I'M ALIVE!!!

It's been...what...3 months since I've blogged?? Sounds about right. My family and I moved out of our apartment in Nashville and into a quaint home in the semi-country that is Springhill. I love it! Antique shops within a walking distance, pasture land next door, but with all your shopping needs within a 3 mile radius! Woohoo! But the only disadvantage is that I live 45 minutes away from some family. Bummer. Other than that, honestly, not much going on! Still trying to get the house decorated to my taste. Things will all fall into place, in time.

I hope to blog more but I haven't really had anything I felt I just needed to post. The move is pretty much the only major highlight over the past few months. With that being said, laundry awaits! See? Nothing going on! My life lately has just been a mirror image of the day before. But I figure, no news is good news sometimes.

journal entry- on my kitchen counters

I've been drawing in my journal pretty much everyday. I'm so proud of myself! I had to re-teach myself to study objects by observing every line, curve, shape. The best subjects are just your everyday items lying around the house. The drawings are pretty much self explanatory but yet, I have the need to tell you what they are. haha. A cookie jar filled with some oatmeal raisin cookies I baked two months ago, head of garlic, wishbone...

...my small radio, yellow mums in a glass soda bottle, seashells in this antique mason's jar, a lemon, this "so-called" vanilla scented candle but has no smell whatsoever, and carnations. I love carnations! I know they're not the fairest of flowers but all flowers need love! Yes Kat, I am referring to you, you flower SNOB!

Esaias' masterpiece

I'm just being a proud mama showing off my three year old's watercolor painting of who-knows-what. Aside from the chocolate finger prints on the left hand side, strokes of aquas, lavender, reds, greens paint this picture that only the artist can interpret. From my eyes, I see eager surfers ready to take on the waves for another surf session. If I ask Esaias what this is, he'd probably say it was Spiderman fighting the Green Goblin. Yeah, that sounds about right.

journal entry: july 19

My handwriting is a little messy. So it says: "Went to church this morning. Now I'm at mom's house." And then...."the bird feeder. I mean, bird house. ha! ha!" Gosh, I'm such a dork. But that's basically how my Sunday went. How EXCITING!! (sarcasm) Not that I don't enjoy going to church. But all I got out of my mom's was cocker spaniel fur all over my black pants. Dangit! But it was another pleasant, summer day. Too bad it won't last for long.

Looking at this, it kind of reminds me of those Classic Winnie the Pooh books. I can see "Pooh" wandering over looking up at the bird house, thinking it was a bee hive. I'm not very good at watercoloring. So I figured I wouldn't overdo it and just add some color here and there. I think it came out pretty good! Let's just hope tomorrow has a bit more excitement in store for me. Good excitement.

journal entry : july 17

So if you read my blog post Everyday Matters which was based on a book I've been reading entitled Everyday Matters (uhduh..haha), I've been having a BLAST sketching in my journal. It's been a great way to open my eyes to my surroundings and how much I need some improvement in certain areas, like shading for example, or, drawing a circle (geeez Iris). I was pretty good back in the day, but somewhere over the last decade or so, I've somehow lost my way. So I'm trying to get back into the groove of things. This sketch above is one of a few I did today. Yes, being sick sure gives you some time on your hands! That's my lil bug plopped on the floor, leaning against the couch watching one of his favorite programs "Caillou." (Is it bad that I find the little 4 year old boy cartoon character in the show extremely annoying???) His feet looks kinda deformed because he kept flexing his feet up and down. He didn't know that mommy was watching him from afar. Cutie pie.

In Full Swing and Koa

I have a very eclectic sense of taste when it comes to interior design. I'm not one of those "everything gotta match" or "I need some jewel tone paisleys to go with the rest of this Ralph Lauren plaid prints and matching Scottie dogs." Yes, there is such a thing and it is horrifying....HORRIFYING I tell you! Not my cup of tea, but dammit, I could make your living area look like a Country Club in Connecticut! And you probably won't see any Herman Miller furniture in my home since I'm not one for those Star Trek Enterprise looks. Well NOT ALL of it is that bad, but it's pretty up there! I don't by any means have this lavish home and have the nicest of all things. I'm saving for all that when I move outta this apartment! ha!

