Friday, July 31, 2009

Godiva

Chocolates make people happy. Now I understand. 
We bought this box of Godiva chocolate biscuits 2 weeks ago. Hubby always buys Godiva for his bosses or friends on holidays and this was our first time buying Godiva just for ourselves to enjoy. As of today, we finished the last piece. These 50-piece chocolate biscuits are just perfect. I don't like sweets that much but I fell in love with the box on the day we opened it. 

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Ramen Lovers

We are ramen lovers, especially hubby. I think he loves it very much that he can have ramen everyday. Sometimes he misses ramen if we haven't had it for awhile. 

This week, we had the chance to try Daikokuya 大黑家 with the newlyweds for the very first time! We visited the one in Monterey Park and the place is quite small, kind of like Shin-Sen-Gumi. We think the soup base is a little too heavy/salty, but its size is huge. 
Here are some other places we'd tried.

Foo-Foo Tei 風風亭: plenty of choices to choose from. Their grilled squid is the best! But the ventilation over there is pretty bad. 

Ajisen Ramen 味千: salty-salty-salty! Their fried rice is even saltier than anything! The chef probably emptied the whole bottle of salt in the fried rice. Not-so-good experience last time there. 

Now they have fresh ramen noodles and soup base in a package at 99 Ranch market. We tried it once and it's actually good, but without the meat and toppings, it's kind of just like instant noodles. 
So far, Shin-Sen-Gumi 新撰組 is still our favorite. You can choose the hardness of the noodles, the thickness and richness of the soup. It's just more right for us!
Here is an interesting website (rameniac) that I'd found that lists out top 10 ramen places in L.A. of 2009

Monday, July 27, 2009

Birthday Girl

We remember it...but it's just a little too late to call you. 
We want to say "Happy Birthday Josephine! We love you!" ^__^
Mommy Jean, isn't it fast that she's now a 5-year-old kindergartner? 

7.15.2009

It has been exactly two years since hubby proposed. We'd found this day quite important and very meaningful to us, a day that both of us decided to take a step further in our relationship and tie the knot. To celebrate the day I said YES, hubby arranged a special dinner date at Ruth's Chris Steak House.


This is our first time dining at Ruth's Chris. What an enjoyable and pleasant experience. The atmosphere is classy and inviting. The service is excellent and personalized, with "happy anniversary" confetti on our table when we arrived and greetings throughout the night. The food is delicious and mouth-watering, we loved every ounce of it. 

Both of us tried their "Ruth's Summer Classics", a full-3 course meal featuring a starter, entrée, a side and dessert. 


Starters

Mixed Greens & Asparagus Salad: Field greens served atop fresh asparagus, tossed with roasted tomato vinaigrette, garnished with grape tomatoes & Cajun pecans and topped with crispy onions.

Roasted Tomato & Crab Soup: A roasted plum tomato soup topped with crab meat and garnished with fresh basil.

Seared Ahi Tuna: Perfectly complemented by a spirited sauce with hints of ginger, mustard and beer. 

Entrées

6 oz. Filet & Jumbo Shrimp

The famous steaks are seared to perfection at 1800 degrees and served sizzling in butter (no wonder it's so good) on a 500 degree plate so that it stays hot throughout the meal.

Sides

Creamed spinach & Mushrooms

Dessert

Summer "Symphony" Selection: Duo of fresh berries with sweet cream & raspberry sorbet in a chocolate cup.

In addition to the desserts that are included with the meal, the restaurant gave us a complimentary creme brulee for our anniversary celebration! 

More Photos of Dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Click Here)

7.15.2008

Celebrating the day I said YES. 
(This entry was written last year, just didn't publish it on my blog. For my own record, decided to post this now. ^__^)

We celebrated this speical day at Summit House, a restaurant that is located on a serene hilltop in the city of Fullerton. The ambiance is elegant and their food is even better!

We started our dinner with the seaside sampler, a combination platter of Chesapeake crab fritters, chilled Mexican prawns and Hawaiian ahi sashimi, along with their house bread. 

For entrées, both of us had roasted prime ribs, served with creamed corn, creamed spinach and Yorkshire pudding. We got the Summit House cut and the portion is pretty big. The meat was really good, just the way we liked it. Next time, the cottage cut will be enough for us. 

