doi

I finally finished reading all the studies that I downloaded for literature review, it's quite a demotivating process as I learned that I knew shit about almost everything, but namely:

• statistical analysis...all the different methods & when they're appropriate to use, let alone how to actually implement them. Good thing I scheduled July to read through two textbooks and learn R/R-Studio & Python/Pandas. 
• experiment design...which I technically get a free pass on because I need to keep methodology consistent, but man I see so many flaws in what I'm doing. Too bad I can't just gloss over it with "practical limitations", however true it may be. But how do I even know how to critique the studies that I'm reading? Fine I know that I should read on the subject, but too lazy so I'll have to accept poorer critical thinking on literature review. 

vanilla

Still trying to finish all the lentils that I bought with another batch of french lentil salad and another batch of smoked mackerel and lentil kedgeree:

I've finally cracked the code to cooking lentils to the perfect texture! Start off by soaking the lentils until they obviously swell up, then cook with low heat only. Taste a large sample size often.

...

Celebrating british strawberries with a no-bake fruit tart using whole egg pastry cream and oatmeal cookie crust:

doors

The best response to someone asking "how do you know" when you comfort them with "it'll be okay":

via the fantastic webtoon The Devil is a Handsome Man

Love Luc and Xo's bantering.

big shiny thing

^ wise words from Orthez in Tale of Felluah, another manga that will probably never be fully scanlated, what a loss.

Looking at expensive but not crazily unaffordable jewelry is more motivating than I expected. Hopefully this jolt is enough to finish a draft of literature review by the end of June. But then again I'm feeling worse than a sloth atm.

I honestly like pretty much every product from these two designers:

 Clara's Dream ring and Pleiades ring from Sofia Zakia (Canadian! :D )

Wisteria ring and Diamond tassel necklace from Kataoka

...

The absolute best botanical pieces: Michael Michaud, I'm tempted to start a collection of the brooches and lapel pins.

rosewater

Two not-so-successful salads:

 funny coincidence that the photos turn out opposite in terms of color temperature and dominant color

The beets might have been better a little charred. Cucumbers are really not suitable for making-ahead salads. I've even salted and drained them beforehand "orz

...

The british strawberry hype is so real. These are the strawberriest strawberry I've had.

monkfish

I am alive and well-is after Passivhaus. That exam was no fun tho, I was extra stupid and had to redraw the first floor floor plan 4 times.

...

A food pic that escaped the previous round-up:

French lentil salad from David Lebovitz 

Definitely the best lentil salad out of the recipes I've made so far. Also the only dish that I didn't dislike the flavour of parsley in. Will remake.

...

Saison sound like the dream seafood restaurant.

one breath leads to another

A fittingly motivating song:

when will the fantasy end?

My favourite verse:
And if you wonder why I'm rapping so fast
It's 'cause I gotta lot of things on my mind
That wanna come out at the same time
In other words I'm racing

I would tell you that it's not that

let me down, down

Some music for the rest of the week as I study for Passivhaus:

condensate

Quite an old backlog of food photos:

chicken tagine with greens

Turns out I love the taste of preserved lemon along with black olives. Thinking of making a fish version of this next time.

 Puglian mashed chickpea wth rosemary and black olives via The Art of the Larder

Finally finished off the last of the chickpea that I have with this dish. I am slowly but surely whittling down my pantry. My lesson learned for all legume dishes is to very heavily season the cooking water. The black olives and chilli oil also adds to the tastiness.

no-bake cheesecake with strawberry rhubarb compote 

I did consult Stella's no-bake cheesecake recipe but very grossly eyeballed the ingredients. Turns out there is a lot of leeway in the filling proportions. I'm still not certain if what is called "soft cheese" in the UK is the exact same as cream cheese. They're pretty much the same, but I think cream cheese is firmer than soft cheese as the latter is quite spreadable straight out of the fridge. Soft cheese was used here, so the filling was soft and probably can't stand up to being sliced.

points

A weymouth photo that slipped through the cracks (it was the sole phone image)

Reminds me of the first photo I edited using vscocam, it was of the train station in Torquay, which is the first English seaside town that I ever visited back in first year summer.

MAC

My justification for buying these is supposedly to congratulate myself on finishing the coursework portion of my M.Sc, but I've kept my eye on these boots ever since I discovered the brand. I almost bought them when HOPE had a free shipping offer, but this time I received a 15% off coupon code which was enough to move the decision forward.

I must've never seen a top down or even directly front facing image of these boots because I definitely would've noticed the toe shape. Which is to say that I was surprised that these boots were a soft square toe when I opened the box. It was not a pleasant surprised. Perhaps the toe shape will grow on me? I did buy the Miista Nicole heels with a similar toe shape.

The leather also feels...unimpressive. It feels like the leather on my Everlane loafers, both of which is acceptable but not what I expect for the brands' narratives. This may be unfair because I've been spoiled by my C&J boots which are at least twice as expensive. But even my Fluevog monks have better leather than this.

By now you must be questioning why I'm keeping this boots. A minor reason is that I really like the smaller design details: the angular heel, the placket that hides the zippers, the stepped opening, and the centre seam down the front of the boot (aka everything you see when you look at the boots in profile, which will ever only be seen by me). The major reason is they are so fucking comfortable. This is the most important criteria as they'll be replacing my former favourite boots. Looking forward to seeing how these will age.

...

NYT's article on Anthony Bourdain: "He was appetite incarnate"
:(
sigh

symposium

It's finally time for my Blondo boots to retire.

Its been with me for...5 years (?) and have accompanied me on almost every trip. Its also the default pair of shoes that I reach for for outside of summer. If I resoled the heel sooner it can probably last a couple more years. Of course it's not sold anymore either "orz My only complaint is that the leather was originally treated with a water protectant so it doesn't take conditioning nor polishing well.

So let me indulge in lots of photos of it.

Weymouth

A refreshing day out in the sun, by the sea, with a friend.

Durdle's door:

Lulworth:

Weymouth: