Happy New Year from our family to yours!

A Year in Review

Inspired by my friend, LL's Christmas "letter," I want to write down what went on 2011 for us this year...similar to every news station's Year in Review

• Sarah has the most milestones this year (of course). She learned how to crawl  late March, walk in May, feed herself in August, and talk up a storm in September. She grew all her 12+ teeth all this year! Today she is a vibrant, vocal, energetic 18-month old toddler, full of joy and silliness. 
• We went on our 1st family trip together to the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland) this past July to celebrate SQ's 40th birthday.  We had a great time. 
• We welcomed a new niece to our extended family in March. Sarah's "baby girl' status only lasted for 8 months. 
• I took 4 business trips this year, which is more than I wanted:  Hawaii in March, Hong Kong in April, Paris in October, and Hong Kong again in November.
• No construction in our house at all this year...although things around the house are surely aging. Our plasma TV is broken; our mattress is getting lop-sided; our little car is due for maintenance...and the list goes on.   
• SQ is still working for the same architecture firm for past 3 years. He's leading a project for construction of a commercial building in Emeryville, which is targeted to be complete in June 2012.  
• I am still working for the same company in Downtown SF.  It will my 12 year anniversary next February. Work is still busy as ever (yes, even in December!) but excited that the Cosmetics business is doing very well in the Asian region.  I am very much looking forward to receiving my biggest bonus check (so far) next year when 2011 ends

18th Century England

I am not much of a history buff, but I really enjoying watching British movies or TV drama set during the 18th century.  I'm not sure if it's the accent, costumes, or just their way of life during that period that intrigues me.  I especially enjoy watching all the Jane Austen classics, from Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility to Emma.  Yes, I am a helpless romantic! A little less well known Jane Austen novel is called Persuasion and it is perhaps one of my favorite novels of hers.  General plot of Persuasion, from Wikipedia:

More than seven years prior to the events in the novel, Anne Elliot falls in love with a handsome young naval officer named Frederick Wentworth, who is intelligent and ambitious, but poor. Sir Walter, Anne's father and lord of the family estate of Kellynch, and her older sister Elizabeth are dissatisfied with her choice, maintaining that he is not distinguished enough for their family. Her older friend and mentor, Lady Russell, acting in place of Anne's deceased mother, persuades her to break off the match.

Now, aged 27 and still unmarried, Anne re-encounters her former fiancé when his sister and brother-in-law, the Crofts, take out a lease on Kellynch. Wentworth, now a captain, is wealthy from wartime victories in the Royal Navy and from prize-money for capturing enemy ships. However, he has not forgiven Anne for her rejection of him...and he still has hidden feelings for her...

I love the story line!  Women, during this time, only worry about getting married to a notable husband and a distinguished family. So it makes me melt inside when the heroine in the story gets to marry the man of his dreams for love AND wealth! 

Recently, I have been watching another British drama on PBS called, "Downton Abbey."  OMG. I love this show!!!  There is not a single moment in this series that does not make you wanting to see more.  The story details life in a rich family, as well as the butlers and maids who serve them.  Season I is done, and they will show Season II on January 8th on PBS. I can't wait!  Full episodes of Season I are available on pbs-video.org so watch it!!       

  

Merry Christmas!!

18 month check up

Sarah had a cry-fest during her 18-month check up this afternoon.  The moment we walked into the reception area, she began her non-stop crying.  She refused to sit on the weight bucket and she kicked and screamed. She didn't cry with her normal whiny voice, instead she cried HARD with tears rolling down her cheeks. She turned beet red and she clung to SQ like a koala  bear and would not let go.  It was one of our most difficult check ups yet.  But I guess this is normal since Sarah has great fear of strangers (she needs time to warm up) especially if they come close to her.  Ai-yah!  Thank goodness SQ was there with me!  Besides all of the crying, Sarah checked out fine!  She is gaining weight and growing exactly on the projectile curve.  Her height to weight body ratio is on the lean, slender side.  She is developing on track -

• feeding herself
• weaned off the bottle
• walking, running, walking up and down stairs
• follow directions
• knows body parts
• can ask for things with words
• peeing/pooping regularly
• knows more than 100 words

There were 2 things I brought up to the doctor's attention that I was particularly concerned about - (1) Sarah's persistent cold.  Sarah has runny nose and cough for 3 week now that never seem to go away.  Doctor checked out lungs and said they were fine.  I guess she is just getting a cold marathon! :-(  She might be recovering from one and getting another virus strand from another.  Annoying! (2) Sarah's bow-leg.  Sarah's left foot turns inwards when she walks.  This is common and it eventually goes away.  But I think it normally straightens out by 18-months. The doctor does not seem concerned, but I am.  I'm going to really keep a close eye on it...

