::first::

it's a privilege to attend a friend's baby first birthday in a very nice setting,  a reception held in a villa that converted from a water tower. it's one of your favorite place in spring and summer anyway. the garden is a bit bland without the bloom and blossom but inside the building it's nicely touch up with fresh flowers. it's also really nice to meet up with a few friends that you haven't see for awhile.

restaurant.john

 mojito pearl palate cleanser

on friend's recommendation you went to this restaurant in amsterdam with a group of girl friends.  while the waitresses were extremely helpful and friendly, you're a bit disappointed with the food. perhaps you'd too much expectation based on your friend's feedback. in really food were quite salty to your liking.  while the food served is fusion based, but it's a tad too oriental to your taste with excessive five spice powder. it could be a bit balance if salt and five spice is reduced.
the highlight for you (being a dessert person) was the dessert, a white chocolate mouse egg with mango yoke and serve with passion fruit and basil dressing.
it's a fun evening nonetheless with your girl friends.  hopefully this sort of dining can be a once a month or bimonthly outing.

::open air skating::

you have been wanting to skate at the ice ring of rijks museum and you finally had an occasion to pay a visit.  you arrived to a ice ring with a layer of water, the weather is a tad too warm for skating and you don't want to be wet for your dinner.
as such instead of skating, you and your friend ended up at the cafe next to the skate ring drinking and chatting away.
well there's always next time if not next year.

::farewell.dinner::

you went out for a farewell meal with a singaporean exchange student who will be leaving next friday.  for some reasons, you always feel the need to show a little kindness to students who are studying abroad, students who are alone and yet faithfully coming the the sunday church service, sunday after sunday.  along the years, you have met and known many of them and most of them still remain friends.
it has to do with your personal experience during your one year exchange (or twining program) abroad in the uk. you're actively attending the local church, seeking and growing in Him but the most lasting experience that have left a lasting impact to your life is probably the kindness and care that showered to you by a malaysian lady living in the area and attending the same church with you.  she invited you to her place for some home cooked meal that has the flavor of your homeland. she gave advise on student life in uk and occasionally invited you for a stay-over at her place.  her acts and deeds had never meant so much to you that determine who you're today, a special heart for exchange students.  you follow the same pattern, you showered your love to the exchange students regardless of their nationalities (taiwan, singapore, china, malaysia) and offering them home cooked meal and inviting them to some events that you believe will enrich their life here.
today, when you read this hand written letter, you know that deep in your heart you're doing the right thing, little things you did have lasting impression to others.  you're really thankful!

food for thought

it's the time of the year, with spring festival or chinese new year just around the corner, you're embarking into your annual cooking and baking.  those food that you will only make once a year.

except this year, you're somehow in a melancholic mood. perhaps due to your work load, may be it's the fact that january is the month that you're totally ground, you couldn't tell exactly.  while cutting, slicing and doing things, it brought back so much memories of the past. you're literally down (and almost drown in) the memory lane. you couldn't pin point exactly what triggers such an emotion but it's so real. you missed your mother and those happy childhood so much as those food that you're making are the taste of childhood, the taste of home, a taste of memory and a taste of her.
you became so sentimental that you wept silently for a few occasions in a week that you almost couldn't help yourself but cried out to God for help.  you like to reminiscence the past but not to the extend that you cannot function on your daily life.
it was so bad to the stage all you want is to be alone, spending your time in solitude and not having anything to do. that's so for today. you woke up naturally without morning alarm, no conference call to attend and practically nothing. you forgo the church's workers meeting because you just want to listen to your inner self and spent your afternoon home seeking God.  the joy of the Lord is my strength, and that's just a simple but profound bible verse that you often forget.
when you determine to seek the joy of the Lord, you gain your strength in finding the melancholic mood and anything that doesn't build you up but tear you down.
thank you Jesus!

that being said, to date you have made a batch of acar from your home town that you normally eat it with keropok (fish or prawn crackers). two small batch of pineapple tarts, one open face and one bamboo charcoal rolled up version.  you're not planning to make too much this year since you have lost your appetite or rather cravings for sweets and these are extremely fattening.
two more weeks and the lunar new year will come.  can't wait for spring festival and the month of february where you will have your fair chance of traveling.

::salon::

finally made it to hair salon. and while you're open for a drastic change, your hair dresser thinks your curls is still nice to keep for a little longer, so no drastic change but just trimmed  and hopefully by summer you will have much longer hair...

first get together

well, this marked the first get together with a few families in a friend's house.  as usual, each one bring a dish and it ended up with surplus of food

::pump::

you stop making new year resolution.  however, at the start of this year, you somehow decided to venture into muscle pump, especially on sunday.  timing wise it works out better since you have a sunday service to catch at 2pm, doing the zumba at 12noon was never ideal as you're always in the hurry to go home, shower, quick bite and still late for the church service.
with muscle pump starting at 11am, it gives you ample lot of time to cool your body down properly, take a relaxing shower and be home and still have time for lunch.
the bottom line is you're trying to tone up your body by increasing your muscle percentage.

a.hint.of.osechi

a hint of osechi. the first dinning out of the year to the japanese restaurant in rotterdam with a few friends.  the food was great and full of surprises. you love yama's cuisine to bit. it's your second visit and you're not disappointed and in fact still full of excitement.

::diversity::

new year, new beginning!
you had a team meeting today to embark 2016, each of you have to do the profile survey for oneself and the result of the small team where you belong to has shown a diverse profile spread across both extreme.
as the saying goes 'know yourself, know your enemies (colleagues) and you will win the battle'.
知己知彼、百战百胜
cheers to a great team and really looking forward for a greater accomplishment this year as a team.

markthal.revisited

your third visit, this place is still vibrant and bustling busy.  some shops have changed and the vegetables stalls are selling at more affordable price than before.  oh one more thing, the butcher that selling pure minced pork and soft bone has become halal.
that being said, you had a great meet up with a friend whom you have not seen for almost a year and it's a great catch up over basq kitchen.

happy.new.year

when the clock is about to strike at midnight, you're busy preparing the dutch custom for the new year, that's to toast a glass of champagne and to eat some these fried donuts and apple flap.

 and you normally eat this with a glass of champagne

as for you, you just skipped the fried stuff and go straight to the champagne.
cheers and toast for a better year 2016.  you pray for a peaceful world and better environment and that the love of God will surpass all understanding.
cheers for the world peace and personally you're excited to enter into the new year of excellence!