Misccellaneous A month is like nothing these days... (1) Maybe I really need a brain scan. Mixing up "telegenic" and "telepathy"; taking "amnesia" for "insomnia"; forgetting any random thoughts floating in my mind 15 minutes ago. Maybe I've committed so many atrocities that it's payback time now. **************************************************************************************************************** (2) "Is golf a sport?" Watched a bit of the British Open on TV last month and it's quite a demoralizing ending - Tom Watson came up one putt short of winning a sixth claret jug at 59. And there came the question: with someone as old as him is coming out competitive against much younger and fitter rivals, and the slow-paced nature of the game, "is it a sport?" Slow, aristocratic, silly and environment-unfriendly as it is, golf takes a toll on many more parts of your body than, say, snooker - professional golfers rarely celebrate their 50th birthday without hip replacements, inflamed shoulders, chronic back pains, and so on. Bad sports you may say - but it still works your body hard enough to be called a sport. And now it's on the calendar of the 2016 Olympics...pretty much tells it all. **************************************************************************************************************** (3) It's funny - when pitching M. Schumacher and V. Rossi together, it turns out that the latter may be the better driver overall on things with wheels. The key: 2-wheelers. Rossi managed to control the Ferrari F1 in testing despite some initial spins, but MS never really gets on the groove with motorbikes - and that an old motorcycling injury has just forced him out of the planned return. What a pity - the very spice needed for the dismal F1 season fails to turn up as well (and I'm already on tears for BMW's announced exit). ***************************************************************************************************************** (4) Europeans are sometimes a nasty bunch - they find nothing wrong with all sorts of cheating and doping practices throughout the history of Tour de France but feel offended by Lance Armstrong's "cockiness". Now Contador is the superior athlete - so what? The Saviour that whips those mean, sleazy, imperialist Yanks and the Great Hope to take the cycling record books back to Europe forever? Whaddahell! LA may not win again given his advanced age (gonna hit 40 soon); but I'd be more than pleased if his new team can round up some talent, from whatever country, to crush Contador next year - Europeans gotta get some facials from time to time to stay sane. ***************************************************************************************************************** (5) Another HK bloggers' war is now on; left a few lines in one or two places and that's it. Can't really stand the heat and now getting out of the kitchen. ***************************************************************************************************************** (6) Food time: buffet at Hyatt Regency Shatin. Cooked stuff and meat are good, and there're loads of them (anything on the grill is great, in particular the roast beef); seafood is a soft spot, with not too many choices and quality being so-so. Desserts are nice as well, especially the Black Forest sundae (very authentic Black Forest style, with wine and preserved cherries) and the creme brulee. Downside: I ate too much and threw up in the end - not for once had I suffered such a humiliation in my history with buffets. **************************************************************************************************************** (7) Food time again: Ole (Spanish; on Ice House Street next to FCC) Celebrated the birthday of youngest sis there last weekend. The grilled cuttlefish, and the shrimps in garlic sauce (both tapas/starters) were good, with the cuttlefish a real big, meaty one while the garlic shrimps were tasty and strong in garlic flavor. The mains were salt-baked prawns and roast pig - excellent in general. The prawns were a bit special as the texture was somewhat more tender than those we usually have from South Sea waters, but tasted sweeter; the pig was crispy on the skin and the seasoning wasn't too heavy - I have no complain on this one as well. Also had jamon serrano soup - something mom didn't feel worth the bucks as we occasionally make similar soups with Chinese ham, but overall it's a bit different with a milder ham flavour. We ordered the Spanish classic seafood paella as well - more sticky to my mom's taste, but that's true Mediterranean stuff. Not bad overall and I like the prawns (this stuff again!), but the mussels used made the weak link and the chicken-seafood broth base could do even better with a stronger finish. There was a live band (actually a Filipino duo) and we did the somewhat "silly" thing of having songs with them; they did surprisingly well, and even my youngest sis who used to think this stuff outrageous was immensely satisfied with their performance of James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" - according to her they had it better than Blunt himself. That's Spanish food next to FCC and you should all know it's NO budget stuff; but for birthday celebrations and dinners with girlfriend(s), this place is a must-have in your arsenal - for the food, the price, demonstrating the variety and sophistication of your taste, the Mediterranean decor, the service (meticulate; and the Spanish manager chatted a bit with us before we left and he said the best way to have prawns is with our bare hands) and everything. | 
