Tuesday 31 January 2012

In the Eyes of the Child(ren)

As we all know, as adults (or trying to be, at least:p), life sometimes gets complicated. And sometimes, not that it's really complicated, but you end up with just too much on your plate that you wish for simpler times.

What ever happened to that time when all you were concerned with was whether your friend was mad at you because you forgot to share your chips with him/her? Or that time when all cared for was what was the highest level you can reach in your (computer) game (not that there was one when I was much younger, hah!)? Or that time when all you were stressing over was how to explain to your mom why you didn't each your packed lunch just because your friend shared his/her lunch with you which you enjoyed much better anyways, food that you could have thrown away before you got home but couldn't because you were raised not to waste anything? You know, stuff like that...

We grew up, that's what! And as life catches up with us, as we get older, not only do we start facing "real" problems, I feel we also lose something, that sense of awe and wonder that kids naturally have, even with the littlest of things... Or maybe it's just me, HAH!




Took this picture of my nephews when I came to visit the family for the holidays. I totally adore this pic! I don't really know what they were looking at, but it sounded like they were having a really serious conversation about whatever they were looking at. I caught a part of the conversation. Of course, it didn't make sense, yet it made perfect sense at the same time. Well, I know it made perfect sense to them.

"... In the eyes of a child, there is joy, there is laughter, there is hope, there is trust, a chance to shape the future.."


I truly hope that we never lose the child in any of us. Life can be challenging enough as it is, but once in a while, if we remember to see things thru' the eyes of a child... then, maybe, just maybe, life can be that grand...

Monday 30 January 2012

Obsessions

I guess obsessions are called obsessions for a reason.

Zara tote

I've lost count the number of times I've brought this purse up with my sister. She'll tell you! HAH!... I myself do not understand, I don't even know why. It's just a tote, really!

It doesn't help that practically all my fave blogs or every street style I peep out there features this purse. First, I noticed the black. Then this color. Ach!!!

courtesy of cupcakes and cashmere


courtesy of instyle.co.uk

courtesy of chictopia.com via Google images

courtesy of twentythirtyforty.net
via Google images

... among the, oh, so many of them. Eeeek!!!


{Un}Luckily, I dislike paying for full price, and this tote, due to its demand, will probably not go on sale, and I don't like scouring the net to shop online, which all means I may just be able to put a lid on this so-called obsession... Maybe... crossing fingers...

LOL

Saturday 28 January 2012

More Dine Out

I guess I'm trying to make up for all the years I haven't done Dine Out. Ok, not really.:p

Decided with some friends to meet up for drinks last night. Ok, before I go on, I just wanna' say I'm not a slush or anything like. O wait, is that something a slush will say? Ok, forget it...

As I was saying, met with a couple of friends yesterday after work. They were both going on trips, separately, which meant I may not see them for a few weeks. So me and girlfriend first met up at one of our go-to places while the other friend was getting a haircut.

We were only going to be there for A drink since we had plans of meeting with other friend at this other place. As it turned out, other friend finished early and we were hungrier than we thought, so other friend ended up meeting us and we ended up staying a tad longer than planned.

Grilled scallops on egg tofu with mango relish

Sandy, the owner, recommended this new dish on their menu. It was delish!

And I do like the fact that we come here often enough that we're comfortable with telling her anything and know that she won't be offended. Not about this dish, obviously, but I'm saying just in general.

Eventually, we managed to un-glue ourselves off our seats and headed to the other place.




It's our first time at this lounge. We quite liked it. There's a quiet elegance to the place. I suppose that's almost a given, considering its location.

And may I say how yummy that drink was? Can one describe a drink as yummy? I suppose one can...

Then, as it turned out, we didn't have enough food at the first place. And the only menu available was the Dine Out menu. Ok, we could have ordered a la carte, but it wasn't worth it, so Dine Out menu it was.

Chickpea frites

Xi Shi burger

I like how accommodating the staff was. This burger, for example, has 2 patties in one sandwich, which they split to two mini sandwiches to accommodate us, without us even requesting it. And the other friend ordered a drink which he ended up not really liking and without the other friend saying anything, they took it upon themselves to take it off our bill seeing that the other friend barely touched the drink. Is that service, or is that service?

The food, needless to say, was quality!

Couldn't have started the weekend in a more fun way, no?!?

Happy weekend!!!

Thursday 26 January 2012

Mustard Seed

Not to trivialize the biblical mustard seed, it just feels that the color mustard has indeed been planted in my brain, slowly but surely. And I guess my brain was indeed fertile grounds.

Zara ballet flats

On my walk home yesterday, without any real intentions, ended up walking in to some of the stores I passed by and one of them just happened to be, why, Zara! Oh, that big Sale sign still on, oh my! pffft, sure,sure...

