What is happiness?

Happiness is...pure and innocent;
It is worldly and wise;
It is in giving, and in receiving;
It is in loving, and in being loved;
It can be tangible, yet untouchable;
It can appear as being or as energy;
It is subtle, yet so powerful;
It is abundant, yet hard to find;
It says a million words, yet can be painfully silent;
It is always welcome, although the invitations get lost;
Dark is a world without it;
Yet, a world without dark will never see the light.

Fast friends!

Ah! The love that my little sugar bear has for this kitty, is only overshadowed by the love this little kitty has for my little girl. Sprinkles is the first one by her side when Elyse cries, jumping up on the glider and peering into the crib to see if she's alright. She meows heartwrenchingly, when Elyse is howling away from not wanting to sleep. Sprinkles lets the little one grab fistfuls of fur and yet only lets out a quiet little meow, never angry nor spiteful. She is there by her bathtub, every evening whilst Elyse is enjoying her splash time. Elyse will smile when Sprinkles comes up to her and licks smeared food off her face.

I can't imagine now one without the other. What a friendship!

Is freedom, really freedom?

Ah finally! The time has come for me to return to the workforce. Okay, maybe it was time a few months ago, but I wasn't ready. Because my baby girl was still too dependent on me. Because I didn't know whom I could trust to watch her. Because I would miss her each minute I am away from her. Because.... I just wasn't ready.

A new opportunity arose just last week after I made my decision to go back to work part-time. All of a sudden, there was a position of permanence - well, to a degree of anyway - available to me at a fabulously chic location in Dallas. Hmmm, my horoscope did say that I would have new opportunities this month. So came with that new information, a huge struggle over which babysitter to use, and how we were going to justify spending that much money on just part-time daycare. (Headache, headache, HEADACHE!!!)

Anyway, it was decided to make my paycheck worth the time I am away, we decided to not use a babysitter, and I would work on hubby's days off. Ah, easy decision!

But WAIT! Was it really??? All this time, I always looked forward to his days off that we could spend together, running errands, shopping for groceries, doing nothing... Now, the reality of this new situation sank in quickly. We wouldn't have any days off together for a very long time. Was this worth the small amount of extra money we would have ??!? *Sigh* I guess a little give on the financial side, isn't exactly a fair trade off for spending less time with each other. But this tiny little step towards financial improvement could mean everything to us. It would be a tiny step towards leaving this ghetto of a place we call home now. It would mean moving to a much better community, to a better school district for Elyse. I know it seems too early to plan ahead that far, but having learnt from friends in similar situations, it is imperative to not lag behind when it comes to children's education. It could also mean us being able to afford our own home. *DREAM*

I guess having been at home by myself with the baby for so long, I've been locked in my comfort zone for too long. But I find myself getting used to the idea a little bit more everyday. Maybe after this week, it will almost be like I never had a worry about this at all. Maybe then, I could finally enjoy my 10 hours of 'freedom' (now, i use that term very loosely). And maybe then, it won't seem like I'm always caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Be still my heart......

Ahhh...finally some time to work on my blog. The little turkey butt, ahem, excuse me, my baby girl has taken to being awake a lot during the day and demands my attention almost every minute. I really shouldn't complain because she does sleep very well through the night which has let Jonathan and I regain our sanity a little.

She's really grown into her own person, her little feisty personality just charging it's way through in every thing she does. Recently, she's found her voice.. and it's a loud one. She squeals and screeches so much that it makes my own throat sore. But it just makes my heart so full and proud when i see that sweet smile and hear that cute little chuckle when she sees her father's or my face. Mornings have become my favourite time of the day because Elyse can't stop telling us (and her favourite toys) in her own little baby squeals how much she's missed us whilst she was asleep.

And just so the rest of the world can share in my delight, I've added a link to a cute video I took just this past weekend. If you're feeling down, just spare a minute to watch this and I guarantee it'll cheer you up good. http://picasaweb.google.com/pleasancechong/ElyseVideos/photo?authkey=2e7c1L_4X8E#5103448215856536866

Oh, got to run now. Excuse me whilst I respond to the little miss.

Where is Home?

This past Saturday, my heart came to a complete stop for a few seconds. I was nursing Elyse at a friend's home whilst Jon was helping said friends move their stuff upstairs. What happened next, happened in complete slow motion - you know, when you're witnessing an event, and things are already in motion and it's completely too late to stop it. Started with a loud crack, yelling and then a big piece of grey falling through the ceiling from the attic above, and then followed by lots of fluff and then ...CRASH!!!!

