Feng Shui? Why not?

Happy Friday!



I recently read a Feng Shui article in the current issue of Domino that got me thinking...

So I went to my local library hoping to borrow a couple of books about it. Unfortunately, the library was all out of feng shui go figure! So I had to rely on the good old internet for this one.

I never gave it much thought before, but having a clean and organized apartment brings so much joy to my heart. There's nothing like seeing an empty dish rack, hair/soot free tub, tomato sauce free stove top, and a desk free of annoying catalogs and junk mail. So can rearranging furniture and strategically placing mirrors here and there really bring more harmony to the home?



So I began by drawing up a simple floorplan of Lifeflix HQ. I then referenced the 8-point feng shui grid to figure out where the 8 key segments were located. You see, feng shui divides your home into 8 segments, representing the key sectors of our lives. Match up the front door on the map with your own front door to see where the 8 sectors fall in your own home.



It's comforting to know that my LOVE sector is represented by the entertainment zone. No wonder my relationships have been going so well, there's nothing like a new shiny iMac to spruce things up in the love department!

It also looks like the kitchen represents the FRIENDS sector, not bad - since the kitchen is usually full of life during the afternoons but always gets a nice clean scrub down at night.

What worries me most is the fact that the bathroom represents MONEY. Or maybe the fact that there's no sink in there works in my favor. Less drainage?

There's obviously more to it that this but I think it's a good place to start if you're interested in feng shui-ing. The whole thing is fascinating, does it work? I'm not sure but as I always say - if you're not harming anybody else, whatever works for you!

TIPS
- Do you have junk under the bed? Bad news - accumulated junk weights you down and the hidden piles block the engery flow through the home.

- Get rid of cracked or chipped vases and old flowers. Dead flowers (including dried flowers) and broken containers is bad for wealth.

- Fragrance is one of the many “cures” of Feng Shui. If something isn’t quite right or needs to be activated, fragrance is a wonderful possibility. If you have a romantic corner where you go in the evening to sip wine together, why not assist the experience with the deep aroma of Midnight Madness Petunias draping from a hanging basket. Perhaps a potted Heliotrope nearby would be pleasant. And who could deny the lovely smell of roses in a bed below. If the breezes are just right, that fragrance will be there to enhance the romance.

- So if you’ve been bickering lately, it’s not ALL your fault. But what can we do? From a Feng Shui perspective, the Love sector, far right, is about communication in any relationship. So where ever you are when communication breaks down, suggest that the conversation be moved. Find a place where you will be in the far right sectors where both of you can see the door. And of course, that’s an ideal seating for a romantic dinner out.

- Your Desk: Whether you are composing music at your writing desk in the den looking out at the river in the back yard or planning business strategies on the twenty-seventh floor overlooking Central Park, your desk is your creative station. First and foremost, it should be in a position of power. This means that it should be kitty corner from the door facing out so that you can have a full view of anyone entering. If you must sit looking at a wall or out a window with your back to the door, PLEASE position a mirror so that you can see movement.

Interested in more tips? Visit fenshuibasics.com
Tips courtesy of fenshuibasics.com

NPR Live Concert Series

I've been hiding under my rock again - I just discovered the best thing NPR's Live Concert Series. You can listen to full concerts - Lily Allen, Regina Spektor, Modest Mouse, Wilco, Travis, Björk, The Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Emily Haines just to name a few!

So if you're at work, plug in the earbuds - go discover someone new...

Thanks to alilovescurtis for coaxing me out from under the rock.

1 2 3 4 ...

I'm slightly obsessed with the song featured in the latest ipod nano commercial 1234 by Feist. Listen to it. Ahh the power of marketing.

I also found this impressive list of songs featured in past iPod commercials.

Relapse

I woke up feeling crappy again this morning. Cotton-head. I was feeling so good yesterday... I guess it's time to OD on more vitamin C.

Good thing Evening (Claire Danes and whole bunch of other people) arrived last night and I have Bionic Woman on DVR. Did anyone else catch last night's Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, it was an awesome episode. The restaurant featured was in NYC and it was soooo sick, cockroaches and flies everywhere.

Anyway, not sure how postings are going to go today =(

Last Night's Dinner #33: Chilean Sea Bass with Red Wine Reduction

I can't believe it, my first ever dish with dots!



