We are at the last Monday of the month. Wow. Have a great week ahead!
Some things last week:
You might have read that California was hit by rain and snow last week. My city has a pretty well-known (at least in the Bay Area) 2,500+ feet mountain that’s popular with hikers. And since I’ve lived here (about 13 years now), we’ve seen snow up on the peak maybe twice. And that’s really just right at the top. So it was fun to see the lower elevations dusted with snow too. And there was even some snow lingering up there this morning.
The kids wanted pizza after their tennis class so we grabbed our favourite pizzas from the Indian pizza store. The kids got a combo and Hawaiian.
We picked up some Korean Chinese food like jjampong (spicy seafood noodles) and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork). This was our first time trying the Korean version of sweet and sour pork. The husband is a big fan of the Chinese version and didn’t like this one 😛 But for me, I don’t like the Chinese version and so I’m ok with the way the sauce was separated from the meat and I could just dip a bit of the sauce instead of having it soaked in the sauce.
Been a while since I’ve made mac and cheese. I usually make a roux and use milk but I saw this one-pot kimchi mac and cheese, and while I didn’t want to make a spicy one, I was interested in the way the macaroni was cooked in a vegetable broth, then the cheese added in. I hadn’t made it like this before so I tried out this way of cooking it (minus the kimchi and the squash). It was definitely not as creamy as usual and in the end I added some heavy cream! It’s easier than making a roux and cooking down the milk and cheese though. So this may be a viable option if I’m low on milk etc.
Made some boba milk tea for the kids again. My younger son really likes boba. But drinking those can add up! They’re about $7 each here.
Currently…
Reading:
Cursed Bunny – Bora Chung
Mademoiselle Revolution – Zoe Sivak
Watching:
Crash Course in Romance – we are down to the last two episodes this coming weekend!
Eating and Drinking:
I had cheese and bread for breakfast.
Cooking:
Bought some fresh egg noodles from the Asian supermarket. So I’ll stirfry that with pork and vegetables. I also picked up some daikon and want to make a Singapore-style carrot cake or chai tow kway in a Chinese dialect. I involves making a steamed “cake” of grated daikon and rice flour. Then chopping it up and frying it with garlic, eggs, and dried radish which is salty and crunchy. You can see what it looks like on this post of mine.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.
How is malaria still around and still infecting hundreds of millions of people around the world? THE FEVER by Sonia Shah is an in-depth look into this mosquito-borne disease. It’s chock full of information, not just the science behind the attempts to rid us of malaria, but also the history.
Some rather fascinating things that have a link to malaria include the unsuccessful attempt to establish a Scottish colony in Panama in the late 17th century. Most of the colonists died of malaria. And the colony was abandoned after just eight months. Spoiler: The immense debt from the failed expedition played a large part in Scotland’s reluctant acceptance of unification with England.
I was interested in reading this book as dengue fever, another mosquito-borne illness, continues to plague Singapore today. Of course these are two very different illnesses and transmitted by two different species of mosquito. But no one seems to have written a book about dengue fever for the average reader.
It’s a bit of a depressing read, when you think of how malaria continues to infect and kill people today. But it’s a very interesting and somewhat approachable book about this disease and how it’s affected the world.
I grew up reading the Anne of Green Gables series and watching the original TV series. (I haven’t finished watching the new version though!).
So it was exciting to see that Mariko Tamaki had written a reimagined modern version of this classic! I’ve loved Tamaki’s previous works like Skim, Emiko Superstar, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me.
Her version of Anne is delightful. She’s a queer half-Japanese teen with two mums. She loves disco, colorful vintage clothes, and roller skating. Her family just moved to the small town of Greenville, where she just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. And ugh, the bullying she faces. My heart just goes out for her, as she struggles to be herself but also to fit in.
I think Tamaki captures the spirit of Anne really well. She’s unique and quirky, and she has a quick temper, which causes more problems. But in this modern version, the issues that Anne faces are a lot more difficult, such as racism and homophobia.
