365 China Photo: One-A-Day

Dashing back to the office after another meeting a young girl approached me outside Jinbao Place. I was kind of surprised and then she asked if she could take a picture with me and have me hold a magazine. I didn’t bother to look at the magazine but was quite flattered to do it. It was for a new Men’s magazine called Expresso, so I guess my photo may appear somewhere to promote it. Even though it was her job and she must of asked many people before me it made me smile. It’s been a long time since anyone wanted a photo with me and it made me think of a recent photo I found when I was clearing out some old boxes. It was taken on my first trip to Shanghai back in 1996, the same time I photographed the Bund. Back in those days foreigners were still quite rare, so I would often be stopped in the street for someone to take a photo. On this occasion these two girls were having lunch with their boyfriends and one of them came over and asked if they could take a photo with me. A strange request but I agreed and they took a series of pictures of me with each one and then as a group together. Fourteen years later and I don’t seem to have change too much, haha. I am still wearing a shirt and tie and with the same old haircut. However a few more greys hairs and laughter lines courtesy of living in Asia!

My company’s CEO, Charlie Wrench was in town, visiting our Hong Kong and Beijing office. As one of the newest and smallest offices in the Landor network it was good for our staff to get to meet him. After the usual meetings and work reviews we took him out to Da Dong restaurant for a company lunch. As Charlie likes Peking Duck, we took him to the newest and swankiest Da Dong which just happens to be at Jinbao Place, across the road from our office. As the guest of honour the waitress showed Charlie the three different ways to eat Peking Duck and I think he was impressed by the service. It reminded me of the famous line from the James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice. When Sean Connery is lying in bed with a Chinese girl called Lin.

James Bond: Why do Chinese girls taste different from all other girls?
Ling: You think we better, huh?
James Bond: “No, just different. Like Peking Duck is different from Russian Caviar. But I love them both.
Ling: Darling, I give you very best duck.

Well I think Charlie had some of the best Peking Duck he had ever tasted and he even offered to pay. So it was good having our CEO in town, especially when he picks up the tab. Thanks Charlie

Pictured Left to right: Kailee, Me, Lixiang, Charlie, Miki, Andy and Karen

I wake up every morning and the first thing I do is drink a glass of ice water with lemon. This is nothing unusual for a westerner but drinking ice or cold water is something most Chinese people never do. Like most Chinese, Canthy believes that cold water jars the system so she only drinks warm or hot water even on the warmest days. Anyway I try and drink at least 1.5-2 litres a day of pure water a day as it keeps my brain fresh and flushes out toxins from my body. However sometimes water can be boring so I was excited to see Vitaminwater being promoted in my office building. The bottle packaging is rather cool but when I learnt it contained 33 grams of sugar my enthusiasm quickly diminished. You can read more about the Vitaminwater brand here on my other blog. In summary; it looks cool, tasted refreshing but think I’ll stick to plain old boring water, which is a much healthier option for now.

Another couple of meeting today but this time back in Puxi, which is the main shopping and entertainment part of Shanghai. I passed Plaza 66 again just as the lights were coming on so my colleague Jane insisted on taking my photo infront of the display. I must admit that at nightime it looks even better as it creates a real glow and festive feel outside the centre. Plaza 66 is one of those places in Shanghai that people often agree to meet up. However with this huge rose it makes it an even bigger attraction and a landmark you cant fail visit-especially on the upcoming Valentines Day.

I flew back to Shanghai this morning for another series of meetings and presentations. This time the client was based in Pudong, the new business centre of Shanghai. I first visited Shanghais 14 years ago when the Pudong was mostly flat farmland area. Over the years it has developed at a furious pace with ever new buildings and taller skyscrapers being built. The day I arrived the weather was grey and overcast but the sun was just trying to peek through the clouds. On the right is the Jin Mao Tower, which at 420m, is now dwarfed by the newer Shanghai World Financial Centre at 492m, the tallest building in China. I recently found a picture (below) of the Pudong I took in 1996, when they had just started building the Jin Mao Tower. I never imagined back then that Shanghai would develop so fast and furious.

