Kanata Dweller

Home Alone

2014-10-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

It’s mid-October and I am home alone with our little Toby. It’s been very quiet at home except when Toby decides to let his presence known by barking. But that doesn’t happen a lot. It’s as if he senses Mommy is enjoying this quiet moment at home and he has decided to cooperate. Daddy is in the office and MDK, well, he’s in the campus and probably taking his midterm exam as I am writing this. I miss MDK so much. The last time we spoke with him, he told us he’s having fun and is meeting a lot of great people. We’re happy for him.

I’m taking my time off from work. Shortly, MDH, Toby and I will go out of town for that much awaited break. And hopefully, we’ll get to meet up with some of our favourite friends before coming back and tackle the next hurdle. The hurdle will be mostly mine.

Starting next month, I will not report for work. It will be so for the next while. But it’s all good as I will be in full time French Language training, learning a new skill. This had been planned years ago, but there was always something that popped up at work. It will be one-on-one with my teachers, a different teacher in the morning and another one in the afternoon. As I will be the only student and their time will be dedicated mostly to me learning to speak, read, and write in French 5 days a week, I am hoping the training will not take longer than 10 months. Je suis excite!

So, what’s the pic got to do with all these ramblings? Except for that book (L’art de Paris) on the footstool which we bought for MDK during our trip to Paris last year and those macarons, there’s nothing remotely French in them. But, but... I want you guys to look at that ottoman. You like? MDH and I made it. I had so much fun working on it, it made me think I may be in the wrong profession hahaha. Next project, headboard for the guest rooms.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

2013-12-25T10:59:00.001-06:00

This Christmas, I decided to get us a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. Those of you growing up watching Charlie Brown know what the tree signifies. Which btw MDH jokingly pointed out to me that Charlie Brown may have become more depressed when they decided to market and sell his tree as it is quite contradictory to what the tree signifies hahaha. The tree was dirt cheap so I'm not feeling too guilty about it :) And for a minimalist, it's perfect!

So, before we get all caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the season, may we all take the time to reflect on what Christmas is all about.

Charlie Brown: I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn't have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I really don't know what Christmas is all about.

[shouting in desperation]

Charlie Brown: Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.

[moves toward the center of the stage]

Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please.

[a spotlight shines on Linus]

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'".

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

And what's a baking-obsessed gal like me do? Have a merry time in our kitchen baking some Christmas goodies, of course! This year's addition is this batch of sugar cookies. I gave them away to my colleagues. MDH brought some to his office to share as well.

Christmas Cookies

Clitter, clatter

Baking tins,

Cookie cutters,

Rolling pin.

Christmas cookies. Let's begin!
Sugar, flour, eggs, and butter -
Mixing bowls, a wooden spoon.
Round and round we turn the batter.
We'll have dough to roll out soon.
Cut the cookies with the cutters -
diamond,
circle,
crescent moon -
Pop them all into the oven

~ Author Unknown

As to this year's Christmas decors, I changed our stockings to off-white. I made them and so proud of how they turned out. I was going to share this DIY project but I didn't get to finish them 'til recently. Talk about photo-finish :) I'll share them next year, I guess.

Aren't they photogenic too? If you want to do this project for next year, don't throw away your old sweaters.

And what's a stocking without a stuffer, right? Someone sure has a M(ulb)erry Christmas this year. This is my gift to that one guy who deserves the best. Which is why I think he deserves me BWAHAHA.

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone!

All ye craft mavens out there

2013-11-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

Christmas is lurking around the corner. Halloween being over marks the start of my Christmas decoration planning. Us Canucks celebrate Thanksgiving earlier than our American neighbours. It's celebrated before Halloween and so once the ghouls and monsters are taken down, stars and snowflakes and angels and colourful lights can be put up. I know, I know. Christmas isn't all about decors. But it certainly helps build a festive atmosphere. And truth be told, it's that time of the year when I can go overboard with my decorations.

I'm not sure about you, but I want to put up something new and a bit different every year. It can be a new colour scheme, a new spool of ribbons, whatever. This year, I've decided to make Christmas tree ornaments. Combining my love for baking and my preference to customize things, I've made salt dough ornaments. I'm planning to make a few more batches to give away.

And because Christmas is about sharing (among other things), I've decided to share the how-to of this fun project. If you have a budding craft maven at home, this might result to hours and hours of fun in the kitchen. So here goes....

For the dough, you will need flour, salt and water. I used 2:1:1 ratio - 2 parts flour, 1 part salt, 1 part water. Mix the dry ingredients and add the water slowly. You don't need to put in all the water.

Knead the dough and flatten with a rolling pin just like how you'd make sugar cookies. Cut out the shapes using your cookie cutters. You can use whatever shapes and sizes you want. There is no hard and fast rule as to what you can use. I used Christmas cookie cutters.

When you'll find the dough starts to dry and become a tad difficult to knead, add some water until you get the desired consistency - wet enough that it doesn't crack when you knead.

For the ribbon hole, you can use drinking straw to poke the hole. This way, you'll have a perfect tiny circle.

To embellish, you can stamp or even draw on them. You can also use glitters if you want. You can do however way you want to prettify them. I used my Christmas-themed rubber stamps. Because I am going to hang these ornaments on the Christmas tree by our old leather couch in the living room, I decided to use burgundy to go matchy-matchy with our leather couch. I didn't have burgundy ink so I used food colour in lieu of a regular ink. You can also use acrylic paint.

To dry these ornaments, you can either "bake" (set it to the lowest possible temperature) until they're dry. Or you can just air-dry them. Again, there are no set rules as to how you'll dry them as long as they're dry and have hardened enough when you hang these little beauties.

