Grocery Shopping with Grandpa and Mom

周日早上同外公和王老太婆去买点好吃的。马上要回美国了，准备趁最后的机会再大补一下贵州家乡的风味。 看我家王老太婆，整个一大姐大的德行。

贵州特色 - 小米轧。甜甜糯糯的，我家外婆的最爱。

夹沙肉和各色的辣椒。

人家说美国的月亮园吧。那也不见得。中国的红萝卜新鲜多了。

外公买到我想要吃的白菜苔。好开心。

看我家王老太婆同人家讨价还价。

外公就不像我家王老婆那样张牙舞爪的。

Is It a Failure or Success

Should one ever trust a high-schooler for fashion consultation?

Probably not, which would be my first reaction. But, again all my reasonings and common-sense, I was so out of my mind and let the kid, my cousin, recommend a new hair style and color for me.

Thank God, it did not turn out to be a total disaster!

While he was dying my hair in my kitchen, I kept threatening him that if the color turned out funcky, I am going to call his dad first thing when it's done. :)

He did a great job!

2011 Tax Day

What one should do when facing a daunting, boring, mind-bogging task, like filing income tax?

Find something to indulge and help relive the pain, such as sipping a delicious bottle of wine, enjoying delicious cheese and snacks along the way, listening to some great music at the background....

Guess since I have to deal with it, might as well make the process more enjoyable. :)

Two weeks ago, I rationalized my pantry in the kitchen. While doing so, I uncovered this great bottle of wine - Monticello Gran Reserva of 1998 from Spain. A house-warming gift from an old friend. Today is a perfect day or has a perfect excuse to enjoy it.

Hm mm...the color of burgundy, dark cherry, nice on the nose, smooth and slightly sweet on the tongue... Simply delightful and equisite!

I know if Rohit is here, he would say that I am breaking his bs-meter again. :)

Hanging Out with Family in Nanking

在南京的城墙上。舅舅给我照的照片。

Auntie, mom and me in NanKing.

ChengDu Street Eats

一提到成都小吃，没有人不流口水的。象这个又香又麻的辣椒花生， 今年在国内卖的特别火。

Chengdu is famed for the “ssteet eats". It's like a heaven for me to try out all the food.

让我和我老妈流连忘返啊！

I wish I could take one bite of each...

就算是每一样吃一口，也吃不完啊。

The Ocean's Bucket in South Africa

Still thinking about the juicy, tender and slightly spicy grilled kingclips and giant shrimps in the Ocean's Bucket in Cape Town. Hey, that's where I almost fell in love with that fish. :)

Lunch at Guizhou QingYan Historical Town

I have been to the Guizhou QingYan Old Town many times. Everytime I go back to my hometown, it is my one of my must-visit places. The culture of the historical town, the architecture, and of course the delicious local-eats attracts me.

贵州青岩古镇是我在家乡的最爱之一。特别是她特有的红烧猪脚，白吃不厌。 就是吃相难看点。想象一下美女也两手抓着个猪脚啃的样子吧。反正我家马老者总是一看我和我妈吃猪脚就摇头。我们俩还偏偏特别爱吃。

青辣椒炒紫花菌也是当地的一大特色。

酸白菜炖小豆。我舅舅说了，这到是个地地道道农民土菜，一定要就着包谷饭吃才香。

双椒炒豆干皮。绝对地道的土菜。

来个全家福。也不给我舅舅节省啦。

Haikon Japanese Garden

Went to photo shooting today with the kid at Haikon Japanese Garden today.

I like this one myself.

Japanese maple. I like the color.

Smart Value Prop

As we all want to send smart messages to sell a product, or an idea, or whatever to the target audiences, it's often very difficult to craft a good one. But, one come cross my way today that I like -

While 20% of babies who were exposed to classical music in utero become doctors or lawyers, 100% of babies born onstage during a classical music performance become Bill Gates. Increase your chances of a lavish retirement with today's deal: for $19 you get one general admission ticket to the Peninsula Symphony at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center or the Flint Center at De Anza College (up to a $38 value).

Oh, well, guess we are all flocking to the classical performances now....

Random Night Out

Went out for a Happy Hour one night. Very random, like most of the other things I usually do.

Along with us, there is this very troublesome kid, my cousin Jack.

Dinner at Tibetan's Home Restaurant.

Somehow, rather randomly, digged this photo out tonight.

Gosh! That was two years ago when I took my parents on a trip to JiuZhaiGou, also called the Nine Tibetan Villages, in China. We certainly were the curious tourists who take pleasure in hanging out with the locals, tasting the traditional cuisines and experiencing the culture. So, we thought it might be a good idea to go have dinner at a Tibetan Home Restaurant, a home for a family of 3-generations and 10 kids who are all beautiful and talented in singing and dancing.

The secret? They told me that they sing and dance while farming cows on the hills everyday. And, if they sing well, even the cows will remain calm and relaxed. :)

The food is just simple, non-pretentious, non-refined in any form. But, the presentation, the novelty of eating something untried, and the experience of spending the night watching the 10 kids performing totally satisfied our curiosity towards the mysterious Tibetan culture and their people.

Confucius Temple Nanjing

One of Nanjing's must-see places would be the area around the Qin Huai River and the famous Confucius Temple. During the old days, this riverside region had a bustling nightlife where extravagant nobles, talents and businessmen flock to the restaurants, dance halls and whorehouses in this area. In Chinese literature, it is famed as a place for beauty queens and romance.

Here is me with YangYang, another cousin of mine.

The "lucky Money Tree" is one of the symbols of the Confucius Temple and supposed to bring people luck and good fortune. Guess with this picture taken with the lucky tree, I am getting rich in no time!