Sarah's 18 month stats:

Weight :  24 lb 2 oz (44% tile)

Height :  33.25 inches (87% tile)

Head : 48 cm (85% tile)

 

A Letter to Sarah

My dearest Mao-mao;
Recently,

• you love the lights of our Christmas tree. Every night when we get home and the tree is lit, your smile brightens up your face and you stomp your feet with joy and excitement. No matter how many nights it has been since you've seen the tree, your expression of amazement is always as if you are seeing it for the first time.  Simply priceless. 
• you absolutely love airplanes!  You drop everything you do when you hear the sound, or see an airplane in the sky. You point to it and shout, "eh-plane!"  You even ask daddy to show you videos of airplanes on the computer.
• You are doing well in daycare. Everyday you eat all your food, nap for a good 2.5 hours and do tons of playing, learning, and testing limits. You fight for toys now...and if you are told to give it back, you will run away with the item instead...
• you still love, love, love reading books with us. In fact, you will take our hand, guide us to the sofa or chair, and literally push onto our thighs so we would sit down. Then you would climb onto our laps so we can read together!
• You love being chased. You squeal like a little piggy when one of us carries you and the other one is behind. You think that we're going to come after you.
• You know a lot of words now - single words only though.  Your favorites are : airplane (of course) moon, book, help, nai-nai (milk), poh poh (carry me), cracker, cheese...just to name a few.  
• Although you know that you are Sarah, you can not say your name.  You know how to say your classmates' names (Abby, Cole, etc) though
• You enjoy spending time in the park, which we try to take you to at least every other weekend. Your favorites are the swing and slide. You love to go HIGH on the swing, and you can go down on the slide by yourself!
• Stay silly, my little mao mao!! 

Smiling with friends, Fred the Elephant and Peter the Rabbit

Having a blast on the swing

Acting silly with all her dance moves

Having fun with daddy

What's up, Willis?

Eating Gourmet

Sarah's daycare center sends out a weekly email to all the parents with the Center's updates, staff's schedules, and every 3 weeks, the menu.  I always look forward to looking at the menu - to see what Sarah will be eating.  One of the great things about Sarah's daycare is that they have a professional kitchen and a chef who cooks meals on-site to all the classrooms.  The menu changes every 3 weeks and reflects the seasonal ingredients. The produce are mostly all locally grown and/or organic. All poultry is hormone and antibiotic free and the salmon is wild caught.  All milk are Organic from Clover Farms.  They work very closely with parents and accommodate for kids who are allergic to certain foods.  Here is Sarah's menu this week and next week!  I must say that I am jealous. They all sound so delicious! Sarah is the classroom's Little Eater.  She is usually the first to arrive at the table and the last to leave. She eats everything.  There is nothing so far (hope it stays that way) that Sarah dislikes.  Is this a reason why Sarah is not eating much during dinner?  Mommy's cooking is not up to par to the meals at daycare!??

Week of: December 12, 2011	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	PM SNACK
MONDAY	Cereal Organic Pears	Baked penne pasta w/roasted Organic butternut squash, leeks & parmesan cheese Green peas Organic Johnagold apples	Assorted crackers Organic oranges
TUESDAY	Bagels w/cream cheese Organic oranges	Spaghetti squash w/sundried tomato & fennel ragout Whole wheat biscuits Organic apples	Assorted crackers Grapes
WEDNESDAY	Scones Organic bananas	Crispy baked chicken Carrot & parsnip puree Shaved brussel sprouts Organic oranges	Assorted crackers Organic pears
THURSDAY	Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes w/pure maple syrup Organic bananas	Cassoulet beans Roasted organic carrots Cornbread Organic oranges	Assorted crackers Mixed organic fruit
FRIDAY	Chef’s choice Organic fruit	Chef’s choice	Assorted crackers Organic fruit

