Tag / it’s monday

by Sharlene

It’s Monday

We got up early to play tennis on Saturday! The husband had booked an 8am slot as there are various tournaments in the afternoon and the courts were all full at our usual timeslot.

Then they had swim class and it was a surprisingly warm day and I got to sit outside and read for a bit.

We didn’t really do much this weekend. Played more tennis on Sunday, went out to our usual Japanese restaurant for lunch. But it was a nice weekend all the same. Hope you all had a good weekend too!

Currently…

Reading:

 

Watching:

I happened to be browsing Netflix on Saturday night and discovered that Solo was available. I hadn’t been interested enough to watch it in the theatres but I didn’t mind watching it on Netflix. I thought the main actor was quite forgettable and didn’t have the charisma of Harrison Ford (Chewie had more charm 😂) but Donald Glover was awesome as Lando (maybe they should’ve just made Lando – a Star Wars movie instead). But it was quite a fun movie to watch – if only it had more Donald Glover

Listening:

I’ve got 10 days left on my audiobook loan. So I’m working on finishing it!!

Eating:

A hot dog bun from Kee Wah and a mug of milky Yorkshire Gold

 

Cooking:

Oven-roasted cauliflower with something else oven-roasted. Maybe drumsticks

Pasta of some sort

Noodles

Crafting:

Trying a chevron clutch pattern for a friend’s birthday

Last week:

I read:

The seagull – Anton Chekhov
Anne of Green Gables graphic novel – adapted by Mariah Marsden
I posted:

The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katherine Green

The Lost Garden by Li Ang

Library Loot January 9 to 15

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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. 
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by Sharlene

It’s Monday and the kids are back in school!

It’s been a great holiday season but I’m kind of glad to have our regular routine going again!

We had a nice rainy weekend. I always appreciate those little bits and drips of rain we get here – having grown up in Singapore, rain is one thing I really miss while living here in bone-dry California.

We tried out a new Taiwanese restaurant near our place. We love eating xiaolongbao and in Singapore there are branches of the famous Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung everywhere. I mean it – almost every shopping mall you go to has a branch. It’s always popular and it’s always consistently good (although my mum argues that the branch in Chinatown, which I’ve not been to, is really bad). So when the Din Tai Fung opened here in Santa Clara over a year ago, we were all really excited. But because it’s the only branch in the Bay Area (LA has more!) the queues are still ridiculous, even with Yelp check-in we still waited an hour or so. But the food at DTF is pretty much flawless. The xiaolongbao is always perfect, the fried rice is seriously some of the best fried rice ever, and my kids would each devour a basket of the taro xiaolongbao if I let them.

Anyway, this little place we discovered is just ten minutes’ drive and it was good and cheap. The xiaolongbao weren’t as pretty and perfect but tasted pretty damn good, and they had red bean pancake! So we were all pleased.

 

 

I made some raisin scones and chocolate chip cookies

 

 

 

 

Currently…

 

Reading:

 

Poppy War – RF Kuang

 

 

Watching:

A while ago I watched the first ep of The Magicians but couldn’t get into it, but somehow this time I did. I just binge-watched the first three episodes yesterday. Does that happen to you too?

Listening:

Happy sigh.

Eating:

A slice of buttered toast and a red bean pancake. Sadly not the pancake from the restaurant, which we finished, but this was something we had bought from the supermarket, it’s decent, but as my 7yo complained, not enough red bean.

Drinking:

I had Yorkshire Gold with milk – always my first drink of the day.

Cooking:

My kids have been bugging me to make Japanese curry and the other day while on Yelp I noticed this restaurant had curry udon on their menu. And maybe that’s what I’ll try this time – curry udon!

Possibly a linguini carbonara.

Last week:

I read:

I posted:

 

Mary B by Katherine J Chen

Patina by Jason Reynolds – first read of 2019

Severance by Ling Ma

Library Loot (January 2 to 8)

Best books I read in 2018 #amonthoffaves

 

 

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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. 

 

by Sharlene

It’s Monday and it’s the last day of 2018!

