Recent Food Adventures

I'm trying to learn Photoshop (in my "free" time - ha!) and have experimented with some pictures from recent homemade food. They are by all means not perfect - and criticisms/suggestions much appreciated.

Homemade food from mom, sister, and sister-in-law for Father's Day. My parents are in town and that just means a lot of food in general. Too bad I don't live at home anymore.

Also for Father's Day, my 8-year nephew opted to make his specialty - bacon-wrapped asparagus. He loves meat while his younger brother loves vegetables, so this is one dish they will scarf down together.

Some cherries my parents and brother's family picked from Cherry Valley.

Some coffee drink my brother made from his new Nespresso. It's a nifty little thing that makes coffee from capsules! (not unlike Keurig but fancier)

I made chicken quesadilla with spinach and mushrooms for dinner one night. I didn't realize they were so hard to stuff (or the tortillas I got were too small). Anyways, they were a hit. H loved them, whee!

In efforts to eat healthier, I also conjured up this pasta and bean salad for H's lunches. (There's still a good batch left... which says they must not be very good. Humph.)

Fab Five Friday {6/29}

Every Friday, I share 5 things that I'm loving this week.

1. I'd like to think that I have a wide taste for music. I'm into pretty much anything except techno, (some) country, and (some) gospel. Last week I shared Gotye, and this week it's going to be Rise Against.

They are one of my all-time favorite what-I-call "young people rock." (Yes, I'm one of those people who refer to the 'other group' as "young people" now that I am about to cross the threshold of the big 3-0. Sobs.)

2. Speaking of rock, my all-time favorite Linkin Park released their Living Things album last week!
This is their Burn It Down mv.

3. Being an Asian, I am cursed with hooded eyelids. I have ashamed and excited at the same time to share that I have rediscovered deep within my stash of goodies the double eyelid tape. It makes my eyes bigger and pop, appearing more energetic. Which is good cuz I've been feeling super tired and somewhat down the last two weeks or so.

4. Playing basketball with H. More like... chasing the ball.

5. Lastly, check out this trailer for a documentary about Jiro, the world's greatest sushi chef.

It is so dreamy and of course makes me hungry. I love sushi!

In other news, I've been trying to deal with my and the other person's insurance companies since my car accident in mid-May. Can I just say how much I HATE dealing with car insurance stuff? the accident totally wasn't my fault and there is already a police report, but for some reason the other insurance company now wants my statement of what happened. I've already called twice and left voice messages but no callback. ARGH!

Have a happy weekend!

Huntington Library (Part 2)

Last time I shared pictures from my trip to the Huntington Library, and this time I will share pictures specifically from the subtropical garden. It's very unique with all its weird plants and odd cacti.

Some barren trees. This was a few weeks after the unusual, major wind storm that traveled through the area.

But these flowers! They grow amid the barren-ness (is that a word?). They are fighters.

These are the normal cacti.

Pretty flowers! I wish I knew my flowers to give a name.

Uh oh... the cacti is starting to get weird here...

Another lone, barren tree. This looks like it could be something out of a Tim Burton movie.

Some willow-y looking plant. Or a gigantic monster with some serious hair issue.

Flowers and cacti.

I love the red in the back.

Another name-less pretty flower. Can you tell I'm a flower kind of gal?! Ha.

Another Tim Burton prop. Maybe the trees come to life during the night and start grabbing at things. Too much imagination? Yah I think so.

Prickly cacti! I once killed a cactus plant by overwatering it. True story. No one ever trusts me with their plants after that.

Cacti garden. It's a good way to ward off burglars 'cuz it's hard for them to get away!

I call these, Christmas cacti.

These remind me of ribbon roses (something way too complicated for my simple mind to figure out).

I have no idea what this is or what kind of plant it is...

Or this... Although this looks like a gigantic girl alien... (Imagination at work again, sorry.)

Anyone called for a ultra-large ginger root? 

I'm starting to wonder what the red things are.

These remind me of a popular Asian fruit called the loquat. They are really sweet and juicy. I call them Asian cuz I've had them in Asia but very rarely in the US (only from someone's backyard).

Firecrackers or chili? Your pick.

I've seen these around but am not sure what they are. They look so puffy!

Flower garden.

Berries? I don't think they are edible though.

Another willow-y plant but I love the lightness of it.

Huntington Library (Part 1)

I found some pictures from earlier this year of when I went to the Huntington Library. It's smack in the middle of a (very nice) residential area and houses art collections, libraries, and botanical gardens.

The entrance to the gardens.

This sculpture is one of the first things you'll see inside. *giggles*

The entire library is subdivided into different "gardens" and this one is the sculpture garden, appropriately-named.

I like black-n-white pictures sometimes.

I just like this shot.

I made a new friend during my visit!

For some reason, these steps look very serene and zen-like.

The path to somewhere. Or nowhere.

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon anyone? 

The Huntington Garden also holds a special place in my heart because 1) it's one of the first places I remember visiting when we first moved to the US and 2) it's where H and I went to take our engagement photos. Stay tuned for part 2 for subtropical garden photos!

