epic fail

How can you resist this?

我因该努力学习汉语。可是，我喜欢上网；喜欢看看东西。 无论我很容易 distracted, 我都必需做完我的作业。

今天，老师还给我们的小考。哈哈我的成绩不错！ ...read on!...

Welcome Back

Rain Rain Go Away...I swam to class each day. For this past week at least. It's a bit funny that we use words as if there is a specific demarcation between things like seasons. The first week of Spring 2010 felt more like autumn. Pouring rains, falling leaves, howling winds...wishing it was the holiday season. I caught Ni singing some carols just the other day!


But speaking of getting back into the swing of things, one of my biggest dilemma was fitting orchestra into my schedule. It's something that I've done for so many years that it just feels like a part of me. I don't know if it has to do with the weather or the time, but I just don't feel the excitement or camaraderie that I usually feel. Even after the first rehearsal, we had played two of my favorite pieces: Tristan und Isolde and Brahm's 3rd but still no extreme sense of belonging. More of a routine feeling. Have I lost it?

I find that one of the most beautiful things about playing in a large ensemble is the ability to create something together. Our individual parts don't sound much of anything on their own. But when we play together...it's like magic. It makes sense and even more so, it makes art--music. Something that traverses time and space. Something entirely yours, but theirs at the same time. I guess it'll also touch onto philosophy. Tangential to epistemology? Maybe! I know that you know what I know because it's also music to you!



We'll see how week 2 goes. Hopefully something will click. Other than that, this week was busy and fun but I don't think I was entirely "there" the whole time. ...read on!...

Of Carbs, Proposals, and the Last Huzzah!

Carbs are usually under appreciated until times of stress. On Thursday, Ni made Parmesan Rosemary Breadsticks to accompany this artichoke tomato pasta. It was really good! Especially the breaksticks :)

Why so stressed one may ask? Research Proposals. It's high time again to apply for summer and fall internships and it's about time to take control of our lives! I have actually been writing for the latter half of the break and to be frank, I've been enjoying it. Perhaps it won't be so bad after all to get stuck in grad school
But when we are in the actual process of reading writing and research, it's not such a pretty sight.



The desks are cluttered



The faces are sad and furrowed in concentration

The end just doesn't seem possible!

Fortunately, we were able to take our parents on a little excursion to the city on Saturday. We visited Chinatown and Fisherman's wharf. It was nice to get some fresh air and see what the city has to offer. Since moving to Norcal, we haven't had many opportunities to really explore the area. Oakland Chinatown has been a favorite spot to hit, but other than that it's the same-old same-old.

The change of scenery was nice. We saw a lot of seals barking at each other. Ni enjoyed their blubbery masses. I thought they smelled. :)

There were several ominous-looking clouds that roamed overhead, but the breeze was refreshing. After being cooped up in the house for a couple of days, being outdoors was nice. We ate chowder and chili at the fisherman's wharf for a late late lunch. Pier 39 is eerily reminiscent of Santa Monica's boardwalk and it made me miss LA. I was hoping that we could go down sometime soon, perhaps for the Lunar New Year (another date I'm quite excited about!) We shall see. Although it's only a few weeks away, there is so much that needs to be done during that time (i.e. 3 applications are due!) But it's ok. they are meant to be tackled one at a time.


Being at home for the past 4 weeks has been not only refreshing but warming. It made me realize just how amazing family is. I definitely had a lot of fun and would have to say that I've gotten closer to my sisters. In a world of constant change, it's nice to know that I have at least 2 people who have my back! Although I am excited to get back into school, I'm a bit nervous about the new semester. Classes are definitely going to be challenging, but who isn't up for a challenge!

OK...I'M READY! BRING IT! Let the good times roll!
...read on!...

Full Fridge

I love apples. Just everything about them are appealing on a sensory level; the crisp sound, the firm texture, the deep colors. Yum.