More Photos of Dinner at Summit House (Click Here)

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Dinner. Cake. Gifts.

離開museum後, 為了避開塞車
我們決定先吃飽喝足再回家
到底小若雅喜歡吃什麼ㄋ???“鼎泰豐“!!!
我看是我們大人喜歡吧!哈哈
點了酸辣湯, 兩籠小籠包, 上海炒年糕, 紅燒牛肉麵
看看小若雅吃得臉都不見了!
吃完看時間還早, 就到隔壁的“辛芭樂“
點了個八寶冰和鹹酥雞(對, 雖然吃飽了還是想吃....)
小若雅硬要喝Will叔叔的西瓜汁.....好冰ㄚ!

晚上回到家也就是大家團圓要切蛋糕的時候ㄌ
小若雅這次可知道這是她的生日, 她是主角, 也會吹蠟燭喔!
baby Zech和坐月子的威嫂都入鏡囉!
弟弟竟然在如雷聲般的生日快樂歌中依然睡得香甜...佩服佩服....
我們有錄了一段全家一起唱生日快樂歌和Happy歌的畫面
這就要等威爺或威嫂有空弄到youtube上面才看得到了(等待....)
欣妮阿姨只有照到幾張照片因為照相機照到完全沒電囉!

小朋友最開心的就是開禮物了吧~
特別謝謝Kanny阿姨的“你好Kai-Lan" & Minnie
小若雅超級專心的打開這們書, 非常喜歡
還有小阿姨的ABC玩具是小若雅自己挑選的
最好笑的是當威嫂把超大一盒的LEGO拿給小若雅的時候
小若雅竟然超大聲的說:“謝~!謝~!“
還“哇~~~~~~~~~“的好長一聲(真是配合ㄚ孩子!)
這就是威爺威嫂給小若雅的禮物: LEGO Big City Zoo
可愛的小寶貝, 欣妮阿姨和Will叔叔的禮物改天再捕給妳
還沒挑到想買的禮物, 所以先欠著~ 哈哈哈
小寶貝, Happy Birthday!!