*Vegetarian’s only- Wednesday: tofu substitution

Week of: December 19, 2011	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	PM SNACK
MONDAY	Scones Organic apples	Miso glazed tofu Toasted brown rice Steamed broccoli Organic oranges	Assorted crackers Organic bananas
TUESDAY	Scrambled eggs Whole wheat toast w/Rachel’s jam Bananas	Organic kabocha squash & potato soup Maple cornbread Mixed Organic lettuces w/creamy avocado dressing Anjou pears	Assorted crackers Organic grapes
WEDNESDAY	Cereal Organic bananas	Lasagna w/turkey ragout Early winter salad Organic apples	Assorted crackers Organic pears
THURSDAY	Rachel’s maple granola Raisins Organic yogurt Organic apples	Chickpeas in savory vegetable broth w/ organic rainbow chard, carrots & mozzarella toast Organic oranges	Assorted crackers Organic bananas
FRIDAY	Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes w/pure maple syrup Organic fruit	Chef’s choice	Assorted crackers Organic fruit

A different view

After 18 months, we've finally decided to change Sarah's car seat from back-facing to front-facing.  In the past for many years, the American Pediatrician Association had recommended that parents leave infants in their car seats rear facing until 1 year old.  Then recently, within 1 or 2 years ago, they changed it to 2 years.  But seriously, most car seats are not designed to hold a toddler rear-facing for 2 years.  

Sarah's feet have reached the back of the seat for months now - and we've tried our best to let her stay as long as she can in the rear-facing position. But now, it has gone to the point where her legs are crunched up. So we decided to finally make the switch.  So far, Sarah is pleased with her new view.  She is positioned in the center of the car so she has the center aisle view of the windshield.  No doubt she is a happy camper. However, I must admit that getting her onto the car seat and buckling her up is no easy feat. In the past, we can carry her into the seat, have a seat ourselves next to her and take our time buckling her in.  Now, the position is awkward as we need to hover...and with the door wide open and my back facing out, I can't help but feel a sense of insecurity and paranoia that someone will attack me in the back.. or rob me, or do something malicious.  I guess I just have to train Sarah to learn how to get onto the seat herself! 

Sarah turns 18 months today!

Happy 18 month birthday, my sweet baby!  May you never lose your sense of wonder... 

Moments: Sunset on Twin Peaks

New Beauty Favorites

It has been a while since I last blogged about Beauty products. Here are some of the new products that I'm trying or have tried recently that are worth mentioning as my new favorites:

Well, ok, this is not new...but realized that I haven't mentioned it at all! This is L'Occitane #1 sku - hand cream for dry hands!  It comes in so handy this time of the year, especially in the winter. It's not greasy at all and makes your hands soft.  Plus, it smells great. Don't leave home without it!

All my colleagues in the Beauty world rave about the Giorgio Armani foundation.  I finally bought myself one (yes, you read correctly, BOUGHT one) when I was in Hong Kong. After using it, I must say I am a huge fan now too!!  First of all, there are a couple of lines (I bought the Designer Lift) and there are over10 shades to choose from, which means you are bound to find one that matches your skin. Btw, I learned that you don't find the color that matches your "hands" because people tend to put the sample on the back of your hands to try out the color.  You need to find the color that best matches your neck!! That way, you don't have a face with one color and a neck with another!  Anyways, why do I love this foundation?  Because it provides excellent coverage but yet it is light as a feather! Your face does not feel heavy or oily at all ~ plus, it's very natural-looking.   

  

I am an advocate of using eye products because I am always in a hunt to find a product that can get rid of my dark circles and eye bags.  OK, OK, I'll admit it - don't ever let anyone convince you that you can get rid of dark circles or eye bags with a skincare product.  They are lying. The only way is probably to go through plastic surgery. BUT there are products out there that can "hide" or "reduce the appearance" of dark circles.  This Estee Lauder Idealist Eye Illuminator does that job. The cream dispenses through the ceramic applicator, which is cool and refreshing around the eyes.  The cream is also slightly tinted so it can double up as a concealer. 

 This product is a 4-week program from La Prairie called the Cellular Power Infusion.  It is a double-pump that starts off "clear" like the first vial. With a twist of the cap on the bottom, a spurt of serum comes out and combines with the other ingredients (pic 2 thru 4). Then you shake it up and use the vial for a week.  There are 4 vials, so it lasts you basically for a month. You do this program once or twice a year. La Prairie is a very high end brand, but this product only sells for $450, which in their line of products, is considered a bargain.  I only used 1 vial so far.  Maybe it's my skin, but I haven't seen the results of elasticity and illumination as the product claims.  Perhaps I need to use all 4 vials?? 