After the scan yesterday the doctor told me it was a little girl. Canthy had known for over a week, as she had an emergency scan when I was in Hong Kong. She had fallen down at work so rushed to the hospital to make sure everything was OK. Luckily there was no harm to the baby, so she didn’t tell me about this until I got back to Beijing as she didn’t want to worry me. At that time the doctor had told her it was probably a girl but yesterdays scan confirmed it. In public hospitals in China it’s illegal to ask or find out what sex your baby is. With the one child policy in China most parents want a boy so a girl can be a big disappointment. In the past and sadly even today many mothers will terminate their baby if they find out it is a girl, which is why the law was brought in to protect the unborn. Canthy really wanted a boy as it would be a sign that she was a good mother and she would have ‘more face’. This concept is strange to me but then Canthy is Chinese so I don’t pretend to understand the deep cultural significance of this. However I had always wanted a girl so was happy to know we were going to have a daughter. Before this Canthy had told me a boy was easier to look after as you didn’t have to worry if he was pretty or had a good figure. I told her she was so shallow to think like that, but then when I knew it was a girl it got me thinking like this too. Anyway we are both so happy that we don’t really care what sex it is as long as it is healthy and happy. Trouble is I will now have two little girls to look after – a big one and a small one!

We went back to hospital this afternoon for Canthy’s 20 week scan. Having a scan is always an emotional experience and Canthy always starts crying. Despite the doctor and I telling her there is nothing to be afraid of she cant cant help it. I also find the experience emotional especially as today the scan would tell us if our little tiger has properly formed and all his body parts are there and working. It sounds silly but the doctor scans the baby and counts it’s hands, arms, legs, feet, etc etc. Throughout the process Canthy is gripping my hand and my heart is in my mouth as we hear the doctors say “one hands, two hands, one foot, two feet…” It was really hard to see anything on the screen as it all looked blurred so we just listened and hoped for the best. Finally when the doctor told us that the baby is good and strong with all it parts working well, we feel so relived. Canthy eventually stopped crying and we walked out happy and relived. Only another four months to go and a few more scans but everything is looking good.

I had to fly to Shanghai today for a new business pitch so took the early 7.30am flight. At that time of the morning 6am, it only takes about 20 minutes in a taxi from my apartment. The client’s office was at Plaza 66, the premier shopping and office complex in Shanghai. A few weeks ago they had a huge tree and rose outside decorated in gold for Christmas. However, now I was surprised to see it had been changed to red for Chinese New Year and Valentines Day, which occur on the same day. I wrote more about this on my other blog, but it’s an impressive display. But then most things in Shanghai are impressive, as it wants to have the biggest and tallest of everything in China.

My colleague Miki and I were dashing to a meeting as usual, so we hailed a taxi outside our building on Jinbao Street. Surprisingly the first cab that turned up was a London Black cab, which Miki thought was great. As she has never been to London, as always wanted to, this was the closest experience yet. Beijing has over 60,000 cabs so you can always easily find almost anywhere in the city. However there are only 30 London Black cabs, which were introduced before the Olympics and Paralympics games in 2008. Mainly to be used by disabled passengers as they have a ramp that allows for wheelchair access. Our meeting was only five minutes away but we spent the time talking to the driver about his taxi. He was very proud to be driving it, especially when he found out I was English. He seemed to know everything about his TX4 taxi, which he said was the most modern and famous taxi. He was also interested to know what it was like to take a taxi ride in London. I told him there was a big difference in the cost as the flagfall (first 3km) in Beijing is only RMB 10 Yuan, whereas it would be more than double, RMB 24 Yuan in London. However the main difference is The Knowledge, the test that you have to pass to become a Black Cab driver. Our driver knew of this and said that the London taxi drivers where the best in the world. I felt proud to be a Londoner so as we got out the taxi I took a picture of Miki. She looked like she could have been a Chelsea Girl getting out of a taxi on the Kings Road, so she felt proud too.

After I got back from my week long trip to Hong Kong, the first thing Canthy said was “I missed you”. Closely followed by “what presents did you bring me”, which made me laugh as it’s so like a woman to ask that. Anyway she was not disappointed by what I bought her as it came from Tiffany, but more about that another time. However the little cute McDonalds toys were the presents that made her scream, as she loves the Doraemon character. She has several t-shirts, sweat shirts and other merchandise emblazoned with the little cute character. Doraemon is actually a robotic cat with magical powers, which is a Japanese Manga cartoon character. It is very popular in China especially among the kids who all know who he is. As I have said before Canthy is the biggest little kid, so its not surprising she loves these toys. So now she wants me to go back to Hong Kong and try and buy the complete set. Its a long way to go for McDonalds, so I think I will have to call some friends and see if they can help out.