Fave Five Friday {6/22}

Every Friday, I share 5 things that I'm loving this week.

1. Kindle. I got mine last Black Friday but am just starting to really use it now. I love the lightweight-ness and the convenience. It fits in my purse perfectly, and I can read on it whenever I have a few minutes here and there. I like the particular one I have - it's white! With a happy orange ten-dollar case!

2. White Collar. My friends Cyn and Ada recommended it, and we usually have similar TV show/movie tastes, so I decided to give it a try. It's smart and funny, and it certainly doesn't hurt that Matthew Bomer is cute! Fellow Netflix'ers can find it on the instant watch list.

3. I recently came across the works of Laura Vanderkam, in particular, her article on "What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast." I was never a morning person. If it wasn't for work and if H and I were left to ourselves, I think we would stay up until the wee morning hours. But I can totally see her point on how mornings, by yourself, can be productive. I shared it with H and now we are considering getting up even earlier. (We already get up at 6am. Okay, maybe 6:30... I love my snooze button.)

4. A Cup of Jo, one of my favorite blogs. Joanna used to write for Glamour and Conde Nast Traveler, so you can imagine how cool her blog will be. She's also a super mom. I want to be just like her!


5. Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know

I know this song is all over the airwaves but I just really like the folksy voice and the lyrics! I usually don't look up artists or music videos when I like a song, so it's very weird to be linking to it, haha.

Dietitians are Human Too

As a registered dietitian, one of the perks for working in a hospital is that you get free food. (Note: this differs from hospital to hospital, and the policy as to how much food you can get differs too. At my current job, we are allotted $8 per day.) This may sound great, and trust me it comes out to be a gigantic money-saver, but c'mon, you can only take so much hospital food! Everyday, my coworkers and I would trudge through the cafeteria, back and forth, back and forth, and 80% of the time, I would settle on salad because there really isn't anything else that appeals to my hungering tummy. (There is a handful of items that I would always get when they are on the menu ie anything with seafood, anything tacos or tostados, and anything pasta - but everything else is either too mystifying to figure out or just plain looks unappetizing.)

As my coworkers and I walk to our tables with our food, we nearly always receive comments on our lunches. This leads me into one of the biggest myths ever: that dietitians eat healthy. Sure, we love our salads and carrot sticks and fat-free plain yogurts and plain everything else (gags), but we are human too! Who doesn't enjoy a nice juicy burger followed by a side of hot, fried-to-perfection fries washed down with a jug of sweet, savory milkshake (mmm In-'N-Out)?? That's like assuming all doctors are fit and healthy and cancer-free, all models are size 0.01, all cops are righteous and never run red lights or speed, and all customer service representatives are customer-oriented. We (or at least the majority of us - why is there always a small percentage in every group that mess up the calculations?) just try to eat decent most of the time so we can goof off the rest of the time. 

Case in point, here are some food I ate from a recent trip to Washington DC:

Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries - I know this is a well-known chain, and I know that on vacations you shouldn't eat anything chain-or-franchise-store-ish, but I've never had it and this was the only place we can find within walking distance. (Link may or may not point to where I had the actual burger.) It was a hot mess and I loved it. Not unlike an In-'N-Out but messier and juicier. The fries (unpictured) were really good too, especially with the cajun powder. 

Fries from Palena Restaurant - I have more comments about this place that can span another post but I shall refrain for now. These were like Jack-in-the-box fries that costs $8! (meaning that they were fast food fries trying to be all upscaly... insert angry face) The point is that we ordered fries on the side to attest to how much we enjoy fries in general.

Ben's Chili Bowl - If you've never heard of this place, that's ok - I hadn't either. But now that you do, you must go! It's supposedly President's Obama's to-go place. It's ghetto. It might be dirty. There might be filming in there. The line might be long. The food may be cheap (for DC). And it may or may not be one of the most tastiest, most comforting food you can eat at 11pm after the fries from the restaurant above disppointed you.

the inside "decor" and the menu

"people who eat free: bill cosby, president obama/family, and no one else"

what a lovely sight! and i don't even like hot dogs (yes it's blasphemous i know...)

framed celebrities. obama is at the far right.

chili dog & chili cheese fries

Next time you see me with a salad, don't assume I am trying to be healthy. Instead, take it to mean that there is nothing on the menu I want to eat. (Either that, or it is a god-damn, finger-licking GOOD salad made from truffles and chocolate shavings.)

Motivation. And a new direction.

I have neglected this blog for way too long.

When I first opened this new forum, it was meant to be a creative outlet. A place to collect my inspirations. The beautiful things I encounter in my daily life. But for some reason, I just couldn't get myself to update regularly. I told myself that it was no big deal, that I didn't have time, that I don't have followers/readers anyways, that there were more important things in my life. (Not to mention, I had a wedding to plan and all that fun stuff that usually accompany a wedding.)

But the truth of the matter is, I was just being lazy.