I saved this one for last, because it is my favorite among all the products I wrote about here. I am IN LOVE with the new Lancome Blanc Expert Nuit (Whitening night cream).  I apply it at night and in the morning, my skin feels super soft like baby skin, and I feel like it's bouncy and full of energy. That feeling lasts throughout the entire day!  The smell is not horrible, but it is more fragrant than most of the products I use. But I am able to overlook this, because the cream gives me visibly softer and smoother skin!  The version I'm using now is the 2012 version with an updated formula, which looks a little bit different than the picture I've shown her.  This product is only available in Asia and will start hitting the counters in February 2012. 

Soup Baby

Sarah is a soup baby.  She loves to drink soup. She loves all sorts of soup and she drinks them out of the bowl.  She doesn't care if the bowl is hot or whether the soup will burn her tongue or not.  She finishes all you are willing to give her.  She has been practicing drinking liquids from an open cup at daycare, so she's putting her learned skill to good use.

Pear Tree Greetings

I don't normally vouch for a company anywhere, but I have to do so for Pear Tree Greetings!  They are a personalized stationery online store where you can order Birth Announcements to Holiday cards to stickers.  They offer super cute designs at reasonable prices.  Best yet is that they have EXCELLENT customer service. In fact, I ordered both last year's Christmas cards and Sarah's 1st birthday invitations from this company and I am 100% satisfied each time!! That is why, this year for our holiday cards, without browsing any other online site, I went straight to Pear Tree Greetings.  It did not take long for me to find a design that I liked.  So I uploaded the picture & sent it to print. Done!

However, when I got my cards yesterday via Fed-Ex, I was disappointed. The picture turned out darker than what I thought and wanted.  :-(   I was not happy with the cards.  With Pear Tree Greetings, your satisfaction is guaranteed, so I logged onto their website and connected with their Live Chat person.  A customer service rep named Kimberly responded immediately and I told them my situation.  Kimberly told me to send her a "lighten" picture and she would reprint the cards for me, for FREE!!  I was so happy that I have a second chance with my cards, even though it was obviously my fault for uploading the dark picture in the first place. The cards will ship in 2 days! Wow! Can't wait to see them!

I am so pleased with Pear Tree Greetings' customer service that I am spreading the word out to my fellow readers.  They are great!!  They are reasonably priced, have cute designs, and shipping is super fast!  You won't be disappointed!    

  

Gilroy Gardens

SQ bought some discounted Gilroy Gardens tickets from Plum District a while ago and they were expiring this weekend.  So we went this past Saturday and brought along my 12-year old niece with us.  We couldn't ask for better weather to be in Gilroy.  It was partly sunny with temperature in the mid-60's.  It definitely made walking around the park very pleasant.  We got there around 11:30 and went out a few rides.  Sarah didn't nap so she was kinda cranky.  She didn't even enjoy her usual merry-go-around ride. This park is perfect for young kids - most of the rides are tailored primarily for the 2.5 to 7 age group.  Sarah is probably still a bit young to enjoy the rides and my niece a little too old - but I think we all had a great day regardless.

Sarah - obviously NOT enjoying her ride

A visit from Charlie Brown and friends

I am glad that my niece enjoyed her time there despite the fact that most of the rides were "kiddie rides."  She and SQ got on some of the more "thrilling" rides and had a lot of fun.  We don't see her often, so it was nice to spend some time with her there.

Flying!!

We completed our day at Gilroy Gardens with a train ride around the park.  It started to get chilly so we decided to end our day a little earlier at 4:45pm to beat the parking lot traffic.  We all really enjoyed the day out in Gilroy... a bit far from SF, but it was nice to get out of the City once in a while. When Sarah gets a little bit older in a few months, we will surely come back again.     

          

Happy Turkey Day!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!!!  I feel very blessed this Thanksgiving.  I am thankful:

• for the world's most supportive family, loving husband and adorable daughter!
• for my house and my bed to keep me warm at night
• for my health so I am able to do and see the things I love
• for my company because I still have a job that pays well 
• for my friends who I can always share a laugh with
• for world peace

*Sorry for the grainy picture. We were checking out the webcam.  A nice (and rare) picture with all of us smiling at the camera at the same time. 

