Yet another hallmark Christmas has passed, and retailers are trying to stretch their holiday earnings with massive post-christmas sales. (Which have resulted in two pretty pairs of boots for me ho ho ho.) It is fascinating to watch how retailers have shaped every major holiday into what they have become today. But still. Christmas is always a lovely time to me--remembering amidst the jolly Santas and red-nosed reindeer that it still is to me a reminder that Christ was born to us and albeit the commercialization of the holiday, the impetus we get from it to put such careful thought and warm fuzzies into giving meaningful gifts for people who matter really is quite touching!
The new year will be here in less than a day and the new year ahead looks so incredibly wonderful that I am all a jitter and can barely wait. No one specific reason, just many reasons, big and small, to thank God for. Always!
Merry Christmas and a blessed 2012!
31 December, 2011
23 December, 2011
*1134 - airport again
And this time, headed to VA!
I would be wildly excited except that I did get up, after an unsatisfactory nap, at 3 am, to make it to the airport by 4.30 am. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.
The past week has been a whirlwind of activity, sans D no less, but with a visiting Maddy. Who is one of those fuss-free guests, which I very much appreciate. We took a yoga class together which continues our pact (made very seriously years ago) to be dancing grannies together. No, really, it's going to happen!
So nice to share a decade-long friendship. No matter how many wonderful friends I have made in the past four years in the US, there is still nothing like having friends who grew up and got through those awkward years with you and understand you in a much deeper way just because of shared roots and a similar set of childhood experiences that is a function of growing up in the same place. This is not something I truly appreciated or maybe really understood four years ago, because it is such an intrinsic thing that you dont even realise. If you grow up with PSLE and Junction 8 before it became all fancy and Casuarina prata and Green Meadows and rhythmic gymnastics under a coach from China and Mrs Bala and Hokkien mee, you don't realise that there is any other way to grow up.
I would be wildly excited except that I did get up, after an unsatisfactory nap, at 3 am, to make it to the airport by 4.30 am. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.
The past week has been a whirlwind of activity, sans D no less, but with a visiting Maddy. Who is one of those fuss-free guests, which I very much appreciate. We took a yoga class together which continues our pact (made very seriously years ago) to be dancing grannies together. No, really, it's going to happen!
So nice to share a decade-long friendship. No matter how many wonderful friends I have made in the past four years in the US, there is still nothing like having friends who grew up and got through those awkward years with you and understand you in a much deeper way just because of shared roots and a similar set of childhood experiences that is a function of growing up in the same place. This is not something I truly appreciated or maybe really understood four years ago, because it is such an intrinsic thing that you dont even realise. If you grow up with PSLE and Junction 8 before it became all fancy and Casuarina prata and Green Meadows and rhythmic gymnastics under a coach from China and Mrs Bala and Hokkien mee, you don't realise that there is any other way to grow up.
20 December, 2011
17 December, 2011
*1132 - sprinkles cupcakes
These are the most renown cupcakes in all of LA. Sprinkles cupcakes. We tried the peanut butter chocolate cupcake and the red velvet.
My verdict? Great presentation, gorgeous cupcakes (although the sprinkle itself is not something you really want to eat). However, the cake was too dense and heavy for my liking, we had to scrape off a bunch of the overly-sweet frosting, and sharing those two cupcakes among four of us still made us feel really jelat at the end.
Hm! Maybe my expectations were too high because of the hype and celebrity endorsement. I mean, it was still a good cupcake that I would eat again if it wasn't so expensive or if someone bought it for me ;) but it was nothing very extraordinary to me.
(I'm sorry, is this blasphemous?)
My verdict? Great presentation, gorgeous cupcakes (although the sprinkle itself is not something you really want to eat). However, the cake was too dense and heavy for my liking, we had to scrape off a bunch of the overly-sweet frosting, and sharing those two cupcakes among four of us still made us feel really jelat at the end.
Hm! Maybe my expectations were too high because of the hype and celebrity endorsement. I mean, it was still a good cupcake that I would eat again if it wasn't so expensive or if someone bought it for me ;) but it was nothing very extraordinary to me.
(I'm sorry, is this blasphemous?)
15 December, 2011
*1131 - busy
I have not had enough time these days to do what is necessary--clean the apartment, keep in touch with people who matter, prepare for the holidays, get my teeth cleaned, all the nitty gritties of life that beg to be done but unfortunately tend to get pushed to the side.
But! I am alive and well and happy! And that is something to be thankful for first and foremost.
But! I am alive and well and happy! And that is something to be thankful for first and foremost.
11 December, 2011
*1130 - airports
I must be so spoilt by being Singaporean because we have the prettiest airport and the best airline (bias? Nah) that every other airport and plane pales in comparison. "Pales" is not the right word for describing Logan airport, which I am at right now, it is about thirty times more severe than merely "paling". I feel disgusting. Ugh.