I woke up from my slo-mo daze when I realized it was my husband lying there on the ground, groaning. With baby still latched on to me, I sprinted over to him completely frantic and to be honest, I don't quite remember what I said or did. All I recall was someone gently telling me to hand the baby over and then I was on the ground next to Jon, sobbing away. I cried even harder when he started laughing and cracking jokes because I was convinced he had suffered a concussion. I couldn't stop shaking for a the longest time whilst we were making sure he wasn't impaled on anything or was sporting any new attachments to his body. The owner of the home had called 911 and soon enough the entire army of emergency vehicles were there to assess the situation. They convinced Jon to let them take him to the hospital, and I got to ride along in the ambulance. I'd never been in one, and would have been very happy to make it through my entire life without being in one.

The ER visit was a quick one, to our surprise. We were there for a total of less than 4 hours. The staff were attentive and we were very relieved that Jon had only suffered one broken bone on his foot, along with some bruises and a pretty scraped up left arm. These injuries could have been so much worse, considering that there were loose power tools lying around and a huge power saw that Jon had just moved moments before the floor gave way from under him.

All I could think of during those hours were if anything happened to him, I would be all alone with the baby. Everything that's happened this past year, being pregnant, having the baby without my family around, my mom getting ill, and then this accident, have strengthened my resolve to go home for good. Things haven't worked out for us over the time period we've been here. And the biggest sacrifice is being so far away from our families and friends back home. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends who are here, but Jon and I have always felt like outsiders, even though our friends have welcomed us with open arms. It isn't the same to not have your family close by. The reality of being half a world away from my family hits me harder everyday that passes.

However, will we be sacrificing opportunities that are available here for the comforts of home? I guess the answer will come to us soon, I hope.

There are no words.....

It has been more than two months since my last post. My baby girl is already 11 weeks old. Time really has just flown by at breakneck speed. I have watched my baby just blossom right before my very eyes into a very special individual although she doesn't quite grasp the concept yet. I wake up to her smiling face and little coos every morning and my heart just swells with so much love for this little angel. There have been very challenging moments, days when she would go without a single nap during the day and then pull some award-winning cranky tantrums during bedtime - nothing different from any other baby, I guess.

And there was also the week from hell, just last week when all three of us got colds. It was baby's first cold and it tore at my heart to hear how congested she was. (Be very, very grateful you know how to blow your nose - One of the small things that really do count.) Jon had it really bad and I had to let him rest since he couldn't take any days off. So, yours truly had to bear the brunt of it whilst taking care of the both of them. Towards the end of the week, I hit the wall and had a meltdown. Long story short, I ended up punching the closet door and tore open the skin on my knuckles. Let's just say I was wide awake after that, albeit still a complete mess. The next day was almost like a new day for me. I hadn't realized what a toll it was taking on me. I thought I could handle it well, but the stress of dealing with being sick, taking care of Jon and the baby, postpartum blues, being very broke and homesick was just building up and completely washed over me.

I am aware now of the huge changes in my life. It makes all the difference to be in the moment and acknowledge that things will never be the same again - It will always be better.

Meet my precious bundle of joy.

Sound the trumpets! Finally, after 38 weeks.....and the last three weeks being the longest, Elyse Hui-En is here. She arrived shortly after midnight, 12.44 am to be exact on the morning of April 17, 2007. Weighing in at 6 lbs even and 47 cm long, she is all well and healthy and everything a parent could ask for. Isn't she just beautiful???

Jon and I are just absolutely in love with this little wonder that does nothing but sleep, consume endless amounts of milk, (my poor mammaries) and producing endless amounts of poopy diapers, but also most capable of making the most hilarious faces we've seen in recent history.

My labor and delivery was long and had it's fair share of complications. In fact, I had to make a lot of changes to my birth plan but in the end, they were done for my baby's well being and safety in mind. The fact that she is here all safe and sound is all that matters.

So, after many sleep-deprived days and nights, I post this blog with an affirmation - it really all is worth it!

Bye bye laptop

Many apologies! It has been a while since I've posted a blog. Main reason for the absence is that my trusty ol' laptop has died and gone to computer heaven. *Sob, sob! You never know how dependent you are on something until it is gone forever. You know, in hindsight, there were a few signs of its impending demise. It wouldn't start up properly a few times, but of course I completely ignored that....total denial! I thought that it could survive anything. It had gone many places with me, travelled to different cities and states, many a meeting and trade show. I used it for everything. EVERYTHING!!! *Sigh....you must think I am a complete lunatic by now.