If I say here how I came to purchase this pair, nobody will take me seriously anymore. Seriously! Luckily, I have hubs to unload all my neuroses, although I know he'll beg to differ. LOL... Let's just say, I have the patience like you will not believe when it comes to shopping. Ok, I'm not sure patience is the right word. And of course, the more I get into a zone, the more a sense of calmness kicks in. Well, for the most part, anyways... HAH! Which then gradually changes to giddiness, naturally, after a "successful" purchase. That's all imma say!!!

Tignanello purse (gift from sis),
no name scarf (bought during last trip...
haven't used, obviously)

Anyhoot, I digress... now the shoes can join the growing number of mustard-colored items in my closet... Why do I feel like having a pastrami sandwich all of a sudden?... Again, kidding!!! heehee



Sunday 22 January 2012

Dine Out

Got a message from a friend on Friday asking me if I want to meet up on Saturday for dinner. Guess what my response was? LOL

As it turned out, which is what she had in mind after all, Dine Out Vancouver just started this weekend, which I almost forgot:p

For last night's dinner, she was able to make a reservation for this restaurant for 6:25 and we thought we'd meet up for pre-dinner drink(s). So we met up first at the lounge in the same building.

Golden mojito

I thought it was a nice way to whet our appetite:p

So, based on the menu, this is how the night turned out:

Cobb Salad

One of the friends went for the appetizer buffet which included cold seafood, which in essence gave our table, the chance to have some cold seafood... heehee...


Seared Queen Charlotte halibut with tiger prawns

And another friend had this--


Braised short ribs with pappardelle in cream spinach sauce

And last, but not least--




Post-dinner drink after, I thought the night went very well!:)

First time I've done Dine Out, it really is a good idea to try out all these restaurants you've never been to before. One of the friends has been doing it since 2001! Pretty cool, eh?

This morning, in a true lazy Sunday morning manner, I thought I'd treat myself and hubby to a true lazy Sunday morning breakfast.

Banana pancake with blackberries and praline pecans
(coz I didn't have walnuts:p)

Yay for weekends!!!

Saturday 21 January 2012

The Story of a Purse

I happen to be one of those women who hates changing purse. Once I put all my crap stuff in that one purse, that's it! Til that bag falls apart, or I get so tired of it. First of all, I'm always rushing in the morning, for whatever reason, no matter how early or late I get up, no matter if I've pushed that snooze button 5 times or not. Go figure!

So, changing purse in the morning is not an attractive option for me. What was that? Change purse the night before? Now, there's an idea, right? But I don't even know what I would wear in the morning until 1 minute before I put on something! Ah, there lies the dilemma...HAH!

So, I've learned to go for basic ones that can forcefully go with any outfits.

Ironically enough, I have a number of nice expensive purses, courtesy of hubs:p, that I haven't used in a while. Why? Again, in my head, who has the energy to keep changing purse regularly?

Then, once in a while, no matter how rarely I change my purse, my brain gets stuck on a particular style that I'd keep looking and looking and looking and looking...

Browns leather satchel

... until I find it.



Based of course, on what I've been eyeing for a while...

Roots
Roots

... but could not justify the price in my head, but if hubs give it to me as a present, I'd feel differently, but not sure how long I can wait, so... heehee...

And how can I not include the next ones, which started the obsession in my head, after all?!?

Mulberry
Proenza Schouler

Tell me!!!! Ach!!!

And funny enough, I walked in to that store on Wednesday night really just to tag along with a co-worker to look at boots. Boots! Not bags! But the bag, of course, as luck would have it, was next to the boots on the window display which made me look for it inside the store and when I didn't find it, asked a sales associate for the one on the window display, which made me asked for the price and found out it was on sale. Sale!!!

End of story.

Monday 16 January 2012

More comfort food, please

I guess, winter that it is, I can't help but gravitate towards or crave food that's comfortable, that's familiar...

So, I decided to make this last night.

Chicken Adobo
This is probably one of the more popular Filipino dish known outside the Filipino community. It's Spanish in origin. There is even a Mexican dish with the same name but funny enough, nowhere near similar to this dish. And interestingly enough, there is so many versions of this dish, as in many many versions. All depends what part of the Philippines you're family's from.


And another interesting thing about this particular dish. The recipe itself came from a cookbook by a non-Filipino. HAH! How about that!

Regardless, it was delish!!!

Thanks, sis, for the recipe!:)))

Sunday 15 January 2012

A Piping Bowl of Goodness

Nippy days, like yesterday and today, just simply call for a nice bowl of piping hot soup. Any soup. Be it arroz caldo, goto, sinigang, or bulalo, all Filipino dishes. Be it congee, chicken noodle soup, chili, wonton noodle soup, or pho.

