after 22 years of trying to figure out what I want to do in life, I'm finally seeing some light in what might possibly be the very one job that I would really enjoy - to cook. I guess in a way being in melbourne has further proved the point to me. the fabulous cuisines, fresh produce and the awesome brekkies that I always look forward to. food has always been a part of my life and it's always the main motivation to have me in the gym - so I could put the calories back on. truly ironic I know.

I just help but to visualise how my very own cafe will look like in the future. the true "Alaric" style I say. I want the people at my cafe to feel the love in my food, and I would want them leaving my cafe not thinking about the 5% gst or 10% service charge that they had to pay, but solely on my food. heading to cooking school (I have no idea where I am heading to yet) after graduation will further allow me to develop skills and techniques in cooking, allowing me to get closer to my dream I would say. But most importantly I would want to understand the different kinds of flavours and to come up with my own menu, nothing too pretentious with all "special" ingredients that you find so hard to pronounce. But truly good, sincere and tasty dishes that will make one come back for more.

well for now everything's kinda like a dream to me. I have absolutely no idea whether or not that will happen anytime soon in the near future. but what I know is that food, cooking and eating will always be like a major part of my life, even if that means I have to be FAT (I'm kidding).

just when I thought that I would never be caught up in any reality TV ever again, I now find myself deeply stuck to one particular show - THE UK X FACTOR.

gosh I must say that Simon Cowell has done a really good job with the show. It's heaps better than any other talent show (the IDOL franchise in particular) and man, those people on the show can really sing! I never knew that LEONA LEWIS won the show in 2006! Plus last year's winner, ALEXANDRA BURKE is totally awesome with her new single - BAD BOYS.

the good thing about this show is that the contestants don't get to choose their own songs. they are split into 4 different categories (boys, girls, over 25s and groups) and they are mentored by the 4 judges of the show (cheryl cole, danni minogue, simon cowell and louie walsh). so their individual mentor will be responsible for choosing the song that the contestants are going to take on for the week. what's better is that the performances are actually INTERESTING. with choreography by brian friedman, that explains why now I look forward to every weekend!

I have attached some clips to this post and I hope you guys understand why I haven't been motivated to start on the books.. ha ha.

it's finally spring break = mid-sem break for the next 2 weeks but it seems like there's much to be done over the holidays. 3000 words marketing report and a macroeconomics assignment due when school reopens. SIGH.

gonna jet off to Sydney tmr with G and C - it's like 4th time there so far and well the only thing that keeps me going to Sydney is the food! (thai and dim sum) I really can't wait to get my dim sum fix the next few days..

apologies much for not updating. school's been a bitch. it's weird cos it didn't felt that stressful the last semester and everything's been really moving really fast! well here goes some updates of what have been happening in my life here in melbourne...

- i moved!!! so now i'm staying in the northern suburbs of melbourne, which is still CLOSE to school with carol (who returned from her year long exchange in edinburgh) and grace.. pictures of our place up later in the post!

- went for beyonce's concert and she was totally awesome and she rocked our socks off!

- in the midst of applying for a year long exchange to NEW YORK UNIVERSITY and i really do hope i get it! think up east side! totally awesome!


i can't actually think of what else to write besides me cafe hopping, shopping and eating a lot in melbourne - which probably isn't a very good sign. but anyhow, i'm taking japanese as my elective this semester and i think i'm done with the language after one year of study! i don't find much interest in the language as much as i would want to take up korean (which is not offered in melbourne uni).. so the plan next year is to take arhitecture subjects!!! which i'm totally excited about... not in a way where i'm an aspiring architect, but more of the anatomy and what goes behind the architecture of a building or a structure i guess? =)

summer's coming really soon and that means finishing exams and heading back to sg.. i'm excited to see my love ones and at the same time getting a lil frustrated trying to get an internship. argh. help anyone?

it feels good to be back home.. and the past 3 weeks have been really awesome. part of me is dreading to go back to melbourne but yet another part is looking forward to the new semester. 2 more weeks in sunny, scorching humid sg and as much as i've always had a love hate relationship with the local weather, the feeling of being around my family and friends makes up for them all.

and so i've been feeding (stuffing) myself with local delicacies amidst meeting up with some friends that are close to my heart. studying and living in melbourne makes you realise how important these people mean to me in my life and it makes you wanna cherish and treasure all the time that i have with them. =)

this trip back to sg has been full of surprises so far. take my trip up genting for example. we only booked our tickets 2 days before departure! plus stef sun's concert of course! which i only knew i had a ticket and was going to her concert on the day itself!

like i told most of my friends, melbourne's like a place where i get to detox, away from the hustle and bustle in sg, the circle, the bitching and everything. which is why going back to melbourne have always been comforting, in a way..

pictures coming up in my next post! =)

a.l.a.r.i.c.s.n.g.j.i.a.n.w.e.n

. 3rd April 1987 . loves the sun . dragonboating . canoeing . wakeboarding . snapping pictures . eating . wants to travel the world . sucker for horror flicks . loves melodramatic korean dramas . constantly looking for challenges in life . high expectations for myself . love my friends deep deep . a silly romantic . =)