TRIP TO LONDON- DAY 10 PART 1

24/7/2014

This was our last day in London.  So both me and Sarah made our way to the last destination of our itinerary in the UK.   Today was also Diana's medical check up  and both my sisters decided to go with her  as she had problems communicating with the doctor. Besides both of them had already visited the lavender fields in Australia.

This is the best time to see the lavender fields..... 

This is an organic lavender farm without use of chemicals and pesticides.  This family-run farm  is started by Brendan and wife Lorna.  This 25 acre farm is the exact site where lavender were grown during the 18th and 19th century.

As we near the destination, we can smell the heavenly fragrance of the lavender.

it was rather scary to walk along the paths as there are bees buzzing around!

cannot find the words to describe .....

The little shoppe with all things lavender!

bunches of fresh lavender, dried lavender in sachets, tea,, diffuser, essential oils, lotions etc

cold refreshing and thirst quenching lavender lemonade!

back to civilisation......another Globe? 

long queue ..... 

to go inside the museum, so we went into the shop..

crammed inside as well.. just browsing through the memorabilia for sale

Sherlock Homes lived here? But isn't he  a fictitious character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  

Some said it was based on a real man Dr Joseph Bell, a renown forensic scientist whom he studied under while some claimed that a real-life investigator Jerome Caminada was the real inspiration. 

Opposite the road is Beatles store... 

we crossed over and browsed inside..

all things beatlemania..... yes just got myself a bookmark of this picture

After a brief lunch break at Pret-A-Manger, we crossed over to ...

The British Library 

Statue of Isaac Newton by Eduardo Paolozzi...

- immediately thought of another sculpture .. The Thinker by Rodin in Paris. 

Nothing to do with the  latest app the Last Word  where you leave your messages before you meet your Maker (the Sunday Star 28/9/2014 page 24), but it is name of the Caferia outside the library

The King's Library  Tower 

This 6-storey tall glass tower is in the heart of library.  It housed the vast collection of books around 65,000 volumes on all subjects including books on Jews, Muslim Catholics and Protestants by King George III during the period of The Age of Enlightenment (15th to 19th Century), a time of great collectors, explorers and discoveries, including a copy of the Gutenberg Bible. The tower is built with UV filtered glass and together with a environment system which helps to maintain the appropriate light, temperature and humidity level to ensure the volumes in a good condition.     

"Sitting on History"

No, this is not one of the Books About Town bench. This bronze statue by Bill Woodrow, a British sculptor in 1995. The ball and chain refers to the book as the captor of information from which we cannot escape. He also designed the statue for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square.. "Regardless of History" (Spring 2000 to Summer 2001). very interesting sculpture...   

What are those spires overlooking the library?

WEEKEND BAKING #3

11/10/2014
Saturday

NUTELLA FLOWER BREAD

I had bought back 2 tubs of chocolate spread from Paris and still trying to use them up.  So when I saw the picture on Lilybest blogspot, I immediately bookmarked the recipe.  She refer the twisting and shaping of this bread to a Steve's Kitchen. After watching the video twice, before I attempted to make this bread last weekend.

This is sweet bread dough.

After 1st proof,  divide into 4 pieces (it was approx 205 gm each).

Roll out the 1st piece of dough to around 10" circle.  Gently lift the dough onto parchment paper on baking tray.  Place a 10" plate on dough and gently press to make a depression.

Spread a thin layer of the nutella around the inside of the circle  (This was too thick, as the nutella squeeze out later). Put aside. 

Roll out the 2nd piece of dough to the same width. Gently lift the dough and place it over the 1st layer. 

Again use the plate to help make a visible circle and spread the nutella around the circle.

Do the same for the 3rd layer.  Top with the 4th layer (no need to spread any nutella on top).

Place plate on top of stack and use a sharp knife to cut around the plate and remove the excess dough.

Place a small cup in the center of the circle and using a sharp knife make cuts at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. Remove cup.

Using sharp knife, cut the quarters into eighths

 and then again into half, so you have 16 cuts altogether.

Take 2 pieces each of the cut dough and do a double twist outwards. Seal the ends tightly. 

(remember to spread only a thin layer of the nutella!)

The excess dough can be shaped and bake too.

Let proof 2nd time till double in size.  Bake at 180C for 15 -20 minutes.

October is the month for pumpkins and they are cheap at the market too.

Last week, I bought half a pumpkin and it was delectable and nourishing Dried Scallop and Pumpkin Porridge and another tasty delicious dish of Fried Pumpkin with Dried Prawns.

12/10/2014
This weekend I bought another half pumpkin for these:-

Pumpkin Mantou

Plain dough over pumpkin dough rolled together and cut 

before steaming.

 

I find that there is not much pumpkin flavour but they did remain soft the next day.    

With the remaining steamed  pumpkin, I made Pumpkin Soup since I had some chicken stock in the fridge.  Added some alphabet pasta and we had a wholesome hearty pasta soup for our lunch.

Last but not least some of the pumpkin were cooked with Rice, Char siew and Chinese waxed sausage in a one pot meal for our dinner.

Mamakaries for Deepavali 

LIFE IS A STAGE..

10/10/2014

I was meeting my nieces and sister May's friends for dinner at Pavillion on Friday.  Sarah and her husband Scott came to Malaysia for their honeymoon 10 years ago.  This time they have brought along their son, William and daughter Scarlet.   They had  a great week in Langkawi and have been down to Melaka which they loved!  Tonight was their last night in KL before flying back to Melbourne tomorrow.  We had a wonderful time together and hope to see them again soon...in Melbourne or in KL...:D.

As I had time to kill before meeting them, I went over to the newly opened  Wolo Hotel in Bukit Bintang.   

The Stage, level 1 of the hotel...

Check out the Krafest that is on till 19/10/2014  

Very unique  handicrafts

individualistic designs. 

 very pretty and cute 

functional crafts too..

wide range of handiworks ...available for sale too.

Besides this exhibition, they also have workshops