And one more thing - you can add some cinnamon powder in your dough mixture. I did that in all the batches I've done. It smells like ginger bread cookies in the room when they're hung. And it also adds a "vintage" look because of the brown specks.

So there you have it. Enjoy!

Over a slice of brownie

2013-11-04T20:44:00.000-06:00

I had fun hanging out with some of our closest friends last night. And as always, over a big meal and sumptuous desserts, we talked about our favourite topics - the kids, our husbands. In between these topics, some new jokes were told, old ones were retold. Added to that, health concerns were discussed, the whole she-bang ;). All in all, life is good. It's not perfect, but good overall. Nobody needs it to be perfect anyways. So....

I made some brownies and shared it with my friends last night. I made it more decadent by adding some roasted pecans and topped it with cheesecake swirls. For the cheesecake swirls, just beat together 250 grams of Philly cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 egg. Spread it on top of your brownie batter and make some swirls by using a spatula or a barbecue stick. I used chopsticks and they worked like a charm. Bake like you would bake a regular brownie. If you want a brownie recipe, you can try this.

It's good to serve these brownies warm with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. With a glass of cold milk is how I like it especially on a quiet weekend afternoon.

Inspiration

2013-09-15T18:11:00.001-05:00

It's amazing sometimes how inspiration comes from unexpected places, books, things, persons or what have you. This time, it came from Vicente Wolf. And you might think it's a design inspiration but it's not. It's an inspiration (and a reminder) on how life should be lived.

"... Wait a minute. I'm walking on the flat part now, and it's actually kind of pleasant. The clouds just parted, the sun came out, and I can feel the warmth on my skin. Why don't I enjoy it, instead of worrying about what's up ahead?

"The future will always be just out of reach. You'll get there eventually, and it may not be as bad as you think. But in the meantime, don't miss the here and now. Live in the moment. That's what's important. What am I doing today? How can I use my energies?

... There is always a before and an after; but the point is to be present and aware for all the moments in between."

~ Vicente Wolf, Lifting the Curtain on Design

I know the message has been uttered, written, sung, rapped in many different words and ways. But it was the words of Vicente, the inveterate traveler, magnificent photographer, and thoughtful designer that have struck me the most. (Is it becoming obvious now that I'm a big fan?) Maybe because I've come across them at a time when I'm desperately hanging by a thread on something that's very dear and important to me. I don't know. But one thing I know, in time, things will be in their places; right where and when they're supposed to be. However we'll get there is for us to do, endure, enjoy, learn and savour.

And speaking of savour, here's another recipe I'm going to share - the Opera Torte. This has been a big hit at home. Both my royal tasters gave this recipe a big thumbs up. And I've already received an order from MDH for his birthday next year. It took me hours doing this beautiful and tasty thing in my favourite kitchen. But that's because I like being in my kitchen and I wanted to relish every unhurried moment I have whipping up something beau et délicieux.

Okay, you may choose to disregard the last sentence I just wrote. Or you can use the same reason to bake this pretty thing because I am going to warn you that this recipe does take hours to make. But I am going to assure you that it will be worth it.

L'Opera Torte

Ingredients

Jaconde Cake

2 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
1 large whole egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup ground almonds
6 tablespoons cake and pastry flour, sifted

Ganache Layer and Glaze

1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces coating chocolate OR chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Coffee Buttercream

2 egg whites, at room temperature
2 Tbsp + 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon coffee extract (or 1 Tbsp very strongly brewed espresso, cooled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coffee Syrup and Garnish

1/2 cup hot coffee
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 ounces coating chocolate, melted
chocolate covered coffee beans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F and line an 11-x-17-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
Whip the 2 egg yolks and the whole egg with the ¼ cup of sugar until it is thick, pale and holds a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. In a separate bowl, stir the ground almonds and flour together.
In another bowl, whip the 2 egg whites until foamy, then slowly add the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar, whipping until they hold a soft peak when the beaters are lifted. Fold the whipped whites into the yolks in 2 additions, then fold in the almond mixture. Spread this evenly over the prepared sheet pan, ensuring that the batter is as level as possible (the batter will only make a thin layer). Bake the cake for about 8 minutes, until golden brown and allow to cool. Once cooled, the cake make dry a bit – that is expected.
For the ganache, heat the cream until it just begins to simmer and then pour this over the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate. Let this sit a minute, then gently stir with a spatula starting at the centre and widening the circles until the chocolate has fully melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
For the buttercream, place the egg whites in a bowl and whip with the 2 Tbsp of sugar until just past foamy. Place the remaining ½ cup of sugar in a small pot with 2 Tbsp of water and bring to a full boil over high heat, boiling until the sugar hits 240 F on a candy thermometer. With the mixer on medium speed, carefully add the hot sugar to the whipped whites by pouring it down the side of the bowl (this helps to avoid splashing), then increase the speed and whip until the whites have cooled to room temperature, about 4 minutes. While beating, add the butter a few pieces at a time until combined. While adding the butter, if it appears that the buttercream is not fluffy, or seems curdled, not to worry - simply keep adding the butter, continue to beat and it will come together. There is no risk of overbeating. Add the coffee extract (or espresso) and the vanilla and use at room temperature.
For the coffee syrup, stir the coffee and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
For the assembly, remove the sheet of cake and cut into three rectangles (about 6-x-11-inches). Brush the bottom of one of the layers with the melted coating chocolate and let this set until firm (or chill 3 minutes). Place this layer, chocolate-side down onto a flat cake board or platter. Brush the layer with coffee syrup, then spread half of the butter cream on top. Top this with a second cake layer, brush it with syrup and now spread two thirds of the cooled (but still spreadable) ganache layer over the cake. Place the final cake layer over the ganache, brush it with syrup and spread the remaining half of the butter cream on top (or you can save about 1/4 cup for garnish).
For the ganache glaze, re-warm the remaining one third of the ganache, adding the coating chocolate and vegetable oil, stirring until smooth. Spread this over the top of the cake (but not the sides), and chill until set, about 2 hours.
Before serving, trim the sides away to reveal clean layers, then slice into rectangle portions (a hot, dry knife makes this easy). If you wish, pipe a little coffee buttercream on top of each and place a coffee bean on top.

