Monthly Archives: December 2009

2010 To-do List

Posted by Leaf on December 31, 2009 None comments
  • Pare down – clothes, shoes, stuff.
  • Travel to a foreign country.
  • Travel.
  • Read 5 books.
  • Move out.
  • Add 10 new dishes to my cooking repertoire. At least 8 of them should be vegetarian or vegetarian-able!
  • Host a 4 course dinner party. (Complete with wine pairings!)
  • Attend an arts event.
  • Visit CA for another wine tasting tour.
  • Reduce meat consumption to once a week or less.

    • Two Thousand Nine

    Posted by Leaf on December 30, 2009 None comments

    We’re down to the last days of the “O” decade. O-nine. I started my career during this decade. 5 jobs and an internship. The economy soared, the economy tanked, the economy tanked, the economy tanked.

    I finished my formal education during this decade too. Yes, I’m still in debt for it but the connections with the people there are priceless.

    This decade, I grew 1 more vertical inch. My most formative 10 years indeed.

    We went from VHS to DVD/VCD to Blu-Ray to streaming. I think I still have a functioning VHR machine. All my Disney movies are on VHS. Bippity boppity boo!

    In 2009 I:

  • Tasted head cheese, beef tartare, and bunny liver. Not sure I’d have any of it again.
  • Started my 5th job.
  • Went to Vegas (blech)
  • Went wine tasting in CA (mmm)
  • Became the surrogate mom to two wascally chinchillas. I may give up the dog-owning notion because of these guys, they’re so easy!
  • Read a book for leisure! (Tipping Point).

    • Gluttonous Three Day Weekend

    Posted by Leaf on December 29, 2009 None comments

    FuShing, New Fortune, Tabard Inn, Arirang, FuShing – in that order from Thursday night to Sunday night. This past weekend was all food, all the time. And at each meal, I was the last one standing. As everyone set their chopsticks down, it was me, taking that just one more bite that would push me over the edge from ridiculously full to rolling-on-the-floor-clutching-my-belly full.

    I just realized after all that dining, I didn’t take any photos of the food. Maybe that’s better though. I can’t look at it for a while. Next weekend, I’m sticking to a glass of water and crust of bread.

    What a conundrum I’m in right now, sitting here at work. It’s freezing cold outside but I’m craving crunchy pretzals. So just now, I grabbed my coat and wallet, headed for the elevators, went to the bathroom instead, and then came back to my seat. Still craving pretzals. Should I go out and brave the cold (10 minute walk) or should I skip the pretzals? Augh! How badly do I want them?
    Update 12-30: Too cold. Wimped out.

    Mansion on O

    Posted by Leaf on December 28, 2009 None comments

    Saturday, we went to Mansion on O street which is a historically preserved hotel that’s comprised of 5 or 6 rowhouses downtown. There are rooms with secret doors and beautiful bathrooms and themed rooms (like 60s era diner, hunting lodge log cabin, or Victorian era suites) to explore. Everything there is available for purchase except for the guitars signed by the musicians that have stayed there.
    Mansion on OOne particular room called the Lennon room had a framed letter from John himself.

    It reads:

    Dear Laundry ,

    Mrs. Yoko Ono Lennon does not, will not, has not dyed her hair.

    She does not sweat (most Orientals do not sweat like us).

    What is your excuse for turning my brand new white shirt yellow?

    John Lennon

    Mansion on OHere’s one of there more over-the-top bathrooms. It’s a tub, big enough to swim in, in a bathroom larger than my bedroom that looks more like a liquor bar. I can’t believe in all the time I’ve been here, it’s never really been advertised enough that I had even heard of it. Definitely worth seeing!

    After, we ate at Tabard Inn which was a few blocks away. I don’t like head cheese. At least not the kind they served there. The creme brulee was rich and flavorful though.

    New Toy!

    Posted by Leaf on December 23, 2009 5 comments

    New computer!I got a new computer! It’s so fast! My last desktop was six years old and the speed difference was so stark the first time I tried transferring photos from my SD card to the computer, my jaw dropped. I was ready to walk away and go do other stuff but the transfer happened in a second or two.

    Ok so the setup isn’t exactly OSHA compliant or ergonomically acceptable for the long haul but I’ll get the desk soon. In the meantime, I’m sitting on the floor craning my head to blog. I don’t care right now though, it’s so unbelievably fast!!

    Homebound – Day 3

    Posted by Leaf on December 21, 2009 None comments

    No work today.  No jury duty either – courts closed due to inclement weather.  It’s 10:30 AM and I’ve had chili and cornbread for breakfast and now I’m working on a pear.  Boredom-eating for sure.

    I’ve played with the chinchillas for a while now too and finally got some pictures of Gina that aren’t behind bars.  Aside from her curly tail, she (the one one the right) looks remarkably like her brother (the one on the left).
    MarcoGina

    Gina
    “Let me outta here!” – Gina

    You’re tellin’ me!

    Happy Winter Solstice!

    Cornbread

    Posted by Leaf on December 20, 2009 None comments

    Cornbread
    Chili is just the right food for this kinda’ weather. And this time, instead of making cornbread out of the Jiffy box, I tried it from scratch.

    • 2 cups of corn meal
    • 1 cup of wheat flour
    • 1 tsp each of salt, baking soda, and baking powder
    • 1 egg
    • 1 can of creamed corn
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • 1/4 cup of oil
    • 1/4 cup of milk
    • 1 Tbsp butter
    • 2 or more Jalapenos

    Mix the dry ingredients first.  Then add the wet ingredients save for the pat of butter.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat up a cast iron skillet over the stove melting the pat of butter all around it.  While the skillet is hot pour in the batter.  Put the whole thing in the oven and bake it for 25 minutes.  The edges come out crispy.  It was so easy I won’t be making cornbread out of the box anymore.  Man just writing this makes me wanna have another piece.

    Snowed In

    Posted by Leaf on December 19, 2009 2 comments

    MarcoIt’s been snowing since 9 last night. We’re supposed to accumulate up to a foot of snow in some areas so I’m staying in, watching the chinchillas. :) Gina’s a lot more timid although she’s starting to come around slowly but Marco’s really getting more comfortable leaving his box and wandering about aaand leaving little presents everywhere.

    Potato Latkes

    Posted by Leaf on December 17, 2009 None comments

    Eons ago, when I was in the 4th grade, we made latkes. I sort of remembered how to make them from that experience but I looked up a few recipes online anyway.

  • 3-4 large potatoes grated
  • 3 large eggs beaten
  • half an onion, chopped finely
  • 4-6 tablespoons of flour (or in my case, I used corn starch because it looks like flour so it’s good enough.)
  • salt/pepper
  • peanut oil

    • Sprinkle salt on the grated potatoes and wring them dry before mixing all the ingredients together, except the oil. Heat the pan with a tablespoon or so of oil and then spoon the potato mixture in and cover the pan. Fry it until it’s golden brown and crispy on one side, then flip it over and do it again. Serve with applesauce.

    Meet Marco

    Posted by Leaf on December 16, 2009 3 comments

    Marco
    Marco is a delicious chinchilla. If he weren’t so cute and affectionate, he would’ve been dinner by now. As it were, he and his sister Gina are too fluffy adorable to literally eat, even though every time I see them, I want to figuratively gobble them up. Their favorite food is a shriveled up grape. Given the alternative, pellets, I’d think raisins were the bomb too.