Summer on a Plate (or a Colander)

Without a doubt, one of the nicest things about summer is the summer produce. And what's even better is how simple it can be cooking/eating them because you don't really want to tamper with it too much.

Linguine in pomodoro fresco sauce

Roasted peppers with garlic

I can just imagine how much better-tasting it would be if they were grown right in our backyard, or I should say, balcony hehe Actually, I don't have to imagine. I do remember how much better they are, thanks to in-laws' vegetable patch, back in the (dating) days, while living in TO.

Hey, I thought whether we grow them ourselves, or the local farmers do, it's as summer as it can get...

Baby, You're a Firework

Last night, true to what's becoming a yearly tradition, went to a recently retired co-worker's house for some bbq and to watch the fireworks.

Thank god the weather cooperated. Temperature was just right. The view from the patio was amazing (clearly, there's a reason why we're watching the fireworks from his place, no?). 

Food was delish. Even the dog loved it. hehe

How can you not savor summer days, or nights, like this, eh?

(sorry for the quality, taken with phone)

I think we all should have more moments like this. Sometimes, it feels like they're far and few in between, when they shouldn't be. Or sometimes, i think, it's just because life moves too fast that we fail to stop and acknowledge moments like this.

"These are the moments, don't let it pass you by..."

(sorry, I just gotta!:p)

Not Another Food Post

Oh yes it is.

Food, in the last month or so, that I was happy to put effort in, that's made my inner child happy, that's sated the belly...

Cassata Siciliana
(Ok, I didn't make this one, but it was a very special cake indeed... 
our "anniversary" cake)

Crab roe, sauteed in garlic and lemon

The making of a taco (or taco salad, I suppose)

Oven-roasted version of Chicken Adobo

Veal chops with baby potatoes

Chinese long beans (sitaw) Adobo

Thank god we had our dinner already... hehe...

"Stark Naked"

I figure, with all the nail polishes I've been accumulating, I might as well make use of them. That's gotta be a good reason why I buy them, right? (hmmm, what other reason could there be?)

Since I had time to kill yesterday, I thought I'd paint my nails. While I enjoy going for a regular pedi, I usually just do my own mani. Actually, it's not even really a mani. More like just trim the nails then paint. I know, how lazy! But it chips so quickly, even when done professionally, that I think it's really not worth putting that much effort into it. That's just me.

Jessica Stark Naked

I almost forgot I had this (that line should really disappear from my vocabulary). I thought something light for the summer.

Guess they really meant it when they said "stark naked". The color just faded against my skin tone. I could have just as well used only a topcoat and probably would've gotten the same result.

I still like it though. For those times I just want to look polished with (very) little maintenance.

I wonder what other colors I have hiding in our drawer... HAH!

(My) First World Problem(s)

"Ach, how could I've missed the season premier of What Not to Wear?!?How could have I not PVR'd it?"

"This cheesecake brownie is a tad tooo sweet, blech!"

"Eeek, we only have 23% free on our PVR! We have to start watching our shows!!!"

"How can my hairdresser be on vacation when I wanted my hair done now?!?"

"What shoes to wear with this outfit? Gah! Dilemma, dilemma!"

"I don't feel so good, I think I ate too much ice cream"

"Do you mean I have to go back to the other end of the mall? But I'm tired!"

"Ach, now the duvet is ruined!"

"Oh, what to wear, what to wear?"

"So much food!!!"

"And they say this is ultra high-speed?!?"

(via Google image)

*******************************************
I can keep going...

Pathetic, yet comical, no? Whine, whine, whine... That's all it is, isn't it? Tut-tut...


The most ironic part about all these? I'm not even born here. Take that! HAH!

Train the Trainer

Yesterday, I was in some kind of training, which actually ended being a nice surprise because I didn't realize there will be a speaker and he happened to be good.

Even though it was only for a day, it was still nice. It broke up the week for starter. Plus the day ended up being informative. Best part, I finally found an excuse to try this place for lunch, since it was practically across the street where we were training. Hah!

Porchetta

Oh boy, was it good! The salsa verde provided a nice contrast to the richness of the meat, especially with the touch of heat to it. The crackling was crackling alright! If I have one criticism, it's that the portion of meat I got was a tad on the salty side. Someone must have felt overly generous with the sea salt. But it's definitely not stopping me from having it again. For sure! To heck with the 3000 calories! Ok, not really, but still... hehe

And as I was about to pay for my lil treat, saw this next to the cashier.

So of course, I had to have it!

Sweeeet!!!

Hair Lesson

Ever since I found one hairstylist that I like working with, finally, I've decided that I would now go for regular visits, as in every 3 months or so (that is the usual, right?), as opposed to once every year, or year and a half (eeep!). So I did. After almost 4 months since my last visit, I booked a hair appointment, just this past weekend. It would have been sooner but he was on vacation (so that wasn't quite my fault now, was it?).

This was the idea for a new style:

(Google image)

Now before I post any more pic, the question is did I get this cut? The answer is no. Hah!