In life, there are always things that come up. There are always things that get in the way of you following your dreams. But the difference between those who succeed and those who don't is the action of sticking-it-through. The things that come up, those are just excuses. That's just "life." I knew all those things, and I tell it to H every time he says he wants to do something but then does the complete opposite to sabotage himself. But easier said than done. That's the way it goes.

This weekend was a really good one. We spent Friday night talking to some of my old high school friends. It was not catching-up persay, but it was relaxing to just chat the night away. Saturday was spent in the gym (morning) and at a bridal shower (afternoon). The bridal shower was for a not-so-close friend, but in a way, I'm glad I made myself go because it's good to force yourself to be social sometimes I think. Then I spent the whole night chatting with a old friend. True catching up. We talked about attitudes to life, people who are positive versus negative energies, and most importantly, life aspirations. I shared with her something that I've only shared with H, and because of her encouragement, I realized that I have been sabotaging myself. All this time when I thought that I don't know what I want to do with myself, I realize now that I knew all along but I was just too afraid to take any steps towards anywhere. I had always been afraid of my own ambitions, telling myself that it's too much, there's too much work, and hey, wouldn't it be easier to just stay home and be a couch potato? Yes it would, but is that who I want to be from this year to the next, to the next, to 10 years from now?

I forgot my ambitions. And it's time to restart. I've been recharging for way too long.

[Reading] Books of 2011

One of my new year's resolutions (well, anytime resolution) is to read more books. So here I hope to chronicle my literary adventures of 2011.

1. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - I still don't quite understand the whole wand thingie because I was desperately rushing to finish, so I'm sure I will re-read it. Can't wait for the movie!!

2. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban - I think I actually read this book before, but I really didn't understand it the first time. The book and the movie is pretty different!

3. Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

4. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

5. Committed (Elizabeth Gilbert) - I've always been interested in the topic of marriage, and I'm glad to have read this book before getting married at the end of this year. Gilbert puts into words everything I have ever thought about in regards to marriage and much more. It's not to say that this book deterred me from entering into matrimony, but instead, it prepared me to know what I was getting into.

6. Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince - finally done with the harry potter series!! can't wait for the movie!!

7. The Double Comfort Safari Club - I still remember back in Utah when I went through the first few books of this series with a craze. It's easy reading with a take-home lesson!

8. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto - Eat foods. Not too much. Mostly plants. 7 little words, so much depth.

9. How Starbucks Saved My Life - I seriously thought this would be a promotional book for Starbucks, but I learned so much from it: Be humble. Embrace every challenge in life, big or small. And do not ever think that you are too great for anything. Don't be pretentious.

10. Food Fight - I will admit that there were some parts that I skimmed over, especially parts with lots of numbers and statistics... But this is a very instructive book and speaks to me greatly as my thesis was related to vending machines in jr high schools.

11. The Omnivores Dilemma

12. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson

14. Velvet Touch

15. Murder on the Orient Express

16. The Other 8 Hours

17. I Remember Nothing

18. Gang Leader for a Day

19. I Was Told There'd Be Cake

20. My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space

21. Reader's Digest Guide to Skin Care

22. Someone Will Be With You Shortly

23. Eating Chinese Food Naked

24. The Penny Pinchers Club

25. Lost and Found

26. Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood

27. Spousonomics: Using Economics to Master Love, Marriage, and Dirty Dishes

28. Half Broke Horses

29. Girls in White Dresses

30. Chasing Harry Winston


31. The Hunger Games


32. The Dim Sum of All Things

33. Catching Fire


Chinese Books:
1. 占星術殺人魔法

2. 馬來鐵道之迷

3. 雙頭惡魔

4. 魔術師

5. 幻影

6. 血咒

7. 點與線

8. 花之寺殺人事件

9. 蝴蝶效應: 人生中不可忽視的小細節

10. 聖惡女


Re-reads:
1. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone

2. The Glass Castle

Attempted:
1. Sense & Sensibility - I'm sorry but I really don't see the hype about Jane Austen... I could not get myself to pass chapter 3. I suppose I will have to resort to the movies.

2. Lolita - I was actually really proud of myself for getting past half the book. Then the ramblings style of writing really got to me and I lost the battle. Quite a disturbing book though. I got the movie queue'd up in Netflix ;)

3. An Object of Beauty - I guess I expected this book to be really good based on reviews and that the author is Steve Martin. It probably is; I just can't relate to the NY lifestyle, neighborhoods, and the whole art scene.

4. 松本清張短篇傑作選 (上)

5. Shopgirl

Tired

I feel tired of late.

Tired of everything that has been going on around me. Tired of socializing and pretending to look vaguely interested in other people's conversation. Tired of trying to keep up. Tired of working on wedding stuff. Tired of thinking about wedding stuff. Tired of trying to save money. Tired of feeling inadequate. Tired of always feeling incompetent. Tired of figuring out what I want from life.

Just tired.

I keep saying/thinking that I want to live. Really live. But it is so hard for me to let go of my fears and worries. I look at other people and I wonder how they do it. How is it that they can afford to travel every few months? How is it that they can buy name-brand things every few months? How is it that they can go out every weekend? How is it that they can just be/look so worry-free?

And how is it that I just can't do it?