the momentary present

masquerade!

2011-11-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

UCLA vs. ASU tailgate!

2011-11-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

moves like jagger

2011-10-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

vegas, again. because you never get sick of true love.

you should see our other chasers ;)

stolen redbull from behind the bar

it was dj vice's birthday

grand lux cafe

jen is too small for this benz!!

okay sooooo i never post blurry pictures because nobody likes em but i really think these pictures captured the night so im posting them anyway!

the OMG burger

2011-10-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

the OMG burger at the catch in anaheim

big dessert to go with big burger

the group that was defeated by the meat

fish bowl dranks at palapa grill to wash away our shame

graces birthday @ lucques

2011-10-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

figs, melon and prosciutto

beef

baked gnocchi 'à la norma' with mozzarella, ricotta salata, eggplant and breadcrumbs

cornmeal crêpes with peaches, blackberries, pine nuts and honey

toffee sticky pudding

chocolate torte

fantasia @ the hollywood bowl

2011-09-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

things i am currently hearting

2011-08-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

i would like jello shots more if they looked like this bramble cocktail shots with blackberries from jelly shot test kitchen, check out the website for recipes and watch out for jello shots at my next party!!

how cute are these tequila shots and mini fish tacos??

ceramics by esther horchner

family portraits by jason lee

there seems to be a trend of adding heroic touches to your outfits, did i miss the bandwagon?

i love these super hero boutonnieres from janel & eddie's wedding!

green onion pancake birthday

2011-07-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

celebrating me and my moms at golden china, where the worlds best green onion pancakes are a mere $3.95

then back home for some old fashioned butt kicking at scattagories

old vine cafe - costa mesa

2011-07-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

the ohigashi's drove merv & i to the camp in costa mesa to dine at old vine cafe for my birthday!

the food was amazing but then for $65 per person it better be amazing. the first course included:

Farmers Market Salad: Heirloom Tomatoes, Jicama, Micro Greens, Fresh Tzatziki & Reed Avocado Mousse.

the pasta and meat dishes included:

oh. my. god. here is the BEST DISH OF THE NIGHT. possibly the best dish EVER:

Blue Cheese Ice Cream, Pistachio Crusted Blue Cheese Cake & Point Reyes Blue Cheese drizzled with Wildflower Honey.

WHAT?! Blue Cheese DESSERT?! yes. you're dreams have come true. this taste explosion is sweet as desserts ought to be while still showcasing it's star, blue cheese. and when i say blue cheese i do mean blue cheese, not a HINT of blue cheese but a solid blue cheese kick in the taste buds. yes. yes. yes. eat this.

but ofcourse it being MY birthday ONE dessert was unacceptable. we also ordered Grandma's Cheesecake with Wild Berry Puree and Peanut Butter & Banana Bread Pudding. get the cheesecake, its amazing, it taste like ACTUAL CHEESE, do you see a theme to my obsessions??

i forgot to mention, $65 per person includes a full glass of wine per person, per course. here is the extensive list of wine we got filthy sloshed on, none of which i recommend:

2009 Domaine de Bernier Chardonnay, France

2008 Castelvero Barbera, Piedmonte Italy

2009 Calina Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

NV Ferreira Ruby Port

2003 Lincoln Chenin Blanc Ice Wine, New Zealand

2008 Filippi Castelcerino Soave, Soave Italy

2010 Charles & Charles Rosé, Columbia Valley Washington

2009 Domaine de Fontsainte Corbiéres, Corbiéres France

my birthday!

2011-07-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

gaybear visits san diego!

2011-07-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

gaybear & and i took the amtrack from fullerton to san diego to visit our favorite family over fourth of july weekend, the ticket on the pacific surfliner was $35 one way and there was a 40minute delay but the seats were comfy and the view was spectacular

we visited cabrillo national monument, $5 per car, the gift shop was surprisingly well stocked and the ranger was attentive, she even let gaybear wear her hat!