First day back in the office after my week long trip to Hong Kong and I faced a desktop disaster. We had decided to move things around in the office and change where people sit. Although our office is cramped we thought it would be good to give people a fresh perspective for the New Year. Well there are always winners and losers when you move people around and looks like I was one of the losers. I had given up my clean corner desk for a place in the messy middle of the office. As I was away my stuff just got dumped on my desk so I didn’t even have a space for my laptop. Well I suppose it will be a challenge to create a clean Zen like space here, but I always enjoy a good challenge. I’ve been reading a lot from Leo Babauta’s great bog, Zen Habits so I am inspired to create a new minimalist workspace out of this chaos. It will also give me a chance to throw out some stuff and do a spring clean before Chinese New Year in a few weeks time.

I arrived back into Beijing late tonight as the flight was delayed in Hong Kong. It’s been a few months since I have travelled but I noticed these new banners in the passport control area. They say ‘welcome my friends’ in nine different languages. China is a very welcoming place and Chinese hospitality is well known throughout the world. Whenever I travel to meet a new client they are often eager to show their hospitality and offer to take me for lunch or dinner, which is just part of the Chinese culture. There was a big sign in the arrivals hall saying no photos but I couldn’t resist taking this picture. Especially as the Beijing airport is so impressive and efficient that it is always nice to come home.

The weather in Beijing was still around -5C, but Hong Kong was a cool 14C so perfect weather for sightseeing and exploring around. My hotel Jen is in the western part of Hong Kong Island so I always take the tram into the city centre. It trundles past the old parts of the city, which are more local neighbourhoods, which have real character. As you get closer to the centre it loses its local feel and become more impersonal and modern. However you still see amazing sights like this old Pawn Shop from 1940, next to a modern glass office tower. The image of the old tram, with the modern bus complements this and reflects this unique character, which is Hong Kong. Unfortunately many of the historical and heritage buildings were pulled down for redevelopment. So I don’t think the Hong Kong Government has done a very good job of preserving its heritage. However I think it has learnt a lesson or two from Singapore, which understands the importance and uniqueness of persevering its architectural heritage.

I decided to stay in Hong Kong for the weekend and moved into Jen, a small boutique hotel in Western District of Hong Kong. It’s a smart hotel, which I have stayed at many times and highly recommend it. Opposite the hotel is a 24-hour McDonalds that I was drawn into by their latest promotion. Cute little Doraemon plush toys, one for each sign of the Chinese Zodiac. If you spend HS$17, you can buy one for HK$12. McDonalds has run many of these promotions over the years the most famous was the Snoopy promotion in 1998. I think you had to buy an extra value meal then you got a free Snoopy in a different country national dress. The campaign became infamous as riots broke out at McDonalds stores and police were called to keep order. Many people were buying the food and throwing it away as they just wanted to get the toys. There is a culture of collecting in Hong Kong and if the item is cute the more people want it. This latest collection is even cuter so I couldn’t resist picking up a couple for Canthy. I got a little pig, which is her sign and a little tiger for our coming baby.

Day five of Maestro and the programme was over. Our team had survived the course, which had been an intensive experience for everyone. During the five days we had learnt a lot about ourselves and also about other people. This was especially true about my other team members all from different disciplines and different WPP Group companies. As a group we learned many things through shared experiences and tested each other to the limits. Despite the intensiveness and tiring experience we had a lot of fun and made some new friends. I have tried not to discuss the programme in detail as it is something you need to experience for yourself. However I had a great time and was lucky to have a great team to work with. We also had a great team coach, Annette, who pushed us hard and made sure we worked outside our comfort zones. I took this photo of the A-Team (stands for ‘A’ in Annette) just before the course ended so you can see the relief on everyone’s faces. Pictured left to right; Me (Landor, Beijing); Annette (Team Coach, Zurich); Charlie (Burson Marsteller, Asia); Ben (Hill & Knowlton, Beijing); Sunitha (Mediacom, Jakarta); Dennis (JWT, Hong Kong). On day one we started off as strangers and having to write our first impressions of each other. Over the days some of those thoughts crystallised and others were thrown away and replaced as we learnt more about each other. Although we are all different and have different skills, strengths and backgrounds, we learnt one important lesson. That despite our differences we can unite as a team and if we ever had the chance to work together on a project we would be awesome! Thanks guys