Chilean Sea Bass with Red Wine Reduction
Recipe inspired by Gordon Ramsay's Halibut Bourguignon
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Difficulty: Medium
Serves 2

You'll need:
2 fillets (5 oz each) Chilean Sea Bass or Halibut
1/3 cup pancetta cubed
3 -4 shallots unpeeled
6 white button mushrooms (whole)
4 cloves of garlic unpeeled
2 cups of red wine
2 tbs unsalted butter
4 tbs olive oil
package of pre-washed spinach
~ 2 tbs of water or more for spinach
course salt and pepper to taste

This dish can be broken down into 4 elements:

1. Pancetta & Vegetables
Blanch shallots (skin on) in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove skin and set aside. Cook the pancetta until crisp and set aside. In the same pan, add 2 tbs of olive oil and sauté shallots, garlic and mushrooms until tender. You want the shallots to caramelize. Set aside and try to keep warm. Season with salt. Don't add salt while cooking because it will draw out the moisture from the mushrooms and make the whole thing too watery to "grill". All in all, it probably took 10-12 minutes to get the vegetables nice and tender.

2. Wine Reduction
In the meantime, boil 2 cups of red wine in a small pot until it's reduced to 1 cup. Pour the reduced wine into the pan used for the veggies and deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom and sides. You'll notice that the wine will start to thicken. Set aside.

3. Fish
You can also use Halibut. Heat up 2 tbs of butter and 2 tbs of olive oil. When it starts to foam up, place salted and peppered fillets in the pan. Cook each side for about 3 minutes or so (4 minutes for thicker cuts), be careful not to over cook. Cook spinach while fish is cooking.

4. Spinach (Cook while the fish is cooking)
I used an entire package of pre-washed spinach. Put a couple of tablespoons of water in the pan with th spinach. Turn the heat up to high and shake it until the spinach starts to wilt. Throw in a pinch of salt, you'd be surprised how quickly it cooks. Drain well. Pile a small mound in the centers of each serving plate.

How to assemble the dish:
- Place fish on top of the spinach.
- Spoon over vegetables on top of the fish.
- Drizzle the wine sauce around and on top of fish and veggies.

We had leftover whipped potatoes from the Coq Au Vin dinner, so I placed it in ramekins and baked it until the top was nice and brown.

Tote Bag Prototype Update

Quick update on my tote bag project...
Z and I have learned that it pays to take breaks when it comes to "making". Sometimes, you get so caught up on wanting to finish a project that you end up compromising the craftmanship. It took some major self-control but I managed to tear myself away from the machine and quit while I was ahead.

So as you can see, that aint muslin. I decided to be hopeful, rather than chance getting it right but not being able to enjoy the fruits of my labor with a bag made out of muslin =)

So here it is - I've sewed the two separate pieces but I still have to sew the lining to the bag, add a hook/button, and add pockets... still lots to do.

"Always buzzing just like neon"

I'm amazed at how some people choose to live their lives. Sometimes I wish I too had enough energy and will to accomplish maybe half of what they do, but most of the time I'm grateful for being too lazy and content.

I started thinking about this because I was talking to Nicole, one of my spin instructors who was telling me about her hectic schedule. Not only does she have a full-time job but she also teaches 4 nights during the week, not including her two morning spin classes on Saturdays. She said that she used to have another part-time job on top of it all but luckily that's no longer the case. When does she have time to see her friends? When does she have time for herself, or does she consider the classes that she teaches "her-time"?

It's also not uncommon to find her spending her Friday nights working on a CD for Saturday morning's class! She's not the only one I've met with a crazy life schedule, another spin instructor I know is an "extreme cycling" competitor and competes in weekly races. She too has a full-time job, an aspiring dancer, a spin/dance instructor and a personal trainer.

Hillsy thinks it's all a product of the fast city life. He said that his parents who are from a small village in the UK wouldn't even be able to fathom such a life. They're actually amazed with our measly lives, so I can just imagine their reaction to Nicole's. I do notice that we're always running errands, meeting up here for lunch, brunch, drinks, dinner; checking out this new exhibit; taking a new culinary course for fun; viewing the premier of a friend's friend's short movie; meeting up with ex co-workers; meeting up for someone's birthday, anniversary, last day at work... wow it never ends!