the monument itself is right at the edge of a cliff with gorgeous views of the ocean

the actual lighthouse portion of the lighthouse was closed but we toured the small living area and garden

there was a small museum next to the lighthouse

the museum explained how lighthouses work and had actual lenses on display

we tried to check out the tidepool area but the tidepools are closed during summer. the cliffs and surf were more than worth the visit though

afterward we headed over to normal heights for thai food and vivapops! vivapops are amazing popsicles made with fresh, local ingredients. ed had the honey lavender goat cheese pop, chi had the strawberry balsamic goat cheese pop, and i had the avacado lime pop, they were all excellent

we basically spent all weekend eating great food. mamma gaza whipped up amazing homecooked meals and introduced me to my two new obsessions, sardines on pan de sol and salted eggs with tomatoes. and she never fails to make my favorite soup every time im over

fourth of july morning, feeling incredibly smug and important, we leisurely strolled the wide open private military beach, exclusive enough to not be infected by the glut of tourists flooding all parts of san diego.

after our afternoon nap (you heard me) we took gaybear grocery shopping where the price tags were all digitalized!!

NOW we are back home and after four days of 70 degree weather and taking naps in the afternoon gaybear and i are finding it hard to adjust to sweltering heat and working office hours, two more weeks till we're back for comic con!!

romanian food and santa monica pier

2011-06-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

amazing food at sabina's european restaurant per the excellent suggestion of our tour guide and bus driver, kevin. we had almost an entire loaf of free white bread that came with whipped sour cream and peppers, two heaping plates of free pickles, pork schnitzel, stuffed cabage, white bean veggie soup, chicken and dumplings, and sour cherry crepes for something like 30 dollars. the couple who owns this place is super sweet and attentive plus the gentleman rocks a serious stache.

we then headed over to santa monica. it was a weekend and the new santa monica place hype has not died down yet so traffic was a nightmare and the beach was packed but thats santa monica for you and we had a great time :)

out with the beastie

2011-06-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

dining out at ostioneria colima with the beastie

the chips are free, the fish tacos are $1.99 and come with TWO fish fillets each, BYOB, this place is awesome

afterward we got desserts over at genki living

we then stopped by the 99cents store where eddie made fun of these prickly pear cactus tortillas that claim to be the only cactus tortillas created by cancer scientists which seems like a valid statement as developing cactus tortillas does not seems like a valid use of cancer scientists' time.

fathers day

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

hanging with the family at seafood buffet on azusa, the food blows but the company was excellent

celebrated mark's birthday at the brea improv, thats rob schneider!!

mervs birthday

2011-06-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

his chocolate mocha cake with a question mark candle cause i dont know how old he is...

the hoard of mervin green lanterns that took over the cake

apple tv from becca!

group shot outside houstons

the pasadena chalk festival!

it was super crowded but the art was amazing

the terra cotta warriors!

walkin around paseo, ive always wanted to live in a building with this sort of stairs

happy birthday m!

ive been thinking a lot about reading

2011-06-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

ive decided not to take summer school this year. it is my first summer off in 5 years. i want to take ceramic classes and road trip across america and watch smutty hbo shows but first i want to read.

i think alot about reading these days. how to store my books, perhaps using this periodical storage system by njustudio

or libreria abc by eva alessandrini

i love this branch bookcase by oliver dolle

or i could dream big

or maybe just dream like the adorable childs play series by yusuki suzuki (how cute is that name??)

i think about who i am reading with

and where we are reading together

but mostly i like to read alone, somewhere snuggly like this moody couch by hanna emelie ernsting

maybe i will travel to paperbark camp in australia to read in one of their luxury tents

maybe i will read while swinging on this reclaimed billboard by mesarchitectures

i can road trip to canyon point, utah and read while lounging at the deserted pools of amangiri luxury resort and hotel

as long as im reading while lounging around pools i should head over to marina bay sands rooftop infinity pool in singapore

i can read about tiny loft apartments while dreaming about my future tiny loft apartment. its beginning to feel a lot like summer.

world of warcraft credit card

2011-06-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

there we were, an impromptu party of ten old friends and friends of friends talking over and around each other, discussing current events and pop culture, swapping stories from the past week, laughing, loudly, as if we were not having an unplanned dinner on a weekday at an Olive Garden in the California suburbs.

later my sister, who works at that particular Olive Garden, would reprimand me for burdening our poor server with a loud table of ten who occupied a quarter of his section for three hours without ordering any alcohol or dessert. three hours. was it really that long?

as we lingered over the soiled linens that had been cleared of the excessive portions of carbohydrates and cream sauce, still absentmindedly smiling at the absurdity that was kyle paying with his World of Warcraft credit card, it occurred to me that when i leave for big cities and third world countries, this place, these people, will be here, largely unchanged, with their wide streets and free parking. the suburbs will always be home.