We spotted loads of apples on a recent trip to Berkeley Bowl and even Ni has developed an aesthetic liking to apples. This is the girl that used to hate apples due to adverse taste conditioning way back in the day (we're referring to those nasty, mealy Washington apples that used to come with school lunches--talk about "balancing" the meal! It has left children with an even greater preference for sweets!) ANYWAYS, we also spotted a lot of different types of squash. They were fun to look at too! and helped to stock up our empty food storage. Grocery shopping at Berkeley Bowl makes me feel like a squirrel :)



So now that we have a lot of apples and squash.I joke sometimes about having a negligent mother. That includes having us fend for ourselves. But in all seriousness, she is a hard working lady! And deserves to be pampered by her lovely daughters ;) So we transformed those apples and squash into a yummy supper.

Roasted acorn squash with a potpourri of veggies
Pork Loin with Pears and Apples

Cooking last night was a great way for me to also wind down. The past few days I have been burying my head into research articles about the cerebellum. Reading and comprehending them are one thing; developing/refining a research question about the cerebellum is another. So it's definitely involved in motor control and event timing, but I'm sure there are other non-motor functions that require cerebellar activity. hmmmmmmmmmmm....

Anyways, after dinner we watched Kate & Leopold. It was a hilarious movie! I think I'm sort of getting the types of movies my mom likes to watch. Last week, we saw Penelope together and I absolutely loved it! It's such a cute movie, but my mom found it a bit dull because there weren't enough "realistic" elements. haha. and time traveling? i guess we can make exceptions for things.
...read on!...

Letting go

Yesterday, I said goodbye to the Christmas tree and untrimmed it. Goodbye fun ornaments, see you next year!
I used to think that Dec 26th was one of the saddest days of the year.No more Christmas music on the radio; a toned down holiday spirit; a big whopping back to normalcy (except for crazy shoppers out to find good deals or to exchange those unwanted gifts). There's just a sense of relief in the air--two major holidays down, one more to go.

Now that I come to think of it though, there is still some excitement built up for the New Years. Dec 26th is a time to start thinking about those resolutions; a time to do those last big bangs of the old year and prepare for the start of the new! I love wintertime :)



After untrimming it, I had to do something with the leftover candy canes! (actually, quite disturbingly, I found some chocolates in a stocking ornament on the tree...I wonder how many years old it is!) And so, I made some peppermint bark which turned out to be quite good and easy. I also took out my guitar and did a little jam session. I guess with the coming down of the tree, I fully began to usher in the new year.

My mom has also been getting into the new year spirit and has been preparing for the Lunar New Year. This year it falls on Valentine's Day which I think it pretty appropriate, color and food-wise. I love the sweets that my mom prepares for the New Years! My favorite has to be 红豆糕. Anyways, we planted the paperwhite bulbs that Ni and I got from Mrs. Dalloways' Bookstore.


I had also been meaning to read Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, because the store is just so cute and inspiring! It's just a short walk from our Berkeley apt and is one of the many examples of the eclectic-ness of Berkeley. They are supposed to flower in 3-5 weeks, just in time for the new years!


Here's to a fresh fun start!
...read on!...

Pizzeria Sorella

What began as a girls night out quickly turned into a girls night in. The day began promising! Ni woke up before the day had turned double digits and we had a productive morning before heading out to SF to meet our mother dearest. We were going to go ice skating in Union Square! I had gone last year with Mel and it was a ton of fun! didn't even fall once. Our dad was able to get free tickets from being a frequent flier. So we bundled up, headed out and took the bus to downtown.
Afterwards, I had planned on taking everyone out to either Pizzeria Delfina or the row of restaurants at Belden Place. I figured we would need something yummy after skating and potentially gaining some bruises on our bums. ;)


Before heading on up to North Beach where our mom works, we were able to do some window shopping at Anthropologie. I love that store! It's so eclectic and makes me want to be a homeowner, and fast! The store is always really nicely decorated and the books on display were really interesting. Ni and I perused through a few before checking out the jewelry and hardware stuff.