CF's birthday

This past Saturday, Sarah attended her little friend, CF's 2nd birthday party.  Sarah always enter the room with a great deal of shyness.  She is clingy, refuses to look at anyone, and loves to bury her face into our legs.  Over time, we learn to accept the fact that she needs time to warm up in a new environment.  Food always seems to help warm her up. We distract her by giving her food.  Then after a bit, she becomes herself again, playing with toys and walking around everywhere.  

CF celebrated her 2nd birthday early and we had a nice gathering among the kids' parents.  It seems like all the kids grew taller since I last saw them, which was not too long ago! They grow up so fast!  Here is an attempt to get as many kids looking the same way as we can.  I have to admit I didn't take this picture.  Despite multiple clicks on the SLR, my pictures had the kids looking in all sorts of directions... 

Tobisha Ultrabook

hehehe... either SQ saw my post or maybe the layer of dust settling on top of the eepad gave him a clue that I wasn't using the tablet much. Today, I got an early Christmas gift, the Tobisha Ultrabook!!

Again, I can save you all the specs but so far it is GREAT!!!  It's super thin and weigh less than 3 pounds and have all the features I want.  It just came out this month and it is by far one of the best laptop out there! I am so happy with it. YAY!!! Thank you SQ for giving me what I really truly want and need!! Love you!

A Letter to Sarah

x

Recently,

• you are getting kinda of sassy! We're not sure if you starting your terrible twos but you've definitely learned how to test the limits and our patience! You cry if you don't like something, and definitely let us know when you're not happy about something!
• you are beginning to "choose" your food.  So far, you still eat everything we give you, but there are times when you prefer one food over another and you make that preference known!
• you are sleeping later than before, to our dismay. Your sleeping time is between 9-9:30. Your ulsualy bedtime was 8:30 before!
• you LOVE books. We go through at least 3-4 books before bedtime.  Sometimefs you won't go to bed because you want to read more books. Your favorite book is s till Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• You understand a lot now - words, directions, questions.  You finally know that you are Sarah. When I ask,"where's Sarah?" you will point to yourself.
• You know most of your body parts - head, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, fingers, elbows, knees, tummy...
• You have about 12 teeth now.  Soon you will have a full set of teeth! You're not a big fan of brushing your teeth though.  You just like to suck on the edible toothpaste (which I don't like to give you) so I always have to pin you down to brush your teeth for you! One day, you will thank me.
• At daycare, you are energetic, playful, and vocal. You love music, play in the sandbox, ride toys, and of course, books!!
• Your double-eyelid finally emerged on your left eye today!  I've always wondered why you only have single eyelids when both your daddy and me have double eyelids. I guess they just come up whenever they're ready...now waiting for your right double eyelid to arrive!
• You know how to feed yourself (still with a mess), drink small amount of liquids out of an open cup, walk backwards, stack and nest  boxes, complete board puzzles, 

Your smiles, giggles, and laughter continue to brighten our days everyday!

Eepad

SQ bought me an ASUS Eepad Transformer for my birthday this year.  It's an e-tablet, which has supposedly the best operating system with fast internet computing power, etc etc.  I can spare you all the geeky technical info since I actually don't know much about all the functions myself.  Despite it being one of the best e-tablets out there in the market, I find it not suitable for my use!  I specifically told SQ that I would like a small laptop that would do the basics - browse the internet, upload and organize pictures, and blog.  That was all I needed.  This e-Tablet doesn't fit the bill.  Well, I think what my hubby got was what HE wanted, not what I wanted.

First of all, the built-in camera sucks.  It's awkward to hold and balance the big tablet with 1 hand, while trying to push the click button with the other. The pictures all turn out grainy or out of focus.  So I take pictures from my other camera, but I can't download any of the pictures onto this tablet because it doesn't have a SD memory slot, or a USB port for that matter.  It is so troublesome (to say the least) to transport pictures to and from!!

Browsing the internet isn't so great either.  My hands get stiff (borderline cramping) after holding the tablet up, even after a short amount of time.  I seriously can't figure out how to hold the thing up so I can see the full screen without hurting my hands at the same time.

Blogging - ok, this is perhaps the worst of all.  Touchscreen keyboards are great for texting or tweeting, when your message is less than 50 characters long. If you must type up an entire post, touchscreen keyboards just ain't going to cut it!!

