Quick Kitchen: Sausage and Corn Soup

Need a quick comfort food in winter or when you're sick? This is way too quick to make and it tastes so good!

INGREDIENTS:

• Chicken stock (or bullion cubes)
• Sausage frankfurters
• Frozen/canned corn
• 2 eggs, beat lightly
• White/black pepper
• Cornstarch
• Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Bring the stock to a boil
2. Add frozen or canned corn
3. Slowly pour in the eggs while stirring
4. Add the sausage
5. Mix cornstarch with water, and add into the soup and stir fast to make the soup thicker
6. Add white/black pepper and salt to taste
7. You can add boiled pasta as well (optional)

Skincare Routine

Skincare routine is perhaps my favourite search in Youtube. I like seeing other people's skincare routine as I'm trying to figure out my own routine and also to see what products are other people using.

I have been struggling with acne all my life, and pretty much everything went worse when I moved to Australia because I could not find any face wash that don't break me out! Eventually, I figured out that my skin may need gentle cleansers specifically made for sensitive skin. I have heard that French products are usually gentle and perfect for sensitive skin, so a lot of the products that I use are from a French brand.

I like to keep my routine super simple, but has to hit all my skin issues (mostly hyper-pigmentation and acne), because no one in the world would have time (and patience) to go through all of those unnecessary skincare products! Here are the steps that I follow for my skincare routine:

1. TAKING OFF MAKE UP - Bioderma Crealine H2O
To take off my make up, I usually use the Bioderma micellar water. I don't wear thick make up and I would take wudhu in the middle of the day. So, by the end of the day usually I don't have much make up left to clean. The Bioderma micellar water can easily take off the rest of my make up (even heavy make up as well) and the best thing about it is that it's gentle enough for my sensitive skin.

On days when I don't wear make up and I'm too lazy to wash my face, I only use the Bioderma micellar water to cleanse. Although just using that, I'm convinced that it takes off all the dirt and dead skin and prep my skin for serum.

2. FACE WASH - La Roche Posay Effaclar
I came across this brand when I was looking for a French brand face wash that is specifically for acne prone skin, but gentle enough for my sensitive Asian skin. I'm forever grateful to find this facial wash because it does the job beautifully. I have less acne now, provided that I clean my face everyday - otherwise forget it.

3. CLEARING HYPER-PIGMENTATION - Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Brightening Serum
I have heaps of hype-rpigmentation on my face as I like to pinch my acne. I'm conscious that I have to stop my bad habit, but I just can't! *cry*. So, to clear up those dark marks, I use the Kieh'ls Clearly Corrective Brightening serum. I can see immediate result within a week or two if used in conjuction with the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate serum.

4. MOISTURISER - Kiehl's Ultra Facial cream (day) & Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate (night)
For daytime, I normally use the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. I like the texture of the product, which is not too thick (unlike the Rosa Arctica) or too thin, and it absorbs quickly into the skin. It doesn't leave that sticky feeling on the skin, and it doesn't have any fragrance (a plus!).

For night time, I only use the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery concentrate. It is a dry oil that absorbs quickly into your skin. It doesn't leave any sticky feeling and you will wake up with soft, supple, and glowing skin by morning. It also helps your skin regeneration, so, as I mentioned before, it can help accelerate clearing hyper-pigmentation.

5. EXTRA ACNE CARE - Botani & La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+
At times when I pinch my acne, I would cleanse the wound with Bioderma and dab the Botani Acne Rescue Cream on it. I have heard numerous raves about this cream, and I do think it works. Usually 2-3 days after applying it on the acne, it deflates it. Please note that his cream will leave greenish residue on your face, so you can only use it at night.

I have heard lots of good things about the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+. It is a clear gel that is intended to clear up your acne scars. I usually wear this under my moisturiser in the morning. However, I'm not too convinced with the result of this

Vivid Sydney 2013

In Sydney, there is a light exhibition that is held specifically in winter. Even though it was winter, it wasn't really cold. I survived with only a sweater. In Japan, there is a similar exhibition called "winter illumination". In Sydney, the exhibition only focuses on six points around Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. Whilst in in Japan, you can find them at different places, e.g. Roppongi, Ginza, Shinjuku, etc.

My most favorite from all of the exhibits is this "jelly fish" fiber optic lights. The pots are hanged under the railway track of Circular Quay station. The lights changes into different color and it's just oh-so beautiful. It sparks some idea to decorate the balcony with it.

As you walk towards the Opera House, you will see more of free-standing exhibitions, like the light gradation wall and the "light bulb". When I arrived at the Opera House, there were soooo many people, despite that it's on weekday. Taking pictures there was simply not worth it.

Then, moving on to the other side of Circular Quay, which is the Museum of Contemporary Art. The building is used as a huge projector screen where moving images are projected to. There was loud electrical-pop music playing along as well to make the exhibit feels more dramatic. I really love bold colours on this, just so pop!

Then, if you walk further towards the Harbour Bridge, turn to the Garden of Eden to get a spot to take pictures of the Opera House. It is much much better than going to the Opera House itself and you can actually see the moving images a lot clearer. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my tripod, which means I had to hold my hand still to get a sharp picture. It was hard, but I managed some that are quite nice. And also, that place is packed with photographers with tele lens or tripod, so getting the right straight angle of the Opera House was a fierce competition. Below are just a few of my favorite pictures from hundreds of images I took of the Opera House.

Lastly, we went to Darling Harbour to catch the water show. We passed the light exhibitions at the bridge to Darling Harbour mall and the Maritime Museum but didn't take any pictures of it, because I thought it was boring. Now that I think about it, I think it's my fault that I didn't play around with other angles.

The water show was spectacular, but Disney Sea's water show is even better, hahaha. There was water screen as well (I first watched water screen in Odaiba in 2009), which is a "screen" made from bursting water where images are projected to.

I didn't get to take picture of the Harbour Bridge because I was too tired of walking (and too scared to cross the bridge at night). Anyway, overall I enjoyed this event and can't wait for next year's Vivid Sydney!