things i learned this memorial day weekend

2011-06-01T12:24:00.000-07:00

quest for gaybear

2011-05-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

per my sisters request, we all headed over to round1 to try and claw the hello kitty dressed as a teddy bear. unfortunately for everyone, there was a HUGE GAY BEAR up for grabs. what is GAY BEAR you ask? excellent question, observe:

GAY BEAR, otherwise known as "rilakkuma" is my new favorite japanese whathaveyou. gaybear loves to lounge around in seductive poses, paint rainbows, AND he can be unzipped from behind to be nakeder than naked. OBVIOUSLY once i knew i could have me a HUGE GAY BEAR i wasted no time redirecting everyone's efforts towards our new goal which TWO HOURS of frustrated screaming and TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS later, we ACHIEVED. clearly we are winning in life.

martins birthday

2011-04-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

things i am currently hearting

2011-04-19T16:58:00.000-07:00

max studio dress, $198

kate spade hat, $95

paul and joe cat lipstick, $25

hike to HOLLYWOOD sign

2011-04-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

researched what looked like an easy hike, as i am a novice hiker at best, and decided to hike to the hollywood sign

here i am at the starting point (3350 Deronda Drive, LA) taking a picture next to the NO HIKING TO THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN sign

kevin decided to bring a heavy backpack to make the easy hike more challenging, it was too much of a challenge for me

he starts the hike saying something along the lines of "this backpack is not that bad, its only 20 pounds" but by the end of the hike crystal is lugging the backpack and we are all swearing the thing weighs 50 pounds...

smoggy view of the city

behind the hollywood sign

we made it!

perhaps you can see kevin and james on the top of that mountain yonder, nobody wanted to take the extended trail with them

so we just waited while they did some more hiking

merv brought his camera bag, ofcourse

some touristy photos to commemorate the grueling hike...

caleb and i cant high five for balls

kevin being thoughtful, wondering why he does thinks like bring 50 pound backpacks wherever he goes

caleb and i not caring that we cant high five for balls

merv totally owning the jumping competition

crystal totally owning

james totally owning

but enough hiking, its time to eat

and drink beer

and various fizzy juices

kevins cucumber soda actually rocked my world

mervs apple beer was dangerously good

gator hot dog was really spicy

the fries and all of the dipping sauces were amazing, i like the curry ketchup a lot

after sausages and beer we walked over to little tokyo for dessert

we stopped by paulette macaron

the violet and the caramel was the best

some more walking

a bakery!

mango tart from frances bakery that we devour in 30 seconds while on the prowl for more dessert

more walking

ordering ice cream mochi

eating ice cream mochi

taking pictures with hello kitty and stephanie

food truck festival - industry speedzone

2011-04-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

grilled cheese sandwiches from the grilled cheese tuck

yummy garlic fries from the tasty meat truck

lobster roll from the lobstatruck

bomb diggity clam chowder from the lobstatruck

pork tacos and milo macroons from the white rabbit truck

these milo macroons are no joke yo, they taste exactly like milo the drank

my favorite item of the night, the OG bar from longboard's ice cream truck

fried mochi!

mediocre red velvet pancakes from buttermilk

me and the happy couple

waffle from waffles de liege

dont bother me, im eating

week 6 - fritters

2011-04-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

where is week 5? week 5 is in vegas, and there it shall stay. however i feel i have made up for it with deep fried delicacies

two kinds of fritters, orangette's Frittelle di Ricotta and lemon yogurt fritters

swimming in peanut oil

caked in powdered sugar, not quite worth the immediate outbreak of breakouts on my face but what are you going to do? make it better, fry some more.

week 4 - shortbread waffles

2011-04-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

i made the shortbread waffle recipe off of orangette's blog

this is soooo worth the calories, shortbread waffles are by far the best thing i have made EVER, im sure it would be amazing with whipped cream and other fixins but i must say, even naked these waffles are excellent. make them. you will not be disappointed.

universal studios w/ the gazas

2011-03-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

we forgot the buy the giant donut at the kwik-e-mart

the simpsons ride is totally badass

bby k-pop having seizures on the mummy

outside of moe's tavern

merv/marge

risking life and limb to photograph ourselves

some movie ive never seen

the ugliest spider man toy ever

angry chicks

merv looking old school at the diner

my girl chi

family photo

plus one

gossiping while eating unhealthy amounts of rocky road popcorn and cinnabons

mamma & pappa gaza being all romantic

total tourist shot

us with our autographed CDs and chelsea williams

staring at old britney spears music videos, contemplating how the mighty have fallen...