In a way, I tend to agree with him. There's this huge pressure of having to always do something. What are you doing this weekend? How was your weekend? The same pressure that makes me despise New Year's Eve - the pressure to do something to ring in the new year. You almost feel guilty for sitting on the couch watching Nanny 911 on Friday nights and going to bed at 11:30 while the students are just about to start the weekend festivities.

It's as if the same city that offers so much life and energy feeds off of its own dwellers' thirst and the more we spin and buzz around the brighter the lights get. But the brighter the lights get the more energy it needs to sustain the same level of brightness.

I guess I haven't been that thirsty lately and I don't mind when the lights flicker off every now and then.

Last Night's Dinner #32: Coq Au Vin inspired Braised Chicken

Coq Au Vin inspired Braised Chicken
Prep Time: 30 mins.
Cook Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Medium

As you know, Top Chef is one of my favorite shows and last week Casey inspired me to attempt Coq Au Vin. I will not, however, make the same mistake she did and call mine Coq Au Vin since I'm using good ol' chicken as opposed to an old rooster. There are millions of recipes out there (see links below) for this traditional French dish and I didn't really follow just one. I modified and modified like I'm sure you will. Since this is the first time I made this, I don't exactly have a recipe that I can share since I completely winged it - adding a little bit of this a little bit of that. So, the next time I make this, I'll definitely share the recipe.

I had to be mentally prepared to make this dish because like all things French, it was a little intimidating at first (requiring 10-12 hours - you have to let the chicken sit in wine overnight and then slowly cook it for 2 hours) but if you prepare properly, it really isn't that bad. Now that the ordeal is over, I can truly say that it was surprisingly easy.


Marinate chicken in wine and herbs overnight


Caramelize cipollinis (water, butter, pinch of salt and sugar)





I also made some fluffly whipped potatoes to serve as a side dish. I wish I had a loaf of French bread to sop up the sauce!



Next time I'll use less tomato paste and use Côtes du Rhône (a fuller bodied wine). Other than that it was perfect, you could really taste the wine and flavors in the chicken. It's definitely a dish worth perfecting! So get yourself mentally prepared and give it a shot.

Here are some of the recipes that I referenced:
cuisine-france.com
leitesculinaria.com
bravotv.com
marthastewart.com

Tote Bag Prototype

Yes, that's my floor a.k.a craft table. I'm getting ready to make my tote bag prototype with lots of help from this great tutorial by a very talented lady at the tiny happy blog.

Rather than waste good fabric (because I know I'm gonna make lots of mistakes), I'll be making my prototype on muslin. I also don't have paper big enough for the pattern, so I found some big envelopes that should do the trick. Wish me luck!!

Under the weather

I woke up so cranky and fussy yesterday - I didn't know what the heck was going on because it was way too early for the monthly bitch-fest.

I woke up a little late (8:30am) and I had to get out of the apartment by 9am. I hate the feeling of being rushed and knowing that I couldn't la di da around the apartment set me off instantly. You see, I like to enjoy my mornings with a nice tall glass of iced coffee next to my laptop as I publish "Last Night's Dinner" and read my favorite blogs. Anyway, I felt so lethargic all day and I couldn't figure out why... until I heard a little whisper (coming from my throat).

I guess my mother was right-- walking in the rain = sick. I sensed some pressure (feeling cloudy and foggy) in my head so I've stocked up on some ammo to help out the little guys fighting the battle. We'll see how it goes. There's nothing worse than being sick in 80 degree weather.

Anyway, gotta go dry my hair now before I go nuts.

Going to see Martha...

I almost forgot to share the news... guess who's going to a taping this month!!??!!

I'm not sure what the show will be about or who the guest will be, but I'll definitely provide a full report!!

I'm so excited, I can't wait.

Last Night's Dinner #31: Tilapia en Papillote & Ode to Summer Salad

Fish is so easy to cook, I really should make it a staple. If you can't be bothered to go to the fish market the day of, Trader Joe's carries a wide variety of vacuum packed fish that I've cooked with several times. I've never had a bad catch from there!



Last night I decided to cook "en papillote" in parchment bag. It's the easiest thing in the world. Preheat the oven, stuff the parchment pouch with fish fillets and herbs and you'll have a deliciously healthy and simple meal in less than 10 minutes.

I decided to serve this with a refreshing ode to summer salad - a mixture of avocado, mango, apple pear (Asian pear), red onions and cilantro. I love salads with fruit. You can also serve this with cous cous or a mashed/baked potato if you're looking for something heartier.