Here’s wishing you all a very wonderful new year ahead!


We tried a new ramen place. Quite tasty and with great service. May return.

My mum flew back to Singapore on Saturday morning. It was great to have her with us for over a month!

Did Korean fusion takeout for our last dinner with my mum before she flew off. She loves Korean food. That large green thing is a kimchi-bulgogi burrito. Looks weird but so good!

Currently…

Reading:

Watching:

 

Eating:

Had leftover kimchi fried rice for dinner

Drinking:

Water

Cooking:

I recently used up the last of my bolognese stash – every now and then I cook up a large pot and freeze portions for those nights where I’m too tired or can’t think of what to cook or “crap, I forgot to go to the supermarket“. So I’m going to be cooking up a bolognese storm!

Also fried noodles with green beans because I bought a bag of green beans from Costco and it’s a big bag. I’ll probably cook it with thinly sliced carrots and tofu.

 

 

Last week:

I read:

About a third or more of the way through, this book just grew on me and I didn’t want to stop reading it. Luckily I had the excuse of a cold (yup I caught a cold while on vacation) so I could stay in and read while the family went out on a hike! So yes there are widows and yes they’re writing erotica but it was also how these women were fighting to better themselves, to be seen as more than just widows, a book full of heart

 

 

 

I posted:

Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park

#AMonthOfFaves – This is How I Read

#AMonthOfFaves – Fave Book Covers

Library Loot December 26 to January 2

#AMonthOfFaves – Challenges and Goals

 

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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. 

 

by Sharlene

It’s Monday and that was a busy weekend

Lots going on last weekend!

We were in Palo Alto on Saturday mostly to get my iPhone battery replaced (Apple has a great deal until the end of the month where you can get your battery replaced for just $29 instead of $79). And since it would take about two hours we spent our time there having lunch, wandering around the Stanford mall – the kids especially enjoy the Microsoft store which had lots of gaming going on!

We ate at Melt. I had a patty melt!

Also bought some desserts from La Baguette including this Princess Cake!

Then returned home to find a big box with assorted treats and some very special homemade goodies from the husband’s ex-boss and mentor. His wife made so many baked goods like caramels, gingerbread men, Springerle cookies and this Panforte which I hadn’t heard of before and oh man it is so good. The nuts really make this cake shine!

On Sunday we drove into the city and went to the Exploratorium. It ended up being such a rainy afternoon and it took us ages just to get out of the city and onto the Bay Bridge but we had a great time all the same.

Currently…

Reading:

Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon

Watching:

Nailed It! Holiday

Listening:

Eating:

We had Pakistani food for dinner! I didn’t take photos but it was good.

Drinking:

Sapporo

Cooking:

Pasta

Tom yum soup

I’m going to work on biscotti that I’m giving to teachers this week

Crafting:

I’m making Pokéballs for the boys

Last week:

I read:

I posted:

#amonthoffaves – wishlist

2019 Reading Challenges

#AMonthofFaves – Routines and Habits

Library Loot December 12 to 18

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill #bookreview

#amonthoffaves – weekend things

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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. 
by Sharlene

It’s Monday and I’m listening to Awkward Black Girl

It’s been a cough-cough-cough week for me. Oddly, and thankfully, it’s only me who’s got this hacking cough. So I’m just trying to rest more and drink a lot of water and tea.

 

But ahem, we went to Dog Haus on Sunday and I had a really good hotdog. I only ate two or three tater tots though!

Not much happening this week but the boys got to open their Lego Advent calendars!

 

Currently…

Reading:

 

Watching:

The Final Table. It’s an international cooking competition and I love how the chefs come from many different countries like Spain, South Africa, Australia, India, and that the episodes focus on different countries like Brazil, Japan, Mexico. But why no China? Isn’t Chinese cuisine important?

But I was most disappointed that when it came to the judges for the USA episode. The first half of each episode has 3 judges, usually 1 food critic and then 2 celebrities – there have been models and singers (Bebel Gilberto!) also sports stars like footballer Alessandro del Piero. And I suppose that’s fine, they want to up the glamour or something like that on the show. The thing is, why was the US episode 3 white men?? All the other countries had a woman judge, sometimes two. So disappointing.