spending time with my favorite extended family, whether we are out painting the town and causing a ruckus or staying in watching youtube videos in the living room while mamma gazza makes killer filipino food, always makes me happy :)

week 3 - cookies & munchkins

2011-03-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

perhaps you are one of the lucky few who have not been exposed to the dungeons&dragons type card game that is "munchkins"

while i baked cookies & cauliflower gratin, these nerds were hard at work explaining the intricacies of this "mega-hit card card game about dungeon adventure..."

"...with none of that stupid role playing stuff..."

"...you and your friends compete to kill monsters and grab magic items!..."

yes. it is just as fun as it sounds

at least i made my chocolate puddle cookies

i also made vegan chocolate chip cookies and martha stewart's earl gray tea shortbread which seemed to be everyones favorite

vegas!!

2011-03-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

of the HUNDREDS of pictures, these are the ones that can be posted (what happens in vegas and all that...)

a toxic number of everclear shots reside in this ridiculous fat tuesday jug that for some reason the injured birthday boy is carrying

the ridiculously large H&M in the forum shops

thoughtful jen requesting a gelato sample for the birthday boy

tossing cheetos into open mouths

what started as a romantic picture...

becomes a solo photoshoot...

which transforms into an awkward man moment...

that morphs into a creepy uncomfortable dude fest...

eddies secred vice was bad tv

anthony was much cooler, drugs!!

my two skull kahiki kai which led to many many many ill thought out decisions. note the green swizzle stick that i no longer possess as it was eviscerated by jessica's thunderous thighs...

hanging at franks tiki bar

martin gettin his hair did by our personal stylist

my favorite beastie getting me a glass of my favorite drank

vegas sized shots of soco

jen and her new shoes

waters bottles filled with soco, we are sooooo classy

fish taco & snowballz @ marquee in the cosmopolitan

the club had pool tables!

vegas :)

wishlist: time to read

2011-03-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

one of the many stacks of books awaiting my attention. what i would give for some time to read...

hiking @ chantry flats - sierra madre

2011-03-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

preparing to embark on our journey

i continue to think nature (gardening, hiking...etc) will have a positive effect on me but so far i cant tell a difference

morning fog

moss! i am not admitting to anything but i have a very pretty jar of live moss at home to remind me of this hike

exploring mini waterways

headless scarecrow

rock climbing

caley crossing the mini river on a fallen tree

two hours in

gorgeous lilly pad type flowers!

snooping around the cottages

caley taking a moment to strike a pose

rock hopping like a goat

finally reached the waterfall

sturdevant falls beezies!

discussing the trek back

still discussing

trekking back through watery rocky ness

and fallen trees etc.

CSA & Gardening

2011-03-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

this week's CSA delivery:

1 bunch each of kale, chard and lettuce

1 head of cauliflower

3 yams

3 tangerines

1 grapefruit

4 apples

1 mango

stopped by edens garden nursery in diamond bar to pick up some veggies to plant, tomatoes and bell peppers galore!

my fruitless lemon tree

she has some flowers though so i am thinking lemons soon??

mervs calamansi tree is doing better

its got baby fruit and everything

surprise from boss lady!

2011-03-06T23:38:00.000-08:00

boss lady got me a huge bag of twix to make my stressful week all better, i love my job!

frank&sons

2011-03-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

merv & i spent the day being super geeky @ frank&sons, i bought this super cool superman painting and met the artist!!

merv got an angry bird for his car

week 2 - cinnamon rolls!

2011-03-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

week two is decadent desserts week! i made the amazing cinnamon rolls recipe by ree drummond

here are my unbaked rolls after proofing

hot out the oven all steamy and naked

drenched in coffee maple glaze

i made them at grace's house because of her state of the art kitchen and also because the recipe makes 40 cinnamon rolls and i needed to invite people over to eat them with me

here we are with mervs week two dinner, pork chops and roasted potatoes

the potatoes were yukon gold, double the price of idaho russets but sooooo worth it

we worked off the meal by playing scattagories and video games

things i am currently hearting

2011-03-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

street art by zevs

anthony burrill prints, $60

joomie lim rings, $100/set

andrea everman's valentine cards, $22

mike monteiro prints

4 diamond ring @ tulajewelry's etsy, $160

happy birthday beastie!!