Source: Opera Torte by Anna Olson

My beloved Philippines (Pilipinas kong mahal)

2013-08-28T06:52:00.000-05:00

The travel fairies (are there such things?) are on my side this summer. Not only did we get to celebrate our anniversary in Paris for a week, an opportunity came for me to visit my sister and nephews in the Philippines.

Travel to the Philippines requires at least 22 hours, which felt very long as I traveled by myself this time. I am not the most patient person so you can just imagine the tosses and turns I did on the plane and in lobbies during layovers. I had watched 5 movies, 3 documentaries and several sitcoms. It didn't help that I found it extremely difficult to fall asleep. The longest time that I had dozed off while on board was 2 hours, I think. And that was just on my way to the Philippines! Double that to account for the additional 22 hour (at least) travel coming back.

BUT the wonderful time I had with my nephews, some family members and old-time friends more than made up for the very long travel. Add to that the beautiful, familiar sights. Okay, this part, I will let some of my photos do the talking because I will not be able to aptly describe them through words.

This was my first "breakfast" inside Manila's domestic airport while waiting for the early flight to my final destination (that was another 4 hours of wait plus airtime right there). I would have wanted a traditional Filipino breakfast (TFB) but I couldn't find any close to my boarding gate and I was already extremely exhausted to scour for TFB. I thought there will be plenty of that coming.

I took these pics shortly before we land which was around 7 am. This was the last leg of my airplane ride. After that was another 2 hour drive to a special place I call "my first home".

On the way to my sister's place coming from the airport, we stopped at this seafood place where they cook fresh catch of the morning/day. It's by the sea and so not only did I get a sumptuous fresh seafood brunch (with tropical fruits on the side), I got treated to this magnificent view.

I stayed with my sister and her family during my visit. The house was where I grew up and is my first home. While it is now my sister's (and her family's) home and some parts of the house have changed thru the years, some nooks and crannies of the house feel and look the same and make me feel quite nostalgic.

Sam, a new addition to the household. He wasn't around in my previous visit.

On the second day of my visit, I watched a part of the annual city Kaliga festival. It's a thanksgiving celebration and a way for the city to commemorate and honour its early settlers and ancestors.

I like this boy. He gamely posed to everyone's delight. He exhibits the residents' joie de vivre attitude to life in general.

The sight of lush, green mountains is very common. Coconut by-products are some of the region's merchandise and you can see why from this pic.

If the sight and sound of the seawater relax you, there are beaches along the China sea or Pacific ocean (depending on which side of the coast you're at) that are always there waiting for you to be drawn in by their peaceful charm.

On days when the sun is out, walking along the beach, fishing, or maybe just goofing around with friends is enough to while away a weekend afternoon.

I took this shot while waiting for our lunch

Every visit to the Philippines, specifically Manila, is not complete without paying homage to our (MDH's and my) beloved university. It's where MDH and I met and where we met some of the wonderful, smart, funny, and loving friends we've kept over the years.

And what's a visit to Manila without some shopping. Well, it was mostly window shopping for me, but shopping nevertheless. I couldn't put these items down when I spotted them inside a shop called 'Kultura'. It's a very ingenious way of recycling old newspapers and magazine prints. I shouldn't be surprised, really. Afterall, Filipinos are known for their ingenuity and creativity.

Chocolate high

2013-06-13T23:08:00.000-05:00

All the chocolate goodness that you are about to see came from our kitchen. I made most of them except the last one. I took all the pics with one of my fave lenses, the Nikon macro 105 mm. And the song is by India Arie.

You see, when I grow up, I wanna be a chocolatière. And a photographer too. The singing, I don't think I can pull it off so I leave that to India Arie.

Amusez-vous!

I used a template for the piped garnish. I enjoyed making these pretty little things

I don't mean to be decadent
I might sound like a hedonist
But the simplest way I can put it
You become a habit
The more I consume, the more I gotta have it
Ain't no such thing as too much
If you gave me everything it'd never be enough yeah
My black coffee with sugar no cream in the morning
You're my super double caffeine dream yeah

I used Belgian chocolate for these.

Your precious darkness got me so
Strung out and lovin' the way that you
Got me so wide open, my baby doll
Jonesin' and fienin' under my skin
My nerves are screamin' when you're not here
See baby I need ya sugar
You're so delicious

Both white and milk choco have pistachios and cranberries.

There is somethin' about your love
That makes me just want to open up
Your flavor is the sweetest thing in life
I'm addicted to your chocolate high

Cake pops. They're made of gooey brownies inside. Instant hit.

I be trippin' in so many ways if I
Go a single day without a taste of your love
The finest cuisine of today's world
Five stars, oh you're so gourmet

These are white choco with candied orange peels. I made the candied peels.