It must be hard to take on a reimagining of a classic story. Maybe it would be easier to say that this book is inspired by Anne of Green Gables. I loved the updated version of Anne, but the essence of the story feels different. In the original story, part of Anne’s struggles is with Marilla Cuthbert’s reluctance to take her in, as they originally wanted to adopt a boy. But Anne of Greenville was adopted at a young age by her two mums, and so the problems that this Anne faces are less with her family and more with her classmates and the residents of Greenville.
It’s Presidents’ Day today so the kids are off school, but the husband still has to do work – plus he worked over the weekend!
Some things last week:
We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant on Sunday. The 9yo wanted to try the salmon skin sushi but then declared he didn’t like it… so guess who had to eat it.
Made some more Chinese bakery-style hot dog buns, with tangzhong dough. This time I cut the sausages in half so it’s less for a portion. Much better. But I somehow forgot to pay attention to the time on this first batch and it got too brown. 😛
Currently…
Reading:
Rise by Jeff Yang etc
I feel like these past couple of weeks, I haven’t been reading as much as last month. Haven’t figured out why yet. It’s taking me a while to sink into the various books I have going….!
Watching:
Crash Course in Romance on Netflix (new episodes every weekend). Also, each new ep of Abbott Elementary that comes out, as I love it. I am also rationing the episodes of the Makanai, a Japanese drama, because there are only 9 episodes and it’s so sweet and delightful.
Listening:
The Sixth Extinction – yes it’s been a while, but see above with my problems with reading these couple of weeks!
Last night for dinner I cooked lamb loin chops with mashed potatoes, pan seared king oyster mushrooms and asparagus. We also have leftovers from the Japanese restaurant (chicken katsu) so I won’t need to cook for today. But it looks like we will be getting some rain (Thursday and Friday) and cold temps this week so I want to make something soupy. Fish ball noodles maybe, and make some tomato soup.
Last week:
I read:
Anne of Greenville – Mariko Tamaki (isn’t that cover just delightful).
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.
It’s mid-February and I’m finally posting this January wrap-up!
Lots of good reads from manga to romance to YA. Also, a lot more non-fiction than I was expecting…!
Also, I decided to bravely give up on a book, despite being at least 1/3 of the way through. It was Cult X by Fuminori Nakamura. I’ve previously enjoyed his work so it was hard to give it up, but the story about cults in Japan was frankly tedious with its lectures by one of the cult leaders.
We haven’t had pho in months! Our usual place closed down and was taken over by another pho place but the reviews weren’t the best… so we didn’t try it. This one is relatively new I think? The broth was nice and they were generous with the beef slices. The husband had their chicken plate and said it was pretty good.
On Friday night, I went out with some moms (our kids are all in the mandarin immersion program and have known each other since kindergarten) to celebrate a birthday. We tried out a new Korean fusion place that’s only been open for a few weeks. It’s a very instagrammable place with nice wall decorations and lights, even an angel wing neon sign for photo taking.
The food was pretty good too. We had tteokbokki, a massive tonkotsu, kimchi fried rice, and their special fries that came with five sauces, hot Cheetos and and egg. In a town where most restaurants close before 10, it’s nice to have a place that’s open past midnight!
One pasta dish I come back to these days is a simple broccoli puree with cheddar. I served it with some panfried sausages
Something I’m working on – a small bag for a friend
Currently…
Reading:
Love is a Revolution – Renee Watson (Pictured with some mochi doughnuts)
Watching:
Crash Course in Romance is still ongoing! Two episodes are released every weekend so we are making our way there. I’m also watching The Makanai, a Japanese drama about a teenaged girl who works as a cook for a geisha house. Her best friend is training to become a maiko or apprentice geisha.
Listening:
Still working on The Sixth Extinction
Eating and Drinking:
I had a mochi doughnut for breakfast. Or rather, we cut each of those doughnuts up into quarters so we could each try the different flavours.