2011-02-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

celebrating my beastie @ taps in brea

everyone ordered specialty seafood items except ken who ordered fish and chips

kevins creme brule was amazing

birthday boy and his free dessert

grace and i after sharing one glass of sangria

ken and kevin and their empty glasses

we went to yes arcade afterwords

merv clawed me sexy bear!

sexy bear is loved by many

and imitated by few

week 1 - slow baked beans with kale

2011-02-26T10:42:00.000-08:00

i found a recipe for slow baked beans w/kale on the new york times website and decided to try it because its been freezing in the arctic apartment and a bowl of hot comfort food sounded perfect for a night of watching tv in bed.

simmering the mixture

adding the kale before baking the whole thing for THREE HOURS!

it was good but potent, very very tomato-y and herb-y, not the kind of thing i can eat a lot of.

valentines @ the office

2011-02-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

valentine ivy from my super sweet coworker

she used her sons valentine cards so i dont actually know who this is but its cute

descanso gardens - la cañada flintridge

2011-02-24T13:15:00.000-08:00

merv and i took a trip to descanso gardens in la cañada flintridge. its gorgeous and big, a perfect way to spend a bright sunny day. the gardens are open 9am to 5pm and parking is free. general admission is $8, student is $6, and children under 12 years old are $3.

their cafe is owned by the patina group so everything was yummy. they try to use veggies grown on the property whenever they can.

scary alice in wonderland type area

mini cottage

drinking fountain

outdoor entertainment area

rest stop, cause i have no stamina

my favorite photographer

giant aloe vera!!

turtle

uphill ish climb

prickly pear cactus

i bought plants because i decided i will be a gardener. it has turned into a very expensive hobby that does not calm me down or produce much fruit...

week 1 - mac&cheese w/red chard

2011-02-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

merv and i are on an 8 week resolution to cook at least one meal from scratch per week. the meal has to be entirely homemade and we must follow an actual recipe

my first meal was double dutch mac&cheese w/chard because i was trying to use the red chard that came in our produce delivery. the recipe required gouda and edam cheese which were about $8 each making this first meal uncomfortable expensive...

here's my baby before she goes into the oven

here she is all toasty after she comes out of the oven

here she is with mervs chicken dish

the cheese was pricey but we ended up having tons of leftovers so portion-wise it wasnt bad. i really liked this recipe because the cheese's are so mellow i can eat alot and not feel like its too much. merv though it was heavy though so maybe im just too used to sharp cheddars.

www.farmfreshtoyou.com - CSA program!

2011-02-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

we recently joined a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. $25 for the small box pictured above, it can be delivered to your doorstep weekly, every other week, or monthly. its a nice option for health conscious people who are too busy to shop since the produce is all organic and local.

the new spiny green cauliflower is currently in season and was included in our box. even for organic produce $25 is a bit on the pricey side but as a consumer we often dont factor in labor and delivery costs. the box included the following:

3 oranges

3 apples

2 onions

1 bunch of red chard

1 bunch of kale

1 bunch of lettuce

2 heads of broccoli

1 head of spiny cauliflower

hollywood farmers market

2011-02-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

sundays from 8am to 1pm on hollywood and ivar there is a kickin awesome farmers market

cherimoyas are yummy!

live crab

greek food

it started raining, we tried to wait it out but it wasnt going anywhere

i was so excited about going to an organic farmers market and bringing recycled plastic bags and protesting political issues that i failed to look in the mirror and did not realize that i looked like a creepy hippie bag lady...

merv and i bought some plants for the apartment

we took the metro red line because i was in super hippie mode, note the ridiculous outfit. here i am with my helpless victims at the hollywood and vine station.

chinese new year dinner

2011-02-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

my momma made cny dinner from scratch this year :) this is tofu with pea sprouts

braised pork fat...

shrimp mixture for the lettuce cups

lions head meatballs...

jenny and richard didnt make it to the gathering but we made sure to eat extra in their honor

pork fat

2011-02-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

being vegetarian is not hard

except when my mommy cooks something like this

because who can resist pork fat?!