I crave you, I want you
Every cell in my body needs you
Tasty like hershey's and nestle
You're rich like godiva

It's this year's birthday cupcake for MDK

There is somethin' about your love

That makes me just want to open up

Your flavor is the sweetest thing in life

I'm addicted to your chocolate high

Cause I want you, and I know that you want me

So let's stay close like we supposed to be

And just get high off our own supply

I'm addicted to your chocolate high

My boys brought home a box of See's chocolates from Omaha, Nebraska. It's what I got while they got to attend their first AGM with Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger :)

Your flavor is

The sweetest thing in life

And I don't ever want to come down

I'm addicted to your chocolate high

Oh yeah

Happy, happy

2013-05-23T23:31:00.000-05:00

It doesn't take much to make me happy. Don't ask MDH though, he'll tell you otherwise hahaha. For some odd reason, he thinks I'm high maintenance.

A happy day for me is having the time to linger in our kitchen, try out some recipes while listening to our fave songs or listening to my boys' jokes and getting the big okay for the new recipes from them. And then take some food shots just like the one below.

I made these Linzer Cookies

Another happy day for me is having an unplanned trip and not have to worry about the details. Something like we did last Sunday....

We went for a quick trip to Montreal over the long weekend. It was just MDH and me. And this time, we agreed not to plan ahead the places we'd go other than our first stop which was at St Joseph's Oratory. Oftentimes, the planning thing stresses me out which I thought would be counter-productive and undermine the reason for this quick trip.

So where did we end up going? Everywhere but the places we've been to many times in our previous visits especially the "must-see" touristy spots. It's where we usually bring first-time visitors on the few occasions when we play "tour guides." We made 3 discoveries (well, not exactly our discoveries because I kind of sourced the info from here):

1. The Underground shopping - I don't know why we didn't learn about this. Apparently anyone who likes to shop for clothes and stuff knows about this place. I didn't so I guess I don't qualify in the 'anyone who likes to shop...' category. After an hour of walking inside, I wanted to get out. There was hardly any store that I wanted to linger in. But I didn't get out empty handed. I got a $9.00 scarf. Quite a bargain if you ask me.

2. Habitat 67 - I love how the units are strategically stacked on top of each other and managed to have sufficient number of windows for each unit.

One side of the building faces the St Lawrence River (where the big ships are moored). The downtown city skyline can be seen from that side as well, so overall, it's not too bad a sight for anyone on that side.

3. The sculptures in Rene Levesque Park - We didn't get to see all 22 sculptures because by the time we got there, it was already raining and it was just too wet to walk around. MDH was kind enough to hold a big umbrella so I can still take a few pictures.

4. Pâtisserie de Gascogne - We had the most delicious chocolatine (also known as pain au chocolat) and a piece of almond pastry here. We brought some pieces for MDK to sample.

5. Les Touilleurs - What can I say, it's a candy store for someone who loves kitchen gadgets. Of course, I didn't get out empty handed.

My loot: a smaller and lighter rolling pin; small loaf pans; sets of teardrop and flower cookie cutters in different sizes; candy thermometer (my old one broke when I made peanut brittle last week); dough cutter; and shortbread cutter

The following day, I took out my new cookie cutters for a spin and made some Linzer cookies. The cookies turned out pretty and tasty. And like usual, here's the recipe in case you want to try it out at home -

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup ground almonds
3 cups cake and pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Jam

Directions:
1. Beat the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and then add the lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the ground almonds.

2. In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and add this to the butter mixture, stirring until blended. Shape the dough into 2 discs (the dough will be soft), wrap and chill until firm, at least an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

4. Knead the cookie dough a little to soften it (this will help prevent the dough from cracking when rolled). Roll out the first disc on a lightly floured surface and cut out cookies using a 2-inch teardrop or flower cutter and place these on one baking tray (the dough can be re-rolled). Roll out the second disc, cut out cookies using the same cutter, then cut a hole in the centre of each of these using a cutter a 1/2-inch smaller and place on the second tray. Repeat with any remaining dough, keeping track so you have the same number of tops and bottoms.

5. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, letting the cookies without holes remain in the oven an extra 2 minutes. Cool the cookies on the tray before filling.

6. Sift icing sugar over the cookies with the holes. Stir the jam to soften and spread a teaspoonful of it over the bottom of the base cookie. Gently press a dusted cookie on top and continue to fill the others.

Let them set for about an hour before storing in an airtight container.

Waiting for that sunshine to come

2013-04-28T00:33:00.002-05:00

Those sunshiny days have been quite elusive lately.

And so while waiting for it to come, I decided to do the thing that makes me happy - whip up something in the kitchen, take a photo of it, and share.

This recipe makes 24 2-inch mini squares. Muffin pans can also be used in place of the square tins.

Ingredients:

Chiffon Cake
2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 Cup sugar
3 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Cup oil
7 Egg yolks
3/4 Cup water
1 Tsp vanilla
7 Egg whites
1 Tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 Cups sugar

Glaze
1 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup lemon juice
1/3 Cup sugar

Directions:

Chiffon Cake
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift together flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Add the oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla. Blend well until the mixture is smooth.
3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff but not dry.
4. Fold in the egg yolk mixture.
5. Pour into the tins and bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until the mini cakes turn golden brown. Cool the cake before drizzling with the lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze
1. Heat the sugar and lemon in a sauce pan until the mixture starts to simmer and sugar has melted. Set aside and
let it cool to room temperature.
2. Once the sugar and lemon mixture is at room temperature, pour the additional sugar.

To assemble:
Drizzle the mini cakes with the glaze. You can use lemon candies and silver or white dragées for the garnish.

Nice to have these with tea or coffee. Even better to be had in a company of someone who knows just the magic word to say or act to do to make you see those happy rays of sunshine once again.

Today's Show and Tell: Home Office

2013-04-19T22:54:00.000-05:00

Today, I am going to show you MDH's office/study at home. But before we delve into that, let me show you our respective work areas during the past weeks that I stayed home. Some days, MDH worked from home to keep me company.

