The Weekend That Was - Road Trip + Dinner with Our Favourite People
By Melissa - Monday, June 30, 2014
Monday (June 23rd, 2014)
A lazy person's comfort food: Grilled sausages marinated with chili and honey, wilted spinach and mash (topped with sauteed white button mushrooms).
Tuesday (June 24th, 2014)
The haze is back with a mounting vengeance, and my body didn't take it too well. I went to the doctor's, returned home a little while after, popped in my meds and slid under the covers to recuperate.
The best sort of fuel that my body needed for the day was a bowl of hot soup, some greens and a little rice.
Friday (June 27th, 2014)
Finally felt well enough to tinkle up my pots and pans, and cooked a little.
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| Roasted chicken breast with honey and soy, wilted spinach + mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. |
After six years of high moments and low tidings, Chatty Lass finally hits her 1000th post.
And.. Like it should be with milestones in life, they are to be lauded from the mountain tops with reckless abandon of all else.
I'm not a keen fan of exalting my accomplishments, but I am pretty big on sharing. With this 1000th post, I am going to do just that.
I can't remember the last time I made a mistake which was so enormous. I can't, for the life in me, summon into mind the last time something costed me this much.
It has been plaguing my entire being (body, mind and soul) for the past six months and I still live in the haunting shadows of the repercussions of my choice.
There is not a day that goes by where I don't remember all the times I got it wrong. But, never this wrong… never THIS off the mark.
I want reminisce about the good times and recall the bad.
I want to appreciate the lessons learned and the truths discovered.
I want to be a stronger person to hold on to the bridges built and be even more courageous to let go of the bridges burnt.
I'm waiting for the day that I can just wake up and put all of this behind me.
I yearn for the morning where I can wake up and the tightness on my chest can finally be gone, which can assuredly mean that my heart has been mended and healed.
But for now, I just wish that… forgiving myself and forgetting everything was as easy and effortless as clearing out my wardrobe.
The Weekend That Was - Emceeing, Fine Dining at MM + Belated Birthday Gift
By Melissa - Monday, June 23, 2014
Friday (June 20th, 2014)
AM: Emceed for a work event.
PM: Message prep for Youth Impact the following day.
Saturday (June 21st, 2014)
AM: Sloth-ed my way out of bed to doll up for my bestie's (belated - because of our conflicting schedules) birthday lunch date.
Noon: Arrived at our slated venue, Macalister Mansion.
The place is a charming blend of austere decor and modern-day pieces in a classic white mansion. The food was sumptuous and the service was impeccable.
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| The Living Room at Macalister Mansion. |
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| Our little nook. |
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| Stylish courtyard. |
What we had:
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| Served with warm sourdough crostini and truffle cream. |
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| With rosemary, polenta, mashed potatoes and onion reduction. |
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| Guinness Stout battered halibut, creamy mashed potatoes and homemade tartare sauce. |
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| Assorted mini cakes, served with lemon butter ice-cream. |
PM: Preached at Youth Impact's service, and the day drew to a close on a sweet note.
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| Belated birthday gift from my best favorite. Thank you for indulging me. *teary-eyed* |
Sunday (June 22nd, 2014)
AM: Church.
PM: One-on-one dinner (a.k.a babysitting duty) and quality time with The Little Sister, while the parentals were attending a wedding dinner.
Breakfast Bowl + Lunch Plate - Mangoes & Stuffed Portobello
By Melissa - Thursday, June 19, 2014
Cubed honey mangoes, raw almonds and muesli on Greek yoghurt.
Lunch:
Portobello mushroom stuffed with creamy spinach filling.
A poached egg and leftover spicy potatoes were splendid accompaniments to the portobello.
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This week has been wonderfully tiring - Being on the grind at work, answering ministry calls and attending social appointments, plus trying to stay on top of it all with a cool head, warm heart and healthy body.
More about this week soon, when I catch a breath...
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Poached egg on a bed of wilted spinach with walnuts and grilled portobello mushrooms. Served with spicy potatoes.
I've been on the Clean Eating bandwagon for a little while now, usually for breakfast, my first meal of the day.
Lately, the food at CM took a significant turn - for the worst, that is - and I decided that instead of lamenting over this situation, it's an opportunity for me to work on my cooking chops and take Clean Eating up a notch.
This was today's home-cooked lunch:
Lately, the food at CM took a significant turn - for the worst, that is - and I decided that instead of lamenting over this situation, it's an opportunity for me to work on my cooking chops and take Clean Eating up a notch.
This was today's home-cooked lunch:
Cheese omelette with grilled portobello mushrooms and sauteed spinach with almonds as sides.
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Saturday (June 14th, 2014)
AM: My family (both uncles included) went on a durian feast for brunch yesterday. Everyone was enthusiastically anticipating the eating trip, except my sister and I (She doesn't partake of durians because she can't stand the fruit's strong smell, whereas I was trying to keep watch of my waistline).