Cooking:
I was thinking of making some mashed potatoes, maybe bangers and mash? Maybe another day, I’ll cook some japchae (sweet potato noodles) and make some Korean spinach side dish (an easy way to use up your spinach and it keeps in the fridge for a few days).
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.
Oof I woke up today just after 5. So everything feels very slow moving right now because I have a headache. Hopefully it will go away. Meanwhile, I’ll just quickly put up some photos…
Some things last week:
Made some granola yesterday. Added sliced almonds, coconut chips, chopped apricots, and raisins.
The husband also hinted that I should make the walnut bread he likes. So here it is. I need to find a new recipe though. Either that or try proofing it overnight. It tastes fine but I think the crumb/texture can be improved.
We needed to head to the South Bay to pick up something, so I figured might as well go to Super Duper Burger. Love the food there, even their lemonade is so tasty (and not too sweet). The burgers are always well cooked too.
Started on a new crochet project. First time trying this brand of cotton yarn. Cotton yarn is hard to work with! It makes my fingers tire more easily…
Currently…
Reading:
The Swimmers – Julie Otsuka
Anne of Greenville – Mariko Tamaki
Watching:
Crash Course in Romance on Netflix
Listening:
The Sixth Extinction – The Sixth Extinction
Eating and Drinking:
I just had a chocolate chip cookie
Cooking:
Today we have leftovers, but yesterday for dinner, I made risotto, with bacon and steamed green beans.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.
Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life – Sutton Foster
I’m Glad My Mom Died – Jennette McCurdy
Hello, Molly! – Molly Shannon
Somehow in the past month, I’ve listened to 3 audiobooks by American actresses. In recent years, I’ve taken to audiobooks, usually nonfiction, and preferably read by the author themselves (with exception to certain audiobook narrators, like Richard Armitage, whose voice I love!). I listen to the audiobooks when I take walks and when doing some chores like laundry or cooking. It helps the time pass faster. And on occasion, I’ve even walked an extra round just because I was eager to finish listening to a chapter.
Audiobooks have their drawbacks of course, like when my mind wanders and I somehow miss out on an important part and it’s hard to go back and figure out what I’ve missed. Also, taking notes is hard. So while I usually enjoy writing down quotes from the book that I’ve enjoyed or admired, this is a quote-free post.
Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of Jennette McCurdy until her book seemed to be everywhere. I never watched iCarly or the other shows she’s known for. But the title of her book just made me want to find out what exactly happened. And ok, that really was a very honest, and just really painful, listen. McCurdy started acting at the age of 6, and her mother controlled and obsessed about her physical appearance. It’s a book that made me seethe with anger at what her mother put her through, and admire the compassion Jennette showed her.
Molly Shannon is more familiar to me. I used to watch Will and Grace and she played their upstairs neighbour Val who’s rather unstable and kooky. She really does seem like that in her audiobook too, vivacious and full of incredible energy. Her story is another one of struggle and angst. But in a very different way. Her family was in a horrendous car accident when she was 4, and her mother and sister died. She and her younger sister were raised by their dad, and while he definitely tried his best, his parenting style is best described as very permissive. Like when she and her friend snuck on a plane to New York City (they lived in Cleveland). They were 12!
One thing about Molly Shannon’s story was her persistence and determination to become an actress. A New York Times article used the headline “The Unsinkable Molly Shannon” and that really is perfect for her. She really just kept going and never gave up.
For me, this worked really well as an audiobook. I read a sample of the book and wasn’t quite sure, but when I gave it a listen instead, I started to get more into it.
As for Sutton Foster, I enjoyed watching her in the short-lived TV series, Bunheads, where she played a showgirl turned dance teacher. I like that she’s a crocheter, although she also talks about other crafts in the book, like collaging and cross-stitching. She first started cross-stitching at age 19, as an understudy on the Grease musical. It was a means for her to cope with anxiety and stress and the less than friendly people who were on tour with her. Her crafting journey helps her through difficult times, like her mother’s agoraphobia and declining health. A heartfelt story that made me want to start crocheting a blanket (and did).