I like the contrasts in how the two areas are being setup

I had temporarily converted my dresser into my work area as it is conveniently located close to the bed. On normal days, I mainly work in the kitchen, the chef's desk as my work and play (more like play) area. MDH works in the study, his home office. He rarely works from home now, but on occasions when he has to, he's in the study. Door is oftentimes closed as it can get noisy in there especially when he is in teleconferences.

I don't think I've shown this part of our home. If I have, feel free to scroll down quickly and skip the pic below :).

When you are standing in the main hallway or in the kitchen, you get a glimpse of the desk (and MDH if he's inside working) in the study. It's also a favourite hangout of the kids (mostly teenagers now) when they're not in the basement or in the loft during get-togethers at our place. I think they listen to music, watch movies from the computer, surf the net and do other stuff that teens like to do while their parents are also having fun hanging out :). So yeah, on some nights, you see it packed with kids.

Inside, the furniture pieces are strategically placed on the sides. It's not a huge area, so there's not a lot of floor space to work with. We originally placed the desk by the window so MDH can have the view outside. However, that decision was scrapped as the very first thing you'd notice are the hideous wires dangling under the table. Not a pretty sight. So we have it facing the wall (with the world map on it). Better placement, I think.

There is a small cabinet on the corner wall where we put our "everyday" stuff and things that need to be sorted out to put in their more permanent spots (e.g. camera bag and tripod are going down the basement when they are not in use). Real estate is prime in the study, not so much in our unfinished basement (I'm still dreaming to have it finished btw ;)). So whatever's not used goes to either the basement or onto the "donate" bin. We've learned not to hoard and hold on to stuff we don't use.

These are the shelves we installed in the study. They're from Ikea, the Billy series. We have similar bookshelves in the loft but in white.

The study is still a work in progress just like the other rooms in the house. For one, I want to change the wall paint. But that will have to wait I guess as the laundry and deck are on top of our projects this year. We'll see. For now, we're happy with the way it is.

Old and dignified

2013-04-06T11:17:00.002-05:00

I'm not too sure about feeling 'dignified', but 'old' is 'definitely how I feel (sometimes). Getting old with dignity, that's something I'd aspire for.

Time flies fast. It's almost 5 weeks now that I've stayed home, trying to heal from the surgery. I had a long list of things that I planned to do while I stay home. I like to multitask, that is if you call recovery a task as well :). Even if I don't wholeheartedly admit at times, I'm a planner. Well not the MDH-kind, but a planner still.

But life's a tease sometimes, it likes to throw me curve balls. The kind I can't plan for. And worse, the kind that throws me off and will probably take a bit of time for me to find my balance again. I'll just have to trust and hope that sometime, somehow I'll find it. I may end up scratched, bruised and worn but I know those are the stuff that add character so... with open arms I'll calmly try to catch them.

This has been my work area the past weeks

Curve balls aside, I still managed to cross-out some items in my list. I've "worked" mostly inside our bedroom. Thank goodness for a speedy wifi and a very attentive and caring nurse (a.k.a. MDH), it didn't feel like I've been confined at home for the longest time. Not only did I "work", I was able to do some reservations/inquiries for our upcoming trip and a bit of (online) shopping as well. I even finished a 12 X 24 inch acrylic painting which I plan to put in our loft. Not too bad, eh?


12 X 24 inch acrylic painting, inspiration of which is a picture of a Tuscany landscape

I've decided to cut short my leave and go back to work next week. I feel I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. I'm looking forward to it, actually.

“There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time.” ~ CC

I've lived to tell the tale

2013-03-14T15:26:00.000-05:00

... so tell I must. But first, let me share a pic of my piece of cake which I made from my fave kitchen.

It's moist with just the right hint of cinnamon and the tropical flavour of pineapple bits in it. It is best to leave it overnight in the fridge for the flavour to intensify a bit. Have it with a cup of tea, coffee, or whatever your palate prefers.

Okay, so on to the tale....

I had a procedure done last week. It's a bit major, which requires 6 weeks for me to fully recover physically. I am off work while I try to recover, not that I do anything physical in the office. Unless you consider series of meetings to be physical enough hahaha. But the way things are going, I don't think I will need the full 6 weeks. Let's see.

I was my surgeon's first patient for the day. I was told she had 3 that day. Truth be told, I was not too anxious about the surgery. I know it's something done to hundreds of thousands of patients a year. But on the day of the surgery, while I was on the "holding dock" waiting for that moment when they'd put me to lalaland, anxiety took over. During the wait, 3 people (a nurse and 2 resident doctors) had re-assured me they'll take care of me. I prayed.

The sight and voice of my surgeon calmed me down. They then asked me to walk to the operating room. All I could remember was seeing this vast stark room with a bed in the middle. There must be around 10 people in that room wearing blue coats. When I lied down, my surgeon briefed me of what's about to happen and that I will hear them talk about me. It will be all about me.

When they started hooking me up to some instrument, I remember one resident doctor offered me her hand to hold. After several pokes (no not the kind you get in FB-land) and a painful one on my back, off to lalaland I went. I went to the hospital that morning ready for that happy thought I'd bring with me to the lalaland.

one of the stops during our cruise to the Bahamas

I was told ahead that the surgery will last for 3 hours. I don't know how long I was in the recovery room before I woke up to the sound of 2 nurses talking about their vacation to some beautiful beaches. It may be something scripted but to be honest, I was just grateful I woke up. Then I realized I was still hooked up to some metal thingie-majiggs: IV on my left wrist, oxygen on my nose, BP monitor on my right arm. Before I doze off again, every some minutes, the sphygmomanometer magically tightened my arm and then annoyingly beeped. Apparently it did that to alarm the nurses because my BP was quite high. The nurse came, checked on my BP reading, did something (I didn't know what). That must have taken place for hours. All I could remember were the annoying beeps. Then someone was wheeled in, placed right beside the empty bed next to mine. She was hysterical. I was a bit annoyed. Not to her hysterics but to the constant beeps. I couldn't wait to be out of the recovery room, see MDH, and be in the privacy of my hospital room and let nature and my body took their course to recovery-land.