Tilapia en Papillote
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Serves 2

You'll need:
2 Tilapia fillets
2 sprigs each of thyme, parsley, oregano
2 slices of lemon (wheels)
2 Tbs of butter
1 shallot cut into slices
coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 400F. Wash fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper. Place fillets on top of cut parchment paper (ehow.com and latimes.com have excellent "en papillote" step by step instructions) and top with shallots, butter, lemon wheel and herbs. Seal the pouch and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Other good combos to try:
:: cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, lemon, oregano, thyme
:: thyme, lemon and cinnamon sticks

Ode to Summer Salad
1/2 mango sliced in 1/4" strips
1/2 apple pear (Asian pear) sliced in 1/4" strips
1/2 avocado cut into thin slices
handful of mixed greens

Combine ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients minus the oil. Drizzle in the oil little by little while mixing.

Self-discovery

Mr. Shrew-head, the latest member of the collection

There's nothing better than finding a hobby that you love.

Fortunately for me, I've never had a problem with finding new hobbies - from truffle making, finger-picking folk songs, knitting, shortbread cookie baking to felting barn animals. I think I may have a different sort of problem ;-)

A close friend Wanda* was once very self-conscious because she felt that she wasn't really "into" anything. She went to work, went to the gym, watched some TV, slept and woke up the next day to do it all over again. Recently, Wanda has finally discovered something that not only is she really into but she's actually quite good at it. Although, I may have to stage an intervention because it seems like the new hobby might be taking over her life. How? Well... she recently opted to stay home to complete one of her projects rather than enjoy a flick with her fiance and friend. She rushes home from work or the gym so she can get back to her craft. But what's got me really worried was a conversation we had last Friday. Some background info: Wanda is pretty obsessed with going away and is known to go on frequent Caribbean getaways during the fall and winter months. Not long ago, she called me in fear of becoming a "pasty monster" due to a cancelled sun holiday. Anyway, I couldn't believe it when the following words came out of her mouth:

Maybe it's a good thing if I don't end up going away this fall. I can save the money. I'll just take the days off anyway and stay home and make my animals instead.

She said this in all seriousness, without an ounce of sarcasm or ha ha in her voice. Be assured that I'll be monitoring this and will keep you all posted if an intervention is needed.

With all joking aside, I'm so happy you found something you enjoy =) Don't get frustrated if the passion for this particular craft fades away, don't worry you'll find something else you're good at... or maybe you're one of the committed ones - either way, it works out!

*names have been changed to protect identities

Critic's Corner: Into the Wild

We've all had them.

They're the vacations that look amazing on the slickly produced resort web-sites. Step into the hotel lobby for the first time, and your pre-trip excitement gets even higher. Life seems perfect after a couple of cocktails by the pool and you're all set for a memorable trip.

But by day three or four you start inexplicably thinking about home. You know you shouldn't.....you know it doesn't make any sense, but you can't help yourself. You're almost wishing the time away to get back to your comfortable domain.

After we hit the two hour mark of Into The Wild, the agitated rustling of popcorn boxes and cat-like stretches of people in the front row captured the general mood that it was time to pack our bags, take one last photograph and hail a cab back to the airport.

And therein lies the major flaw of this Sean Penn directed film. The previews look great and the first 15 minutes set-the-scene for something that looks like it will inevitably be an enthralling ride. But as time progresses, the film almost collapses underneath the weight of its own bulk and nearly crushes the audience in the process.

Based on a true story, Into the Wild follows the remarkable journey of Christopher McCandless who - after graduating from college - ditches his material possessions and decides to hitchhike to Alaska.

Along the way McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch) meets a series of characters who help shape his life and mold his perception of humanity as he continues his relentless trek to the Alaskan wilderness.

Some of the characters that cross paths with McCandless include a South Dakotan farmer (played by an impressive Vince Vaughn), a pair of middle-aged hippies (Brian Dierker and Catherine Keener) and a retired military man (Hal Holbrook).

But for every colorful splash of humanity, it's never easy to connect with McCandless' character - which often comes across as 2 dimensional and contrived. That's not a problem for the first hour, but by hour two it's asking the audience for a lot to stick with it and overlook the flabbiness that creeps in.

This film has a genuinely interesting story to tell - it just takes too long to share it. But if you can last the distance, you'll be rewarded with some breathtaking scenery of the American wilderness and a strangely inspirational tale of human relationships and aspirations.