Take my advice. Treat your computer well. Oh, and back up all your important documents. You have no idea how big a role they play in your life until it's too late.

Can you say ADORABLE??!??

I am ecstatic! I got to see my sweet little baby girl's face for the first time this past Saturday. Thank to modern technology, this was no ordinary ultrasound procedure. With this machine, they could show us 3D pictures and 4D video movements (photographs at one second intervals) of our little precious one.

Jon and I were emotional beyond words - she is just so beautiful, more than I ever imagined! Now, we REALLY cannot wait to meet her in about two months or so.

Comfort food

There is nothing that will lift the spirits on a cold winter's day like a warm, comforting dish.

We had a stretch of really cold days and I had been craving soupy dishes pretty much every one of those days. Well, I finally decided that we needed to have Bak Kut Teh and I made it last Saturday when Jon didn't have to work.

Of course, I didn't make it from scratch. With all the good ready-packed spices in the market, it's not necessary to go to all the trouble to make it myself. However, I usually add my own special touches - lots of garlic, variety of mushrooms including shiitakes, straw and golden enoki mushrooms , napa cabbage and a shot of Shaoxing wine. Served with lots and lots of chopped raw garlic and cili padi in a mix of soy sauce and fish sauce, yow char kuai and warm rice, it hits all the spots.

I made so much, we had leftovers for the next 3 days. It was a very happy weekend.

Purrfect contentment.

I cannot begin to comment on how contented my sweet little kitties are. They have quite an easy life, surrounded by pure blissful ignorance. Being around them make it a little easier to take a breather when things are not exactly going well. Perhaps we could learn a thing or two from them eh?

Picking oneself up and dusting off.

My conversations with my closest friends and my family tend to be retrospective nowadays. Sometimes, there is more regret in my voice than I would like there to be. It would be easy to just say to myself, "Just let it go and move on...." But I feel that the lessons get lost if there isn't enough contemplation on my part. I guess I'm just walking the line between wanting to look forward and move on, and hanging on to what might have been.

Any rational person would tell you that it is unhealthy to hold on to experiences past, but then again, most people do so because those parts of their lives were all they knew at that time. Sometimes, the circumstances affect us so strongly because they were new high points, never before experienced and had heavy emotional investment on our parts. As Amy mentioned in our chat the other day, these experiences strip you of everything, and it feels like having to start from scratch all over again. No doubt, it is a painful process, and sometimes it feels better just to be in denial and cling on to that false sense of security from our warped memories.

My father always reminds me that life is full of challenges, and that we always need to be positive and look forward. My mother tries to convey the same message, but knowing that she's had a battle-weary life, it always comes across with a hint of bitterness. I try to learn from their experiences and try not to make the same mistakes. Then again, mistakes of a different kind don't make the pill any easier to swallow. So, in my poor mind, I juggle my own dreams, goals and regrets, along with those of my family and some friends. However, I have also learnt to understand, (but not necessarily accept) that sometimes things just happen and are completely beyond my control. Now, that's a jagged little pill for ya.

Cabin fever

What does one do when the weather is most unfriendly and causes one to be stuck at home? Why, cook up a storm, of course! (Hehe. Pardon the pun). We had a week of constant icy rain and snow, which really made up for a most foul environment outside. It was very cold, wet and you were likely to slip at least once on invisible ice just to make it to the parking lot.

Jon had to stay home on Wednesday because all the roads were iced up and it was too big a risk to head to work. We decided to make Hainanese Chicken Rice, which we were craving BIG time. In fact, I'll admit, I've been craving it pretty much throughout my pregnancy, and was only able to partially satisfy the gnawing pangs with really mediocre chicken rice at a Singaporean hole-in-the-wall eating spot in Plano.

Jon felt the same way and we just decided to go shopping a couple of days before (Thank goodness for early bad weather warnings!) for all the ingredients - whole chicken, chilli peppers for the sauce and a few other necessities to make the entire meal. Well, I couldn't find red cayenne peppers, which are the red chillies normally used in Malaysian cooking. (FYI, I have made another resolution to grow my own cayennes since it is close to impossible to find them here. Wish me luck!) So, I replaced them with a combination of red jalapenos, red cili padi, and a couple of habaneros, along with garlic, ginger and lime juice. WOOOO!!! Let's just say a couple of bites into the chicken with the sauce, and we weren't feeling the cold anymore. Anyway, I digress.......