Ok, maybe I should stop complaining and appreciate the gift and SQ's gesture.  I just really wish I can use that darn thing more often!!!

HFMD

WTH is HFMD, you might ask? Well, I didn't know either until yesterday.  

This past Monday, Sarah was very clingy and cranky the whole day.  We didn't know why.  She was a bit warm, but SQ and I thought it was just because it was a hot day and she did have that furry kitty costume on.  We finally measured her temperature and it was about 100 degrees. Low grade fever.  She was drooling a lot - so maybe she's teething.  We gave her some Tylenol and she slept OK. The next morning, she woke up, again with a low grade fever. She was whiney and just not herself.  We decided to keep her away from daycare so SQ worked from home to watch her.  When I came back from home, I noticed that Sarah has small blisters on her tongue.  They are like canker sores, except she has about 5-6 of them on her tongue. Some were bigger than others.  So I searched the internet on her symptoms - mild fever, blisters on tongue. And low and behold, the results came back:

Hand Foot Mouth Disease = From the Center on Disease Control:  Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old.  Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease include fever, blister-like sores in the mouth (herpangina), and a skin rash. Hand, foot, and mouth disease usually starts with a fever, poor appetite, a vague feeling of being unwell (malaise), and sore throat. One or 2 days after fever starts, painful sores usually develop in the mouth (herpangina). They begin as small red spots that blister and that often become ulcers. The sores are often in the back of the mouth. A skin rash develops over 1 to 2 days. The rash has flat or raised red spots, sometimes with blisters. The rash is usually on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the knees, elbows, buttocks or genital area.


This is what Sarah has.  She not only has blisters in her mouth but also on her buttocks.  Poor thing!!  So we kept her away from daycare for another day.  She is doing much better today because she's actually eating more.  Like the common cold, the virus can incubate in the body for 3-7 days before showing any signs. There is no cure or medicine for HFMD - it just needs to run its course (about a week). Meanwhile, we need to keep Sarah hydrated and well-rested.  Apparently, 2 of her other classmates got the same thing - so it must be going around.  I also emailed my pediatrician and he said that he saw a lot of children with HFMD lately.  The disease is spread via saliva and nose secretions... so remember to wash hands thoroughly and stay healthy!   

Happy Halloween!

Airplane movies

The only time I catch up on my movies is on my flights.  I usually can't sleep much on the plane, so I watch movie after movie. Here are the movies I watched on my 2 flights to and from Paris:

• Bridesmaids - Raunchy in the beginning, but kinda funny some parts
• Hangover 2 - bad, bad, bad!  Same formula doesn't work twice
• Midnight in Paris
• 2 days in Paris
• Ratouille (watched this before)
• Ant Z
• Bad Teacher

I got into the "Paris" mood and watched 3 movies that were filmed or based in Paris.  I must say that Air France didn't really have a good selection of movies.  I had a hard time trying to find a movie that  I like.  I usually enjoy watching Comedy / Romantic comedies because I just like "light" movies....nothing too intense.  I rarely watch Action films because I find them so violent. I have enough stress in my life that I don't need additional stress when watching a movie.  

Cooking Class in Paris

Bonjour! Greetings from Paris! I am here in Paris for business a total of 7 days, 6 nights: 4 days of meetings, and 2 weekend days.  I couldn't believe that the last time I was in Paris was 2 years ago, back in 2009.  I usually come to Paris 2x a year for business, once in June and once in October.  This past June, I opted to go to Hong Kong instead and bypassed the Paris trip.  So here I am, in Paris in October!  I've been to Paris 3x before this trip, so I've been to the most of the famous sites - Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Louvre, and the many museums. I even took a trip out to Versailles. This time around, I was looking for something else to do while in Paris, so my coworker suggested a French cooking class called Cook'n with Class.  She has done it before and highly recommended it. In fact, this class is the #1 on the list of "things to do" on Trip Advisor.  So I asked another colleague of mine to take the class with me and that's how we spent our Friday night!

We met the instructor at the Jules Joffrin station in Montmarte at 5pm.  There were a total of 6 of us (which is the maximum number of students per class): my coworker and I,  a family that comprised of a mother, daughter, and a son-in-law from Toronto, and a guy from Vancouver.  From the station, the instructor asked us about our food likes and dislikes so she can tailor the menu somewhat.  After that, she took us to the market!