Nevertheless, I adore spending time with my family, so I was pretty keen on keeping my family company.
The sight that greeted us when we arrived:
Thankfully for me, those *points above* weren't the only things that I saw upon our arrival at the venue.
The owner of the place had several puppies (!!!), and they were scurrying around the compound; tails wagging and looking immensely adorable. I got to pat them, give them belly rubs and received lots of licks in return.
PM: Shared at Youth Impact, followed by worship practice for Sunday.
Sunday (June 15th, 2014)
AM: Led worship for church.
There's a new season coming my way, greater days ahead with more responsibilities entrusted into my care, ministerially-wise. And... Truthfully, in as much as I am excited to be onboard with this, Uncertainty lurks around the corner.
As I was leading worship, His presence descended and blanketed all my fears. His Word whispered into my Spirit was simply, "I will go."
My memory was reeled to Isaiah 6, particularly verse 8 - Then I heard The Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this place? Who will go for us?" Prophet Isaiah's response was beautiful - Here I am. Send me.
His inspired Word made sense to me now. I just need to remember one thing:
"I will go".
Noon: Father's Day lunch with my family and two of our favourite people.
PM: Dinner with my family.
Courtesy of CM, thanks to the thoughtfulness of my boss, who decided that shouldering Seanna (my 15-inch MacBook Pro) daily was a little too much for me.
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Meet Aelwen (pronounced as "ALE-wen"), my 13-inch MacBook Air.
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One more sleep to the weekend. Happy Thursday, dearest readers!
BUT... I had nothing to do with it this time around.
Unlike that other time.
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I was in the midst of writing when my colleague peered over our cubicle divider and tattled of a fire happening outside, not far from where CM is located. And... Being the royally inquisitive person that I am, I sprinted outside and saw this...
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| 3:55pm. |
Uh-oh... *gulps*
"Perhaps the less we have, the more we are required to brag."
John Steinback (East of Eden)
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What is the humble brag, I hear you ask? (That's a rhetorical question. This post cannot go on without the next part, so you're just gonna have to bear with me.)
The humble brag is when someone shows off something while simultaneously attempt to conceal it by throwing in terms of self inadequacy. Example: "Oh my... I can't believe that a lowly journalist as myself has been commissioned to write the story of the century."
The humble brag is when someone shows off something while simultaneously attempt to conceal it by throwing in terms of self inadequacy. Example: "Oh my... I can't believe that a lowly journalist as myself has been commissioned to write the story of the century."
If you'd like to brag, then for the love of everything good and true.. go all out and be like Kanye about it. Quit hiding behind faux humility and mock modesty. The trend to mask it by adding self-deprecating lines isn't fooling anyone.
I think that the classic proverb, "One who lacks substance boasts the loudest" stands true, regardless of the era or generation.
I'm not writing about this from an unknown position, I'm speaking this with full confidence that is backed by years of experience. That isn't showing off, that is a fact.
Through the years, I've taken on projects which have required hours upon hours of planning, costed me sleepless nights and had been given the supreme pleasure of working with chauvinistic men (boys would be a better term), only to look from afar when they receive truckloads of thanks for the work they did not do.
Yet with all that happening, I see no purpose in writing about it on social media for validation.
I think that the classic proverb, "One who lacks substance boasts the loudest" stands true, regardless of the era or generation.
I'm not writing about this from an unknown position, I'm speaking this with full confidence that is backed by years of experience. That isn't showing off, that is a fact.
Through the years, I've taken on projects which have required hours upon hours of planning, costed me sleepless nights and had been given the supreme pleasure of working with chauvinistic men (boys would be a better term), only to look from afar when they receive truckloads of thanks for the work they did not do.
Yet with all that happening, I see no purpose in writing about it on social media for validation.
I am aware that the pervasiveness of social media is partly to blame for this. We're all prone to this, thanks to the ability to instantly publish status updates and upload pictures with our mobile devices. However, the humble brag takes an insane amount of pride in sharing their achievements with as many people as possible through this outlet, often in lieu of having anything worth listening to say.
Word to the wise: Nobody likes a show-off. (Phony humble ones included.)
My dearest Annie,
God was truly kind to me when He put you in my life. I scored, BIG time.
Through the good and the bad, be it in celebration or tears, with joy and even sorrow... We've faced it together, and I know with all my heart that you will always be there for me; whatever the time, wherever the place and however the situation.
Thank you, Babypork. For just being you. Happy Birthday!
Love you so,
Mellie Honeypork.
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Your invitation (to your own birthday celebration), as requested:
Created entirely with Aurelia Bea. Annie loved this invite. In her own words: "Thank you for the effort. I'm touched, you know what I like. My invitation is nicer than yours. Hahaha."
The Weekend That Was - Friday Night-In, Smoky Sunday + Extra Day Off
By Melissa - Monday, June 09, 2014
Friday (June 6th, 2014)
AM: Work.