things i am currently hearting

2011-02-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

antoine dodson be filming his new reality tv show fool!! footage of my man moving from the alabama projects to west hollywood has already been shot. true, the show has not landed a network deal yet but entertainment one is already developing the pilot and seriously, who doesnt want to watch this mans reality show?!

compact living concept by matroshka reminds me of my tiny place in china

outdoor furniture by patricia urquiola

rafael morgan's hope table

gareth neal's table

foxy lady messenger bag by la lisette, $114.99 at modcloth

live it up floor lamp, $149 at pottery barn teen

this skirt reminds me of alice, $62 at madewithlovebyhannah's etsy shop

apothecary meds

2011-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

i was skeptical. there is a doctor inside TS Emporium on Nogales that sees patients without appointments for $10. she touches your pulse and writes illegible chinese characters on carbon paper which is handed to the man manning the apothecary. the man gives me five bags filled with what looks like dirty branches and leaves and charges me $35.

the dirty branches and leaves are placed in a slow cooker with five bowls of water and simmered down until there is just one bowl of murky bitter liquid left. i drink this twice a day for three weeks, my total medical expenses are $135. three weeks later i feel better, yay for holistic medicine!

speedzone food truck festival - city of industry

2011-01-31T10:49:00.000-08:00

$5 for the wristband to get in which included $5 game credit that we use used for minigolf

vanilla ice cream with pancake chunks, bacon bits, maple syrup swirls, and sprinkled with coffee grounds, breakfast in a bowl

greek fries with meat, cheese, and yogurt sauce

pork tacos

purchasing from lydia at the boba truck

korean bbq burrito

garlic shrimp

me & ken

kevin!

veggie greek wrap

brazilian noodles & the beastie

asian american expo - pomona fairplex

2011-01-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

food, shopping, food, waiting in line for free food, buying boxes of food to take home..

boxes of noodles to take home

in line for more food while eating and drinking food we just purchased

fish balls and taiwanese sausage

watching juliana shop for sunglasses

convincing juliana not to donate bone marrow

not buying this convincing cartier knockoff for $40

merv likes animals

so does jul but we would not let her buy the yorkie

visting cousin steves booth

the goods

wouldnt really be an asian expo without tony there....

fluffy mango shaved ice with fruit and condensed milk on top

ran into kim at the diamond bar smiles booth, won free teeth whitening!

spicy lamb skewers

taking a break from the walking to eat meat on sticks

m with his 3rd sausage

goin home with our spoils

gardens of the world - thousand oaks

2011-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

merv & i decided to spend our lazy sunday checking out the gardens of the world in thousand oaks

open tuesday through sunday from 9am to 5pm, admission is free

but FIRST we ate at the claim jumpers across the street. merv had pork chops

i had a cup of veggie soup. next time we will pack a picnic cause the gardens have a gorgeous picnic area

there is plenty of free street parking right in front of the garden gate

i dont know what they are doing to these plants but i have sick seasonal allergies and i did not have any problems frolicking in their gardens for hours

venus!

the mountains and the civic auditorium are right across the street

the "dragon" bridge!!

my favorite tree in the entire gardens, its a coral tree!! the ends of the branches are coral red!

the japanese gardens

the only tragic part was on the day we were there they did not have the giant chess pieces out to play, maybe it was too windy? anyway we will call next time to make sure because merv is going to teach me how to play chess

one of the tiles on the walkway

real lavender smells just as weird as the lavender scented crap people are always claiming makes you fall asleep

the venus waterfall

making fun of missionaries in the california mission gardens

then we had enough of that cultural stuff so we headed over to the oaks mall down the street for some shopping

happy monthaversary!

2011-01-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

this is what i come home to after work!

my man is so sweet, he waits patiently with flowers while i finish my call.

2010-12-27T15:50:00.000-08:00

goodbye taiwan

uncle carrying a large gourd at the neighborhood farm

pulling daikon out of the earth!!

check out my daikon!!

now i am ripping the leaves off to prepare it for tasty goodness

the neighborhood farm is so ballin, the guy who plants everything just does it on his day off for fun

huge heavy root

container gardening next to the train tracks

my aunt making me some chinese knots to take home

winter solstice meal at my grandaddys

grandpa chen sleeping outside in the sun after lunch

me and my gangsta cousins

seasoned sweet potato fries, yum!

chinese taco truck!

incense at my aunts store

my aunts make these intricate paper things

mom at TPE on the way back to LAX

merry christmas!!

me and the channel five christmas tree!!