Hey, it’s Monday again. Hope you had a great weekend!
Some things last week:
We tried out two new-to-us eateries. This Japanese eatery has a huge selection of rolls, it was so hard to decide. We also wanted to get some of the cooked food to try – chicken katsu with added vegetable tempura, and pork belly with added prawn tempura. I quite liked their Godzilla roll – it was crab salad and a tempura prawn inside and on top is spicy tuna and eel with wonton chips.
Another new-to-us place was this Thai eatery. The last time I ate Thai food was last summer in Singapore! The kids really liked this crispy tamarind glazed duck dish. That surprised me as the younger son definitely didn’t like eating duck previously. I like that the eatery provided options of “hot” and “Thai hot”. I like spicy food but even Thai hot is too spicy for me (same goes for Indonesian version of “hot”), so this way I know that I can order it “hot” but it won’t be numb-my-tongue, cry-my-eyes-out hot 😛
The 9yo had his first elementary orchestra concert. He’s been learning the cello since mid-September. I was quite surprised that they would put on a concert so early on, especially since the kids had all only just been playing for a few months. But they did it wonderfully.
Besides the elementary beginners, intermediate, and advanced bands, there were also performances by the junior high. The elementary bands are organised by the music teachers at the junior high, I guess to allow for more experienced kids by the time they enter junior high. I like that the elementary school kids get to see what they can possibly sound like in years to come.
Recently, I’ve been making boba at home. We found these boba packs at a Chinese supermarket and it’s super easy, just boil them in water. After that, I pop them into some sugar syrup, which keeps them from drying out.
The K-drama Crash Course in Romance on Netflix. I liked the actor Jung Kyung-ho in Hospital Playlist (still one of my favourite all-time shows), and he’s great in this one too!
Listening:
The Sixth Extinction – Elizabeth Kolbert
Eating and Drinking:
I’m typing this on Sunday afternoon for a change! I’m having some green tea and contemplating a slice of Castella cake.
Cooking:
Ah, the same question every week. What to cook for the week ahead? I have some cauliflower and broccoli to cook up. So maybe I’ll roast the cauliflower in the oven. And maybe since the oven will be on, grill some chicken drumsticks, marinated in soy-honey-garlic.
For the broccoli, I’ll cook it up with some pasta. And maybe some bacon?
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.
I am an introverted and anxious person. I overthink things, even when writing a message back to someone. Let’s not even mention having to talk on the phone with someone.
Reading Debbie Tung’s EVERYTHING IS OK, I recognized myself in some of her story. I was the shy kid. The quiet kid. I always remember the horror of being called upon in class and my mouth feeling like it’s been zipped shut and I would stand there, knowing in my head that I could say something, answer something, and the teacher would move on, but I would feel frozen and my lips wouldn’t move and it would just get worse as everyone in the class stared at me.
While I still would probably freeze up if I had to give a speech in front of a large crowd, I think I got a bit better at participating, and at talking to people, although I’m still usually the one who talks much less when in a group of people. I guess I forced myself into situations where I had to voice my opinions and talk to strangers – graduate school, working at newspapers, and at one point, saying yes to every blind date that came my way.
Tung’s book is full of little nuggets that may seem simple but are reassuring and encouraging. Like learning to accept yourself and embrace your awkwardness. And to be kind to others and to yourself.
It’s important to appreciate the small things. The husband bought a handheld coffee grinder for me last year and it’s strangely pleasing turning the handle and grinding the coffee beans, then adding it to the French press.
I also find delight in reading your posts and stories, whether you’re sharing a travel snapshot, your meal, an old photo. And especially the book posts. I love discovering new-to-me authors, and adding to my ridiculously towering (virtually, that is) the lists.
Real Life Reading 