Well, it took us a total of two and a half hours to cook the entire meal - chicken, rice and soup. Of course, I had to face another dilemma along the way - to follow the recipe to the T, I had to reserve some chicken fat to be included in the rice and the chilli sauce. *Groan! It was making me gag just to clean the chicken. To process the fat would just push me over the edge. BUT, I was intent on having a proper chicken rice meal and decided to suck it up and deal with it. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined. Jon was having a good laugh at my expense.

All in all, I have to say, the effort was definitely worth it. We had enough to last us four meals. Very good, considering it cost us probably about $15 for the entire thing.

So, anytime you anticipate being cooped up at home with nowhere to go, I suggest stocking up on some ingredients and going to town with some recipes. Happy cooking and good eats!

'Tis the time of the year again.

One more year has come and gone. This year has by far been the most eventful and punishing in recent years of my life. However, I've also been blessed in many wonderful ways too. It's remembering to balance both that has been my ultimate quest these days.

You know, a few weeks ago I was still angry about failing the business we started a year ago - a project we had all believed to have been the salvation for our families. More thought went into it and I realized that we did everything we could that we knew how to. It's been a painful and expensive lesson, but a good lesson at that. I have similar feelings towards the loss of our first baby, but have been healed with my second pregnancy - a baby girl, we found out on my birthday. Jon and I believe that it was her all along back in March and that she had decided to wait for a healthier body. Losing her the first time was an excruciating experience, and I would never want to go through it again. But it makes you see things in a completely different perspective and makes you thankful for everything that you do have.

Everything has been so unsettling this year and my faith in myself has been badly shaken. I found myself doubting every decision I made or was about to, and punished myself severely when they turned out to not be the right ones. Our relationships with some friends were called into question over personal issues. The sense of loss from everything surrounding us was just overwhelming.

I am however, very thankful for finding strength in my relationship with my husband and my family, and also some friends to overcome this period in time. It was through these uncertain times that I know who I can count on for unconditional love and support. The list isn't very long, but I am deeply grateful for having these people in my life. Not at the very least is my love for my unborn daughter, whom I cannot wait to meet. She has inspired me to persist on and strive to give her the best that I can. I cannot ask for better motivation.

So, to all out there who wish for a better year ahead, I am with you and bid you a safe, healthy journey into 2007.

The elusive meaning of Christmas

Having spent another holiday season in the most capitalist and materialistic country in the world, and this time observing it from inside one of the most high-end and luxurious shopping establishments in the world - Neiman Marcus, I have to say that I am most perplexed and disturbed. I have seen the most shocking behaviour, temper tantrums and hissy fits thrown by grown adults, mind you. Fits that would have put a two-year old toddler to shame. All because they came too late to buy the latest, most-coveted whatever that the world of fashion and beauty has to offer. This one customer practically burst into tears when she found out that the giftset package of her favourite fragrance was sold out a whole week before she came into the store, which was two days before Christmas, by the way. Mind you, she had been reminded repeatedly by her personal shopper that it was an exclusive product with limited availability for the past two months.

Correct me if I'm wrong, I've been told that Christmas is first and foremost a religious holiday - celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, although historically on this date, it is the Roman pagan celebration of Saturnalia. And to continue my thoughts, I am led to believe that this is when Christian followers reflect again on the nature of their faith. (I am trying to word this carefully, mind you). Then, how is it that it became all about being obliged to fork out hard-earned money to buy thingamajics for others that will either get regifted or returned? Not to mention the ridiculously unusable things that you will receive (battery-powered self-spinning marshmallow roaster, anyone?)

Sigh, anyway, having experienced quite a few Christmases with gift exchanges gone wrong, I can expertly say that it doesn't matter how well you think you know someone, you can still go wrong with gifts for that person. So, sometimes it's best and for everyone's good that we create user-friendly and well-thought out wish lists of things we desire for others to refer to. Or better still, do like what we did this year - forgo gift giving altogether! Oh what a freaking relief!!! I didn't have to burn brain cells thinking of what to get that would fit into our rapidly shrinking budget. We had initially brought up this plan to our friends prior to Thanksgiving with sad faces, but the plan was warmly received. Everyone has financial setbacks this year - saving for new kids, saving to get married, trying to save up for own place, sending another kid to college - fantastically real reasons to not have to do obligated shopping.

Was there a hint of disappointment in the air when Christmas came and went without any hint of grandeur? Yes, I will admit it felt a little empty, like something was missing. This has by far been the quietest Christmas I've ever experienced - no gifts, no decorations, no elaborate meals with friends. All we did was watch TV whilst we packed up boxes to move. Finally gave in to going to the movie theater when evening came and all anticipation for some small surprise fell flat. Had a good time watching "Night at the Museum". It was most appropriate and we left the theater feeling like we had a small but well-deserved, little Christmas treat.

