Early Christmas Dinner

Just got back from a really amazing dinner, it's so nice that now that design project is over, we can just get together and talk about random things in life. There are things about my good friends that I don't even know before. e.g. Christina volunteered in Swaziland the past summer, teaching street kids about equality and women rights etc. It's so interesting.

I didn't eat any main course at all during the dinner, because I felt really sick, because of various reasons, so i just had the soup. I threw up after having the soup, but then felt perfectly fine afterwards, i almost fainted... hark, totally abnormal.  The gift exchange part was amazing. Can't believe that we are all parting in 2009, and then there's only 6 months left in 2010.... I really love my friends here, I think my university experience, in many aspects had been so amazing. 

MENU

Starters

Herring, Rye bread, egg dip

Tomato Lentil Soup

Main Course

Sushi

Moussaka (Greek National Dish)

Big Salad

Dessert

Minced Pies

Chocolate Fondue

Homemade Gingerbread

Drinks

Homemade Mulled Wine

Gifts Exchange

The 15th Crit in my life

Today, is the final crit of the only project of our year! I must report it as you have all helped me to select the project I have been working on this semester. 

 

Me being the secretary for the class as usual lol// Debs Josephine Kent and Maoshan fooling around in the back of a formal crit as usual

Brief: A Youth Centre for the Leith Community (which is kinda like a more deprived area in Edinburgh), the site consists of a listed building, that used to be a Citadel > North Leith Train Station > Pub etc. It is a real project, but has stopped as the client refused to fund it at some point this year, however, they are coming in to see our exhibition, and might take inspirations from our work lol. Part of the existing building is being refurbish at the moment, and the real architect in charge also came to our crit today! 

Proposition: I guess one big thing I learnt through doing this project is the beauty of simplicity. A great proposition don't necessary require complexity! Sometimes simple projects could be very elegant and powerful. =) 

Groupmates: Also really lucky to have great groupmates, a group consist of the really strong students in class, allow us all to maintain a certain level and strive for better. I also gave all my groupmates wonderful Chinese name! 

Shona Black 黑素娜, Ruth Acheson A烏乎, Laura Barr 巴羅拉, Laura Norton 羅羅拉, Megan Barbour 巴孖筋, Ben Watson 屈神笨, Georgi Radev 嘩阻住, Chloe Leen 年糕兒, Kitty Ho 何小貓, Doug Tullie 突吐利, Adam Neep 獵阿當, Phoebe Yu 余芷菲菲安娜, Miranda Ma 馬達 (real name), Lonling Tam 譚朗寧 (real name), Maoshan (real name)

My long distance relationship (with friends)

Just thinking about Winter, and how our BIG gossip parties couldn't happen because Matthew and Holing won't be in HK! We should organize an Anson family trip. Our multi-national relationship is difficult to maintain!!! 
  
GENKI I Want Genki sushi, my hood has cat ears!// the young us! 
  

"Matthew is weird" // That thing in the spoon was some mysterious souvenir Holing bought us! 

Mysterious Raw Chocolate

Today is Saturday, I had a wonderful morning! 

I travelled to a neighbourhood which require taking a bus. A neighbourhood with one main street, but many nice cafes and second hand bookshops. 

So i went to this place, that serves RAW food lol hahaa, I have been once and loved it, especially the raw chocolate, it's a mystery to me, the cake so smooth, more than 4 pounds a piece, a mystery!!! 
What's raw chocolate - without sugar and the cocoa has not been roasted (hence 'raw').

Edinburgh is like a pre-globalized city, you need to travel all the way to that unique cafe or bookshop, that has no branches. I was sitting in the cafe thinking about NOTHING

I also had a cup of "Total Energy" some warm smoothies! omg, u see, it's all a mystery, and that's what I like about it - Thai coconut water, wheat grass, kamut grass, barley grass, dates, Banana and kola Nut. 

Seeing dogs makes me so happy, there was one outside the fish shop! 

THE CAKE IS A MYSTERY, IT'S A MYSTERY [that's what I wrote in my sketchbook]

BBC Picture Book Series

Picture Book: Now We Are Growing Up

Series telling the enchanting story of childhood reading looks at books that help us with the growing pains of our early adolescence and teens.

