Back in Sydney Baby!!!

Dear Foodies,

How have you been?! I know I have been missing in action in 2011, but I am back in Sydney now, for the long haul this time. So far 2011 has been filled with great promises and potentials to be a good year. My best blackberry messenger friend forever who lives in London and I believe that the Chinese Rabbit will be smiling down on us this year.

Here's a recap on what I have been doing while MIA and I will work on my backlog asap too. You know about my Hong Kong trip... well I also went to Macau. Then I was back in Jakarta though I didn't really eat out that much, but I will check my camera and see if there are any home cooked meals that would be interesting to be posted. I came back to Sydney in late Jan so that I can head to Melbourne to check out the competition. Nah, just kidding, I went there in the hopes of seeing my tennis idol, Rafael Nadal on Australia Open. Unfortunately he got injured so instead I got to see Murray vs. Ferrer on the semi final. Amazing times! Melbourne, expect me to be back next year. So I will have a couple of post on Melbourne.

Then I was back in Sydney for one night and off to Perth I went for my 2 weeks backpackers roadtrip tour from Perth to Broome. Yes, it was hot and humid and the flies were madness. I survived the insect bite attacks, the sunburnt and got home with some bruises, new friends, and tons of awesome memories - will post some pictures up.

So now school is starting again, and by school I meant my master course... It's been great being back in Sydney: Monica from Love my food and sugar and Oni from i eat sweet treated me for a birthday dinner at Tomislav - one of my favorite restaurants in Sydney now! Got some baking lessons from Oni too who is determine to domesticate me somehow hahaha... She also accompanied me to my first and ever pilgrimage to Zumbo's after a year of living here! Oh and I also made it to Blackstar Pastry!

And I just got an email from my high school bestie who is now based in Melbourne with an excel spreadsheet detailing our gastronomic plan for my visit to Melbourne next week!

I hope that you share my enthusiasm for 2011! It hasn't been glass half full for me all along as well, but right now at this moment, it is what it is. Here's to 2011! (even if it's 2 months into it already)

A tribute for Rafael Nadal - the greatest tennis player ever

I know this is a food blog and I know I haven't written for a while. It's been super hectic with school lately and I wasn't having the best day either today. The best thing that I've heard today was when I checked my twitter and saw that Nadal had won the US Open 2010.

Women thinks he's hot, men's are divided between him and Federer. For me, he is the greatest tennis player ever. Not just for his sportmanship and the games, but also for his character. Sure, a friend said to me that it's all just for show, and it could very well be. I beg to differ though. You just need to see the way he comforted Federer in Melbourne 2009 who couldn't believe that Nadal won the slam title. Click here for the video. Not just this one time, each time, he always has positive things to say to his opponents, even if he lost. To have this kind of consistency, I don't think it's for the show. It's admirable. Even when he lost the French Open last year, he didn't blame anyone or made any excuses. Even if later on we all find out that other than suffering from tendonitis, his parents were in the process of divorcing. Read this - a tribute for him from the official US Open 2010 website.

To find out today that he has finally won the US Open made me very happy. I don't even know him personally, but his achievement got me all emotional. I never had idols or be a fan of someone before. Nadal, however, is an exception. I truly admire him, not for the looks though it's not bad at all, but for his character. Congrats Rafa!