holiday greetings

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Advance Happy New Year everyone!!!

Thank you to my family for all the love (especially my sister who got me a MAC this Christmas. I'm using it now to blog and I can watch Netflix every night). I was surprised and did not expect to get a gift since I always tell my sibs that I don't really need anything (although I tell them that I would love to go on a trip to an island re: Amanpulo, Maldives, Bali, Bora-Bora, Tahiti, or at least Cabo). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I'm super grateful to have a loving family!

snowboarding season

This the season to go snowboarding!!! I love going to the mountains but I don't love the body aches I get the day after snowboarding. I wish I was in Colorado or somewhere where snow is abundant, fresh, powdery, and not icy. I have to go on a trip somewhere during this season. Snow and mountains (and that Sarah Palin show...tsk, tsk...) inspire me to go to Alaska soon ( Jet Blue will fly directly now to Alaska...how fun!). Mammoth or Tahoe sounds good too. Aaaaahhhhh...vacation...it's what I need and want...

random stuff for the past few weeks

I  tried making a rosemary-olive oil  wheat foccacia bread using ATK's recipe. I just did half of the recipe thinking that no one would eat it. It took almost 3 hours to make a 9-inch one (excluding the overnight biga which is a pre-dough mix). It's hard work and I'm glad the people who tasted it liked it. It was a little crunchy outside and soft and chewy inside. I wished I had some fresh n easy tomato basil soup with it. mmmm...yum...Next time I make it, I'll make sure that I make a big one since it's time consuming. Hands down to all bread bakers.

Abbot Kinney's five cheese Pizza from the last time I went there (First Friday of November). It was good but not my favorite.

Dark chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow (Sprinkles' one is still my fave)

Super moist yellow cupcakes for Kenzie's birthday

Patisserie Chantilly's chocolate and black sesame-green tea cream puff (yum...even though I had a hard time biting the whole thing. It was big and I just had my wisdom tooth pulled out more than a week after. I wanted macaroons (darn you M for not remembering Bouchon Bakery!!!) but they were out.

Grilled deli trio sandwich from Jack in the box (Love it!!! Why do bad food taste soooo goood???)

Tapa Boy's Tapa (It was ok. When we got home it was cold and the rice was oily and hard...blehh... the vinegar dipping sauce was ok too. There's better tapa out there).

bay area thanksgiving weekend

My relatives and I spent this year's Thanksgiving weekend in the bay area. We visited our other relatives and toured San Francisco and Napa Valley. It was fun and a different experience (re: travelling with a bunch of people...around 25). One thing I forgot when we went to Napa Valley was to visit Bouchon Bakery. I was so focused on going to the Model Bakery for its English muffins that I forgot about Bouchon (what an I***T). When I got home, I was craving for the chocolate macaroons for a whole week (which led me to try patisserie chantilly). I like Napa Valley. I hope to visit it again soon (and hopefully eat at the French Laundry and English muffins at the Model Bakery).

Palace of Fine Arts

V. Sattui Winery

Golden Gate Bridge

V. Sattui Winery

top chef all stars, etc.

1) kfc double down sandwich = blah...My sandwich didn't have enough sauce (taste like caesar dressing) and the cheese isn't melted all the way. It wasn't worth my $4.00.

2) I heard abbot kinney businesses are shutting down my beloved food trucks. Well, for sure they're going to lose some business. Foot traffic that the trucks generate are insane. tsk, tsk. Bad move for abbot kinney businesses. I wonder if this is a NIMBY dilemma. Those homeowners don't want other people in their neighborhood.

3) TOP CHEF ALL STARS!!!! woooohooo. I love all top chef series. I can't believe ANTHONY BOURDAIN is in it. My 2 favorite "things"(?) in one. I wonder who's going to win...exciting!!! :)