CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Last Sunday, I decided to treat myself to a little pre-Christmas lunch at one of the new pop-up bars that appeared at the Pitt St. Mall. Justin North's Christmas Cracker bar was a charming little space situated in front of the Mulberry Store. Each tile on the bar was a piece of hand-crafted gingerbread. The minimalist vibe in the space added to its appeal. 

Each guest has the opportunity to try Christmas champagne ($15 per glass), a special Christmas cocktail ($15 per glass), as well as a tasting plate of Justin North's 4 Tastes of Christmas. Being a bit of a foodie, I decided to partake in the latter.

Each tasting plate has four courses- two "mains" and two desserts. Each are arranged artistically on the plate. Don't let the small portion sizes deter you. These make you ache for more, and are just like a teaser for better things to come. The various aspects can be purchased at either Becasse bakery or Quarter Twenty Four, both of which are located just a couple of floors above. 

The first course was a miniature crab and prawn mayonnaise sandwich. The bread was undeniably a creation from the Becasse bakery, which tasted absolutely amazing because it was so fresh and soft. The filling was quite tasty as well.

The second course was a teaser of bigger things to come. It was a piece of suckling ham from the Macleay Valley, garnished quite beautifully. It was delicious. The ham wasn't too salty or sweet and added another dimension to the taste of the sandwich that lingered in the tastebuds minutes after. 

This was my favourite piece in the selection. It is a miniature fruit mince pie. The pie is arranged quite beautifully- a delightfully thin crust, a small portion of fruit mince, red berries, a small portion of cream and a piece of gold-leaf to complete the picture. It was like a party in my mouth! I loved looking at it, but I also enjoyed every bite. It definitely reminded me of Christmas. 

The final touch was a piece of tropical fruit French meringue pavlova. The pavlova added an Australian touch to the plate, reminding guests of the typical Australian experience. I'm not usually a fan of passionfruit, but I believe that this dessert changed my perspective. It didn't have too much passionfruit that it overpowered the dessert. Likewise, the meringue was delightfully soft. We all know that when meringue is over-done, it can be a bit too hard and chewy. This definitely was not the case. 

If you find yourself in the Westfield Pitt St. Mall before Christmas, I encourage you to make your way to this bar. It is a good way to wind down after a busy day of Christmas shopping.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

NEW YEAR'S EVE (REVIEW)

Hello everyone. Apologies for the minor hiatus from posting.

Here is something to kick-off the festive season.

The director of Pretty Woman and Valentine's Day has a new offering for the hopeless romantics in each of us. It is a film entitled New Year's Eve, and is set in the city with one of the most iconic New Year's Eve celebrations- New York City.

I watched it at EVENT Cinemas, George St. It was a slightly disappointing experience because of a few distractions I had- some of which include the lingering scent of burgers (from patrons beside, behind and in front of me), the rude sms-messaging of the guy beside me and the chatter from people. I'm digressing once again.

The film mirrors the set-up of the British film Love Actually through the relationships of the characters. One character is related to another through family ties, through friendship or through happenstance. Considering that the film is set in the hours preceding NYE, it seemed quite fitting to have so many characters' stories explored in a short amount of time.

Another element that I found fascinating was the casting. Actors like Sarah Jessica Parker and Lea Michele (who seem almost synonymous to the New York Scene) were chosen. Other interesting casting choices included Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel who acted in Valentine's Day. The inter-play of characters portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron seemed to refer to another of Pfeiffer's previous films, where she acted as an older woman who had a relationship with a younger man. I almost didn't recognise Cary Elwes, probably because I always associated him with the young rogue from The Princess Bride. My favourite in this film was most probably Sofia Vergara, though I felt like her character in this film was too similar in mannerisms to her Modern Family character. Either way, she was hilarious.

It's quite amusing how the screenplay seemed to reference the (current) works of some of the actors who took part. Lea Michele, Sofia Vergara and Michelle Pfeiffer are a few that I took notice of. Elise (Lea Michele) reminded me of Rachel Berry from Glee, albeit a slightly older/more mature version.

I loved the poignant moment in one of the scenes where the camera panned across Sarah Jessica Parker's stilettos before showing her face. It reminded me of Sex and the City.

The best part of the film was probably the lighthearted ending after the credits.

I can see why critics from TIME magazine and IMDB gave this film a low rating. There wasn't too much sophistication in terms of plot, though there were a few significant pockets that showed deeper stories about some of the characters. The film was quite playful and light. It wasn't boring per se, though it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Louis Vuitton HQ SYDNEY STORE OPENING

The latest addition to the Louis Vuitton franchise just arrived in Sydney. Located at the corner of King and George streets, it offers a new place to indulge in your luxury goods fix.

Here are just a few snapshots of the exterior for you to enjoy. Although I found the handbag creatures to be slightly creepy, it gives us the impression that LV still does its best to get people to think outside the box with what they can do with their products.

I'm interested in seeing what they have inside. Some more handbag creatures? Who knows... We may find out tomorrow. Stay tuned!

1Q84 (reprise)

I've just finished reading 1Q84.

Let's cut down to the chase. The story was brilliantly written. It was so tempting to just flip the book over to discover how the story ends, but I decided to stick it through.

Each chapter was named after the particular character it focused on. The book is divided into three- marking the time period that is explored. In a sense, it was like watching a thrilling mystery. Each book can be seen as a season, whilst each chapter can be perceived to be an episode. It was utterly brilliant. I was on the edge of my seat.