Listening:

Eating:

I had some slices of baguette and a mug of milky Yorkshire Gold

Cooking:

My mom went to visit a friend in New York for the week but she’ll be back Friday evening. So I’m planning for the usual simple meals like noodles and pastas.

Crafting:

 

I’ve been working on hexagons! I’ve wanted to make something to cover the top of our piano and figure that this is a nice way of using up all those various bits and pieces of yarn I have.

Last week:

I read:

I posted:

#weekendcooking: Condensed Milk Bread

An Excess Male by Maggie Shen King

Library Loot

 

 

 

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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. 
by Sharlene

It’s Monday and the kids are back to school

Somehow I managed to catch a cold over the weekend so it hasn’t been the best finish to the week. I’m also a bit paranoid that it will be pneumonia again but so far it doesn’t seem as bad.

But anyway we had a nice week despite all the smoke and haze from the fire – luckily the rain took care of that!

The husband took the week off and we got to do things like take the kids to the cinema to watch The Grinch, play tennis together, have nice meals, and also figure out our first American thanksgiving dinner. We’ve always done hotpot for thanksgiving, which, judging from the number of people buying thinly sliced meats from Mitsuwa, is common among Asian-American families. But this time with my mum visiting, I thought a proper turkey dinner should be the way.

I chickened out and ordered a whole roasted one from Boston Market though!

But cooked everything else. There was oven-roasted Brussels sprouts and asparagus, a meringue-topped sweet potato casserole, homemade cranberry sauce, French fries and my mum made pumpkin pie.

And yes we have leftovers. I’ve been thinking of making turkey pasties. What do you do with leftovers?

Currently…

Reading:

Watching:

The Final Table

Eating:

Leftovers. What else?

Drinking:

I’ve been drinking and drinking mug after mug of tea and warm water in a bid to help hasten my recovery.

Cooking:

Maybe a Mac and cheese w turkey.

Crafting:

Working on a scarf as well as hexagons which I’m hoping to turn into a cover for the piano

Last week:

I read:

I posted:

From one ship to another: reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder, and The Last Cruise

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

Dublin Literary Award Longlist

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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. 
by Sharlene

It’s Monday and it’s been a hazy week

View of Foster City from the bridge on Saturday morning

It’s been a strange and smoky week. The smoke is from the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and has, as of Sunday night, a death toll of 77, making it California’s deadliest natural disaster since Loma Prieta in 1989 which claimed 69 lives. It is terrifying to see the number of bodies found climb. Every day the newspapers report another bigger number. The number of missing is still as high as 1,300. It is heartbreaking to hear of all the lives lost. And also heartwarming to read the stories of those who rushed to help others.

Schools in our county were closed on Friday and since Tuesday the kids had been having indoor recess and all outdoor activities were canceled. The air quality index in our part of the East Bay went into the Unhealthy zone for a couple of days. And we’ve been trying to stay indoors for as much as we possibly can but it’s hard with two energetic boys!

So we’ve been eating out once in a while like dim sum on Sunday, picked up my mum from the airport on Saturday morning, played tennis (indoors) Saturday evening.

Oh and I finally finished my sweater! It’s the first sweater I’ve ever crocheted and it was kind of tricky as the pattern wasn’t as detailed as I would like and I had to redo the sleeves several times. But it’s wearable, hooray!

Currently…

Reading:

Watching:

Homecoming

West Wing

Eating:

Drinking:

Water

Cooking:

Hot pot is our usual Thanksgiving dinner choice. Although this year with my mum around maybe we will have something more traditional

Browsing:

The Master List of 2019 Reading Challenges

Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019

The Reading Women Challenge

Last week:

I read:

America Vol 1 – Gabby Rivera
America Vol 2 – Gabby Rivera
Strange Weather – Joe Hill
Saga Volume 9 – Brian K Vaughan, Fiona Staples

I posted:

Weekend Cooking: Treats from Singapore

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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.