Day four of Maestro and an earlier start for me as I had a briefing meeting at 7.30am. We had now got into a familiar pattern of the course so we knew what was expected of us, though every situation was always changing. Just when you thought you had everything planned out the game would change. Infact the only constant in the programme was the idea of change. A good lesson for business and a good lesson for life. Throughout the week the view from my hotel had been constantly changing depending on the weather. Today had been fairly overcast and cloudy so when the set was setting it created a dramatic seascape. Tomorrow was our last day so the storm of the week was finally over. It had been an intense and dramatic week and the programme had lived up to its name. From my window I could see both Hong Kong Island (on left) and Kowloon (on right), which is part of mainland China. It really looked like a tale of two cities, which in affect is what it is. Main HK Island people refer to Kowloon as the dark side and make jokes about people who live there. However the Kowloon harbour area is becoming even more built up and has the most expensive property prices in the world. What I especially like about this photo is the little Hong Kong Junk boat in the middle of the harbour. It sails up and down the harbour all day as a promotional vehicle for the Hong Kong Tourist Association. Comparing that little boat to the modern dredger next to it is just another symbol of Hong Kong’s growth

Day three of Maestro and we were in the thick of the programme. I am not sure what other people expected, but it was certainly more intense and hard work than I imagined. At the heart of the programme are role playing exercises which I thought would be easy. As I am use to presenting and facing clients everyday I thought I would find this comfortable to do. However when you do this infront of 30+ peers, who then observe, comment and give feedback the situation feels very different. One of the exercises is the elevator pitch, where you have 60-90 seconds to make your pitch to the client. My teammate Dennis was standing in the lift outlined with white tape on the floor, while OZ one of the faculty staff played the client. It’s easy to watch someone else do it and laugh, but a completely different ballgame when your in the box.

The second day of Maestro got more intense and serious as the programme advanced. It was another long day and then I ended up working late on a proposal. Another day without being able to leave the hotel so by the time I got back the light was already fading. Hong Kong at night is very pretty especially around dusk. As it was a weekday the lights from the office buildings were still on. I am sure Hong Kong could save a lot of energy and money if it had a stricter policy towards office lighting. As many times you see buildings with lights blazing but no one in the office.

The first day of the Maestro training was quite intense, despite being an introductory day. There are around 30 people in the programme divided into six teams so we were getting to know each other and the case study we would be working on. I have been told the programme get more intense as the days progress and I am sure its true. Anyway it was a long day and didn’t get a chance to leave to hotel once. The view from my window looked very different in the daytime as you can see the huge reclamation project underway. When I left Hong Kong three years ago they had already started reclaiming the land from the harbour which had caused an outcry from the public. Mainly because the government was planning on building a huge government office complex on the site and reducing the width of Victoria Harbour. It looks like the plans have been modified to create a new central park, which will be good for the city. Just as long as people are allowed to walk, sit and play on the grass, which is often banned in many of Hong Kong’s public spaces.

I flew into Hong Kong today as I am taking part in a five-day training course all next week. It’s organised by WPP, Landor’s parent company and is their flagship executive training programme called Maestro: Orchestrating Client Value. WPP’s annual report states:

Executive education helps our senior talent develop creative, client and personal leadership skills. Our flagship program is Maestro: Orchestrating Client Value – a five-day course aimed at strengthening the ability of our most senior client leaders to be valued and trusted advisers to their clients, colleagues and teams. Since the program’s inception in 2003, it has reached more than 1,500 participants in 15 countries, and involved 65 different WPP operating companies.

It’s a great opportunity so I am honoured that my boss at Landor put me forward for this exciting programme. However, he told me it’s an intensive week but I am not really sure what that means. Maybe it will be something like the TV shows,  The Apprentice meets Survivor Anyway it’s taking place at the Grand Hyatt, which is a smart venue and I have a pretty cool view of Central on Hong Kong Island.

Canthy is well into the second trimester and feeling a lot happier with being pregnant. She is now starting to enjoy the pregnancy and feel more comfortable with her growing little bump. It seems to be getting bigger and more noticeable everyday so she looks obviously very pregnant. Several weeks ago (and on a number of different occasions) Canthy bumped into some old clients and friends she hadn’t seen in some time. The first remarks they all said was “wow what happened to you – you look really fat” Once she told them she was pregnant everything was OK and they told her she great she looked. Well now she is happily looking pregnant so doesn’t need to worry about that issue anymore. In China people are more open about discussing peoples weight, whereas in the West we tend to be more sensitive. The other reason Canthy is so happy is that she gets to boss me around now. So everytime I start to argue or disagree she pretends to cry and says “but I am carrying your baby…” To which there is no other response, than to just agree with her and do what she wants. After all I do believe that a happy mother makes a happy baby.