1Q84 was like falling down the rabbit's hole in Alice and Wonderland.

I will try to write a proper review when I'm a bit more coherent.

ノルウェイの森/NORWEGIAN WOOD

I once had a girl, or should I say... She once had me.
She showed me her room, isn't it good, Norwegian Wood?

Norwegian Wood marked my introduction to the written works of Haruki Murakami. Arguably one of the best novelists in the world, Murakami manages to delve into the human psyche and form a rapport between his characters and the readers of his novels. The novel was inspired by a song by The Beatles with the same title. The song likewise acted as a way of connecting the various periods of Toru's life. Toru is the protagonist/narrator of this particular novel.

Each time I read the book, I discovered something new about particular characters that I didn't notice during previous readings. Interesting enough, I found Murakami's characterisation quite intense. His depiction of the people who had touched Toru's life was somewhat delightful, yet at the same time it borders on grotesque due to the juxtaposition of their positive and negative characteristics.

His exploration of the female psyche is also rather insightful. First, you get a character like Naoko who seems to have "died" psychologically as a result of a traumatic incident in her past. Then you get a character named Midori who has a lot of angst hidden beneath a confident mask. Two extremes. Connected with this is the constant exploration of his characters' sexuality. Freudian, perhaps... but somehow each Murakami novel uses sex as a tool to explore character development. It is done tastefully, but still, it makes you wonder more about human psychology.

The novel was turned into a film sometime last year. It was directed by Anh Hung Tran. It was only this year that it was shown in Australia's Palace cinemas. I was lucky enough to see it.

It was more of an art film than a mainstream one. I found myself getting bored at times as the story seemed to progress so slowly at some points. Admittedly, it can be quite difficult to channel the same psychological exploration done by the book. The cinematography was quite good. I loved the colours that were used in various scenes.

Costumes were done quite well. I found myself observing what various characters wore, and each character's personality was channeled quite well. I particularly loved the character Midori- from her acting to her costume. It was very chic and mod.

Characterisation was a bit of a hit and miss. Admittedly, I wished that they chose a slightly different person to act as Toru, though Matsuyama Kenichi managed to portray a semblance of the awkwardness that Toru had. Kikuchi Rinko was a pretty good choice for Naoko. I think they were spot-on with this choice. I also also adored their choices for Midori and Nagasawa.

It's admittedly not a film for everybody. I think that the book packs a lot more punch, though after watching the film I found myself aching to reread the book- just to see what I had missed. I wish that they explored Midori's character just a bit more.

Norwegian Wood can be purchased at any good book retailer. If you have the chance (and the knowledge of Japanese), I recommend that you read the Japanese version as well. This can be purchased at Kinokuniya. The nuances between the English and Japanese versions can add another dimension to your reading experience.

洋菓子店コアンドル/PATISSERIE COIN DE RUE

One of my favourite Japanese actors is the talented Aoi Yu. It doesn't matter what genre of film or series she stars in, her talent just shines through. The 2006 film Hula Girls was probably one of the films that made a lot of people aware of her. I make it a point to watch whatever piece she acts in, as she is just that brilliant. She seems to have timeless ennui that adds another dimension to her acting.

This film was featured in this year's Japanese film festival, hosted by the Japan Foundation. Directed by Yoshihiro Fukugawa, 『洋菓子店コアンドル』was originally shown in Japan last February. The film showcases the stories of two individuals- a brilliant patissier played by Eguchi Yosuke and Natsume, a baker's daughter. 


The story had a pretty good progression, and seamlessly integrated the characters' backstories. There was also a lot of pastry and cake involved, which would make this film appealing to aspiring gourmands. At times, I found parts of the story to be quite slow, but those moments helped me to digest the heavier themes of the plot. 

Aoi Yu's character (Natsume) had a slightly different dialect, which wouldn't be too obvious to people who aren't as familiar with the Japanese language. I guess that most people would just remember the heavy shouting that she did in various scenes. Still, she mastered the personality of this particular character. The other characters that she invoked tended to be less temperamental, so it was quite refreshing to see a change in pace. Aoi Yu also has a tendency to act in a number of period films, so it was quite different not to see her in a kimono. 


The costumes for this particular film were alright, though I wouldn't necessarily say that there was anything too extraordinary about the way the characters were dressed. Though, I quite enjoyed seeing the Coin De Rue patissiers in the emerald green and maroon hats. 

This probably wasn't my favourite film, though I think that it was well-made. I guess that Hula Girls still ranks as one of my favourite Aoi Yu films to date. For now, I will just leave you with a trailer. I think that the Japanese Film Festival will be travelling to Melbourne? The Sydney season has already concluded for the year. 

AN UPDATE ON MY PROGRESS: 1Q84

At the moment, I am reading Haruki Murakami's 1Q84. I've had mixed emotions about my skills as a speed-reader. Even though I want to read the book from cover to cover, I'm biding my time. It's just an amazing read.

The characterisation is exactly how I expected it. The protagonists seem alive, especially since each of them have their own little quirks and skeletons in closets. The main thing about his characters that is quite fascinating as well is their openness to sexuality. Murakami fleshes this out in such detail.

Unlike Dance, Dance, Dance, the plot is much easier to follow. Each chapter resembled a scene from a film. There were also smaller nuances in the story that revealed themselves in each page.

I'm a third into the book. It's an amazing story so far.