I've mentioned to him a few times that I always want something low maintenance coz I seriously don't have the patience anymore to stand in front of the mirror to blow-dry, flat-iron, texturize, shape and mold my hair. I would rather get an extra sleep. And thank god he was listening the whole time coz when I showed him this pic, the first thing he said was it would require too much work for me, considering the texture of my hair.

I'll admit I was disappointed for a millisecond, but the realist in me took over after that millisecond. Actually I think he was surprised that I suggested a totally different style. I think he thought I would just get the same asymmetrical bob I got before. Maybe it's just me, but I've always had this idea that if I'm going to a salon and make a production out of my haircut, it might as well be something totally different that it's really noticeable. Am I the only who thinks that way? And why do I think that way to begin with?

Anyhoot, I think I'm slowly moving away from that kind of thinking...

Then it got me thinking how it would be nice if every aspect of my decision-making has an equivalent to that of my hair guy... Should I go ahead and buy that thing?... Uhm, no because that would just create more expense... Should I go in that direction?... Uhm, no, because going in that direction would change your plan entirely... Kinda' like a live-in consultant in my head. Wouldn't that be cool? I suppose I could start seeing a shrink or something. HAH!

Trust my brain to over-analyze a haircut. A haircut!

So, after all that rambling, I did get a cut and this is how it looks now... hehe...

My Week in Food

Every now and then, my social calendar gets packed up in such a short period of time that even I wonder what's up with things. For weeks, it'll be quiet, so quiet that even I get antsy, then next thing I know, everything seems to be happening one after another. Of course when I say social activities, I mean one thing, food... *sigh*... I mean *satisfied sigh*... Hah!

Take last week, for example...

(Be warned, it's a heavy food post.)

MONDAY:
Hubs and I decided to go for dim sum last minute.

Bean curd sheet with veggies

Prawn chow fun

Beef balls

Siumai

Sesame ball

WEDNESDAY:
It was time for our bimonthly blood donation, and true to what's now appearing to be a tradition, came our dinner after. Gotta replenish the iron.

Saltspring Island Mussels in coconut curry sauce

Crisp polenta fries with curry mayo sauce

FRIDAY:
A bunch of us met up for dinner as we all haven't seen one another in a while.

Seared ahi tuna salad

SATURDAY:
(saving the best for last) Some friends wanted to check out the Richmond Night Market. They have a second location this year, which is where we went. Actually, we initially checked out the Chinatown one in downtown but having gotten there and realizing how measly the offering was, we decided last minute to go check out the Richmond one. And we're all glad we did.

Grilled squid tentacles

Skewered meat (ribeye, chicken and pork)

Popcorn chicken, Taiwanese-style

Martabak (Indonesian egg snack)

Roasted pork hock

The Wishing Tree

And of course, with all those activities last week and really no time to do anything else, what do I gotta do now? Oh, laundry and whatever chores I "fancy doing". Oh and yes, I guess burn all those calories off.

*burp*

Starting Now... Ok, Now... Ok, Now

No words...

(All items from Joe Fresh)

(Darn summer sales!!!)

The End

*giggle*

Guilty Pleasure

We all have them, no?

Why is it called guilty pleasure to begin with? I think most of these things that we consider guilty pleasure is really just all regular pleasure stuff, but for the fact that people just tend to be too embarrassed to admit it in public, for whatever reason. I guess a more important question is what is there to be embarrassed about?

So really, if a person has no shame, then it's just regular pleasure, right?

(all images via Google images, except the last one:p)

Must be the childhood memory...

What can I say?

I know, I know, but man, oh, man, is it good, mmmm...

Hubs hates it, because of the crumbs, not surprising, but sometimes, when you're lazy, you're lazy, no?

Among the oh so many of them...

The most recent one?

Surprise, surprise...

Shopping Embargo

So, cutting to the chase, I have pretty much shopped 2 months worth of (my) shopping budget. How? I'll tell you how.

Last Thursday, I mentioned how I met I my met a friend for lunch. Back from lunch, on my walk home, decided to check out the summer sales that's started. I figure, I wanted to avoid the crowd that most likely would have had the same idea came this long weekend past.

So was there really a crowd? Dunno, since I went days before. And was it the smartest thing to do? Of course not!

J Crew haul:
Soludos espadrilles (x 2)
Cab & Crystal bracelets (x 3)
Medium bangles (x 2)
Jeanine skinny belt

Gap haul:
Khaki boyfriend roll-up shorts
Casual web reversible men's belt

That was Thursday, June 28th, so technically, it was still June and that would have just made the month way past total write-off, considering the way I went about with it. And there I was, doing (relatively) well at that! For shame, indeed.

Oh and to add insult to injury, I returned to J Crew on Sunday since they made a pricing mistake on the belt (those items are all final sales, after all). And what went out with me along with the belt?

Ribbonstripe boatneck shirt (thanks to her:p)

So to make myself (a lil) better(?), I've made the decision to make this most recent shopping expedition to be the last one for a while. 2 months, for starter, since like I mentioned earlier, that's pretty much what I've spent taking my "budget" into consideration. Hopefully, longer than 2 months...

*grin*... *head bowed down in shame*... *happy sigh*... you name it, I felt it...

HAH!