On the way to my presentation this morning at 8.30am, I caught sight of one of Shanghai’s infamous pyjama gang. These are locals who for one reason or another wear pyjamas during the daytime on the streets of Shanghai. This habit also happens in Beijing but tends to happen more in the evening and at night. With the Shanghai World Expo opening later this year the local authorities are trying to ban people wearing pyjamas on the street. A few months back this was a big story in the news and blogs but has still not been taken serious by some residents. The authorities are worried about the negative image it will project to the thousands of tourist and reporters that will be coming to the city. Maybe I have been in China too long, but I think its just adds a certain unique character to the city. But then maybe I am slightly bias, as Canthy and I are both well-known pyjamas enthusiasts, who put ours on the minute we get home from work. However we haven’t yet been out to the shops wearing them, but we must just do it one day and see what people will say.

I flew into Shanghai Hongqiao where the Taxi situation is always a nightmare. I had to wait almost hour in the taxi cue, which isn’t too bad for Shanghai. Last time when it was raining it took over two hours so I guess I was lucky today. When I arrived at the 5 Star Hotel in the centre of the city I immediately got accosted by two beggars. Both we begging for money and one one was even carrying a tiny baby. As I got out the taxi they hassled me all the way across the street until the doormen of the hotel shooed them away. Then a shady looking guy came up to me and asked me if I wanted sex with a young girl. I pretended not to hear him, so he shouted it even louder so anyone passing by could hear him. I was glad to check in and get away from the hassles and went straight to my room. But as I got out the lift a young women followed me and ask me if I wanted sexy massage. I replied no I wasn’t interested and hurriedly got into my room and locked the door. Now I have been in Asia many years so this experience is nothing new. But I was shocked at how the succession of incidents had happened in such a short space of time. And, it did make me think that this was not a very good first experience of Shanghai. Especially for any would be ‘first time’ travellers to the city who will be visiting the Shanghai World Expo in a few months time. Don’t get me wrong, Shanghai is a great place to visit. However there are never enough taxis, too many beggars on the streets and even the 5-star hotels are all full of prostitutes.

I went to Sanlitun at lunchtime and noticed the world’s biggest adidas store has redecorated its fascia with new African inspired graphics. Adidas is one of the main sponsors of this years Football World Cup being held in South Africa. Adidas have supplied the ball since 1970, and this years is called Jabulani meaning ‘celebrate’ in Zulu. It’s a very colourful and has an African feel and according to Fifa:

The 11 colours that are present on the Jabulani pay tribute to both football and the country in which Africa’s first-ever FIFA World Cup will be held. They represent a colour for each team player, every official South African language and for each of the 11 South African communities that will welcome the world next year. The design celebrates two of the most important facets of the South African nation – diversity and harmony – as it is these principles that make it such a colourful and welcoming nation.

The store wasn’t that busy but I expect it will hot up as the World Cup approaches, as football popular sport in China.

With a baby coming in June it has given us the motivation and incentive to finally unpack all our unopened boxes. Although we moved in last March we still have a dozen big boxes, which for the moment are dumped in the soon to be baby’s room. When Canthy was unpacking she found a pair of crystal glass dragons which are from Liuli Gongfang. It’s a famous Taiwan brand that specialises in crystal glass design using a technique that dates back centuries. This creates a wonderful swirling of different colours within the glass that gives it such a unique look.  Canthy decided to hang them on the babies room for good luck as the dragon will keep away evil spirits. She is not particularly superstitious or into Chinese Traditions but she asked me if I minded. I told her I am not superstitious either, but I do believe in some elements of Feng Shui so why not. For me it’s more about the decoration and its nice to have a Chinese touch around the house.

Beijing has over 4 million cars and that number is increasing by the thousands everyday. This is creating a worsening traffic situation that the City Government is hoping to alleviate with a new intelligent traffic management system. Part of this programme includes these new smart traffic lights. They have installed 800 of these at 100 major junctions including outside my office on Jinbao Street. They not only tell you how long before the lights change but also emit sounds, so are specially designed for deaf people. They are a great idea, as you no longer have to dash across the street wondering when the lights will change. However, in China traffic lights don’t mean that much to road users. So you still have to be careful that you don’t get run over by a bicycle, car or truck.

