First Escape Room

Thanks for coming guys! Birthdays are really just an excuse for catchups. Can finally say I've done an escape room. Yes we just escaped! So lucky to have smart friends since all I did was really wing it lol. It was more frustrating than fun tbh, mainly cause it just started all dark and really just had to feel everything. I found something and it said this escape room was the middle level of difficulty compared to the other ones there at King Street Wharf. So many props/bits and pieces inside which were useless in the end...I'm pretty sure all our hands were covered in dust trying to feel around the whole room in the dark whilst utilising the tiny iPad light. It was so dark we couldn't even scan the QR codes to get a clue. Thank goodness they picked up the phone at reception so we called for help...Safe to say I cannot do mental arithmetics and the music didn't help lol. It was still great fun spending on Monday night and just seeing more than half the group (: The one at the Rocks sound really fun.

Matcha Ramen w/ bulgogi beef-$17

Decided to go here since Dandelion said she drank all the soup here. Normally I don't drink the soup since it's way too salty, except for the Michelin ramen restaurant in Tokyo which used truffle in the broth. It's a really interesting concept using matcha in soya milk, and creating a vegetarian broth (since almost all good ramen use meat in the broth). I liked the vegetarian better since you could taste the flavour of the broth more, whereas the marinated beef flavour over powered the broth. Would have liked more matcha in it since it was super subtle. The noodles were alright, but some were in chunks. 

Ed it's been a while: lemon, coffee and olive oil mousse cake finished w/ a coffee glaze and yellow chocolate pieces

inside

Thanks Dandelion for organising! Wasn't expecting a cake haha. Loved the flavours of this one since it's not too sweet. Coffee could've been more bitter, and olive oil flavour a bit stronger, but loved the acidity in the base.

Also, found out tonight that when you're taking photos on iPhone, you can hold on the brightness and adjust it up and down. Learn something new every day.

'Prime' of your life

city views 

Bday brunch at Social Brew Cafe where I broke my longest streak of no brunch (review coming up later...) 

Went to the smooth chocolate festival afterwards (running on 3 hour sleep) but not for the chocolate. 

Black star pastry strawberry watermelon cake in soft serve form-$7

It's better than N2 gelato, but obviously still not as good as the actual cake. Flavour weren't as strong and the texture was more sorbet like, but it was still fragrant and delicious.

So many people though and it was actually quite big. A lot of the stores had multiple stalls, and most of them were very decadent. A lot of donut stores as well. I couldn't even be bothered trying to find the chocolate sculpture.

Bro ended up buying the Angel cake from Uncle Testu and Mum bought a cake from Zest our local cake shop

I was too ceebs organising a cake this year, and somehow ended with 2...The Angel cake was quite light and fluffy, probably more cheesy than their cheesecake. The other one I think I've had before. Didn't even bother with candles since I was too tired.

I said before but I don't like turning prime numbers. I was talking to someone and they were like 'you should enjoy the prime time of your life.' Yeah, not when all you need to focus on is passing and then graduating tbh. City 2 surf was on today, and maybe that's something I should aim to try and do next year, before I get way too old and unfit...

Slept before 9, so one of the most uneventful eventful days ever. A sign of getting old....

EyeBall 2017

The theme was Fire and Ice and held at Hyatt Regency this year (would've been cooler if they called it Ice and Fire to go with GoT). I was actually quite excited to use the geo filter on Snapchat and there was a candy bar this year as well. The photo booths line were a lot longer, probably because the photos printed inside the machine. It was a really fun night!

yes, first thing I did was raided the candy bar

There were less people this year...

table

menu

Food was generally pretty good. Everything was piping hot, which is hard to do for such large masses. The plates were all heated as well, so hot to touch. They also had more waiters at this venue. I didn't bother getting any drinks on arrival.

entree: chicken

prawns

main: beef + loved the smell of the truffle oil in the mash

yes for medium rare

salmon also had really good flavours

wine which tasted like water. the white wine was quite bublly/sparkling as well, but not quite sparkling wine

dessert: one of the saltiest ice creams I've ever had

cheesecake-I already halved it with my friend, but still couldn't finish my half since it was so dense

chocolate

Darling Harbour views

Music was good (since I only listen to mainstream music lol). May have had a bit too much to drink...but luckily no hangover. I know my limit is 4 good glasses of wine, but 4 here I didn't feel any effects. The unofficial afterparty was at Cargo Bar, and it was sponsored, so of course why not make the most of it with more free drinks? I remembered the whole night, except probs the last 15minutes...So maybe just a bit tipsy... I can do wines but not shots. Apparently they don't serve shots after 12am? Who knew, I never go to these things because 1. Alcohol is expensive 2. Just too unhealthy.

Discovered how awesome Uber is, and it's quite cheap when you share with friends. So glad we rented an apartment for the night. Think we ended up going home around 2am...Wished I had morning city views every morning...Although you could hear the light rail once you're awake. Also broke my longest streak record of 2.5 months of no brunch in Sydney the next morning.

Probably have noticed haven't posted much food posts in a while. Mainly because I'm trying to refrain myself from eating so much food in Sydney, after having eaten at so, so, so many amazing places already this year, I feel like I have reached my quota for the year.

One thing I've found recently is that I hate when people ask me 'how's uni?' It's more of a love-hate relationship. Love the holidays and occasional days off, and love to learn, but I can still go on about how rigged the whole system is and what a money making institution it is. It's taken a good solid 9 months to not feel... depressed when telling people. Like my whole career would be seeing patients, but a year without any practice is what really irks me.