Not a fan of flying but it is worth it when your company ships you out from one coast to another for in-person team meetings and more importantly the annual holiday party. Working amidst friendly faces is such a thing I have missed the past three months that I've been in SF ... Things are so different there office-wise, but who besides myself is to blame? It is so hard to be friends with a floorful of people from companies that are not your own, but we have to try.
Being back in Boston for the past four, five days has been so lovely! I never regarded it much more than a great place where I lived and worked for a year, but leaving it for a new city really makes me realise the value of familiarity and a base of awesome friends--both of which are missing from my new life in San Francisco. But don't get me wrong, I love being in SF! It is just different and an adjustment, the way every move is. It's great, really.
Finally boarding, and very much not looking forward to having to eat my dunkin donuts chicken salad sandwich but there really wasn't anything much more worth eating at the airport for purchase. Here goes!
Not a fan of flying but it is worth it when your company ships you out from one coast to another for in-person team meetings and more importantly the annual holiday party. Working amidst friendly faces is such a thing I have missed the past three months that I've been in SF ... Things are so different there office-wise, but who besides myself is to blame? It is so hard to be friends with a floorful of people from companies that are not your own, but we have to try.
Being back in Boston for the past four, five days has been so lovely! I never regarded it much more than a great place where I lived and worked for a year, but leaving it for a new city really makes me realise the value of familiarity and a base of awesome friends--both of which are missing from my new life in San Francisco. But don't get me wrong, I love being in SF! It is just different and an adjustment, the way every move is. It's great, really.
Finally boarding, and very much not looking forward to having to eat my dunkin donuts chicken salad sandwich but there really wasn't anything much more worth eating at the airport for purchase. Here goes!
03 December, 2011
*1129 - the family
I've not had so many family pictures in such a long time--it is heartwarming, really, and I want to print them all out and stick them everywhere. It was just a short 1.5 weeks with them ... which involved a lot of childhood nostalgia, a ton of really excellent food (sis and I being such foodies and successful Yelpers), wedding dress excitements (not for me, silly), shoppingoppingopping, but mostly just simple hanging out and spending quality Chan time together (and answering funny questions like "how come D can eat rice with a fork ah??").
A few people pictures today!
Us at Disneyland (yes, Disneyland)!
This was the ride that apparently traumatized me at the age of 1+ so bad that we had to go take the "It's a Small Word" ride about three times in quick succession to calm me down.
Followed by Universal Studios. The Simpsons ride was maybe my favourite because it was just so CLEVER. Unfortunately, I am prone to motion sickness and while old-school roller coasters are perfectly fine, the 4D motion rides make me feel like hurling right away. So unfortunate :(
Donkey (in this photo) really sounded like Eddie Murphy. Haha!
We hung out in Hollywood ...
... with the stars (I was so excited because Bugs Bunny is my absolute favourite cartoon! Well, before I discovered Spongebob) ... and that was when I decided that I was about done with LA. Meh.
And then more nostalgia as we returned to the place that we used to live in CA when I was too young to remember. Nostalgia for them, and intrigue for me, I guess, to see the very playground that I used to scrabble in as a child.
A peek at the Stanford campus. We also went to the elementary school that my siblings went to and took a family photo at where my sister took her class photos back in the day.
Some farmers marketing and pumpkin picking--right up my alley.
Bought both of the below, and have eaten one since :)
April next year is going to be exciting. The Chans reunited again, and with the brother this time!
A few people pictures today!
This was the ride that apparently traumatized me at the age of 1+ so bad that we had to go take the "It's a Small Word" ride about three times in quick succession to calm me down.
Followed by Universal Studios. The Simpsons ride was maybe my favourite because it was just so CLEVER. Unfortunately, I am prone to motion sickness and while old-school roller coasters are perfectly fine, the 4D motion rides make me feel like hurling right away. So unfortunate :(
Donkey (in this photo) really sounded like Eddie Murphy. Haha!
We hung out in Hollywood ...
... with the stars (I was so excited because Bugs Bunny is my absolute favourite cartoon! Well, before I discovered Spongebob) ... and that was when I decided that I was about done with LA. Meh.
And then more nostalgia as we returned to the place that we used to live in CA when I was too young to remember. Nostalgia for them, and intrigue for me, I guess, to see the very playground that I used to scrabble in as a child.
A peek at the Stanford campus. We also went to the elementary school that my siblings went to and took a family photo at where my sister took her class photos back in the day.
Some farmers marketing and pumpkin picking--right up my alley.
Bought both of the below, and have eaten one since :)
April next year is going to be exciting. The Chans reunited again, and with the brother this time!