Though words on the page begin to dominate, we still need strong visual imagery in books to understand darker and more complex worlds, as the magical interplay of words and pictures continues into early adulthood.

Books explored here include Treasure Island, Swallows and Amazons, Lord of the Rings, Stig of the Dump, Tracey Beaker, Northern Lights and Artemis Fowl, while there are interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators including Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Eoin Colfer, David Almond, Ralph Steadman and Dave McKean.
Broadcast on:BBC Four, 9:00pm Wednesday 19th NovemberDuration:60 minutesAvailable until: 9:59pm Wednesday 26th NovemberCategories:
Sign Zone, Factual, Arts,Culture & the Media

Now We Are Six

Series telling the enchanting story of children's books continues by looking at the time we first begin to read, and how the magical interplay of words and images continues to shape our childhood imagination.
From the age of six we want books to make sense of the middle years of our childhood as we go to school and make new friendships, a time when we love books full of fantastical worlds, a comforting place of talking animals, but also a frightening one of wild woods and giants.
The programme explores over 150 years of classic books, from Alice in Wonderland to The Wind in the Willows, from Winnie the Pooh to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and features interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators such as Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz, Quentin Blake and Raymond Briggs.

When We were very Young

Series which reveals the enchanting story of our childhood reading.
This opening part looks at our very first books and the picture-book heaven they create for under-fives, exploring the magical interplay of words and pictures and how they begin to shape our childhood imagination.
Featuring favourites from The Tale of Peter Rabbit to Charlie and Lola, from Noddy to Thomas the Tank Engine, plus modern classics such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Each Peach Pear Plum.
There are also interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators including Michael Rosen, Shirley Hughes, Alan Ahlberg and Lauren Child.

Labrador

I have an extreme love towards the lovely dogs, my lovely friends, i love them, reading about Labrador makes me smile, in front of the computer screen. If I am in love with anything, it has to be big dogs, they make me feel secure, and never make me cry. They always want to be on my side. They dun make excessive noise like babies, and give you a healthy lifestyle. They are the cutest babies in the world. Only positive feelings attached. They are beautiful. 

"Labrador Retrievers respond well to praise and positive attention, and are considerably "food and fun" oriented. These dogs are loyal and good with little children. They may be used in shows. With training, the Labrador is one of the most dependable, obedient and multi-talented breeds in the world."

"As the name suggests, they are excellent retrievers. As an extension of this, they instinctively enjoy holding objects and even hands or arms in their mouths, which they can do with great gentleness (a Labrador can carry an egg in its mouth without breaking it)."

I would give up anything to have my own pet, some day, my own own pet, my own own lover, that waits for me at home everyday, and only think about me all day long!

Fairytale Edinburgh

Written during dinner | Edinburgh is a pretty place, it's a fairytale-like city, but I'm lost, when faced with reality. I'm having a romantic one person dinner tonight. 
I sat in front of the computer this evening, after working since 9 am, I felt so bored, unprecedented boredom, I need to do something, or go somewhere, so here I am, away from home. 
I am tired of always wanting to go "somewhere" - to a cafe, for a walk, the reality is there is no where that I feel at home, at ease. 
Sometimes I yearn to be alone, but when I am on my own, I wish there could be someone to share the beautiful surroundings with me. Maybe I should learn to be contempt. 
  

The view from Elephant House//Me and Debs last year

Maybe I am not feeling bored or tired, maybe I feel lonely. But what is lonely, does "loneliness" actually exist? Words are merely signifiers. 
This place I am at is the birthplace of Harry Potter, J.K Rowling finished a large portion of her novel in this cafe. With a perfect view of the castle. It's night time. Me, candle, sketchbook, postcards, bird purse, book, Mellow Delight, it's a mismatch, it's like a kids tea time in an Austrian/Parisian cafe. paris. paris. an enchanted city. 
At one point, I lost interest in travelling alone, or just generally travelling, but I think this desire has returned.
Edinburgh Edinburgh, I grew to love this place so much this semester. 
My night ended wonderfully, with my favourite friend here - Deborah Kent, joining me for dinner spontaneously. Deborah, a co-writer of my story (she gave me the cheese cracker lines) She always wanted to write for kids too, and she is so special, always colourful. 