Counting my blessings.

Despite having lived in the US for almost seven years, the concept of Thanksgiving Day is still very foreign to me. It's not that the notion of being thankful is that hard to grasp. It's just puzzling to me that the tradition of this holiday is all about about consuming food until act of passing out.

Situated in the middle of all this hoo-hah is the fleshy giant of a noisy bird - the turkey. It's really difficult for me to wrap my brain around how this could be the favourite food of many Americans. Many don't even care for it much. They just spend hours preparing and cooking it just because it's tradition. I've had it roasted, smoked and deep-fried. Sometimes I even add ground turkey as a replacement for ground chicken in my recipes. No 'gobble-gobble' epiphany yet. I still prefer to use chicken - smaller, easier to handle, less tough and juicier. Sorry, I digress.

So, every year at Thanksgiving, we've decided to focus on different main dishes, creating as big a variety as possible. We've had cornish game hens, pork tenderloin, this year it was roasted leg of lamb. I came up with a recipe based on traditional seasoning for lamb - the usual garlic, rosemary and lemon juice- added cumin, for extra smokiness, an onion for fragrance and ground everything up in the food processor with olive oil. Throw in 24 hours of marinating and this baby tasted as good as it looked. Feast your eyes, my honorable readers and fellow bloggers!

Of course, my darling husband forgot to take pictures of the accompanying sides - roasted red, yellow and orange peppers, mashed celery root and potatoes, delicious gravy made from the lam drippings and the tangiest mint sauce all the way from England! GAWD.....it was a fantastic meal, if I may say so myself.

Okay, okay, I don't get to cook much anymore. No, not because I'm lazy or because I'm pregnant. It's the huge cut in my gourmet budget that I've had to make this year since quitting my job and running the business into the ground. *Sigh!* BUT, this Thanksgiving meal marked a small return to my favourite past time. And since it is the day to give thanks, I wish to express my thanks and gratitude for all of you in my life.

Till my next epicurean adventure, I bid you all good food, plenty of love and life to the fullest.

Brioche in the oven, dumpling in the steamer.....

Don't expect anything about cooking or food in this post. In fact, the last few months was completely lacking of cooking in any way. Why? Oh, because there wasn't much I could stomach before it was quickly on its way out of me (the same way it went in) due to wonderful pregnancy hormones. I have never been as homesick as I am now - mostly for the food. When I wasn't busy hugging the side of the toilet, I was craving, CRAVING Malaysian food. My comfort food. My poor husband was doing everything he could to get me nourishment that would stave off my nausea, driving around to get me soupy noodles, which was all I ate for almost a month. Could not stand the thought, let alone the sight or smell of burgers, pasta, pizza.....everything that surrounded me in abundance. *Shudder! Gag!*

The queasiness has since almost come to a halt. Still happens sometimes after a particularly greasy or non-compliant meal. However, one thing happened that put it all in perspective. I had an ultrasound procedure done about two weeks ago. We saw our little baby, healthy and bouncing off my uterine walls like an astronaut in zero gravity. The very sight of my child moving around with heart apounding and all limbs intact was enough to quell every ounce of yucky nausea. Everytime I am about to complain about a faulty appetite, I stop myself and think of how the very thing that's making me sick, is the very thing that is keeping my baby happy.

Need a mother ask for anything more?

Peace, Propaganda & The Promised Land

I was sent the link to this video by a friend. I'm sorry, it has nothing to do with food. However I felt that it is imperative that we spread the TRUTH about what is really going on in the Middle East, even if it has to begin at my blog. Please do me a HUGE favour and spend some time watching this . And please pass the message on to your friends. P. Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.

Welcome to the surface of the sun! - Part Two

Okay, the heat's not letting up. I just saw the forecast that it's going to be 105 Fahrenheit this whole next week. *@&%@#*^!!! Looks like we're eating out of the pantry this week. I am NOT trekking out there and risk becoming Instant Carnation Raisin. It's a replay of the same two weeks this time last year. The week my family was here for my wedding, it was hot. And then someone cranked up the thermostat - the week after was excruciating!!!

*Grumble, grumble....* Ok, where did I stop the last time? Let's see if the bloody picture will load this time.......TA-DAA!!! Success! Gah, noodles....ack, this is pure torture!

