this year’s harvest…
Saturday 1.14.2012
The oranges and grapefruits are thriving this year. And just in time for the Chinese New Year, too! These sweets will make fantastic citrus baskets for our aunts and uncles next week. I can’t believe it’s going to be the end of January so soon! 2012 is going to go by in flash!
Dad’s cilantro and mustard greens ready to be plucked.
This grapefruit was so fat, it had to wedge itself in between a few branches!
fa la la la la….
Saturday 12.10.2011
I’ve been neglecting my blog in exchange for all the holiday festivities these past two weeks. But the tree is decorated and the garland hung, the stockings are semi-stuffed and lights are lit, so I think I can take a little breather for now. I love decorating for the holidays. This year I took a more whimsical approach, making a few new items on the spot. The very Anthropologie – inspired garland is my new favorite piece. The evergreen jars may or may not be gift items this year. I still can’t decide just yet.
green house
Saturday 6.18.2011
My sister and I had a eureka! moment when we drove by a bonsai street vendor yesterday. We picked one out for our dad to celebrate father’s day today. I love the way this bonsai juts out to one side so rebelliously.
And even though it’s been 100 degrees outside lately, the philodendron are thriving in the coolness of the house. And Tuan’s garlic bulbs are sprouting like crazy!
homegrown
Thursday 5.26.2011
The sun is making all the plants wither in the scorching heat, but we managed to pick these potatoes before it was too late.
Dad’s pepper plants. Once they ripen to red, they’ll be spicy enough to be picked for daily meals. I love spicy but I was never able to manage the heat as well as my family did, who all preferred to take a bite out of a piece of pepper with their meals.
The dogs usually go outside everyday day to get their business down, but it’s a rare treat when I let the cats outside to play. (yes, I’m overprotected mother-hen) Maggie is on a new high today.
meow meow chomp chomp
Saturday 3.5.2011
I finally decided to switch cat bowls since Joey and Maggie were not drinking from the chartreuse bowl. I guess it wasn’t cat themed enough for them. My sister thinks they’re just narcissistic.
Happy New Year!
Wednesday 2.2.2011
Happy Tet! Chuc Mung Nam Moi! My second favorite holiday of the year. Spring (Xuan) will be here soon, once we get through this so-called Snowmageddon. I don’t know about you, but I welcome the cold. It’s a good excuse to wear tights and mittens. Anyway, I wish you and all your loved ones a prosperous and healthy new year. Here are just a few things that remind me of Tet every year:
fresh, blooming branches of forsythia
those lucrative red envelopes
bright, fluffy, yellow chrysanthemums
steaming hot tea
rice cakes and Mom’s old tin can of rice for the incense
and coconut candies, peanut brittle, and dried fruits and goodies
Everyone is taking a day off tomorrow, so we’re all going to the temple early morning, and at midnight for the dragon dance. It’s going to be super cold tomorrow, but nothing a hot bowl of pho won’t cure. Stay warm guys. We’ll get through this Super-blizzard together.
I heart Thanksgiving
Sunday 11.14.2010
Just had a wonderful weekend. It was a looong and busy week but I couldn’t have asked for better by the time the weekend came. Friday night, my friend, Trang and I, spent an evening with Isabella Rosselini at the Cinema Arts Festival. She is such an awesome, funny, charismatic person. We got to see some of her new Green Porno series, titled, Seduce Me.sigh* She’s so cool. Afterward, we couldn’t resist going to our usual favorite sushi restaurant, Aka for some delicious salmon and Dorito sushi. Overall, a pleasant evening with wine and conversation.
Saturday, I woke up to a much anticipated cold front, which made running errands and shopping around town in the morning more bearable. We had our friends over at my sister’s new place for our annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner. I decided to go all out this year, given all the space and the fact that our ‘grown-up” dinner was probably over due now that we’re in our mid twenties.
The table setting was inspired around this awesome red and pink graphic fabric I managed to nab on clearance at Ikea awhile back. I wanted to keep things modern and warm at the same time with clean white serving ware and china, paired with autumn pears and rosemary and little bird knick knacks I’ve recently been collection from the Guild Shop and Marshalls. Mona brought those cute place cards that gave a whimsical finishing touch to all the decor.
Couldn’t wait to use my little cheese dome plate from Anthropologie. Boursin and chili olives…yum
Hearts…. Inspired by Julia Childs…
…Our Abercrombie moment
tea and sweets
Sunday 10.31.2010
My love of tea and Japanese tableware on display. Imagine my excitement when I scored two cast iron tetsubin teapots at Ross, of all places!
Mexican guavas. They were packed in the back corner of Central Market’s fruit and produce section. I couldn’t resist its fragrant aroma.
My sister’s little watermelon sprout. It’s growing a few millimeters a day.
Spent the Halloween weekend chilling at my sister’s place, trying out new recipes, sipping hot tea while my sister made potpourri out of hydrangeas and Thailand orchids and watching old Hong Kong films from the 90s. I forgot how much I love those. Then we made a midnight trip to Walmart, which meant scavenging in the $5 DVD bin and loading the cart with things I didn’t plan on buying in the first place. (Big Trouble in Little China in BluRay! sweeeet)
Oh yeah, Happy Halloween! It’s not my favorite holiday of the year, but going trick or treating with the little cousins tonight makes me reminisce about my own childhood. good times.
