扯火,找老公出來問過究竟。

B. 扮冇事發生,一於死扮無知,叫自己咩都唔好諗,如常生活。

C. 表面冇事,暗地裡扮私家偵探查出真相。

昨晚早早回家,看了一套肥皂劇,劇情就是壞女人見客前弄髒了衣服,上司建議她上他家,借他太太的衣服穿,壞女人臨離開時竟在他的房間內噴滿了自己的香水,還刻意在床上留下唇膏。

太太回來時,男人已經把下午的事情忘記了,太太發現了,偷偷地把唇膏收起。

第二天,太太借意上男人公司,說想跟老公 lunch,但是老公有 appointment,她就跟他的同事去吃飯。其間拿出某香水的 discount coupons,問有沒有人有興趣,當中女同事都說自己不用那牌子的香水。她又從地下拾起一支唇膏,問是不是她們掉了的,女同事說那牌子的香水和唇膏,是公司某女同事的 "signature"。太太就明白了。

心水清的同事覺得奇怪,回公司就問起上司來。那晚,女人當沒事發生一樣,男人回家後忐忑不安,正在盤算應不應把「真相」說出來。那時女人就無知地告訴老公自己發現自己多了支唇膏,不知是不是在什麼地方拿錯了別人的。

第二天,女人再上男人公司,見到壞女人,客氣地跟她說,她以為錯拿了別人的唇膏,已經丟了,所以特地買了支新的給她。壞女人又問她覺得她的香水味如何,女人笑說,她跟老公都傷風了,根本聞不到香水味。

聰明的女人,表面是無知,即漫不經心地讓所有人知道她發現了什麼。

determination

Saturday, April 14th, 2007

Image012_1 We were taught that determination leads to success.  I sometimes can’t really see the difference between determination and stubbornness.  Perhaps, when you succeeded, you were determined.

In the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness", Will Smith was determined.  Because he was successful at the end.  What if he couldn’t get the job?  He was silly then.  (and there would be no such a story)  He could find another sales job and continued his stably difficult life instead of giving up everything and pursuited his rich man dream.

A friend of mine was crazy about a girl.  He thought he could win her heart back.  He is determined.  What if what he was chasing after was only the "memories" left, but not the "real she" in the present moment?  He is stubborn then.  He knows that even if he and the girl were together again, the feeling won’t be the same because she has changed.

Andy Lau’s super fan was determined.  She spent all her money, re-mortgaged her house, sold his father’s kidney - and all she wanted was to see her idol.  Afterall, it was all not realistic and people think as she is just insane. 

Maybe when you are after something which is "achievable" - you are determined.  I sometimes imagine, what if a close friend of mine chooses to give up everything and pursuits an artistic dream, would I be supportive?  These are the very old stories we heard from film directors, famous singers, and performers, etc.  They started with pennyless - and they got the supports from their families and blah blah blah.  When we heard those stories, we knew that they were finally successful.  What about the vast majority who at the end became the nameless singers in night clubs?

Afterall, I guess it is personal choice.  If a person is happy with chasing his / her dream, and without regret no matter what the result is, that’s fine.

甘於被騙

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

先旨聲明,以下內容並不代表本人立場,只是覺得有趣,想分享一下。

最近的熱門新聞是內地遊客來港買錶被騙。電台主持笑謂遊客到消費者委員會投訴時,滿面笑容,看似想上報多於想討錢。

有些人不介意自己被騙,「被騙得起」似乎是種福份,似乎是要告訴你他花得起十多萬買假錶,而且只是「面果浸」,毫不傷身。

剛巧今天另一則新聞是模特兒騙案,這類十多年前已出現的騙案,真是「橋唔怕舊,最緊要受」。主持人也笑說那些被騙的人,可能自覺花一兩萬後感覺像大明星般被看待也是值得。

事實上像我這類又沒財又沒色的人最不怕被騙。我想起「姨媽的後現代生活」,姨媽被騙了所有金錢後,回到東北生活,感覺上隨即老了幾十年。朋友告訴我,其實姨媽可能不覺得可憐,她賠上了金錢,卻買回了戀愛的感覺,什麼都沒有了的時候,回到老家再過平淡的家庭生活,可能比起寂寞地在上海生活終老還好。

到我老了,可能會包個小白臉,他騙我財,我騙他色,呵呵呵~!

tea lady

Monday, April 9th, 2007

P1060101 I am a coffee person and need coffee everyday.  During the Easter holiday, I visited Ngon Ping and Lamma Island - guess what, all I have bought was tea. (Yes, a shopaholic bought ONLY tea!!) 

There is a Wing Wah in Ngon Ping.  I found that the tea packaging was so attractive and hence I bought a few.

In Lamma, there is an organic farm called "Herbaland" near Hung Shing Yeh Beach and all the tea leaves were from that farm.

These are what I bought:

Ginseng Tea - For my mother

Wild Hawthorn Fruit Drink (with New Zealand honey) - I think it is good when I have eaten too much.

St. John’s Wort - To heal depression and skin irritation.  My friend recommended it because it is good for my skin problems (recently I have developed shingles on my neck).

Chamomile - Against sore stomach, skin irritation and can be used as gentle sleep aid (so I guess it means relaxing purpose).

Bergamot - Good for appetite, and against anxiety, and cold sores.

Lemon Grass - Except for making Tom Yum Soup, I think it can fight against fatigues and strengthen the immune system.

I am now in a Jurlique store…

話劇

Saturday, April 7th, 2007

身邊的朋友最近都變得「文化」起來,繼之前「三角關係」的一系列演出外,今天朋友就介紹了香港話劇團這套「藝術」。

故事是由一幅現代油畫,引發三個本來情同手足的男人的連串爭議。簡單點說就是男人的鬧交戲。內容其實幾幽默,笑位不絕,亦很有深層意義。朋友雖貴乎坦白,但坦白的同時也要照顧別人的感受。有些說話,開了口就收不回。

三個男人三種不同的性格,這時候,最討好的角色反而是一個怕事沒有立場的小男人(也就是最好笑的角色囉)。現實生活中,男性朋友之間論小器情度不比女性弱 (no offence),往往就是因為性格太強,太有立場而接受不到其他意見,誤解就因此而產生。

差點忘記了自己讀書時代曾是話劇迷,這樣感覺已經遺忘了好久。

關於「藝術」:http://www.hkrep.com/tc_chi/season/2006-season5-1.html