Lunar New Year Celebrations in Sydney

More than 50 events to celebrate the lunar new year over three weeks are happening in Sydney alone. A highly publicised event is the twilight celebrations in the city feature the largest display and procession in the world outside Asia. Participating performers and floats hail from Henan, China. If you are not bothered by the crowds, take a train to Sydney CBD for a glimpse and take in the festive atmosphere.

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/CNY/

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cny/YourFestival/YourFestival.aspx#vid

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/CNY/Events/HenanSydney.aspx

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cny/images/Events/Henan1.jpg

Indonesian restaurants in Randwick

Many good Indonesian restaurants inspired by Javanese or Balinese heritage could be found in Randwick.

Grilled Chicken with mixed spices marinade (ayam kalasan)

All time favourite Rendang

Cumi-cumi (squid / calamari rings with spicy sauce and chilli dip)

Unlike Cabramatta which is identifiable as an Indochinese enclave, the busy and yet relaxed suburb of Randwick has a diversity of Australian cultures. The easy access to commercial establishments, parks and the beaches has made this a popular destination for foodies living in New South Wales.

Escape from the heat - up the mountain or down to the beach

We're at the peak of hot and enervating summer. Folks who want to escape the heat could choose to go up to the mountains or down to the beaches.

Even in a financial crisis, a good pick can pay dividends

So there are good reasons to expect the dividend carnage to be less bloody than falling company profits may suggest. It comes down to whether individual companies have the financial strength to keep up the dividend flow. Old-fashioned financial ratios such as debt-to-equity and the dividend-payout ratio and dividend cover are not perfect but present a good starting point.
- quoted from SMH business

Doctors want independent review of cancer treatment drugs

Overdose of cancer treatment drugs may be harmful to the health and recovery of patients. Treatment should ideally be calibrated to suit individuals instead of being treated as part of the production line and general statistics.

Some Australian oncologists are calling for independent review of cancer treatment to ensure toxic, expensive and ineffective drugs are not being overused at the expense of patients and taxpayers.

- Fairfax newspapers

Japanese sushi train @ Chatswood

You can't miss it. The long queues are visible from a distance whichever end of Victoria Avenue you might be travelling from.

This sushi train place is packed throughout the day from the moment it was opened two years ago. To satisfy our curiosity, we decided to take a queue number and wait for our turn in the sweltering summer heat wave circulating through the walkway. The narrow breadth of the restaurant is cleverly designed to take advantage of the depth of the space by running the sushi conveyor belt. It's situated along Victoria Avenue at Chatswood mall.

I was amazed by the engraved kanji (Chinese) characters on the layered egg slab just like torching creme brulee. Cool indeed.



Lots of seaweed, avocado and cucumber in this unusual delicacy.

The attractive menu board at the entrance helps to draw the crowd.

We now know why this place is so popular. There is a wide range of sushi and sashimi to choose from. Prices are reasonable. You get multiple refill of green tea (not water) by attentive waitresses.

French Japanese Fusion Cuisine

Modern Japanese cuisine popularized by masterchef Tetsuya has rippled to the suburbs. In Willoughby, the suburb adjacent to Chatswood, a French Japanese fusion restaurant is striving to make a name by capitalizing on the newly acquired tastes of Aussie yuppies. IMO, it's predominantly Japanese than continental European.

Fresh tuna with diced cucumber and granny smith apples on a bed of refreshing spring onion and garden greens.

Seafood soup that looks like boulliabase but tastes like miso.

Garlic mussels instead of oyster

Just like unagi don except the serving of eel is larger and uncut.


A duck confit lookalike but would have been better if it is crispy and has more "grease" to give it the extra oumph.

Pesticide Endosulfan linked to fish mutation and health issues

The pesticide endosulfan and the fungicide carbendazim are identified in Dr Landos's report for causing the chronic deformities and deaths of thousands of fish in the Noosa River (Queensland) in recent months. Both chemicals have been linked to birth and reproductive defects, liver toxicity and cancer.

Queen of the skies

Aviation pioneer Nancy-Bird Walton has died aged 93 at Mosman, NSW. As a child she dreamed of flying. As an adult she inspired a nation. She had added commercial work to her health and safety missions, recruited and trained women pilots during world war two and founded the Women's Pilot Association.

Is the dream job at Great Barrier Reef for real?

Check this out : Too good to be true? Wow $150,ooo in 6 months!

http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Office/Story/A1Story20090111-113776.html

Tourism Queensland is offering an extremely lucky individual a chance to get what they say is the best job in the world - to be their Island Caretaker.

Essentially, you will be getting paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Sailing, kayaking, snorkelling, diving, and bushwalking, are just some of the activities that you can do on the island.

