Beautiful Jacarandas

Jacarandas are flowers that are purple and shaped like a bell. They are in bloom in Spring in Brisbane around this time. I always marvel at the sight of the purple bloom whenever I drive around and seeing some along the streets.

2 Sundays ago, W brought me to UQ park to see the many Jacaranda trees there. And last Saturday, after my trial wedding make-up, we went to New Farm Park to take more (kinda like pre-wedding ones) photos with Jacarandas :) (with the help of W's friend)

New Turbo Broiler

My mum in Singapore has been using a turbo broiler to grill meats and fishes. I thought that it is a great equipment to have in the kitchen. Had wanted mum to bring over one from Singapore as I heard that its not really that available in Brisbane. But guess what? I saw one at Big W that cost $79. After conversion, it cost about the same in Singapore.

One time, over CatchofTheDay, we saw an offer for exactly the same one for $49.95 and with shipping to my doorstep, only cost $65 in total! Bought it immediately and we were pleased that our grilled ribs turned out really well :)

Its easy: Just marinate the ribs overnight, put it in the broiler and cook!

It uses hot air that comes from the top to cook the meat.

The end product served with greens and pasta :) Yum!

Shopping Sites that I Like and Frequent

I am happy to browse around and compare prices. I don't necessarily make any purchase. Sometimes when I need to buy, I most happy when I am able to buy what I need at a price lower than the normal retail prices =)

Not in any order of preference:

1. Target

2. Big W

3. KMart

4. Spotlight

5. The Warehouse

6. Good Price Warehouse Pharmacy

7. Coles

8. Peter's of Kensington

9. Kitchenware

10. Catch of the Day

11. Union Shopper

12. Officeworks

13. Crazy Clarks

14. oo.com.au

Who says I can't survive without Orchard Road? ;)

Offensive Gospel

From today's sermon...

The gospel is offensive. We cannot prevent it from being offensive. We can only bring it across to people in a non-offensive and loving way.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah 45: 5-6 says "I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other."

In the New Testament, John 14: 6 says "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

God has spoken. He has told us in His Word how He has come as incarnate Jesus Christ to save us. No one else has claimed that He is Lord God, except for Jesus Christ. What are you waiting for? Which way do you want to live?

Beautiful Flowers

Last Saturday, 5 of us drove about 1.5 hours west of Brisbane city to another city in Queensland known as Toowoomba. Every year this time in Spring, the flowers in Toowoomba attracts many to go see the gardens of beautiful flowers.

The sight of the flowers is not something you can get in Singapore. We also visited the Chows who were there for 6 months because Daddy Chow needs to work there. The Chows brought us around to 2 gardens and the garden of an award-winning house. It was a pity that we were a bit rushed for time and hence there was no time for us to sit down and smell the flowers. We were mostly busy with clicking our cameras to take photos. It would have been an ideal way to spend a Saturday afternoon in Spring time, in the garden of pretty colourful flowers and jazz music playing in the background (there was a jazz band playing in one of the gardens). I told myself that I want to go back there next Spring.

The highlight of the day (for me) was to visit the garden of the winner of the house garden competition. Yes the house was big but the garden is *might be* even bigger. Every corner you turn, you see flowers. There were nice sitting places at certain locations, plus various bushes of plants and some trees, walking in that garden was a really cozy and happy feeling... with the thought "if only this was my house's garden... (except that I cannot maintain this!)" The owner had been staying there for the past 27 years. Anyone can tell that maintaining that garden is the work of a (if not 2) full-time gardener! The owner does his own maintenance and gardening. How I wish I could go there to take wedding photos...