New York, New York

Hello New York City. Nice to finally meet you.


NYC is one of those places I've been wanting to visit for years, yet somehow never got around to it. Until now.


I went down for the Easter long weekend and even after four days, I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. So much to do! So much to see!


I walked and ate, then walked and ate some more.


My friend managed to snag us a reservation at Per Se, a three Michelin star, four New York Times star restaurant. It was also the last review Sam Sifton wrote as the NYT restaurant critic. I don't make it a habit to dine at restaurants where the meal cost more than my plane ticket (... I wish I was kidding), but I'll make an exception for Thomas Keller.

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March Blues

March is when I start to get antsy - winter is not quite over, yet it's not quite spring. I'm desperately itching for warmer weather, some sunshine to pass these dreary grey days.


Cooking-wise, I've been uninspired. I'm at the point of the year where I'm tired of root vegetables and cabbages and ready to pounce on the first sign of delicate leafy greens. I finally opened my jars of strawberry and raspberry preserves, which has me dreaming of summer. I'm counting down the months until peach season is here.

Can you tell I am a summer baby?


The weather has been warm enough to start the flow of the maple sap. I visited a maple sugar bush, ate piping hot pancakes doused in melted butter and maple syrup. Fact: pancakes are so much better eaten in a non-heated cabin after a good work out.


I am going back into hibernation until the air smells sweet of spring showers.

Until then.

Orzo & Broccoli Pesto Salad

February. One month closer to spring, yet still so far away.



We received quite a bit of snow this month, more than I can remember in a long time. I was (briefly) stuck in a parking lot with others in the same situation as we collectively dug our way out. The beauty of the situation was that everyone was willing to help each other out.

Sometimes we forget to be kind to each other until we're facing tough circumstances.


Chinese New Year also happened. Lots of symbolic food was consumed and my mom and I made turnip/radish cake together.

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California Road Trip

New year, new beginnings. At least that's what the saying goes, right?


2012 was definitely an interesting one. It was frustrating and busy (oh so busy), but there was also a lot of happiness, laughter and love.


Friends got married. People came and went. A new job.


The year was not perfect by any means, but when is life ever perfect?



I ended the year with a road trip in California (and Nevada). Drove down the coast on Highway 1 from San Francisco to Malibu (where I saw dolphins swimming in the ocean - super cool), headed east to briefly visit LA before making it out to Joshua Tree National Park (breathtaking).

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2013, here I come!

I will be out of town over the holidays so I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holidays!

See you in the new year.