27 November, 2011
*1127 - san francisco sights
Firstly, the middle row of letters on my keyboard are not working, so while a new keyboard is making its way to me, a temporary solution is this:
... Which sucks.
-
So. A reason why I am loving this city: it's beautiful and vibrant. See for yourself!
Graffiti or murals? Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.
Some parts are sketchier than others, but that's where you find the life and the beauty too. The "sketchy" Mission district really grew on us and it still oddly feels homely and familiar even though we were only living there a month.
Panoramic view from the top of Coit Tower.
Lovely, no? Sometimes I can still barely believe that I was blessed with the opportunity to move to this beautiful city.
... Which sucks.
-
So. A reason why I am loving this city: it's beautiful and vibrant. See for yourself!
Some parts are sketchier than others, but that's where you find the life and the beauty too. The "sketchy" Mission district really grew on us and it still oddly feels homely and familiar even though we were only living there a month.
Panoramic view from the top of Coit Tower.
Lovely, no? Sometimes I can still barely believe that I was blessed with the opportunity to move to this beautiful city.
18 November, 2011
*1125 - halloween
Belated but I thought this had to go up first before anything else because the season's practically over and these are getting stale.
I found my hidden talent on Halloween. I think I may need to look into offering professional pumpkin carving services, specializing in cute animals.
Guess whose is whose? ;)
My second pumpkin carving attempt ever, and we were both rather shocked at my dexterity in carving a cute bunny into a pumpkin. I was particularly shocked because my first attempt a few years back was pretty lame and I would rather not resurface memories of it.
His first pumpkin carving attempt ever ... valiant effort, I suppose ;)
The innards were, of course, not discarded but made into delicious pumpkin muffins. My first time using fresh pumpkin instead of tinned pumpkin puree (just chop up and roast with cinnamon until soft) and it was surprisingly fragrant and pumpkinny. Mmmm.
Glamour shot of the pumpkin muffins, which we brought with us on a picnic (more on that later):
I found my hidden talent on Halloween. I think I may need to look into offering professional pumpkin carving services, specializing in cute animals.
Guess whose is whose? ;)
My second pumpkin carving attempt ever, and we were both rather shocked at my dexterity in carving a cute bunny into a pumpkin. I was particularly shocked because my first attempt a few years back was pretty lame and I would rather not resurface memories of it.
His first pumpkin carving attempt ever ... valiant effort, I suppose ;)
The innards were, of course, not discarded but made into delicious pumpkin muffins. My first time using fresh pumpkin instead of tinned pumpkin puree (just chop up and roast with cinnamon until soft) and it was surprisingly fragrant and pumpkinny. Mmmm.
Glamour shot of the pumpkin muffins, which we brought with us on a picnic (more on that later):
15 November, 2011
*1124 - chan family
And here we are!
Plus a sneak peak of our cute little apartment.
Dirty bum = no sitting on our white couch, please.
So sad that they are gone already. But I will see them again in half a year and it will be glorious! When you live in a different country from your family you learn to think in years--the number sounds smaller than if you think in months, weeks, days ...
Plus a sneak peak of our cute little apartment.
Dirty bum = no sitting on our white couch, please.
So sad that they are gone already. But I will see them again in half a year and it will be glorious! When you live in a different country from your family you learn to think in years--the number sounds smaller than if you think in months, weeks, days ...
14 November, 2011
*1123 - family in SF
It has been a lovely week - two weeks with the fam (that is, mum + dad + sis) visiting in SF! Exhausting and ... fattening ... but making as much use of their short stay here as possible. I'll see them again here in half a year but it still makes me feel all sad and hollow inside whenever I think about how I am so far from home.
04 November, 2011
*1122 - flat bread for brunch
Brunch is perhaps my favourite meal, and sitting outdoors in tank-top-and-shorts-and-a-light-sweater weather is the best way to do it.
(Added the light sweater clause because sitting outdoors in tank-top-and-shorts-without-a-light-sweater weather could refer to the sweltering outdoor humid heat in Singapore, which I would not say is quite the best way to do it.)
My brunches usually involve poached eggs, often involve home fries, and almost always coffee. But this brunch choice was a little different:
Flat bread + pesto + feta + mozzarella + squash + zucchini + tomatoes.
I love squash and zucchini in everything I eat (okay, almost) and wish they were available in greater abundance in Singapore so that I could have discovered them earlier in my life.
(Added the light sweater clause because sitting outdoors in tank-top-and-shorts-without-a-light-sweater weather could refer to the sweltering outdoor humid heat in Singapore, which I would not say is quite the best way to do it.)
My brunches usually involve poached eggs, often involve home fries, and almost always coffee. But this brunch choice was a little different:
Flat bread + pesto + feta + mozzarella + squash + zucchini + tomatoes.