On our way up to the school my mom works at we received bad news! Melobelo's bus had broken down and she had no way to meet us in SF! Our adventures were to be canceled. We were all really bummed out but decided that we should at least dine out. After brainstorming and looking at restaurant menus, Ni and I decided that we can probably do a comparable job and enjoy the same food for much cheaper. We quickly looked up recipes, did inventory on our refrigerator and decided upon making pizza!


It was a lot of fun, scouring the fridge for toppings. We had clams, Virginia ham, sundried tomatoes, basil, onions, and squid rings. After kneading the dough and waiting for it to rise, I did the chopping and Ni prepared rosemary potatoes as a side dish. Unfortunately the yeast kind of failed on us, but we were able to make the crust anyways ("it would have been better if it was chewier or thinner"..thanks mom) and it all turned out not bad!

Our mom also caught a head cold so she soaked herself in the bath. Afterward, we watched a couple episodes of glee. Yes :) another successful night at home! Complete with melobelo's seal of approval.

...read on!...

Family Outing

Since we've moved to the bay area, we've tried to take some family trips. Last year, we almost made it to Lake Tahoe but a snow storm stopped us a bit short of our actual destination. Nonetheless, we did enjoy a scenic drive and made a couple of pit stops along hills to play in the snow. This year, our epic trip was a visit to the Thai Temple in Berkeley


I'll have to admit that I'm not a fan of brunch. In fact, I don't get it. I'm a little grandma at heart so I like to wake up by 8:30 at latest every morning because 9 am is my favorite hour of the day. On most days, that's when the morning fog begins to clear away and when all the animals are bustling about. So waking up and then waiting a couple of hours to eat is a bit out of my comfort zone. Now Thai Temple is infamous for their Sunday Brunches and my mom had an opportunity to check it out a couple weeks ago when the Locke sisters came up to visit. Although it's at a temple, you have to be viscous to get a seat. No being courteous to ANYONE!


After securing 5 seats, we touted out victory and waited for the parents to come back with Thai iced tea and tokens for the goodies. Unfortunately, we had made a run to Berkeley Bowl before hand and ended up getting to the temple a bit late (a little past noon). Most of the goods were gone except for beef noodle soup. It tasted a lot like pho and to be frank, I think I actually prefer pho because the soup is less garlicky. But it was really good and filling! The workers were also very nice and tried to give us large servings. The thai iced tea was super delicious! and Ni would most definitely agree (since that was the only food thing she put in her stomach upon wakening).

Afterward, we went to Oakland Chinatown for our weekly grocery shopping, did some window shopping at Emeryville and headed on home. what an adventureous day ...read on!...

Hat's off to you!

12 hours and 30 minutes into 2010. How do I feel?

like this:



Ok, I exaggerate. This morning has been really lax: Roobois and Green Tea blend with a slice of pear-bread and an apple. A couple chapters in Kaheman's book on Attention and Perception. Browsing some blogs. Uploading pictures. Chilling really. I hope 2010 will be relaxing!

But the big thing that I need to do is TODAY! not tomorrow or later. This year, I will live in the now and not look back. It's just a bit of a shame that I am equipped with a new camera phone but no way to upload the pictures onto the computer!


We ended 2009 with a festive gathering in celebration of Ni's birthday. I remember last year we went out to Gregroire's and cooked scallops with roast beef. This year, we had a pasta party! 4 types of pasta's w/ Ni's homemade bread and 2 desserts. I made a gnocchi and ravioli pasta dish while mother dearest made a seafood pasta and chicken asparagus pasta. It was all really delicious. We had homemade chocolate cake (which felt less guilty) and creme brulee. I think Ni should probably open up her own bakery! We topped it all off with some champagne and chatted the night away until morning (literally!) The CL's didn't leave until midnight.

Other than that, we have been exploring the area a bit (ok maybe just a tiny little). We visited several markets within the past few days. Berkeley Bowl is certainly a must! They have the most amazing produce. We also visited Rockridge Market Hall. We like that place (the freeeeee samples!) and the warm smell of goods cooking.
Well, here's to adventure this new year! I have yet to make my resolutions!

...read on!...