Written by Hillsy

Weekend Wrap-up

Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Mine was semi-busy. We kicked it off with a nice dinner on Friday night at Vatan's with a few of Hillsy's friends. I've twisted his arm and he'll soon be providing a full review of Vatan. It was nice to catch up with everyone. New boyfriends, new jobs, great vacation plans - all around the group was in good spirits.

Saturday was business as usual - spinning bright and early followed by a gigantic bread basket at Le Pain Quotidien. Walked home in the rain (completely unexpected). I usually hate getting rained on, but it got to the point (soaking point) where I couldn't help but just laugh it off. It was fun after a while, I just hope I don't get sick. I know I know that there's no scientific proof but I grew up with a mother that thought sleeping with your hair wet could lead to depression! Anyway, we then caught an early showing of Into the Wild - great movie, go see it. It's one of those movies that are so powerful that it actually makes you think about your own life. I'll provide a proper review shortly. Saturday buzzing ended with a trip to the groceries and a final stop to pick up Vietnamese food for late lunch/early dinner.


I also saw a surprisingly great film on DVD last night - Broken English. Again, highly recommend it. It's a typical story where Parker Posey plays a thirty something single in the city looking for love. Her character has the worst luck when it comes to dating, then she meets a French guy (of course the guy is hot and lives in Paris)... I don't want to ruin the whole thing. I guess you can categorize it as a chick flick but a quiet and subtle one. It goes a little deeper than a typical Cameron Diaz flick. Parker Posey is great in it, as usual. And if the story doesn't end up moving you, I know you won't really kill me because I'm sure watching the typically romantic hot frenchy wasn't too torturous (well at least not in that way).

Unfortunately, my plans to meet up with the long lost friend on Sunday fell through. But hey at least my apartment is clean! We've rescheduled for next week, so the saga continues. I spent most of Sunday organizing for the week and preparing for a couple of new projects. Did anyone else catch any other good movies this weekend?

Argggghh Babe... WTF!!!!

The only moments when I question my love is when someone lets out big ones that seem to linger forever (he just busted one out a second ago). It was so bad I had to share as retaliation (sorry).

11:41pm update: Zandra, Dallas BBQ is officially OFF the list. I should've listened to my instincts from Day 1.

Pep-toe

HAPPY FRIDAY!! Another week zooms by. I had takeout last night from our favorite Thai place, so no recipes I'm afraid. I'll be hitting the food shops this weekend so expect loads of new stuff next week. Have a great weekend everybody.

Like a good blogger, I actually do try and test out as many of the products that I mention (budget-permitting). So without further a do...



Dear Real Simple editors,
Liar liar pants on fire! You obviously did not test this product (OPI La Pazitively Hot) properly before recommending it. Uhmm, I look like I borrowed Barbie goes to the nail salon polish. How could you possibly claim that this color "works for everyone"? Nope, FALSE! Can I have my $8 back?


So you can see it in comparison to a neutral color

I honestly don't even know what to say about this - I'm lost for words.

One last thing, one of my sisters emailed me last night with a product recommendation. It's funny because there's nothing I find more gross than seeing dry cracked heels in sandals. I know that summer is over and I'll be seeing less and less of this, but a little prevention has never hurt anyone.

"Sally Hansen's Just Feet Visible Effect Foot Cream: Instantly smooth & soften dry, rough feet. It is soooo good that they even have a Money-back guarantee. It's only 5.99 for the 4 oz @ Target."

Not having a Target... hmmm another reason to leave the city =)

Can I really make it anywhere?

I've lived in New York for about 23 years now after we moved from the Philippines when I was just a little kid. Like your typical immigrant story, we moved around quite a bit, living with various aunts from Long Island to Queens.

When I hit 9, my mother finally decided to settle down in Queens where we lived in numerous rented homes. I recall taking the F train from Queens to Herald Square 34th Street where my mom took me for my yearly back to school shopping trips. It was such a treat, going to the world's largest Macys and Conway. Yes my mother had a thing for Conway (for those of you not familiar - it's like a budget retail store where you can get tons of clothes and housewares for cheap) and I remember being so embarrassed of walking around holding the bright pink shopping bags (god, I was an awful kid!) For lunch, my mom would buy us two personal super supreme Pizza Hut pizzas - her favorite. Then it would be time to head back to Queens. I always dreamed of living in the city that never sleeps and 3 years ago that dream finally materialized - woohooo!!! One can argue that living in the other four NYC boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, or Staten Island) counts as "the city", I say a big uh-uh to that.