Or in our case yesterday, be it ramen. This is becoming a go-to place now for a fix of ramen. Not only is nearby, but it's good, I say. Therefore, it meets our needs:p

Miso ramen

... along with an array of sides...

Kimchee
Pork gyoza, and Chashu (pork) rice

Soup, needs met. Thanks!

Friday 13 January 2012

How Time Flies

First work week of the year, I made it, yay!

It may have helped that some kind of shopping kinda' sneaked in there somewhere heehee...

Zara top (Front)
(Back)

Seriously, there I was coming home, after having gotten a ride from a colleague, which then meant walking home from a different direction, during which I happened to pass by Zaraat which point I saw these big-ass posters SALE on the window. *sigh*

Mind you, I've been eyeing this top for a while now and I didn't think I'll even see it on sale and on my size at that! First, I really don't like paying for full price. Second, although I don't like paying for full price, I came pretty close to buying this top at regular price but they didn't have my size. So there, I say it was written in the stars! LOL

And mind you, again, with their crazy sale, I seriously have not just one item on hand, but, call it baby steps or whatever, in the end, I put them all away but for one:p

I can keep going with excuses reasons as to my purchase(s)... Sad... hehe


And since coming back from vacay, wasn't really in the mood to brown-bag for lunch all week. Not good, I know...

... part of Thursday lunch at Mucho Burrito

Friday (Filipino) lunch at Kumare

So there, another week bites the dust! Happy Friday, yay!!!!

Thursday 12 January 2012

Color of the Year

According to Pantone, the color for 2012 is Tangerine Tango.

Source: fabsugar.com via Loisa on Pinterest


Cannot be happier:p Love anything orange-y! Just makes me smile *wide grin*

Guess I'm off to a good start with a purchase from last Boxing Day.

Forever 21 cardi

.. to add to my growing orange-y pieces in my closet, as seen here, here, and here... heehee...

How can you not like anything orange-y, seriously?!?! And just saying the word tangerine, doesn't that alone put a smile on your face?:p

soaps, yes!

Jello shots

One more time, TANGERINE!!!
LOL

Monday 9 January 2012

Back to Life, Back to Reality

First day back at work today. Blech!

Wasn't even supposed to come in today, but I kinda' said I would. Bah!

I swear, my brain was only at half capacity today. Tried as I might, I couldn't bring myself to think, move, or walk faster.

On the other hand, it was nice to see colleagues again.

I did survive the day, whew! hehe

Coming home, couldn't decide if I should walk home or not. Here's an excerpt from my conversation with hubs as I started walking:

Me: Should I walk home? I feel I'm still not 100% percent better. I'm even having a hard time breathing. What's wrong with me?
Hubs: Sorry to hear that. Why don't you just take the subway? It's your first day back, just take it easy.
Me: I should, eh? But I do need to walk too. Remember, I didn't get any workout at all during vacation.
Hubs: Ok, maybe you should walk then.
Me: But I'm still kinda' feeling off.
Hubs: Ok, take the transit then.
Me: Hmmm, maybe I should walk. It's not raining. It's kinda' mild out anyway, plus it's still early.
Hubs: So you're walking then?
Me: Let me think about it.


Yes, I certainly know how to drive my hubs nuts. LOL

And yes, I did end up walking home. As always, so glad I did.

... my view on my way home

And it's only Monday! Bah!



Saturday 7 January 2012

Photo Diary in Food, Mostly, Last Part, I Promise

Well, in less than 12 hours, will be returning home. Doubt I'll get sleep tonight as I haven't even finished packing. Packing schmacking. Mommy!!!

LOL

Kidding, ok!

Well, what can I say, more eating get-together in the last 2 days.

Friday night was spent with friends.


Paella

Sotanghon (Filipino glass noodles)
... among the many many food that night...

Friends who I've known for like half my life now, practically since we moved to Canada. Friends who've gone thru' graduations, promotions, career changes, weddings, funerals, divorces, births... milestones... and who knows what else from here on.

Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I thought we look the same. Ok, maybe not. Maybe a (few) pounds here and there. Hah! Plus, give or take, 10 kids (that night, at least), spread among the group. *sentimental sigh*

Today was again spent with all sides of the family.

Started with dimsum.




I wish I can tell you this was done deliberately. A picture of empty plates to signify the end of a meal, the end of a trip... Maybe we'll just leave it at that... heehee...

One of the best, if not THE best, mango pudding I've had


Then, one last visit to the in-laws.


Then, one more family dinner at this Vietnamese restaurant.

Pho
... and its accoutrements...



And gotta have the rolls, of course...




And as I really should go finish my packing now, leaving with thoughts of this--


Blueberry ricotta-filled cannoli

... as I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...
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