But I digress. So what do you actually like Iris? Well, today we will focus on some Hawaiiana. I'm not a huge fan myself of the pineapples and the coconut trees, unless it's something really cute like this fabric I once had of monkeys playing ukuleles under coconut trees and some holding umbrellas. It really was cute I swear! But anyway! Full Swing Textiles has some great prints made of 100% cotton bark cloth. These are some of my favorite prints from the collection:

(top left: "Bacall", top right: "Casablanca", bottom: "Carmen Miranda")

Yes, I know not the most Hawaiian of names but aren't they pretty?? The flow of the palms and vibrant hues remind of the '40's and '50's prints that were used for most drapery, and for the cushion coverings of the hand-carved design Koa furniture. And speaking of Koa, these prints above, work splendid for the coverings of the Koa furniture. Koa wood, or Acacia Koa is to me, the most magnificent of all hardwoods. The curly Koa is my favorite grain (there are three types of grain), with it's three dimensional iridescence, it reminds me of the ripples of the ocean and opal. It can be difficult to find authentic antique Koa furniture with the hand-carved designs that run along the front panels of the arm rests. (Heck, I couldn't even find a decent picture online!) But when you do, they run along the thousands of dollars and are usually sold by private owners that have had them in their own livingrooms for the past decades. Most koa furniture you find nowadays won't have the hand-carved design, but are still beautiful either way.

Now all I have to do is find some Hawaiian family living in Tennessee, preferrably in Nashville, that has some antique Koa furniture for sale at a reasonable price at their home. Anybody? Anyone?

Everyday Matters

Since I've been a mother (three years now), I haven't been motivated to engage myself in art like I used to. Primarily, drawing. Back on Kaua'i, I'd just doodle on whatever paper would be within arms reach, or grab one of my sketchbooks and sketch anything from a monkey on a tree, to a mother holding her child. I've always seemed to have a difficult time drawing something I can see so clearly in my mind onto paper. So the mother's arm looked more like a rubber tube. I need visuals! And so nowadays, I guess because I feel so mentally drained from the constant care and attention for my son and the household in general, my mind and hand don't communicate quite well with one another. My mind is saying "Awww...the little guy is so adorable when he's asleep! Let's draw the lil bugger." My hand responds with "Eh. Some other time." So it's not that I haven't been inspired, it's just the motivation isn't always there.
Just the other day, I went to my sister's house and she showed me a book she has raved about and inspired her. The book is titled Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory. It is a graphic memoir, a journal with his drawings of his everyday life and surroundings. During the aftermath of his wife's accident, he taught himself how to draw once again and through it, it has helped him cope with life's obstacles and see the beauty in everything. The life he knew no longer existed, but is now replaced with even more love, hope, and an understanding that life can still go on when we can't control or predict the unknown that can unexpectedly come crashing down on us. This small book has been a big inspiration to me to see that I've been blessed and to remind myself that not every drawing has to be "perfect", but it's what I see that matters the most. His most random drawings of a can of Chef Boyardee or the contents of his medicine cabinet and the funny captions, put a smile on my face and cracks me up at times. I've decided to start my very own journal containing my little sketches and scribbles. I believe it will be my therapy as well and let me get back into the groove of drawing once again. So thank you Mr. Gregory for opening up and sharing your life's journey, to help people like me jump-start our lives by reopening a door that's been closed for a long time.

guilty pleasure- "Us" and I

I enjoy the occasional gossip magazine like everyone else. And don't say you don't! But I'm not talking about Star or National Enquirer and all that crap-olah, with headlines like, "800 LB. WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO ALIEN LOVER'S BABY!" We always seem to find ourselves at the grocery checkout line taking glances at the newest and juiciest gossip on the cover of People, Us Weekly, In Touch, etc. etc. That damn Us Weekly gets me everytime! I curse you! Its untouched glossy front cover, that brand-spakin' new magazine smell, the most talked about celebs...helloooo lover. Mostly, I just enjoy indulging myself in the fashion, recent photos, and the "loose-talk". But there's some things in there that are just plain stupid. Us Weekly has a spot Stars- They're Just Like Us! "They carry bags! They eat ice-cream sandwiches! They try on shoes!" WOW! REALLY?! I thought they were a special species of homo sapien! Idiots. It's kind of comical really but can you imagine having your every move being splattered across newstands and stores for all the world to see? And we wonder why Britney shaved her head and Russell Crowe beats anyone with a camera. Such a shame (shaking head). I now have the sudden urge to dash to my "dealer" (the grocery store) for a fix! "Who wore that dress better? What's the must-have beauty product this summer? What lies ahead for Jon and Kate? What's the newest fad diet? Who's this nobody's celebrity sibling?" The answer my friends, lies within these 96+ pages.

Bizarre Foods Survival Special

No, he is not going to be doing a guest appearance on Survivor. But instead, taking a one-hour boat ride from Puerto Vallarta, to a remote island where he fends for himself. Basically Man vs. Wild minus that British nut job. A sample of the survival menu includes coconuts (nothing scary there), grasshoppers (okay...maybe a little scary), wild lime (hmmm), pig weed (not a clue), and opihi (YES)! Okay, I lived off opihi back in Hawai'i and I gotta say, one of the best creatures the ocean has to offer. If you love sea snails, this is a must. The best part is prying those little suckers (literally) off the salty rocks while clinging onto the rocky edge and being pounded by waves. Man, I miss Hawai'i! Okay, I'm going off track here. Here's a 2 minute sneak-peek of Andrew with a survival guide (an actual guide as in human, not a book) before he's left into the depths of the jungle to do who knows what.