2010-12-22T01:24:00.000-08:00

flower expo and lao he night market

mom and the building made out of plastic bottles

ridiculous restroom sign tells you which of the three stalls are open

flower expo mascot

lunch

lame christmas tree at the flower expo

sign on the fruit tree

decorative flower made out of plastic spoons

crocodile shoes

adorable teddy bear food stand

effin oyster pancakes!! OYSTER PANCAKES!! i LOVE oyster pancakes!!!

radish cakes

lady cousins

steak

fish steak

peanut soup and red bean soup

anime custard cakes

spongebob custard cakes

some sort of meat filled griddle cake

mommy and me in line for bear paw sandwiches!!

the steamed bear paw bread is soooo cute!!

tina and finished sammich

taro bear paw bread with fish fillet

me and delicious sammich

black pepper cakes that are cooked on the sides of the oven type apparatus

crazy corn dogs

mommy and me traveling together like seasoned travelers

2010-12-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

judy & family eat their way through dan shui

making tang yuan for dong zhi

they only add a few pink ones cause they dont like to eat food coloring

some famous tunnel

getting ready to eat a 40 oz steak

some people didnt want beef

check that mother out!!

jack ordered fish

cheesecake and apple pie

at the nobel bakery

giant dried squid piece

ice cream, jack has a super giant one

shrimp rolls

fish balls

giant corn dog

pigs blood rice cake with peanut powder

boiled eggs, they call em iron eggs cause they are cooked for sooooo long

squid

more squid

prune juice

spongebob wack a mole

mini yan yan

maltose candy

cotton candy

fried squid

giant potato strand

gorgeous view

1000cc black tea

me and cousin jack

bird eggs

mommy and view

they have such christmas spirit here

playboy store!!

check out how many people there are!!

cheese covered fried potatoes

stinky tofu

candy covered fruit

stuffed tofu

more fried squid

some kind of shark type store

wagon wheel cakes!!

chicken fried steak

wagon wheel cake being consumed by elvis

everyone is tired of eating, except for jack

lynn and minnie

elvis and night view

dancing clown

tired ride back via subway

we parked on the rooftop

this is so cool!! their cars have TVs with free cable!! FREE CABLE!!

2010-12-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

taipei xing dian

riding the subway

tina and our nephews

taiwan beer for dinner!

we ordered waaayyy too much food

ansel ordered lard and soysauce poured on rice...

jeff hard at work ordering food for everyone

mommy, tina, ansel, me, my aunt, lewie and jeff

group picture including kevin and betty

ansel and tina adore me the most out of all of their cousins

egg custard in egg shells

egg cake

2010-12-17T06:44:00.000-08:00

day one in xinzhu

blueberry oreos

sex and the city vodka

grandpa & cousin

grandpa chen & i

neighbors kid

i fail at babysitting

he just kept crying

he adores spongebob

he eats spongebob snacks

i love this hello kitty bao keychain!!

patrick dressed like spongebob!!

mommy with her brother and my aunt

my aunt & i

vodka and grape drank cooler

2010-12-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

last day in nan tou

what is in the louis briefcase?!

golden lv mah jong ofcourse!

this company makes hands down the best bei hai dao eggs tarts ever

seriously. ever.

saying goodbye to my grandpa and wa di

my mommy and her daddy

me and my aunt

super famous pineapple cakes

basically tastes like a lot of egg yolks

recreating a picture of baby me crying on top of this tomato stool

my aunts mickey mouse computer chair

2010-12-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

another day in nan tou

my grandma's pepper plant

paper envelopes at the hospital that are meant to be disposable cups

so environmentally friendly

to be used like such

chillin in the statue garden while grandma's at physical therapy

mom and baby statue

i thought i could fit but i couldnt

jolin says no smoking or else!

the yummy cakes at 85 degrees celsius

bunny cake

log house cake roll

panda cake, which reminds me, there are a ton of commercials here for a kung fu panda holiday movie, is that being release in the states too?!

dinner

snack before dinner that did nothing to ruin my appetite, i will have gained ten pounds by the time i go home

huge loaf of milk bread at the night market

baby teacup puppies for sale, breaks my heart

dancing guava!!

asian avacados... large and really mild