Classic FM tonight: "Anne-Marie presents a musical celebration of Edinburgh, featuring three of the city’s resident orchestras, the Choir of St. Mary’s Cathedral in the city, and a host of fabulous music, much of it with a strong local connection." it's reli great :)

Walk in Marchmont

Sunday evening, I strolled across the meadows, despite the winter sun, the air was chilly. I couldn't escape my bad habit - spent almost 100 pounds on shopping even though that neighbourhood only has approx 2 shops. There's a really pretty boutique, Bohemia, that sell unique designer clothes, some designed and made by students from Edinburgh College of Art.

Four in the afternoon, sky's all dark, I find myself in Starbucks once again, serenaded by Christmas music. Saw two big Saint Barnard dogs outside earlier on, their hands as big as mine, the pretty labrador on the side suddenly look so small. Click here for the pic 

Masterpiece of Animation

Hedgehog in the Fog. I first encountered this in the Ghibli Museum this summer

. By a Russian artist in 1975. Hayao Miyazaki cited this animation as one of his most favourite.  I really wanted to buy the book, but didn't end up doing so, I thought I would be able to find it everywhere else, but apparantly, that's not true. 

Please watch it, it's just so good. 

November*

This year, I am working in two properties of National Trust for Scotland - as a gallery guide in Charlotte Square, and also an environmental educator in Newhailes.
Apart from designing an activity sheet/brochure for kids, I need to help with organizing school visits in Newhailes.
Today a group of fifth grader came, they learnt about autumn, we played a few games, that introduced birds migration and mushrooms (fungi) The kids here and at this age are so eager! so different from HK kids, really interesting to observe. Playing games with Children is totally like back to SB... I am like being a FT

Below is a wonderful programme on BBC iPlayer, unfortunately, u guys outside of UK can't watch iPlayer!!!!
Picture Book: When We Were Very Young
Series which reveals the enchanting story of our childhood reading.

This opening part looks at our very first books and the picture book heaven they create for under fives, exploring the magical interplay of words and pictures and how they begin to shape our childhood imagination.

Featuring favourites from The Tale of Peter Rabbit to Charlie and Lola, from Noddy to Thomas the Tank Engine, plus modern classics such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Each Peach Pear Plum.

There are also interviews, readings and demonstrations of their art from leading writers and illustrators including Michael Rosen, Shirley Hughes, Alan Ahlberg and Lauren Child.
Broadcast on:
BBC Four, 9:00pm Wednesday 5th November
Duration: 60 minutes
Available until: 9:59pm Wednesday 26th November

London*

Just got back from Poppy, my host family's home. They showed me all about their trip in Hong Kong. She has left the city since 1984, and hasn't been back since then, this time she is back with her husband, daughter and her sister. She's got crystal clear memory of everything from back then! I guess that feeling of going back to a place that you grew up/studied must be really special, beyond words could describe. She managed to visit Cape d'Aguilar ;) with Dr. Gray leading them around the place. 

The past few days in London has been so hectic! Schedule fully packed. 

Thursday. arrived in the afternoon, tea with cynthia @ Sketch, Selfridges shopping time. 

Friday. V&A with Juliet, Lovely reunion with Chiara, and then dinner with the twins n' their bfs at Sakura!! 

Saturday. Met Steve - walked along the river to Tate Modern>St. Paul's Cathedral>The Courtauld > Covent Garden>Chinatown>JAPANESE LUNCH>Saatchi Gallery>Dinner (everything in the rain)

Sunday. left really early and arrived really late. Dinner at Poppy's

Met up with old friends and new friends. Revisited familiar spots, and explored new spaces. 

A few purposeful days, which allowed me to leave my stressful work completely aside. Bought some really interesting books. I so wish that I could take sometime off from "formal studies" and do just whatever I like lol. 

I am just SO tired now. sleepiness filled up every part of me