First stop: Cheese Boutique

2nd stop: Meat Market

4th stop: Seafood market

Last stop: Bakery shop to buy fresh  baked bread

After buying the ingredients, we are ready to head back to the Cooking school's classroom.  Here are some of the tricks I learned (sorry, it may sound basic to you, but they were a-ha moments for me!)

• When doing a 3 course menu, always start with the dessert.  Most desserts will require time to cool, so best to do it in advance.
• Cut off mushroom stems before washing.  Mushrooms are like sponges so cutting off the stems help reduce the amt of dirt the mushroom might absorb
• Double cook your mushrooms - once to remove excess water (which can be reused) and once to add flavor
• Blanche vegetables in salt water to maintain its vibrant green color
• Peel vegetables (i.e. carrots) towards you, and not away from you so you can see what you're doing! 
• Double cook your meats (sear it on a stove top to get the color and put it in the oven to actually cook it). 

We made a total of 3 dishes. They are all very delicious, even better than some of the restaurants we've been to. I loved all of the dishes!  The meal is fancy French cuisine, yet the taste brings you comfort like home-cooked dishes.  I think what makes it good is that all the ingredients are super fresh and in-season (which is really important). French people like to buy everything fresh - i.e. a bakery where the bread was made, the butcher shops where they can see the meats being prepared, etc.  They don't really have "supermarkets" here like we do in the States where the food is packaged and frozen with tons of perspectives. No wonder most French people are skinny!       

Our meal: 

Appetizer: Fresh sea scallops over Chanterelle and White mushrooms

Entree: Veal with Vegetable medley and meat sauce

Cheese Platter - a sampling from the 5 families of cheeses

Dessert: Creme Brulee with fresh peaches

The class is not cheap but worth it!!  Well, considering that you get a 3-course meal with cheese & wine + the cooking experience, it's not too bad at all. I would highly recommend this course to anyone going to Paris and wanting to do something more than just visiting museums all day!

Pumpkin Patch

You know how when you have kids, things don't often go according to plan? Well, today, a group of us organized a play date outing to Ardenwood Historic Farms in Fremont to see the Fall harvest.  We all made it to Ardenwood but never made it into the farm!  We ended up at the Pumpkin Patch right outside the farm and spending an hour there.  We had a lot of fun nonetheless!  

Like we did last year, we all brought our Halloween costumes to the pumpkin patch.  However, unlike last year, we now have 4 little mobile toddlers in tow!  This made it for an extremely difficult group shot.  This is the only photo I got that had the 4 kids on one frame. Sarah was cranky because she's tired & desperately needed a nap.  We thought she would nap on the hour ride to Fremont, but she was too nosy looking outside the car window that she didn't nap! So Sarah was uncooperative and cried so the black kitty cat had to be quickly removed from the scene!   

Sand Blast 2011

This year's Leap Sandcastle Contest was held this past Saturday (10/7) on Ocean Beach.  Although we live so close to Ocean Beach, for one reason or another, we never made it out there to enjoy the sandcastle contest any year. This year, SQ's architecture firm sponsored one of the entries so we took the effort to be there to lend support.  The event is a fundraising event for Leap, a program that encourages and supports arts and architecture in local schools.  Each entry consisted of an architecture firm, a construction company and a local elementary school.  The school children were responsible for coming up with a design, the construction company sponsored the tools, and the architecture firm helped with the sandcastle building process.  There were a total of 26 entries this year.     

Sarah's not so much enjoying the sand

SQ was part of the water crew, transporting water from the ocean to the site

The event started at 9am, but we arrived late, at around 10am. SQ went to help out his Company's sponsored team, while Sarah and I people-watched. People took breaks on and off ~ and enjoyed snacks and a pizza lunch provided by the companies.  We stayed there until around 1:30p when Sarah was beginning to get really tired.   In fact, she felt asleep the second she got buckled in.  I have not seen her fall asleep in such a short time before.  Unfortunately, we left before they announced the winner.  I guess it doesn't really matter. They are all winners!!  

The sandcastle contest is a very nice, family-friendly FREE event.  It's great to let the kids get their hands dirty and create a sense of teamwork and accomplishment.  For the spectators, it's so nice to see the kids' creativity and imagination!