Later that day, my surgeon came to check up on me and told me everything went very smoothly during the procedure. She's the expert, I'm the patient. Everything she said that day were very re-assuring.

Before the anesthesia wore out, I was given some painkillers. And that was the start of the biggest scare of my life. In an attempt to do some short walks, my nurse let me sat down on a chair and waited a bit. After a few minutes of sitting there, I felt weird. It was as if what's left of the energy in me was sucked out and very strangely, everything faded away. I asked MDH to keep talking as I could barely hear what he said. He sang me a song while waiting for the nurses to come. It felt like I was inside a fridge, or out there in the snow and not have anything on to protect me from the cold. One of the nurses (there were 3 of them that time) told me to breathe in... breathe out... and to imagine I was in a beach and surrounded by the warm breeze. I felt the warmth, not from the breeze but from the warm blanket they put around me. I heard one of the nurses blurted out "it's not looking good." I really thought I was a goner that day. Thankfully, here I am, in the comforts of our home, in front of this "fruit." MDH has been working from home to keep me company and has been generous with his TLCs ;). I can't ask for more.

An apple a day drives the doctor away.... I got this fruit on Valentine's day btw.

I'm hoping I will be able to recover as quickly as possible. One of the things the nurses told me to do before I had my procedure was to take a high-protein snack the night before. Apparently, this helps. What also helps is pain management. The quicker I try to get into my regular activities, the quicker the healing is. It is important to alleviate (if not eliminate) the pain so it does not discourage/stop me from trying to get back to my normal routine. I stopped taking "that" painkiller. Instead I'm taking Tylenol One. It's been good.

I have so many things I want to do while I try to recover at home. One of them is to plan our three-week trip to Europe this summer. And maybe write some more in this blog. We'll see.

These adorable mice in our kitchen

2012-12-23T22:12:00.000-06:00

Just a few more days before Christmas, and here I am still baking in our kitchen. I'm not complaining, really. After all, it's one of my happy places. I just wish I have someone who does all the washing for me while I bake. You know those cooking shows in TV where celebrity chefs cook stuff and the kitchen remains spotlessly clean? I want that hahaha. A girl can dream, right?

These cute little mice are this year's new addition to my Christmas goodies. These ones don't require baking. Gather some Kisses, maraschino cherries, and some red and green round candies and assemble them. Voila!

I'm planning to serve this on new year's eve right beside the cheese tray.

Last week, almost everyday after work, I made some French macarons. I did 4 batches with Swiss meringue buttercream fillings and added the following flavours: pistachio, coconut-pineapple, strawberry, and chocolate with walnuts and sea salt.

I'm taking my sweet time working in the kitchen this season. I didn't have to worry about the decorations as I started way early, second weekend of November, believe it or not. I spent three days putting them up, taking them down, putting them up again. I didn't want my decors to look overly done so I did a lot of "editing" hahaha.

Here's a 25-cent tour of my heavily edited Christmas decorations btw -

Main hallway

This is MDH's fave corner when he does serious thinking :)

Corner of MDH's office/study

Traditional red and green on the display in our kitchen cabs. The Christmas balls on the windows are new additions this year.

From the kitchen overlooking the Christmas tree in our living room. I've used burlap instead of the standard wired ribbon around the tree. All LED lights, of course.

My fave kitchen in the whole wide world -

Sugar and spice

2012-12-12T20:36:00.001-06:00

... makes Christmas nice.

Well, not exactly true. But I ran out of ideas for this post's title so that will do for now.

We have an on-going bake-athon at the office. Every morning, freshly baked goods are brought and sold. It's a fundraising event. I was this Monday's volunteer baker and I brought one of my all-time favourite cookies - cranberry-cream cheese cookies. Well, the original recipe didn't have cranberries. I just added them to make the cookies look festive.

I've had some nice feedback and some of my colleagues had asked for the recipe. So I thought of posting it here in case you my lovelies, are interested. It's a very simple recipe I think anyone can do it. Here goes ...

½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup sugar
¼ lb (125 g) cream cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

1.) Cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Add the cream cheese and the egg.
2.) Add sifted dry ingredients.
3.) Shape into rolls and wrap in waxed paper. Chill and then slice thinly and place on a greased cookie sheet.
4.) Bake in a 350 F (180 C) oven for 10 minutes.

Like I mentioned earlier, I added the dried cranberries (about half a cup) to make the cookies look Christmas-y. I guess you can add any dried fruit that you like.

Enjoy!

It's a piece of cake

2012-11-29T21:33:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile, I know. Life has taken over. Memories are made, significant milestones happen, some lessons learned, little achievements celebrated, life continues. Amidst all these, I constantly remind myself that: I am planted, not buried, so move I must no matter how uncomfortable it is at times. It's how growth happens. Maybe one day I'll be able to write about them here and hopefully share some lessons learned and be able to say "That was a piece of cake."

And speaking of cake....

Piece of cake with a side of tea. Yumm.

Let me share this recipe I tried in our kitchen. It's your classic pound cake with a twist. Milk is replaced with sour milk (lemon juice plus milk). I love the tartness of the lemon. I also added some raspberry jam and significantly reduced the amount of sugar specified in the original recipe.