Ahem, right....continuing on with Vegas. When we weren't working (we really didn't work that much), we spent many a day and evening out walking along the Strip to different places of interest. We spent some time at the Secret Garden & Dolphin habitat at the Mirage. Saw Siegfried & Roy's (go ahead and giggle) old white tigers and lions.....and bears. Oh my!!! (ok, no bears)
The dophins were cool.....literally. I would be too if I had my own pool to frolic around in. They swam around to the viewing window and teased us endlessly with their splashing and silly cackling. I would have paid big money to dive in the pool with them, except I don't have money - big or small. Haha.

Now, one place I definitely recommend for any tourists to Vegas would be the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. This place is gorgeous and HUGE! 175,000-square-foot, three-level shopping centre, with ancient Roman architecture flooding the walls and floors, from frescos to gigantic sculptures. Everything here is designer - Versace, Harry Winston, Kate Spade, Gucci, Hugo Boss, etc. Coolest thing? Spiral escalators! I've never set my eyes on one before, so that was quite an experience. (Added picture for your viewing pleasure. You're welcome!)

A really great, family friendly place would be the Mandalay Bay Hotel. It's nicely laid out with some of the best restaurants in Vegas. Case in point - the Burger Bar. Fantastic food, burgers were top-notch, non-greasy but still flavourful. Jon ordered the Colorado lamb burger which was astonishingly good. I had a grilled shrimp on mesclun salad with Japanese dressing and sundried tomatoes. (was craving some greens that day). Turned out to be a great choice. It had layers of flavour from the crisp greens, to the succulent shrimp and the tangy umami of the dressing.

After that delectable meal, we adjourned to the Shark Reef which is within hotel limits. Tip - if you go after 7pm, the tickets are $5 off for adults. It was an impressive effort to showcase strangely creepy oceanic creatures along with sinister-looking pirahnas from the Amazon basin. Couldn't help thinking what it would be like if I put my finger in the water. Chills!

This is probably more information about my trip to Vegas than you'd care for, I should think. There's more to come actually, but I think I'm all worded out for now. Peace!

Welcome to the surface of the sun! - Part One

It is hot. It's been unusually hot everyday for the past month and it is increasingly hotter day by day, if that's even possible. This will be my seventh summer in Texas. I should have gotten used to it by now, you say. Well, no......for me, that would be close to impossible. This heat surrounds and envelopes you with its sultry arms, and then surges forth from inside you, not unlike after having had a large, spicy meal. So, one way or another, you're being roasted on the outside, and stewed on the inside.

I have a hate-hate relationship with the sun. I hate the heat, first and foremost. And I hate the way my skin just toasts up a few shades darker just by me emerging briefly into the rays, say whilst running from my apartment to my car, and from said car to end destination. So having said that, what the heck made me decide to sit by the pool at 4pm in Las Vegas with the temperature being 112 Fahrenheit (45 Celcius for everyone else's reference) for an hour???

Vacation madness. That's what it was. Then again, it was a working vacation. We were there for a trade show. Took advantage of the locale and had some fun when we weren't working. We almost didn't make it there.....money issues. Had the priviledge of staying at the Venetian, one of the nicest and newest hotels on the Vegas Strip. Very beautiful, totally puts you in a completely different place altogether......I think they were aiming for hmmm....oh, Venice? : P

The sky you see in the picture? It's not real. It's perpetually daylight in there, with variations for dawn and dusk. Messes you up when you come in from the dark of night. That's how they keep you awake. They mess with your internal clock so you'll walk in from outside and it's bright as day, you're thinking "Oh, it's too early for bed." Completely oblivious to the fact that you've actually been up for 48 hours straight, you head straight for the casino and then....BAM! there goes all the money that you're worth. Slick, very slick.

Since this blog is primarily about food, I couldn't leave this post without something about it. We had some really nice food when during our stay there. Most of it was just ridiculously expensive. One thing that really stood out to Jon and myself was the Noodle house, in the Venetian itself. Some of the best noodles I've had in years! It's very reminiscent of the Taiwanese noodles I used to love back home in Malaysia. These were definitely mind-blowing. Would go back all the way to Vegas just to have the noodles. Pure, succulent wheat noodles cooked to al dente perfection, bathed in spicy Szechuan beef broth, with the most tender cuts of meat with the most amazing flavour. (Trying to load picture, alas....not successful.)

Am so hungry now thinking of noodles. *Sob, sob!!!*

Anyhoo, it's time for me to head back to the blazing reality. Join me again for Part Two. Coming soon to a PC near you.