There comes a time when Manhattanites (well at least this one) think to themselves will I ever be ready to leave this place ?

I love living in the city. It's not like I take full advantage of living here, but I just love the options that I have. I love the IFs. The food, the sounds, the lights - it just makes you feel so alive. Of course, there's the traffic, the lovely smell of garbage in the 95 degree heat, the needle exchange program in front of Tompkins Park on Wednesdays... but it's all part of it, it's part of the appeal. Underneath it's hard glossy exterior, you find a nice pub that the trendsters have overlooked, a hole in the wall Mexican stand where you can still eat a meal for less than $6, a brunch spot where you don't have to be on a 2-hour long waiting list to enjoy a Croque Madame. Where else can you be in Paris for breakfast, buzz "Down Under" to munch on baby Kangaroo kebabs for lunch, back to Germany for a quick Brotzeitteller snack, quick stop in Madrid to enjoy a glass of sherry before suppering in Ethiopia? All without stepping foot in a private super sonic jet.

Will my love affair with this city I call home ever end? Like all good love affairs, you discover the quirks, reach an all-time high and slowly it all fades into a memory.

Lately I've been day dreaming of a small garden, more space for my hands to work...

Introducing "Mr. Who the Professor"

I finished my latest project...




What next? A shrew (no joke). And I'm also working on a tote bag idea. I was in the women's locker room at the gym yesterday and the idea dawned on me... more on that later!

Cheddar Biscuits (Take 1)

I remember how much my mother loved going to Red Lobster when I was kid. It was sort of a ritual - Sunday matinée movie in Fresh Meadows followed by the Captain Jack Seafood Platter in Glen Cove Long Island ... ahhh those were the days.

There are two things that will be forever ingrained in my mind - the Shirley Temples and the fresh out of the "oven" Cheddar Biscuits. All pompous-foodies can knock Red Lobster and its likes, but I don't care what anybody says... those biscuits ROCK. I don't know how much lard the recipe calls for, but it is damn good.



I've been trying to recreate these biscuits for some time now and I have not been successful. Maybe it's because I refuse to dump a whole can of crisco in the batter. I made a batch yesterday but they didn't even come close. They weren't BAD, just not as good. So, I'll continue to tweak the recipe until I come up with something post-worthy.

Life could be bliss

It's so beautiful outside today, I wish I could bottle it up and save it for a dreary December day.

Taking a non-New Yorker pace stroll this morning, feeling the sun on my arms and face, a KT Tunstall melancholic tune in my ear, slight breeze every now and then - I couldn't help but think... I'm so happy. I can't quite pinpoint the last time I thought that to myself, so I'm assuming it's been a while since I've been genuinely happy. It wasn't too long ago when I felt that my whole world was crumbling down. A failing marriage and everything else that comes along with one was probably the second hardest thing I've had to go through (the first, well... I'll save that one for another post). I remember hating my job so much that I would start to feel knots in my stomach at 4pm every Sunday; co-workers getting under my skin; not having the time or energy to speak or see my friends; eating way too much take-out; complaining about everything to anyone who would listen - the list goes on and on.

I don't mean to be all "na na na na na, my life is great, I'm so happy..." I just wanted to offer some hope to those who may not be prancing around the streets with a grin from ear to ear these days - take it from me, LIFE COULD BE BLISS. Surround yourself with people that love you and who you love. It took me a while to realize but true love (family, friends, partner) is when the actual act of loving that person makes you truly happy and brings a smile to your face.

I find sharing my thoughts/feelings so therapeutic. Especially when it comes to not-so-happy thoughts and memories, I think it somehow makes it easier to just let them go once I've tossed them out into the cyber world. Thanks for allowing me to sit on your couches! Lord knows I don't have health insurance at the moment, so I truly truly appreciate it =)

Couch courtesy of anthropologie.com

Let there be light...

The lighting in our apartment is pretty awful. I've walked out of my apartment thinking that I had black on, just to find out that it was navy blue half-way down my block. My cheeks have also been known to look like they've just been burned due to liberal amounts of bronzer/blush - it looked ok to me ;-/ Fortunately for me, the apartment is usually drenched with natural sunlight during the afternoon hours, so it's not dark and depressing. I think the issues are largely due to the brick wall, it casts a yellow/orange hue over everything and really causes havoc on colors.