So, without further ado....

Ingredients:
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1 1/4 cups white sugar
    1/2 cup butter
    1/2 cup milk with lemon juice
    3 eggs
    1 pinch baking soda

Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
    2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the sour milk and eggs.
    3. Add flour and pinch of soda, mix well.
    4. Pour into the pan.
    5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

I like my piece of cake with a cup of tea. How do you like yours?

Looking forward to a warm winter

2012-10-29T06:36:00.004-05:00

This was our weekend project. Am happy with how it turned out.

Sunday Morning

2012-07-22T14:51:00.000-05:00

This is what I'm working on today. It will be a busy week up ahead again as we are prepping for something we're about to embark on :) I know "embark" sounds overly dramatic. What I'm really trying to say is that after Tuesday's art class, I will have to temporarily park my art thingie-majigs for sometime. And hopefully, when I come back, I will have more to paint.

Some progress on my art endeavour -

My benefactor a.k.a. MDH got me an easel and I'm using our kitchen as my art studio in the meantime. The plan is to have a designated area in the laundry room where I can paint. The room has a window and a sink/tub which is perfect. So the laundry room will be our next reno project I guess.
I am enjoying my art class. Very much. There's so much to learn.
For now, I think I have all the materials I need - detail brushes, paints, etc. I think the best material I bought is the "stay wet" palette. By using it, I get big savings on the paint and most of all, I can take my time as I don't have to worry about my paint drying quickly.
For my class project, I picked the painting below to copy. This was published in an art magazine that our art teacher asked us to pick from. It's pretty ambitious, if you ask me. There's quite a lot of details in it. But what is that they say? "Go big or go home." <**insert rolling eyes icon here**>

original painting by George Hallmark

Learning yet again...

2012-07-14T17:04:00.000-05:00

So this is what I'm up to the past weeks.

acrylic painting

It is never too late to learn anything new. I'm a big believer on that. So here I am, after several attempts, I've finally enrolled in an art class. First session was last Tuesday, after office. I'm probably the only one in class with no experience in painting. It's a mixed class, most have taken art classes before. But I'm an eager learner and like MDH always says, "we're too old to be embarrassed", so try and learn I will.

MDH has been very supportive, like usual. On my first day in class, he even drove me to the venue, kept me company in the lobby while waiting for the teacher, and picked me up after hahaha. And last night, he was online shopping for an easel. He's doing this knowing that he'll never be able to recoup his investments :).

The first day in class, I learned about colours, how to mix them, and the effects of combining primary and/or complimentary colours. I also learned how to prep my canvas and which art materials to invest in. Very basic stuff but are very helpful tips especially for a trying-hard newbie like me.

As soon as we got home, I took out my art case and started my first project. Well not exactly my first because I made lame attempts before I took the class. But they don't count because they look like a kindergarten did them. No disrespect to kindergartens.

Here's my first project. Far from perfect but I do intend to get better at this.

click to view pic on a black background

And in case anyone reading this post is inclined to critique, please feel free to do so. I'm a big girl, I can handle it, and I'll be very grateful 'cause I do want to learn.

Wanna do the tango?

2012-07-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

Today is a bit of a scorcher. And glad I have these treats waiting in the freezer. They're really good, I kid you not!

And if you wanna taste them, come on over to my place and let's do the tango :). You can also make them yourself. Here's the recipe -

Boil 1cup of water and 1 cup of sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool the syrup to room temperature.Mix the syrup with 1 cup table cream in the blender. Add mangoes. (I used 3 medium sized mangoes for this batch.) Blend all the ingredients. Pour them on the molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours. Enjoy and don't forget to share. They taste better when they're devoured with friends.

My love affair with white

2012-07-02T21:15:00.001-05:00

I'm not exactly sure when I became smitten with white. I just know that my love for it grows everyday hahaha. I don't know about you, but there's just something calming in whites. I jokingly told a friend of mine that it's like a very supportive friend who doesn't mind just staying in the background and does everything it can to make the others look good. Weird analogy, I know.

Today, after brunch, I lingered on the breakfast nook and just stared at this. It's been quite a "roller-coaster" lately. Thankfully, this sight was quite cathartic for me. I'm weird that way.

Do you notice that small canvass (with splotches of orange) by the green vases btw? I painted that. I finally mustered the courage to bring out my art set and hold the paint brushes and just made a go of it. I'm loving it. But I need to enroll in an art class. I need to learn the techniques. I can't even draw a decent branch. Nevertheless, I am still loving it.

Baking is another cathartic activity for me. So when I'm not holding my paint brush and all the immediate chores are done, I bring out my mixer.

Lately, Chantilly cream is a staple in our fridge. Another white favourite hahaha. I regularly use it in most of my cakes the past months. It's quite versatile.

I made black forest for MDH's and MDK's birthdays this year. I used our all-time fave choco cake as the base. I used maraschino cherries, whipped up some Chantilly cream, put them altogether and voila -

I also use the cream for my cream rolls. I vary the fruit. I've used strawberry, a combo of pineapple and unsweetened coconut ( I call it pinacolada cream roll), and lately mangoes. They're all yumm. My friends can attest to that.

Oh Canada!

2012-07-02T14:40:00.002-05:00

"I am young and old, rich and poor, free and enslaved, fleeing and seeking. I came from every part of the world, with family and alone, with nothing and everything. Two stories complete me – the story I came from and the story I started when I landed in Canada. These merge in the next generation into gratitude to a country which has made it possible for my children to have only one story – the Canadian story."