Since Canthy’s pregnancy she has made an effort to exercise everyday by walking for at least 30 minutes a day. Sometimes she even walks to the office, which is a good 45-minute walk. Weekends we are also trying to get out more so decided to walk around CBD and explore some new places to eat. Along the way we found a hotpot restaurant called Ding Ding Xiang (Hotpot Paradise). It’s one of the best chains of hotpot restaurants and probably one of the most expensive, but the food quality is excellent. Walking around in the cold wind with temperatures at -10C, was absolutely freezing, so hotpot was just what we needed. Canthy as usual goes crazy at hotpot and ordered enough food for four people. We ended up eating it all as I was double hungry and Canthy is eating for two people if you include Little Tiger. One of the best dishes was the prawns, which comes skewered in tall vase of ice. I didn’t realise until I was about to cook them that they were still alive! I felt a bit bad having to cook them live so I made sure the pot was bubbling hot before I put them in. At least that way their death was quicker and less painful. I felt a bit barbarian, but then some theories say the hot pot was invented by the Mongols so maybe it’s true.

Our friends Susan and Alby were in Italy for Christmas so we haven’t seen them this year. So tonight we decided to meet up and take them to a new restaurant near our apartment called Madam Zhu’s Kitchen. It only opened a month ago and Canthy has already been there many times. The food is a mix of Shanghai, Sichuan and Guangdong styles but with a modern approach to traditional recipes. The design of the restaurant is very bright and light which is unlike most other Chinese restaurants, which tend to be darker and heavier in style. The restaurant is already decked out in red lanterns, for the coming of Chinese New Year next month, but I know we will be back there before then. One surprising touch was a singer who played piano and sung English and Mandarin songs. She had a beautiful voice, which only added to the stylish atmosphere.

Canthy and I went for our Little Tiger’s 16 week check-up today. It felt like it had been months since our last visit as sometimes the pregnancy seems very slow. We were looking forward to seeing him on the ultrasound since it was so amazing the last time. However the doctor told us it wasn’t required as there was not enough development to check. But next time at 19 weeks they would be able to check for physical characteristics. Canthy was very disappointed but the doctor told us all was well. He was strong and healthy with a heartbeat of 152 beats per minute, which is normal for a baby. Although Canthy is starting to get bigger its still hard to believe yet amazing that there is a little person growing inside her tummy.

On my way home I stopped at the Village in Sanitun as I wanted to go window shopping for some news things for the home. It was busy and has become the place for young people to hang out especially at weekends. There is always something going either a promotion or some find of event happening there. One of the current displays is the Smart Car Snow Globe. I love the idea, which is fun and festive but it would of been better if it had moving snow inside, like when you shake a real globe. Canthy and I looked at Smart Cars earlier this year as there is a showroom near our apartment. The cars are cute but too small for me and not very practical as they is little boot space. It’s more like a toy car but I can see the concept of mini cars becoming more popular as the city gets more conjested. The good thing is that they are well made as they are part of the Mercedes family. However I am still keeping my Christmas dreams alive for an SUV.

One of my New Years Resolutions is to spend more time in the kitchen. Not washing up (as we have an Ayi to do that) but more time cooking and experimenting with new dishes. I love cooking and can cook almost anything as long as I have a recipe book to follow, but baking is something new to me. So I called my friend Winnie, who loves to bake for some baking advice. She recommended Chocolate Chip Cookies and sent me her favourite Mrs Field’s recipe. It took me a while to get started as I didn’t have all the ingredients but once you do its easy to prepare. I was pretty pleased with my first attempt and even added walnuts into the recipe as well. I found out later that Mrs Fields was actually a real person so I think she would of been pleased with my first attempt.

“The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.” Mrs Debbi Fields

Canthy was so impressed she wanted to take some into work the next day for her colleagues. I ended up using countless utensils and bowls and made a right mess of the kitchen. But luckily the Ayi was coming tomorrow so I didn’t have to wash up afterwards. The cookies tasted great, so I think I may even take them into work and share with my colleagues. If your interested it’s an easy recipe to make, as long as you have the ingredients and the right equipment. Click Choc_Chip_Cookie_Recipe for Mrs Field’s recipe in PDF format.