Updates before I snooze

Gosh. This blog has been put on the back burner for a hundred reasons. Some day I'm gonna look back and regret for not being more diligent in blogging about my life in USA.

Anyway, quick updates:

1) A SALE! Yay!

Ever since I took on that part-time job, I haven't been creating anything! I will make a point to get back at it after Chinese New Year. More unique items and original creations. Thanks for the encouragement, buyer from MA!

(Oh, and I bumped into a fellow Etsy seller at the post office. She was doing her first international mail and we chatted a little. It felt great to meet fellow craft lovers.)



(Post-script: Received positive feedback from buyer after shipping off the item. Very touched.... :))

2) WLXH 大驾光临, 又回家了。

I had so much fun this time round, mainly because there was no need to queue up to use the toilet and I had plenty of rest as a result. (Thanks Jo, for offering your house!) I did fall sick though - something that happens a lot when I have visitors. But I recovered quickly because the girls were quite understanding, and they went out to tour the city by themselves so that I could nap.

We also did something different this trip. We cycled at Yosemite and Napa Valley! The former was a leisure ride. It was so awesome because we had the whole valley to ourselves! Winter is apparently a lull period for Yosemite.

The latter tested our stamina and patience the most because it was a 14-mile (22-km) long ride. XH gave me a murderous look at the end of it, because I kept telling her: "Almost there! Almost there!" Whoops... Bad Grace! And I do admit it would be much prettier in spring/summer. In winter the vineyards are rather bare.

We also went to Big Sur for the first time. Love the sea view and the picturesque Bixby Bridge. Quite worth the 30-min drive from Monterey. The road was surprisingly easy to drive, so it's safe to bring my folks there in May.

[Note: Remind me not to commit the mistake of driving to Point Reyes with my parents again. My dad will disown me for driving too fast on the narrow winding roads, and for trying to plunge the car off the cliff. That is, according to him.]

Alright. That's all for now folks! Snooze time. Tomorrow is the eve of Chinese New Year and we have a guest!

Who's tired of Napa Valley?

It's my nth time to Napa Valley. Yes it is. I always do the same route: Cafe Sarafornia at Calistoga, Sterling Vineyard, Castello di Amorosa, Oxbow Public Market, Mini Mango Thai Bistro.

Boring? Tell me after you've taken a look at the photos. 

Wild Cat Scrambler at Cafe Sarafornia

Pizza and cheese platter at Sterling Vineyard

8 element wrap at Mini Mango

Papaya Salad

Thai ice tea and that small bowl of Tom Yum Prawn

Green curry chicken

Pad Thai

Sauteed seasonal greens

Food is a major feature as much as wine at Napa Valley. So who gets tired of wine and these delicious oh-nom-nom-noms amid pretty scenery? Nobody! Plus, we have the company of the bubbly Low family today - Panda's newfound buddy loves free breadsticks as much as he does. I think it's because of him that we get frequent refills of free breadsticks.

Breadsticks can also be used as drumsticks to make happy music! 

It's only Panda's second time to Napa Valley. I've always wanted to take a photo with him in the vineyards under the sun but alas, 'under the sun' seems to be inappropriate today because I couldn't even open my eyes.

There I have it. My romantic closed eyes, sweaty photo with the hubs. Be careful what you wish for, so they said!

I'd like to think it's still a pretty photo. 

Beautiful May. Visits to Vancouver and Yosemite!

May is a good month not only because the flowers are in full bloom, but Sis and OSH finally got off their busy work/baby schedule to visit us. I'm über happy!

Despite their short one-week visit, we managed to squeeze in two short trips - one to Vancouver to visit our distant relatives, and the other to Yosemite, a national park which I've always wanted to go. We were panting like mad with back-to-back flights/drives but it was all worth it. The scenery, the company... All made the trips extremely enjoyable. On the last day we even made an impromptu drive to Sterling Vineyard some two hours away, just to enjoy that last sip of wine under California skies.

Of course, food is a major feature in this trip since Sis and OSH could hardly eat a proper meal back home with baby Jovan around. Even after the sumptuous dinners in Vancouver, courtesy of our aunts and uncles, we didn't rest our stomachs but went straight for everything - down from cheesecakes to crabs. We even went back for seconds at The Boiling Crab and Nini's Coffee Shop which serves very tasty home-cooked American breakfast. I am so stuffed that I am undergoing a 3-day detox after they left.

Here are just some snapshots of our trip. The best are in my memory!

Vancouver's Fisherman's Wharf is smaller and cosier compared to SF

At Mount Elizabeth Park with our aunt

Check out the famous gas clock at gas town

Viva the gigantic Olympics fire

Had king crab at my uncle's restaurant. It was very, very yummy.

At Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge under crisp Canadian weather

We just had to try Tim Hortons, the local 'Starbucks'!

At Deep Cove, a tranquil little area by the bay

#whatcrazysistersdo

Took the ferry to Lonsdale Quay Market on our last day in Vancouver

Back in US. After driving for 4hrs, we finally caught a glimpse of the Upper Yosemite Fall behind us.

We checked in at Tenaya Lodge. We had dinner at a nearby pizza place and the portions are BIG!

After roaming around Curry Village & Mirror Lake in the morning, we headed to Glacier Point. The view was breath-taking.

At Napa. Squeezed a trip to Sterling Vineyard for the pair of wine lovers.

I say give that lady a bottle of SV reserve

The Boiling Crab sha-bang sauce was so good, we had to go back for seconds on their last night!

Nini's exudes old American charm with a comforting breakfast menu. They had to eat it once more before their noon departure.

Laziness strikes!

Oops. I know I should be writing all about the fun we had while dad and mom were here. The ski trip at Lake Tahoe, winery visits at Napa Valley, day trip to Monterey... But laziness got the better of me and I just let time zoom by like that!

Guess I felt so pampered with home cooked food and all the fun times and shopping that my sit-back-and-relax mode just kicked in and I literally shut down. Haha.

After Dad and Mom went back (sad!) we got busy with the start of the Stanford course where readings and homework have to be done. And of course, Warehouse 13 got us totally glued to the laptop - it has got to be one of the best sci-fi TV series around. Right now, that's all we do. We watch all the episodes from dinner time till bedtime.

So here's an update on our life here. Chinese New Year is coming next week but we are gonna have a quiet one for once. No pineapple tarts or bah kwa!



Coldness redefined



To the snow-packed slopes and beyond!



Mom learning how to make a 'pizza'



Up the slope we go



Clearing snow and ice from the windscreen



Lake Tahoe took our breathe away



Snowy cliffs are equally pretty!



Waiting for home cooked food



At Katy's Place, Carmel-by-the-Sea



Feel the sun, feel the wind, feel the ocean at 17-miles, Monterey!



Mom the squirrel befriender



Dad doing his dance



Beautiful skies at 17 miles



Wine Way Inn, Calistoga, Napa



Inside the cosy B&B



Wine tasting at Sterling Vineyard



A fantastic seafood lunch at Crab House, Fisherman's Wharf on the last day



Finally saying bye bye to Dad and Mom :(