My pet plant Burgers (Venus Flytrap)

Hello everyone!

This is my pet plant Burgers (^-^)

As you can all see Burgers is a Venus Flytrap, the scientific name for it is Dionaea muscipula. I have had Burgers for about two and a half years now.

I named it Burgers because the animal prey, when trapped by its leaves, are like meat patties between two buns!!

So far, Burgers had managed to catch some aphids, little crickets, spiders, earwigs, and flies.

Here are some photos of Burgers:

Burgers caught a daddy long legs spider, and the remains of the spider when the leaves opened up~~

A trapped earwig

The outline of a trapped fly

Burgers’ flowers~~ (^-^)

All the nutrients absorbed from the prey had enabled Burgers to produce its beautiful white flowers

Powerade Isotonic Sports Drink

Powerade is one of the most popular selling sports drinks in New Zealand, and a sponsor of the New Zealand rugby team All Blacks.

It contains electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium) and carbohydrates which help improve sports performances.

I thought I would use myself as a subject to do a casual experiment on comparing the effect between drinking water and Powerade during training.

Usually on a Saturday, I have my kickboxing training in the morning, and badminton practice in the afternoon, so I decided to drink water for my kick boxing training, and Powerade for badminton practice (^-^)

Taste: 4.5/5

I find all the Powerade flavours very pleasant. My favourite is Mountain Blast.

There are four different flavours which I have come across in New Zealand supermarkets.

Berry Ice – Red
Blackcurrant – Purple
Lemon Lime – Yellow
Mountain Blast – Blue

More flavours are available outside of New Zealand.

 

Cost: 4/5

For a 750ml bottle, the price is between NZ$2.5 – $4

Availability: 5/5

Powerade is available everywhere, from Gyms to small Dairies to major Supermarkets (^-^)

Overall Mark: 4.5/5

Comment: There was definitely a difference in how I felt during the trainings. Eventhough I played badminton in the afternoon, after already done kickboxing in the morning, I felt alot more energetic and less affected by dehydration during badminton. After the practice I didn’t feel at all thirsty or in need of fluid. It was quite a marked difference!

29.1.12

Food photo time!!!!!

Here are some photos of fruits from my backyard (^-^)

A growing Avocado fruit

A little apple

Some photos of what my family and I had for dinner:

Abalone

Seaweed, fish maw, and golden needle mushrooms

Tofu, scallops, prawns, and shiitake mushrooms

Lychee

HUGE Cherries!!

Look at the sizes of these Cherries!!!!!

Almost the same size as a Plum!!

They are also the most sweet and juicy Cherries I have ever tasted!! (^-^)

Instant Korean Seafood Soup

My family and I were shopping in a Korean supermarket the other day when I came across this product.

It is an Instant Korean Seafood soup.

Taste: 3/5

The soup has pieces of dried fish in it, which adds body and flavour to the soup. However, I thought the overall taste was quite average.

The soup also comes in different flavours, such as Seaweed miso.

Cost: 2.5/5

There is 7.6g of instant soup powder in one cup.

Each cup/serving costs between NZ$1 – $2.

Availability: 4/5

This particular and other similar Korean instant soup is available in most Korean or Asian supermarkets.

 

Overall Mark: 3.2/5

Comment: Everyone has different preferences. You won’t know if you’d like it until you have tried!! (^-^)

A case of extreme hunger

At the dinner last night with my family, I was so busy filling up my tummy that I forgot to take photos of all the lovely food.

By the time I realised this fact, we were already on our last dish.

Stir-fried Scallops and Cashew nuts:

Oh well~~ There will be more food photo opportunities to come.

P.S. I can’t think of any better way to bond then over a nice meal (^-^)

*****WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS*****

Food which I would never be able to stomach:

Human placenta

Is it considered cannibalism??

Balut

A Balut is basically a boiled duck egg which contains a duck embryo, usually between 17 to 21 days old.

Casu Marzu

Casu Marzu is an illegal cheese which is eaten at the decomposition stage, when the cheese fly Piophila casei larvae are actively digesting and breaking down the fat in the cheese.

The Larvae when eaten alive are resistant to human stomach acid, therefore they can pass through the digestive system unharmed and end up living in the instestines for some time. While they are in the instestines, they have a habit of trying to bore through the intestinal walls.

Carl’s Jr

There are currently only two Carl’s Jr restaurants available in New Zealand.

Both of them are in Auckland, here are their addresses:

230 Great South Road, Takanini
113-117 Felton Mathews Ave, St John/Glen Innes

The drinks are refillable, there is even a mini salad bar which you can help yourself to, and the chips are very good!

I had a big Guacamole, Bacon, and Angus beef burger (^-^)

Chinese New Year 2012!! (^-^)

This year is the year of Dragon.

I was lucky enough to be invited to an awesome Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner last night!

Didn’t take any photos though, and no, please none of that ‘not eaten until we see photos’ nonsense!! =P

One of the most exciting things about Chinese New Year is receiving the red envelope!! (^-^)

Red envelopes are monetary gifts given in special occasions, such as weddings, or during holidays.

The red colour symbolizes good luck.

Here are some photos of a red envelope:

Mmmmm~~ yummy chocolate coins~~~ (^-^)

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year!!

May the year of Dragon brings you good luck and good fortune!!!

21.1.12

Had a great family dinner, and of course, since there were both good food, and good company!! (^-^)

Now, time for some more food photos!!

Last but not least, chocolate log from Eves pantry~~ (^-^)