Kidspace Children's Museum

為了慶祝小若雅2歲的生日
我們決定到Kidspace Children's Museum一日遊
威嫂馬麻在做月子, 沒得選擇的和弟弟留在家裡
所以欣妮阿姨和Will叔叔趁著機會跟著威爺和小若雅一起出去玩
Kidspace Children' Museum在Pasadena, 是我們第一次去
這是一個蠻特別的兒童館, 有很多室內和室外的地方可以給小朋友玩
這兒童館強調的是小朋友是透過“玩“來學習
所以很多hands-on的活動讓小朋友們親自動手一邊玩ㄧ邊學
門票只要是1歲以上都一個人$10, 然後在手上蓋個章
膽子不大的小若雅可是ㄧ開始連蓋個章都怕怕的......
我們先到室內的自然館: "Digging Deeper Gallery"
說真的, 這比較適合年紀大ㄧ點的小孩子
主題是有關昆蟲, 石頭, 化石, 地震...等等, 大自然的主題
小若雅超級害怕的, 一開始什麼都不敢碰
不過當小若雅看到有小朋友在拿畫筆的時候, 她終於踏出了第一步
這是可以畫畫在一片葉子上, 過一下上面就有水沖下來像下雨一樣
再來就有一個桌子有一些小朋友在畫水彩
小若雅很快的就坐下來加入他們, 看看她專心作畫的模樣!!
其中有個很多小女生喜歡的地方, 就是"Bugsy's Diner"蟲蟲餐廳
像是個小廚房一樣, 小朋友像在玩扮家家九一樣
看菜單, 點菜, 做菜, 上菜...
Chef's Specialty竟然是"The Poo-Poo Platter"!!!
玩了一陣子後我們就到室外的courtyard休息休息
原本害羞的小若雅竟然開始玩起水來了, 就是從地上會噴水上來
小若雅超開心的跑來跑去還被水噴的全身都溼了
在大太陽下玩水真的是太舒服囉!
小若雅愛上了這個Splash Dance Fountain!
玩完水換個衣服已經要下午3點了, 剛好是小小朋友的音樂時間
這個兒童館有個Early Childhood Learning Center
這是專門給4歲以下的小小孩
所以我們帶著小若雅一起去瞧瞧
就像是一間教室, 裡面有很多不同玩具, 進去每個人都要拖鞋鞋
小若雅最喜歡拼圖了, 在這個桌子好久ㄟ....
接著music time要開始了, 有一個老師拿了ㄧ籃的shakers
大人和小孩圍著一圈, 看看又開始緊張的小若雅....
老師帶著大家唱了好多首兒歌喔!
不過聽不懂英文的小若雅都乖乖的坐在把拔的懷裡, 動都不動
一直等到英文版的“王老先生有塊地, 咿呀咿呀優", 小若雅才有反應喔~
看看威爺, 好爸爸喔~好像是唯一的把拔陪著女兒上music time~
音樂教室結束後, 我們就到最後面的室外區走走
沒想到還有很多好玩的ㄋ
有騎腳踏車區: "Trike Tracks", 而且還提供安全帽喔!
小朋友會照著地上畫的路線騎車
接著可以看到有一條小溪,好多小孩子都在小溪裡玩水
還有一個水車, 偶而會有水像下雨一樣可以被淋的全身溼掉
看看威爺喜歡的小型rock climbing...哈哈哈哈
室外還有一個角落是給4歲以下的小小孩
可以玩水, 溜滑梯, 東爬西爬...不過才換好衣服的小若雅只好先skip這區
回到自然館, 小若雅看到拼圖又開心得不得了
我們四個人坐下, 一邊吹著冷氣, 一起合力把100片的拼圖完成!
逛逛禮品店後, 我們就跟Kidspace說ByeBye了!
整體來說, 這是個小朋友會喜歡的地方, 因為什麼都可以摸
可以玩得很盡興, 弄得很溼, 弄得很髒, 可以很自由
不過還是跟小孩的個性和年紀有關
欣妮阿姨覺得比較適合大ㄧ點的小朋友
不過無論如何, 小若雅多了個經驗, 多看多玩多聽多學~

Friday, July 24, 2009

Birthday Girl!

親愛的小寶貝Zoya:
祝妳2歲生日快樂!! H-A-P-P-Y!!
欣妮阿姨跟Will叔叔好愛好愛妳喔!!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

忍不住...

本來想說威嫂回家以後就會偷偷用電腦
果然沒錯, 有上Facebook
不過我們馬麻認為她在坐月子, 不應該也不讓她用電腦
其實也對啦, 坐月子就該好好休息, 眼睛也不能太累
所以ㄚ, 欣妮阿姨“忍不住“又再次出現, 這樣威嫂的部落格才不會落寞

今天欣妮阿姨上了一天的班, 同事都在問baby Zech的情況
當然囉, 欣妮阿姨除了描述刺激的生產過程
還要很驕傲的把baby Zech的照片拿出來“現“一下!

下班後當然要回去探望探望
其實今天還蠻想小若雅的, 結果威爺下午帶小若雅出去逛街買玩具
因為明天是小若雅兩歲的生日喔!!!
威爺把拔買了一個超級大的禮物給她!是驚喜, 明天才能揭曉!
這張照片是威爺下午從他的iPhone寄給我們的~
好吃的pretzel & juice
今天看到弟弟又覺得弟弟長大了喔!
欣妮阿姨就這樣盯著弟弟看了好久.....包著肚兜兜好可愛ㄟ....
弟弟的頭小小的剛好可以用雙手捧著
睡得好甜, 偶而還會笑一下 ^__^
Will叔叔今天有去IKEA幫小若雅買吃飯的bib
是可以接食物的那種, 整組還有碗, 湯匙, 和一個杯杯
剛好小若雅很喜歡青蛙, 所以這套很合她的口味
只是小若雅今天吃飯的時候竟然很故意的把食物放到肚兜裡面....
威嫂的精神不錯, 只是上下都在痛
餵母奶餵得很痛, 生產後得傷口也很疼痛
請大家繼續為她禱告, 求神賜給她更多體力and fast healing
也為威爺禱告, 讓他有足夠的energy and joy. =)