Eighteen years and 11 days ago was when I arrived in this beautiful country.

Between June 21st of 1994 and up to this day, so much has happened.

Sometime along those times, I have realized that Canada is now home to me.

The first month that I was here, I went to see places in Canada - the prairies, the rockies.... Banff and Lake Louise made a lasting impression on me. Majestic was what came to mind when I saw for the first time Canada's beauty.

We rented our first apartment in Ottawa. The first few years were not easy but we came to love this city and never left.

MDH went to grad school for his first masteral degree.

I gave birth. In between changing nappies and trying to be a supportive wife - I retrained myself, found a job with a major consulting firm, learned to cook, made new friends....

Late 90's was when I pledged allegiance to the queen :). I remember my French Canadian boss was teasing me about it. When I arrived from my oath-taking ceremony, I found a lovely card on my office desk, signed by my boss and the rest of my colleagues. I teared up when I read the card. But the one thing that stood out was what my boss said - Canada is fortunate to have me. In my heart, I feel very fortunate to have been given the chance to live and settle here. It's been a great country.

Thank you, Canada!

Happy birthday, Young Man!

2012-06-02T16:45:00.000-05:00

MDK calls this choco cupcake "heaven-on-earth"

I made the birthday cupcake. This was MDK's special request for his birthday. And from his Popz, eggs benedict for breakfast. Very simple requests from this young man who means the world to us, really.

So yeah, MDK turns a year older today. And hopefully wiser as well ;). Afterall, he has, according to him (MDK), the best role model.

He has been a very good kid. And a constant source of joy for MDH and me. He's growing up to be like his Popz - loving, caring, considerate, and insightful. I couldn't ask for more, really, and I continue to pray that he'll grow up to be the man God wants him to be.

Lord, I pray that You would pour out Your Spirit upon our son this day and all the days of his life. May he never stray from what You have called him to be and do, or try something he is not. Deliver him from any plan to rob him of life, to steal away his uniqueness and giftedness.

May he not compromise the path You have prepared for him to walk, or destroy the person You created him to be. May he not be a follower of anyone but you, but may he be a leader of people into Your kingdom. Help him to grow in his understanding of his authority in You, while retaining a humble and submissive spirit. May the fruit of the Spirit which is love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control grow in him everyday.

May he find his identity in You and view himself as Your instrument. Give him a vision for his life and a sense of purpose of what You've called him to do. Amen.

Meet Molly

2012-05-23T19:20:00.002-05:00

I really thought I was over her. I waited another month just to be sure that she's the one for this year. (She's been in my mind the past 3 years, believe it or not.)

And because I didn't want her to be "the one that got away," I decided not to wait for another year.

After a thousand and one visits to this site and this site, I took the plunge.

She's mine now. I know it's going to be a long purse love-affair for Molly and me.

A Mum's Love

2012-05-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

When the rain is blowin' in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love.

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love.
...
I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawlin' down the avenue
No, there's nothin' that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love.

~ Bob Dylan, 'Make You Feel My Love'

Picture taken inside the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC

If I had Bob Dylan's genius, this would have been the same song I will compose for this young man (MDK). Well, I'd probably change a line or two but not the message in each and every line. But a genius I am not so here I am, sharing a playlist (To Make You Feel My Love* ) of the song instead, sung by different singers (Jeremy Irons' cover included). Bob Dylan's rendition of his song is my favourite in the list of course. I am biased, I know.

* A new window will be opened when the link is clicked.

I have slowly become a Bob Dylan fan when MDK started listening to his songs. (MDK is a huge Bob Dylan fan btw.) As I discover his many compositions, I've grown to admire his poetry. I had very limited exposure to his songs until I slowly noticed that MDK started playing songs that have very eloquent messages. They happen to be mostly Bob Dylan's. I still haven't listened to most of his songs so my exposure to his songs is still very limited. However, my Bob Dylan playlist in Grooveshark is growing.

Some nights, MDK and MDH play music together, and among their favourites are Bob Dylan's (Queen Jane, A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall are some of them). It's always a delight, as mom and wife, to listen and watch them play together. A mini-performance of this song by "my boys" (MDK and MDH) would have been my special request for Mother's day but we will be out of town. There will be no breakfast in bed for me as well as we will be away from home so I'll just settle for the all-time best gift: a-hug-and-a-kiss.

This was intended to be an advanced Mother's day greeting to all the Moms who visit this site and not just a rah-rah post for Bob Dylan hahaha. So let me end my post with a prayer on behalf of all the mothers (and fathers) out there and an ardent wish that you'll have a very meaningful celebration on this special day.

Lord, we submit ourselves to You. Help us to walk in righteousness and integrity before You. Teach us Your ways and enable us do what is pleasing in Your sight. May the beauty of Your Spirit be so evident in us that we will be godly role models. Give us the communication, teaching and nurturing skills that we must have. Make us the parents You want us to be. Amen.

My Time-out Corner

2012-04-15T13:44:00.000-05:00

This is another corner in the house I can call my own.

If you've visited this site before, you'd probably noticed that I have quite a few corners in this house and each has a name. I have my FB corner, happy wall, etc etc. This one, I call it my time-out corner. And it's also my last-stop corner before I go to bed.

And because I'm a big fan of whites and greys, it has go to be a white dressing table of course. I've embellished the top by using some left-over drapery fabric from our previous home.

It turned out to be just the right fabric colour as it goes well with the furniture pieces and the wall paint we have in the room.

It didn't take very long to put them all together. It was the search for the "perfect" mirror that took forever. I scoured the whole of Ottawa and took a hundred trips to HomeSense before I found the one hahaha.

The room, overall, is still not fully done but it's getting there.