I love squash and zucchini in everything I eat (okay, almost) and wish they were available in greater abundance in Singapore so that I could have discovered them earlier in my life.
*1121 - caring about food
Food festival in Oakland. Promoting local businesses, locally grown foods, organic, wholesome stuff. I'm such a fan of anything food-related but even more so when there's an element of sustainability thrown in.
I think the best kinds of pizza involve ultra thin crusts and arugula.
Nothing processed or chemically altered or synthetic about this. A whole lamb being served up. What you see is what you get. Know where your food came from.
And this is what it ended up as:
And just now, two girls: from Singapore, to the East coast, and now to the West coast. An interesting observation shared between us that people here just ... care more. About food and about sustainable living. I like it.
I think the best kinds of pizza involve ultra thin crusts and arugula.
Nothing processed or chemically altered or synthetic about this. A whole lamb being served up. What you see is what you get. Know where your food came from.
And this is what it ended up as:
And just now, two girls: from Singapore, to the East coast, and now to the West coast. An interesting observation shared between us that people here just ... care more. About food and about sustainable living. I like it.
01 November, 2011
*1120 - if you're into spiders
Trees in Pakistan shrouded in spider webs after flood, with the spiders allegedly having a blast feasting on mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant waters. Spooky natural phenomenon that keeps disease at bay.
Is this for real? How has it not happened before?
Is this for real? How has it not happened before?
*1119 - when the internet is not working
Click on the red X.
Running diagnostics.
Identifying the problem.
Three possible solutions.
Repairing.
(The problem is still not resolved.
Two possible solutions.
Repairing.)
The problem has been resolved.
Close.
If only it was that simple
Running diagnostics.
Identifying the problem.
Three possible solutions.
Repairing.
(The problem is still not resolved.
Two possible solutions.
Repairing.)
The problem has been resolved.
Close.
If only it was that simple
27 October, 2011
*1118 - curry
Home-cooked curry. The recipe is simple but amazing: curry powder, tomato puree and lots of fresh tomatoes to give it that edge, sugar to counter the acidity, cloves for that special kick you can't quite place your finger on, and coconut milk for the creaminess. Add in anything you want in it (meat and veg, I mean) and simmer on low for as long as you can stand to wait.
Eggplant and okra (i.e. lady's fingers--how often does one find this in the US?!) were the highlights of this one.
This is a dish worth teaching an ang moh how to use a spoon for. It's absolutely necessary to be able to slurp up that stuff by the spoonful; forks just don't do it enough justice.
And the relevance of this post is, obviously, that it is Diwali / Deepavali. Obviously ;) Happy festival of lights!
(OKAY PARDON ME, I realise that might be a blasphemous statement because this isn't Indian curry by any means. I don't even know what sort of region of the world this originated from but I can attest to it's simple yummyness and customisability!)
Eggplant and okra (i.e. lady's fingers--how often does one find this in the US?!) were the highlights of this one.
This is a dish worth teaching an ang moh how to use a spoon for. It's absolutely necessary to be able to slurp up that stuff by the spoonful; forks just don't do it enough justice.
And the relevance of this post is, obviously, that it is Diwali / Deepavali. Obviously ;) Happy festival of lights!
(OKAY PARDON ME, I realise that might be a blasphemous statement because this isn't Indian curry by any means. I don't even know what sort of region of the world this originated from but I can attest to it's simple yummyness and customisability!)
23 October, 2011
*1117 - the real Peter Pan
To this Tink replied in these words, "You silly ass," and disappeared into the bathroom. "She is quite a common fairy," Peter explained apologetically, "she is called Tinker Bell because she mends the pots and kettles [tinker = tin worker]." [Similar to "cinder" plus "elle" to get Cinderella]
- Chapter 3, Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie
I watched Peter Pan, the Disney creation, and it was delightful. And then I read Peter Pan (well, skimmed through half: the beginning and the end), the original by Barrie, and it was darkly different. I much preferred it.
- Chapter 3, Peter Pan, by J. M. Barrie
I watched Peter Pan, the Disney creation, and it was delightful. And then I read Peter Pan (well, skimmed through half: the beginning and the end), the original by Barrie, and it was darkly different. I much preferred it.
*1116 - spinach artichoke + poached eggs
One of my favorite dips to make / eat: spinach artichoke dip. So much better than the processed bottled crap when you make it yourself with bundles upon bundles of fresh spinach!
It goes beautifully with poached eggs on toasted cracked wheat bread with fresh tomatoes and avocado slices.
Poached eggs are easier to make than you imagine--they just require a very gentle touch.
It goes beautifully with poached eggs on toasted cracked wheat bread with fresh tomatoes and avocado slices.
Poached eggs are easier to make than you imagine--they just require a very gentle touch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)