Now, if you actually watched the clip, did he seriously just eat that LIVE baby lizard??? Now, here's the man that is freaked out by SPAM, but will eat a baboons butt. Okay, I don't know if he actually has eaten that but you never know with this guy! And that's why we love him.
So tune in folks, Tuesday night at 10 E/P, to see what craziness he gets into. Maybe when the boat goes back to pick him up, he'd have gone all Lord of the Flies with the camera crew. FUN!!!

june heat

This heat is getting to me. And it's not a gradual transition from spring to summer. It goes...Monday: 75 degrees. Lovely. Tuesday: 95 degrees. Humid and sweating in places I really wish it wouldn't. That's Tennessee for ya. But all hail to the creator of air conditioning! Without it, I'd probably just wander around my apartment in my underwear. But I would trade A/C any day for some cool tradewinds like back home in Kaua'i. Picture it. A cool breeze blended with the subtle fragrance of plumeria, salty ocean, and a hint of rain that makes its way across the sandy beach, swaying you ever so gently on a hammock mounted under two banyan trees. Ahhhhhhhhhh....the island life is calling to me around this time of year. Let's see. The closest beach to me is the Gulf Coast in Alabama. A 9 hour drive you say? No problem. Oh wait, a cranky 3 year old and J who needs to stop every hour for a smoke break? Scratch that. Or we just leave in the middle of the night while the little guy sleeps and I covertly slap on a nicotine patch for J. "Oh...a mosquito. Yeah, a mosquito was on your arm. Yeah that's right!"
This polar bear was so happy at the Memphis Zoo. Oh how I wish that was me! Minus the fur and extra 300 lbs. of fat anyway. I guess for now, I'll just wade around in the pool, make use of my A/C, and find other ways to cool down in this June heat.

Bizarre Foods- Singapore

You don't hear much about Singapore. Except for the strict cleanliness laws that they're famous for. But really, how many Singaporean restaurants do you know of? Me? Nada. That's why I'm pretty excited about watching tonight's episode where Andrew will enlighten us on the food of Singapore. So tune in tonight, Tuesday 10 E/P! Here's a clip with Andrew with some mutton that looks absolutely de-lish!

Alabama skies

What's the best part of living on the mainland? Being able to get into your car and drive to another state for the heck of it. I took these pictures on the drive back from Huntsville, Alabama. Absolutely stunning sky.

graffiti

Graffiti can be beautiful art. This is a building at a stop light in downtown Nashville. It's a store but unfortunately we were in the car and I couldn't get the whole picture without getting J's arm.

Nashville. Life.

Before I moved to Tennessee, almost three years ago, I had this stereotypical image in my mind of rednecks playing banjos on their front porch, and the "old money" families in their white plantation homes, sipping tall, ice-cold lemonade on the veranda. I had briefly visited twice before but never really explored the area. Now that I've had the pleasure of living here, I see that it's definitely a melting pot of cultures, predominately in the Nashville area. Sure there are the stereotypes you'll come across here and there just like with any other place. I know Hawai'i has a lot of stereotypes, like, "do you live in huts and dance the hula everyday with your grass skirts?" My response: "Would you like me to slap you now, or later?" No, I haven't actually said that but doesn't mean I haven't thought it! But I digress... Driving through the narrow back streets of downtown Nashville suddenly gave me the idea to create a series of pictures that really shows what makes Nashville, Nashville. And possibly other vicinities just outside. I won't try to find the words to define what I'm talking about, but instead, let the images of the people and the world around them, speak for themselves. And so I call my new project, Nashville. Life.

happy 28

I turned 28 years old yesterday. A nice and quiet birthday without all the hoopla that some expect to have to celebrate the occasion. Nowadays, a nice dinner with the family and maybe a present or card is a nice touch. But I expect a big shindig every year by the time I hit 70! By then, just to be alive and kickin' is reason enough to throw a big par-tay! I envision myself being a Sophia Petrillo from "The Golden Girls". Spunky, wise, sharing stories of my colorful past, and always with a raffia handbag in tow full of butterscotch and other mystery items. Yes, that sounds about right.
J surprised me with a colorful bouquet of flowers! FINALLY! I say that only because I always tell him, I just want flowers. But the way his mind works is always a mystery to me. People say women are complicated, but I say men are just as complicated. They just hide their emotions better. We ladies let it all out! He thinks, "Okay, she says she wants flowers for Valentine's Day. But really she wants this mug decorated with red hearts and filled with hershey kisses." I guess it's the thought that counts. But when I say flowers, I really mean it! No hidden message there! But God love him he tries. And he did good yesterday.