So you can just imagine how challenging it is to work on crafts, maybe that's why I end up felting obscene body parts instead of animals. Anway, I finally got myself a lamp ($19.99). I clamped it to my work table and ta da! I even bought one those fancy natural sun light bulbs (Verilux Natural Spectrum Light Bulbs)- it supposedly provides natural light. What? I'm a sucker for things like that.



Anyway, I started a new project yesterday and my eyes were beaming with happiness. Look at all that light. No more straining!!! Now I just need a bigger table.

Last Night's Dinner #30: Spicy Shrimp in Coconut Milk & Easy Baklava

I was so happy with how this dish turned out. I was a little weary since I've never really cooked with coconut milk before. I wanted to use up a cup of left-over coconut milk that I've been saving in the fridge as well as 1/2 lb of frozen shrimps in the freezer. I also had cilantro that I forgot to use when I made the fish tacos. Plus I had a can of whole tomatoes in the pantry, so here's what I came up with...

Spicy Shrimp in Coconut Milk
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Difficulty: Easy



You'll need:
1/2 cup of chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbs of ground coriander
1/8 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 tsp + of crushed red pepper depending on how spicy you want it - you can even add cayenne
1 tsp of lime zest
1/2 cup of canned tomatoes (2 mashed up tomatoes and a little bit of the juice)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

1/2 lb uncooked peeled, unveined shrimp (frozen ok but thawed)
2 tbs lime juice
about 2 tbs of fresh cilantro (leaves and stem torn)
salt and pepper to taste - add the salt little by little

Heat up 1 tbs of vegetable or canola oil. Add onions and garlic and cook for 2 mins. Season with salt. Be careful not to brown the garlic. Add ginger, coriander, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, bit more salt and pepper. Keep stirring. Cook for 3 more minutes. Mix in sugar, zest then add tomatoes and peas. Season with salt. Bring to a boil and add in coconut milk. Mix well. Add shrimps, season with salt and lower heat. Simmer until shrimps are cooked. Remove from heat and add lime juice and cilantro. Serve over cous cous or rice.

Bite size Baklava
I was watching the Food Network and saw this really easy to make bite size baklava recipe. So easy, would be a perfect ending to a dinner party or a party of two! If you have some pistachios around, grind some up and sprinkle on top with a drizzle of honey before serving. The nice hint of green color would look really cool =)

When do you call it quits?

I feel as if I've been beating the topic of friendship to death recently, but there's something else that I want to discuss. We've already established that as we get older, our relationships change and we find ourselves spending less and less time with our girlfriends. But have you ever (or maybe you're in one now) been friends with someone for the sake of being friends?

We get rid of loser boyfriends, tell off moronic bosses, cast off dead-beat dads but why is it so hard to call it quits when it comes to girlfriends?

I met most of my close friends from college, a few from high school and a couple from grade school. I hardly see the ones I met prior to college and somehow I fear that most of those friendships have fallen through the cracks. It's funny because you somehow expect each other to be the same person you met in the playground, the same girl you used to cut classes with, the same girl you used to smoke with while hanging outside the window of your NKOTB-poster infested room. Unfortunately, we change by the minute... the person we were yesterday may not necessarily be the person we are today. We may not like who the other turned out to be and if we had a choice today, we may not necessarily choose to be friends.

At what point do you call it quits? Is there a friendship standard, some sort of minimum requirement in order to be considered a "friend"? Is there a minimum for how many times you talk/see someone in a year. Is there a quality check - do conversations need to be more substantial than how's work? how's your family? Have you hit the point of no return when being friends is more work than play - or when you no longer feel like you're getting anything out of it besides high blood pressure or tourette's? I honestly don't know the answer.

I'm actually meeting up with a friend that I haven't seen or spoken to in more than 4 years. We've been trying to schedule drinks for a while now but just couldn't get it together. Hopefully this time it works out! We used to be super close, attached to the hip actually and somehow we drifted into a no-contact abyss. It's been so long I honestly don't even remember how it happened. I guess we'll meet up, talk about old times, catch up about new times and then decide if the women we've turned into these past 4 or so years can stand each other once again =)

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