Then it leads me to other thoughts like I feel so behind in life sometimes. Like people already into their full time jobs for a year or two, then people I've known since I was a kid getting married/engaged, and here I'm still studying. Times like these I think why is my degree so secluded and wish I was more social, and why is it 5+years...  I'm sort of over the whole 2 hours one way trek to uni, but #hillslyf, and no money to move closer. My heart sort of breaks when using an adult opal card...Which is sort of another reason why I haven't been willing to spend as much even on food back in Sydney this second half of the year. I also am amazed at those few optoms who have graduated and worked, but then study more to become a doctor. You would graduate when you're almost 30, and that's not including all the internships etc...I still enjoy studying because I know when I'm working I would look back and miss studying...I guess that's why people do post grads...but I sort of feel I'm not really the research type.

Thought I got a free Boost yday, turns out it activates today. Thought I had my Opal card in it's usual slot, turns out it was my Boost card and had to head back home and then chase the bus. First time leaving my Opal card behind.

For once I have a packed weekend ahead. Here's to minimal sleep, maximal play. Ceebs with cake (another first). I have probably said this before that I don't like prime numbers. Getting old 😔 Forever thankful for the G8s even though hardly see anyone often enough for the advice, stories and just random chats.

Today was a good day. It feels rare to have really good days (or days filled with freebies) nowadays.

Last week was free Mac, this week free Mecca. They had a claw machine, and on the third turn I ended up getting 2 in one go. Mum got one on her first try.

     

Lip shimmer

They were all the same, I think they only had this left since I saw everyone get the same thing inside. It's so glittery though....

some boat show with boats over $100 000

Didn't end up going down, but it seemed quite cool seeing people just chilling on the boats and taking photos.

Then lunch at Lumi Dining. Blog post coming soon...It was really nice to go to that part of the city, which is away from everything else. Weather was so lovely.

Then went to pick up my valuations, and they did end up giving me a free leather pouch. It's so soft, and retails for $125 (side note, I did spend 4 figures there...). 

Also bought a leather jacket from $600 down  to $90. I'm not sure what sort of leather exactly, since it was an off/irregular jacket and marked to clear. It was from a shop which sold Prada etc, and they said the jacket was made in Italy and calf leather. It's missing a few tags on the jacket hence why the price is so low...It feels real which I guess that's what matters most. I still have yet to find the perfect leather jacket. Even places like Top Shop have synthetic leather and cost a few hundred dollars. I would rather spend over $500 for a perfect fitting/feeling quality jacket. I've actually been searching for a few years now but still can't find something which ticks all the boxes. At least this one is quite cheap (I think they probs over priced the rrp), so won't have to worry as much if it gets wet and don't have to take care of it all the time.

And GoT was leaked, you'd think technology these days would prevent leaks from happening...Fav episode in the season and one of the top favs in the whole show! So good!

Those feels when you can actually go out and get free things at uni and go on the rides....It was our uni's 68th bday (ironically missed out on cake and free gelato), but it was kind cute how they had carnival themed stuff like ducks in a pond, and those head turning clowns. It's also been a while getting free food at uni.

finally went on one of these bungee trampolining things

These are normally so expensive when you go to a tourist destination/carnival/fair. It was quite fun somersaulting around, but quite tiring.

giant slide

It's not super big, but it's been ages since I've been on one.

so cute, only in Jap

Basically you mix powder with water to make this. Only need to microwave the taiyaki. It's actually a bit messy since you use the same tray to mix the stuff, so have to rinse/wipe the dough before mixing chocolate, then wipe that before doing the taiyaki. It's so cute though. Tastes alright for just sugar, powder and water.

12 Micron Take 2

64 degree egg, cauliflower, grains-$19

inside

Yep it's not cheap for some grains and an egg, but it was sure delicious. The soft creaminess of the yolk missed with the crunchy grains and cauliflower was so good, and this dish wasn't overly seasoned either. It was quite fragrant as well, so I would recommend trying this.

Slow Wines Sauvingnon Blanc

free wine!

I normally don't repeat places I eat unless there's a reason, and this time going back to 12 Micron with free wine was #winning. I never order wine out (poor uni student), or I tag along if someone does order wine for dinner...

Pork jowl, black pudding, riberries, onion puree-$25

I think first time having pork jowl with black pudding. It was so soft and tender and the sauces with the onion puree perfectly matched the flavour of the pork. I was expecting the pork to be quite heavily seasoned, and luckily it wasn't since the flavours from the other elements complemented the pork. I didn't get any main dishes because 1. didn't want to spend so much on not super fine dining 2. they didn't sound as interesting as the entrees.

3 course tasting dessert menu: $49 (used to be 40). 7 courses was $85, just 2 months ago, now $95. We were pretty sure when we both looked online it didn't go up a few days before. Maybe because it's Vivid..? I'm not sure if the savouries went up in price, but each dessert course looked a bit smaller. It looks like they actually read what I wrote in my previous blog posts (since I was one of the first to review it on Zomato), but then they did the exact opposite! I said I was super full after the dessert, so it looks like serving sizes decreased. They did keep my favs like Gin and Tonic (apparently Tracy said there wasn't that much gin and tonic flavour). They also did replace the weird tasting desserts in the 7 course  menu but still kept the cheesecake ones, just changed flavours. Ps. I wasn't listening properly to each individual components of the dessert dishes since I only had the savouries.

 Gin & Tonic

Four Pillars Gin | Lime | Lemon | Cucumber | Juniper

 Cherry Blossom

Cheessecake | Miso | Chocolate

 Chocolate

Mandarine | Salted Caramel