All you would need to do would be to post a weekly blog, photo diaries, and create video updates to tell the world about the unique experiences available on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

You can even bring a friend or relative to stay with you in your own spacious holiday home complete with plunge pools and stunning island views, fully equipped with modern facilities and exquisite furnishings. Naturally, a state-of-the-art entertainment system as well as complete access to the Internet is available.
You'll also get to explore the different tropical islands along the Great Barrier Reef while staying at luxury resorts.

How to apply

Create and upload a 60-second or less video in English explaining why you're the best person for the job and demonstrating your knowledge of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. You will also need to complete a short application form and upload the video to www.islandreefjob.com.
Ms Lim Mui Khim, Regional Director of Tourism Queensland (Southeast Asia), said, "All applicants will need to submit an application, and if they're shortlisted, they will go through interviews and the employee will be selected based on merit. It is not a competition based on luck or popularity. Being the caretaker of the beautiful Islands of the Great Barrier Reef is truly a dream job. The attractive salary package is the icing on the cake."

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age (as of January 1, 2009) and must be available for a 4-day interview from May 3 to 7, 2009, if selected as one of the final candidates. The employee's six-month contract period will be from July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. Applications close on February 22, 2009.

So what's the catch? According to the local Australian papers, candidates need "excellent interpersonal communication skills", "an adventurous attitude" and a "willingness to try new things". They also require at least one year's "relevant experience", fluent English and "good swimming skills".

As lure of the Great Barrier Reef beckons, potential candidates may want to do some reality check. Go ahead and try your luck but take it easy and don't place too much hopes on getting that dream job. Bear in mind that there are many hunks and babes among Aussies and foreigners on visiting visa who are good swimmers, divers and make good advertising models.

http://australianature.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-barrier-reef.html

Having worked and interacted with Aussies, I believe this is clearly a publicity stunt to promote tourism in sunny Queensland. The economic downturn has hit the tourism industry which is highly dependent on visitors mainly from Asia Pacific region, Americas and Europe has been badly hit since last year. Even the arrogant and abrasive customs in the major cities have bowed down to the crunch of falling arrivals, according to feedback of travellers in recent months.

One might also want to note that there has been a rise in the number of shark appearances and attacks on the eastern shores of Australia, Pacific Ocean.

Vietnamese Enclave : Cabramatta

Where? Voted the best Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney metro area by the newspaper reviewer is Than Binh at Cabramatta, Southwest of Sydney CBD.

One of the few places where one could get authentic rice paper spring rolls. The dried rice paper has to be dipped in wine infused warm water to be softened and delicately rolled with minced meat and a medley of vegetable mixture. Most vendors / chefs take the easy option of flour and egg pastry commonly used in Chinese cuisine.

Rice rolls with crispy bean muffin, tangy cured ham and lots of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Yang Zhou Style Crab - more on Shanghai cuisine

Among the many sauces offered on the menu, the Yangzhou aromatic style appeals to the senses most. Be forewarned, the crabs here are charged at market rate which varies daily and across different parts of the city. This crab dish costs more than a hundred bucks. Despite its expensive price tag, the heavenly taste continues to draw customers from all over Sydney, get them hooked and come back for more soon. I would endeavour to find the secret recipe of this sauce.

For more information on Shanghainese cuisine, please follow this link :

http://www.tangdynastytravel.com/destination/shanghai-cuisine.html

Shanghainese Food Galore has come to Eastwood

An extensive menu of authentic and indigenous Shanghai cuisine at this newbie restaurant conveniently located near transport and shops. No longer does one need to travel downtown to savour an array of goodies that are reasonably priced.

A menu the size of a coffee table journal - so many yummy dishes to choose from and the servings are huge for sharing.

Cold dishes that are favourites as appetizers or takeaway.

The taste of savoury and spicy soy bean milk is out of this world.

The sweet version is rich and creamy.

Braised bamboo shoot is the staple of Shanghainese people

Juicy Xiao Long Bao (small steamed meat dumplings) is an icon in central and northern Chinese cuisine.

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The Fudge Shop - Sweet Tidings

These colorful fudge may help to sweeten and brighten the day amidst global armed conflicts and economic gloom. This stall is at Harbourside, Cockle Bay, Sydney.

Great Italian food in Parramatta

Simply delectable Italian food is more than just pasta and salada. This highly rated Italian restaurant at Parramatta (second largest city in NSW after Sydney CBD) would impress the most sceptical and fastidous gourmet.

Mediterranean Salami Pizza with fresh basil

Spicy seafood pasta

Grilled butter and garlic scampi

Creme brulee with strawberry topping and icing

Tiramisu

- Copyright Reserved for all images on this blog

Spanish Restaurant near Oxford Street, Sydney

Sangria can be deceptively innocuous and brings on a mild high after a few glasses before the meal arrives.

The all-time favourite tapas

They only serve chicken paella, which is a disappointment, for us seafood lovers. Fortunately, I could whip up my very own flavoursome paella in a home kitchen. Check this out : http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/