Apsleys - A Michelin Star dining experience

A perfect night out starting with an intimate love affair with Dom Perignon. A sip was all it took to find true love. It was the start to another first class experience.

For 35 pounds, we booked a three course meal with a glass of prosecco. What we got was one of the best meals I've ever had and service so attentative you couldn't help but giggle like an idiot. You could certainly pick us out a mile away.

For starters a chefs surprise, I can't recall all the fancy names they were given but it went something like this: Ox tail, egg something, something else, and lastly what we labelled meat aero cause that's exactly what it tasted like, mmm a delicious meaty treat.










For entree, Stu and I had a warm seafood salad and Sarah had the squid ink fogotelli stuffed with cod in a red pepper sauce. Both soooo good and a sign of things to come!



Then it was onto our mains, I had the fish with vegetables. The vegetables were peeled and fried like potato crisps, these guys really know what the masses want, a packet of chips with every meal? YES PLEASE!! Sarah & Stu had Risotto with peaches and braised veal. For those who have never mixed the two, Peaches + Risotto = A taste sensation.



Time for another treat from the chef. Peach bellini, Rasberry Sorbet and panacotta. Oooh how I love you palette cleanser.



And last but not least my favourite time of any meal, DESSERTS!! I had a Rum Baba which was so amazing I could have eaten another 3. Sarah had a variety of icecreams with biscuit goodness at the bottom and Stu had peach with zabaglione and a carrot and yoghurt icecream.



What? Did the waiter just say another Chef surprise?! Oh yes he did!! Chocolate ganache, chocolate and almond stack, something else delicious, rasberry with sugar, dark chocolate coffee bean and an Italian almond biscuit. It was a meal that kept on giving. A true test to see who was worthy of such greatness. Stu and I wiped our plates clean with Sarah struggling to finish her plate. Sarah you are the weakest link. Goodbye!

First Class

For most of us, the flight from Perth to London is a test of endurance. Crammed seats, a bathroom cubicle so small you wished you were a contortionist, the ongoing search for a comfortable position that won't cause any long term need for a chiropractor, the list goes on. However, if you have money it's amazing what luxury you'll find two curtains ahead in First Class.

Once seated, I put on my complimentary slippers, stored my sneakers in the shoe rack and sat in awe of all that was around me. Initially, I was too scared to touch anything. I had no idea how anything worked, there were little compartments and buttons all around me. The chair, which I referred to as a lounge seat, had so many controls I sat there for about 15 mins finding the perfect angle for my legs, back, hips, and of course lumbar support. Once that was in check, I went to the bathroom and put on my complimentary pyjamas, let's just say the room was big enough for me to do a pirouette in! There were all sorts of free toiletries in there and my favourite thing were the hand towels NO paper towels in sight.



Now in complete comfort, it was time for my 2am dinner. The attendant set up my table, I ordered a glass of champagne or two, had some chicken and beef satays to start with, went onto lamb shanks with mash and veggies and finished off with some fruit.



I set my bed up, complete with a normal sized pillow and silk quilt and got ready to watch a movie on the extra large TV screen. It wasn't long til I fell asleep and slept straight for 6 hrs with no need to reposition due to painful body crinks. When I woke, it was off to the cockpit to meet the pilots. I spent an hr up there learning how little they do, they were highly entertaining.

For breakfast I had a croissant, more fruit, a delicious nasi lemak as the main and muffins as dessert. It was quite an experience and one I'll never forget. A story that many of you will have to hear over and over again for the rest your lives.

Well back to working class for me, wish me luck!
(Video footage to come, once I learn how to get it off my camera and onto my laptop)

Seattle

Greg and Nicole drove me to Seattle last weekend for the day and it was awesome. The weather was beautiful and the shopping was fantastic. Before getting to Seattle we stopped off at a Factory Outlet where I deliberated for 15mins before purchasing my first piece of "G Unit" labeled clothing. Yes thats right, I am officially wearing G Unit, and I dont care what anyone has to say about it.

When we arrived in Seattle the first thing we did was go to Jack In the Box, a fast food chain that makes delicious burgers. So delicious they cannot be sold in Canada due to their health regulation laws on fat content. We then went to the Markets where I saw the famous fish throwing and then it was time to Shop. I got some great bargains including a skirt for $3.00. When I got home to inspect all my new clothes I was pleasantly surprised by the gift that Abercrombie had left on my skirt, the electronic tag. Good to see those things work, not only did it not set the alarm off when I left the building but Greg was able to get it off with plyers without doing damage!! What a relief.

25 and still making a Dick of myself

Today on my lunch break I was asked to grab some lunch for a work mate while I was in the food court. I ordered my meal and being rush hour, before I knew it I was standing with my food piled high on a service tray. I knew I should have asked for take away but it was to late. I then got the kebab for my colleague and knew my only option was to hang my head in shame as I walked through the mall with this damn food tray piled high with Chinese. I convinced myself that it was not such a strange sight to see someone walking through a mall holding a tray full of food, I was dressed well enough so it didn't look like I was trying to steal it. Then I saw the humiliation that I was about to face. As I turned the corner to go on the elevator it was packed full of business executives. The doors closed and there I was standing in the elevator booth with 6 men in suits holding a damn food tray piled high with Chinese. Within seconds the smell was so strong I couldn't breath and Going bright red I announced "I forgot to ask for take away" They burst out laughing and someone said "you're making us hungry with that smell" I apologised profoundly and ran out when I got to my level. Real smooth May!

Happy Birthday Jim

Jim's Birthday was quite the extravaganza. Starting off with Brunch at Sophie's, some shopping on West 4th, Dinner at Nikko's Japanese restaurant, pre drinks at The cambie and finally complete chaos at Shine Nightclub. We had quite the crew there and Jim was presented with drink after drink in the first five minutes of arrival. I lost count of how much he consumed in this short time but not long after you could not get him off the dance floor. When it was time to depart the club, everyone piled into a limo and headed home for more partying. We had three camera's full of photos however parental viewing only allows for these selected images to be displayed!! http://www.gregchan.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=JimsBday

My Name is May

You would not believe how much trouble I am having with my name. I didnt think the name May could get any simpler but apparently it is quite complex. On introduction, the usual response to my name is "My". After repeating "May" and them still responding with "My" I proceed to tell them "As In the Month". To avoid hearing "My" one more time, for the last 6 months I have introduced myself as "May, as in the month". With my new job I didn't think it would be very professional to say "May, as in the month" straight out, so I have gone back to saying just "May". Well, I should have known better. As a result all the correspondence that comes back to me reads, "MIY", even after I have spelt it out, I have come to accept that this is my name here. I even have one person that I have accepted to calling me "MYA". The problem is that they try and say it with an Australian accent. Its really quite ridiculous. Its not like I pronounce their names with a Canadian accent, quite frankly I've had enough. IDIOTS!!

Fact: On average 98% of Canadians respond to my introduction with My.

Snowboarding

I just love this sport, its so much fun and I recommend it to everyone. I dont think that there has been another sport where I have had to endure so much crap in the process of learning it and still come out wanting more. On countless occasions I have been on the verge of tears, either from being in so much pain from an impressive stack or knowing no one will come get me mid mountain when I cant go on anymore and having to rely on myself to get down. In Whistler I boarded right into a blizzard, I couldnt move or see a thing but it was such an experience. Slowly we are getting the hang of it. Oh and Whistler was awesome.