Chinese New Year Eve, an eat all about memories and traditions

Happy Chinese New Year! Don't you like new year celebration, it feels a bit like a reset button. Always hope, and always a new set-n-go.

Merry Friendship

How do you like holidays? When I was young, it’s a miracle thing that in a certain season we keep doing the certain celebrations, time and time again, year after another. You cook and eat pretty much the same dishes, meet and greet pretty much the same people, laugh and jokes, loud and hugs. But one day, sooner or later, you gonna find a same yourself cooking and eating the same, but with who and at a where that is already much a difference. The only thing that never changes is that everything changes. Enjoy every person and moment in life.
I treasure my friends. So this holiday bestie luncheon is the couple hours I enjoy the most every year during the busiest holiday time. I make it simple and quick, festive and relatively healthy. After all, just to say, I’m blessed to have you next by me.
Warmest wishes to you!

Super Speed Chinese New Year Eve Meal

I swear I won't do this again.
This, is my historical lightening speed for a festival cook. Arrive home 6pm, have an eight course Chinese New Year eve dinner ready before 8pm. AND they are all traditional dish and most require a lot of time and efforts. Our family's regular way takes one whole night before the the day, then pretty much a whole day on new year eve to perfect this just one dinner.
My schedule has been not worked as "tradition" way this year. I always believe I can make it happen, even everyone show me a "now what you gonna do" look. But when I fried the endless pork and meat balls and bean curd, while five other burners were all on full powers and almost burned my manicure and half an eyebrow, I realized it is truly not a good way for me to enjoy this annual family cooking tradition.
Sometimes, to achieve is a thing. To enjoy is another thing.
Oh but I eventually pair a good wine.

我的意思是，完全从开油锅算起，两小时之内把年夜饭端上桌了。
这种挑战一生一次就好。实在对心脏有负担。
嗯，对漂亮的指甲和眉毛也不宜。
虽说坐下来，看家人惊喜开心的团年，有着这样我也居然做成了的成就。可提前一整夜寒风里伴着一炸一惊的油锅偷偷吃了烫着嘴的小兴奋，除夕夜一整天家里各种煮各种香的混合，还是不应该错过的呀。
新一年，让我们好好的更多的享受一粥一饭的快乐吧。

Eat Through an Icy Break

Our city experienced unexpected, so often and so wow, recently.
I'm always a believer that, you should never stop dreaming, just in case, what if it becomes real?! For last couple of days, we had snow (again!) and our temperature was lower than Anchorage, I mean, beat an Alaska winter day?
Sure the whole city shutting down. Not because of snow or cold, but dangerous icy road conditions.
I'm kinda a workaholic but totally followed and stayed home for a whole day. After an over 17 hours stuck and camping on icy freeway years ago, I got enough learning on respect inexperienced southern winter road.

Happy New Year of Relaxing Family Eating!

We are on the road. Again.
And where could be better for New Year's Day morning a no-reservation-no-waiting-all-you-like-to-eat than get it at home. I had it done within 45 minutes (struggled a bit with that sweetened pumpkin thing or could be done within 30 minutes), and we spent a luxury 1.5 hours around the table, sharing stories and learns from last year, while looking forward all best for a brand new 2018.

Brunch Everyday for the Holidays

Unless a party, I normally not cooking on Christmas. We either on travels, or like to test all new restaurants in town, and just dress up and relax.

But brunch does not count to cooking. It's a "fixing". And it works so fine to our 11am wake up calls.

Somehow My boys consider big hotel brunch is a waste of money: What?! They are robberying! Mom can make these all for free at all the time!
Right?!.... I'm free.

Jingle Jingle Let's Mingle: 2017 Holiday Luncheon w/BFF

I am a very lucky person, every friend comes to my life brings me messages, inspirations, and warmth. There is many ways we say thanks and loves, asking for my holiday lunch invite has been a very popular one recently. May be because of my food, or because of my laughs?

I consider cooking is love made visible. Above all, Christmas makes everything softer and more beautiful.

Big Bend: Big Country, Big Surprises ---- 4. To do to eat & to stay: other towns. Tips-and-Tricks

Alpine

When our SUV first time drive close to Apline on the road, my boys cannot help to claim: WOW! This is the biggest civilization we’ve ever seen in a whole week.

Big Bend: Big Country, Big Surprises ---- 4. To do to eat & to stay: Marfa

Marfa: Tough to get to, tougher to explain

A small desert city established in 1883, 98 miles away from the park, not like many typical old towns’ Victorian cozy and warm, it is contemporary, artistic and attracting creative spirits. 

Big Bend: Big Country, Big Surprises ---- 3. To do to eat & to stay: Terlingua

One thing for sure wherever you stay, you gonna enjoy the most beautiful stargazing night, every night. All night.

Big Bend Region is one of the four places able to claim the least light-polluted darkest skies in our country. It is one of the only 13 parks in the world to have certified a gold-tie certification from the International Dark Sky Association. In a typical city, a few hundred stars might be visible on a particularly clear night. In Big Bend, an average night yields a view of more than 2,000.

Big Bend: Big Country, Big Surprises ----- 2. What to Explore

There are simply too many choices. It is a beautiful park to visit, and all of the hikes are enjoyable. Visitors definitely need to allow several days for the park itself, since the best parts of it are spread out way from each other.

Big Bend: Big Country, Big Surprises ---- 1. General Introduction

Established on June 1944, at the end of the road in Far West Texas, Big Bend National Park has over 801,000 acres of the entire Chiscos mountain range and a large swath of the Chihuahuan Desert. It is one of the most remote national parks. The topography of Big Bend is so barren and jagged that America’s astronauts in the 1960s took field trips to the park to prepare them for landing on the moon.