The Peonies

Chronicles of Chaos

Bugger

March10

2010 has not been my technology year so far. First I lost some data on this site, then my computer decided to pass out on me the night I brought tonnes of work home to do. Updates on Peonies will be slow & through my trusty (I hope!) mobile so please bear with us poor souls.

Meanwhile keep rocking!

With much love,
C

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Elephant love

March4

I have a confession to make.

*deep breathe*

I have an uncanny love for elephants. I LOVE elephants.

There I’ve said it. I feel so relieved and released.

Every time I travel, and especially to Thailand, I must buy an elephant item. If I don’t, I wouldn’t be able to sleep and can’t board the flight until I’ve plough the streets and found a nice elephant article. That might explain why I love all things Thai so much. The Thais know their stuff.

These are a small fraction of some of the elephant memorabilias I’ve gathered over the years.

During my last trip to Bangkok last month, I tried to buy these elephants.

Unfortunately my request was firmly rejected by D-man.

I wonder why. Could be a luggage issue.

I also wonder why everyone has a special animal close to their heart, and the symbolic meaning of that animal to one.  As far as remember I loved elephants (besides the 687 other animals) but can’t really put a finger to why I simply do.

I read once that human love animals for their special traits, character and strengths. For instance if you love birds, you might wish you could soar freely into the skies like birds do.

If that’s the case, it might be in my wildest dreams that I could trample freely in the wild, always move in herds, be larger than life and yet kill no animal for food.

At least in one aspect I’m very elephant-ish. I am petrified of rats.

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Alice in Wonderland Gala Opening

March2

Thank you Disney for the tickets!

I don’t think I should write too much on it, except that I beg you to please watch it if there’s an ounce of fun and imagination in you.

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Kite

February28

In the shape of a Chinese Junk. I had to rub my eyes to be sure it was not an illusion. How cute is that? Anyone knows where I can get something like that?

Sorry I couldn’t resist, especially since it’s the last day of Lunar New Year!

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Bedtime Stories

February26

Once upon a time there were 2 dogs. Their owners went to Thailand for a holiday during the festives, and bought the dogs new beds out of guilt. The dogs love their new beds.
The End.

The dogs specifically asked for beds in animal prints, because it’s so in.

It’s so cushy she gets lost inside.

“I’m not trading!”

Is there anything those genious Thais can’t make? I would love one for myself if it came in my size. I actually asked the shop owner. He was too polite to mention I might be a little too big.

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Alice in Wonderland

February24


It’s a classic of the classics, it’s Tim Burton, Johnny Depp is in it, and it’s by Disney.  What can go wrong with a movie like that?

Click here to watch the official trailer.

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Pineapple Tarts

February21

Hello everybody. *taps into microphone*. I am back and I have an important announcement to make.

Chinese New Year is not Chinese New Year without pineapple pastries. Warning. Never attempt Chinese New Year without pineapple pastries. Never! Never ever!!

Otherwise be prepared to face your own gastronomic perils!

And become the laughing stock of the neighbourhood!

And get outcast by relatives!!

Your great grand-children might be black-listed from Havard!!!

Ok I’m a nutcase. What I’m not kidding about though, is how simple to make and delicious these little buggers are.

Ingredients (makes 46 tarts/balls)
220g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 egg yolks
375g plain flour
2 tbsp corn flour
50g icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg yolk for egg wash

About 530gm of cooked pineapple jam.
(either made from scratch or pre-made ones from the supermarket)
To make pineapple jam from scratch, peel and grate 2 ripe pineapples. Then squeeze gently to extract excess juice, but not till its as dry as the Sahara.
Add about 360gm of caster sugar and 5-6 cloves, and cook over low heat till sugar melts. The mixture should be wet and sticky, but with too much liquid. By then you should be exhausted. Put the jam in the fridge and make the tarts another day.

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Oops..

February19

There had been a slight hiccup with the website (and I have to blame it on D-man. Who else!) but Peonies is back and thank you for your patience. Especially those whom have been asking about the site and when the next update will be.

Watch this space! :)

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The Right Fit

January18

Last weekend while chilling out at Blooie’s, the cool gang and I (not that I was anywhere near cool) were deep in our knees over a conversation about fit. The gist of the conversation was that it doesn’t matter which business school our friend chooses, it has to be the Right Fit for him.

Now that had been food for thought. What exactly constitutes the right fit. Is it the feel, the environment, the people, the time, or all of the above. As the Chinese believe, everything is about Tian Shi, Di Li, Ren He. Loosely translated as success will come in the exact moment in time, geography, and the harmonious energy of the people.

But what if you are torn between your own liking and feel of another? Like in the case of our friend and the choice of 2 schools he shortlisted, how do you choose? Is the right fit simply an intangible but pulling notion, or something more complicated like using decision making algorithms?

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App-allingly Amusing

January12

Boredom is a dangerous thing. Especially when there’s a universe of exceedingly useless but amusing iPhone apps lurking out there…

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