Chinese Horoscope

 My Chinese Horoscope for today is foreshadowing my future. 


You may be feeling a renewed sense of shelf as you find a new direction regarding your old job. On the other hand, If you have taken on a new job in search of greener pastures, this long labor day weekend would give you a great opportunity to relocate closer to your new job.. 


I am  feeling 'shelf' today and I have been in search for greener pastures on my own.  Now, I need to succeed in my side projects.  Because I just want to thumb my nose and walk away without any regrets.


On a positive note, I am getting a credit card.

Family Time

From no where I get a call from my cousin, Ludy, saying that she's in town for a conference.  The last time I saw her was about 16 years ago.  I'd already forgotten about that business trip many moon ago.  I'd long left that company so out of sight, out of mind.

She gave me a great excuse for family time with my sisters.  Although we live in the same city, we hardly see each other. Sigh!

It was nice to see my cousin and very nice to see my sisters.

Breakfast

Surfing the net, I came to one conclude: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Until two years ago, I was not a breakfast person - a cup of coffee would do.  But by 10 AM, I am famish and want to eat anything in sight.  Bad idea because it spoils my lunch.  Since I been eating breakfast, I must have my morning grub.

My usual morning grub

A whole wheat sandwich and an Iced Espresso

at my usual sandwich stand on  the corner building

The usual sandwich stand

Condiments for the sandwich

and my usual coffee place

The Coffee Shop at the lobby of building

This is only for weekdays only.  Weekends-- that's up to what's leftover in the fridge.

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate . . .

Da boss when on vacation back home to Switzerland and came back with bags of chocolate!

Actually three types chocolates in four different colors.

How about this

How about that - Choco Art

A whatever post

This an anything, everything and whatever post.  I have a life to more than food, you know.

Yeah.  I announced it to the world already, i.e. I said it out loud, that I want to run in a marathon.  Not any marathon-the New York Marathon.  Yikes, I'd never ran a marathon before and I am not a runner.  I actually abhor running and prefer walking much more.  What have a got myself into!@#$ Yikes!!!!

In the 80's, many moons ago, I lived in NYC and ever time the Marathon can around, I dreamed of running in the marathon.  I don't care if I take ten hours to finish the race, I just want to finish.  Sigh! I never got started too.

Map from 2009

My inspiration: My gym is organizing a charity Marathon/Walkathon next month.  I'm joining. 

Then in November, I think, there is always the Stardard Chartered Bank Marathon.  I might join, see how I feel about next first.  If not, next year.

But my ultimate goal of the NYC Marathon is for 2013 which will coincide with my Highschool grand reunion in San Francisco.  Taking a very long vacation to transverse the North American continent.  So many things to do, so little time.

A very busy day

Planned a full day for myself, right after it stopped drizzling. Starting with breakfast at my favorite place - the M Bakery and Coffee.  It's one of the few places where I can get breakfast all day.

And as I mentioned, I had their breakfast set.  Scrambled eggs, ham, sausage and toast and, coffee, of course.

Then I went to Lotus Superstore.  First I went to the bank to pay my mortgage but when I got to the counter, I realized that I forgot my statement.  Okay, the bank found my records and I got to pay this month.  Then I went to pay my phone bill.  Since I start taking pictures of what I am eating, I been carrying my camera around.  Wanting to streamline, I decided  switch over to my old cell phone so I got myself a pre-paid number.  Besides, they were giving the number away.  Frankly, since I got my free number for the other phone, I kinda regret doing so.  Nobody seem to mind that I been that picture with my camera.  In the same Superstore Mall, I got my hair cut.  Yeah, it's one of those superstore.   After that I went  shopping to buy stuff for the home, including some Chive cakes (ขนมกุยช่าย) for the day.

The two very common Chive cakes (square and dumplings) can be steamed of fried.  These are steamed.

 The chives cakes were eaten with soy sauce sauce.  If you want a good recipe, check out www.anyrecipe.net.  This good website, with photos, for Asian recipes.

Since I had a long snack time with the chive cakes, I had Kaeng Chued Mara (แกงจืดมะระ).  Recipe another time.

Yes, I must blog consistently. . .

I enjoyed my long weekend by rain.  What does one do when it rains?  She pretend to cook.

In the guise of cooking, I wanted to clean out my refrigerator, but I only have one egg left, some cheese, some milk.  Ah, yes my own creation of One Egg Omelet:

• 1 large egg
• 1 oz mozzarella cheese
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil 

Mix the egg, salt and mozzarella cheese well. In pan, heat the oi. When hot enough, pour in the egg mixture and cook about 2 minutes. Flip to the other side for about 1 minute (or less).  Number of Servings: 1

My Omelet while in the pan

Finish product

 As you can see, my product didn't turn out so good, but a seasoned cook can make a better one. Sigh!

After a mixture of tidying up the apartment, TV and surfing the net, I decided the clouds have cleared enough for me to go out for lunch (at 4 PM).  So I went to my neighbor bakery/cafe - M Bakery.  It more of the cafe than a bakery.  More patrons come here for a quick meal and coffee.  So, with a book in hand I order one of my favorite: Tom Yum Fried Rice with everything.  The everything is  some squid, shellfish,pork, chicken - everything that you may find in a regular Tom Yum.

Tom Yum Fried Rice

• 10 medium-size prawns or shrimps
• 0.5lbs kale, cut into thin slices on the bias
• 3 oz squids, cut into rings
• 3 oz pork or chicken cut into bite size
• 2 fresh red chilli, sliced thinly
• 1 stalk lemongrass, use bottom white part
• 1tbsp Tom Yum Paste
• some water

1. Cook rice as per normal
2. Heat some oil in frying pan, saute the prawns/shrimps on both sides till cooked. Saute the squid, and  pork/chicken.  Dish out and set aside
3. Fry all the kale, red chilli, jalopeno peppers, corn in the same oil, add Tom Yum Paste and some water(adjust according) and fry for 5-8mins
4. Add in the prawns,squid and pork and mix well. Make sure there is some gravy but not too wet since you do not want the rice to be too soggy
5. Add in the mixture into the rice while in the rice cooker. Mix the rice well with the Tom Yum mixture of Kale, chillis, peppers and shrimps Serve 4

 This was my lunch.  Much more appetizing that my one egg omelet. Enjoy!