PM: Stayed home for the night, as we had a guest over for dinner.
Saturday (June 7th, 2014)
AM: Lingered a little longer than I should in bed, torn between two lovers: Brunch or Sleeping In... In the end, Food won. My bed is not too pleased with that decision, needless to say.
PM: Attended my cousin's wedding dinner. Couldn't help but notice that her hairstyle bore a striking resemblance to Elsa's, from Disney's Frozen.
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| My outfit for the night - LBD and peep-toe stilettos. |
Sunday (June 8th, 2014)
AM: Church.
I was there by 9:15am for worship practice and one of the switches at the third floor went up in flames. Thankfully, the fire was extinguished immediately and no one was hurt.
PM: Lunch-cum-youth-committee-meeting, followed by X-Men: Days of Future Past and Jap (for dinner) with my two favourites.
I was swooning over Hugh Jackman's toned arms and slithery veins for almost the entire movie. His handsome face and mega hot physique aside, I think that this is the best of all the X-Men installments. The stunts were dazzling, the script was clever and the effects were spectacular AND hilarious.
Monday (June 9th, 2014)
AM: Woke up; relishing the lovely fact that my alarm didn't need to go off at 6:45am today because Work doesn't start until tomorrow.
Noon: The beauty of getting the day off (replacement holiday) is found in the littlest things... such as, being able to cook your own lunch.
[Source]
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ALERT (yawn): Kimye weds
Two jackasses got married in Italy Saturday.
Sex-tape star Kim Kardashian, 33, wed egotist Kanye West, 36, in a wedding opulent enough for Florence’s Medici dynasty and tacky enough for reality TV.
They were betrothed at Florence’s 16th-century Fort di Belvedere castle. Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner walked Kim down the aisle.
The republic still stands.
There's some blueberry yoghurt underneath the mix of sliced bananas, raw almonds and muesli.
I've been following one of the hottest TV series right now, Scandal since last year, and I'm completely enamoured with the cast and writing of the show (Another ingenious hit from Shonda Rhimes).
And since there's a whole summer to get through before Scandal returns with Season 4, I've been re-watching Seasons 1 till 3; still completely smitten by it.
If I may, one of my favourite scenes from the series...
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Olivia: Because it’s so untrue?
Fitz: You’re playing the race card on the fact that I’m in love with you? Come on! Don’t belittle us. It’s insulting and beneath you, and designed to drive me away. I’m not going away.
Olivia: I don’t have to drive you away! You’re married, you have children. You’re the leader of the Free World. You are away. By definition, you’re away. You’re unavailable.
Fitz: So this is about Mellie?
Olivia: No, no! This is… I smile at her and I take off my clothes for you. I wait for you. I watch for you. My whole life is you. I can’t breathe because I’m waiting for you. You own me, you control me, I belong to you!
Fitz: You own me! You control me. I belong to you. You think I don’t want to be a better man? You think that I don’t want to dedicate myself to my marriage? You don’t think I want to be honorable, to be the man that you voted for?
I love you. I’m in love with you. You’re the love of my life. My every feeling is controlled by the look on your face. I can’t breathe without you. I can’t sleep without you. I wait for you, I watch for you. I exist for you. If I could escape all of this and run away with you?
There’s no Sally and Thomas here. You’re nobody’s victim, Liv. I belong to you. We’re in this together.
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Oh, Fitz... How you made my insides melt...
Modernity is incredible. Being able to purchase items from the other side of the world and have them delivered right to my doorstep is one of the little luxuries in life which makes me weirdly happy.
But, online clothes shopping and I have never really kicked off. Thus far, I've only bought ONE piece of dress from an online boutique and I spent days fretting over 101 details.
A week later, the dress arrived - The fit wasn't great, the quality of the dress was pretty lousy and I wore it for a grand total of ONE time (I can't even wear the said dress now. It's too huge for me. I'd have to send it for a major alteration overhaul if I want to wear it again).
The only consolation to my first (and probably last) online clothes purchase was that it looked as it should - the hues on my dress matched what was displayed on the website.
However, not everyone is as fortunate (or as finicky) as me. Take this girl for example...
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Saw this on Twitter and I was involuntarily sent into a laughing fit.
Pics from our BBQ Party last Friday (May 30th, 2014)...
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Homemade chicken burger patties. My first attempt at making 'em, and I'm proud to report that my guests were delighted with them.
Open-faced burger, topped with sautéed white button mushrooms.
With mashed potatoes as one of the sides.
Fluffy loveliness - Crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside.
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I love hosting intimate dinner parties, where the guests are able to mingle and converse with ease. No awkwardness or any form of pretence, conversations flowing all through the night and heaps of laughter filling the air.
As I sat across from my guests; watching them regale stories, grin and laugh, I'm ever so grateful for true friendships. Can't imagine doing life without them.
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"True friendship multiplies the good in life and divide its evils."
Baltasar Gracian