And the dinner was delicious. Well of course, because I cooked it. haha! No no no, I kid! I was thinking of going out for dinner, but I was feeling a bit under the weather. So I decided to just cook up a prime rib. Horseradish and garlic crusted prime rib to be exact. And a corona with lime to top it off. Not much of a drinker, but it was nice to just loosen up a bit. Followed by three hilarious episodes of "The Golden Girls" before I hit the hay. That is one of my ultimate favorite shows! Three menopausal women and one old wise-crackin grandma is my idea of a good time! Man, I am getting old. Shut up Iris, you're only 28.

So I reflect on my 28 years of life so far, and it's been a roller coaster ride of ups, down, turns, screaming, and laughs. I wish for more laughs ahead and good times to come! Happy birthday to me.

just salad

organic greens. avocado. onions. capers. feta. papaya seed dressing.

Bizarre Foods- Appalachia

If you haven't noticed by now, I'm a food fanatic. I've also become obsessed with The Travel Channel and the food programs on that blessed channel. One of my absolute faves? Bizarre Foods! Andrew Zimmern, the shows host and co-creator, always has this high and positive energy, and is always very respectable of the people and their cultures whether he digs the food, or not. Remember, you're on their turf. Tonight's episode is focused on the Appalachia region. Should be interesting. As all of the episodes are. What can I see the locals cook up for him and his crew? Squirrel? Possum? Raccoon? Maybe all of the above! So watch it with me tonight, Tuesday, May 5 @ 10 E/P! Here's a clip of the leg-slappin' banjo-playin' fun, Andrew's gonna be cookin' us tonight!

wednesday and new fish

Wednesday. The halfway point to the weekend. Well, in my case it doesn't really matter since I'm a stay-home-mom and J's days off change every week. So what am I doing today? Let's see.....laundry, vacuum, washing dishes, playing with Esaias, making sure our new Bloodfin Tetra fish hasn't died, sorting thru the closets to take out the winter clothes, and popcorn. My favorite popcorn are the ones that popped only half way. Yummmm. Yeah I'm a freak, whatever.
Oh, so yeah, the last angelfish standing we had, keeled over. I think he was depressed and died a sad death. And in his place we got 4 Bloodfin Tetra fish. No time for mourning here! The salesman said that they're so much more easier to care for and don't have to worry about them dying off so quickly even if the water hasn't completed it's nitrogen cycle thing. And so we'll get a few more since they prefer to be in schools. They seem pretty happy!
Well the laundry isn't going to fold and hang itself! (damn I wish) And the vitamin B12 I took earlier is starting to wear off and it's only 2:45! No!! So a small cup of coffee for me it is! Enjoy your Wednesday whatever it is you may or may not be doing.

got asian?

My Asian blood is in full force today! I went crazy on some blue crab I picked up from K & S World Market yesterday. What's the best part of the crab you ask? The head! That's where the Asian part kicks in. It's a pain in the neck to pick through the little bodies, not like king or dungeness crab. But once you taste the succulent sweetness of the meat, the two hours you spent is totally worth it!

I also had made some tofu with a HOT chili sauce that I never get tired of eating since tofu itself is so light. My first taste of this simple side dish was back on Kaua'i at Kalena Fish Market. A small eat-in and carry-out joint that is owned by a Korean family and specializes in plate lunches of Hawaiian and Korean food. Menu of lau lau, kalua pig, meat jun, etc. So what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the tofu. The light and spicyness is a perfect compliment to the slight heaviness of the meat. And so I attempted to make my own and finally found the chili paste that is used. I use the Kikkoman brand shoyu (soy sauce) for this. I believe that's what they used as well. The soy sauce brand can make a difference in the taste for sure, since this isn't cooked. Here's the recipe:
1 tray firm tofu
1/4 c. Kikkoman soy sauce

1 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili paste

green onion for garnish

1. Cut tofu into 1" square pieces. Put in a tray. (I use a rectangular tupperware container with lid for easy storage.)

2. In small bowl, add the soy sauce and chili paste. Mix well. Evenly pour over tofu.

3. Garnish with green onion.

4. Refrigerate at least an hour.

So that's the tofu. Good stuff. Especially if you're a lover of tofu and spicy foods like me, this is perfect.

I also picked up some red bean mochi at the market. This I don't have a recipe for and am going to definitely find one to try it out! But it was so reasonable for a tray of fresh mochi that maybe I'd better just stick to the pros at Mai's Bakery. Thank you Mai, whoever you are.....

And to finish off all of that yummy goodness in my tummy, I had a grass jelly drink that brought me back to my childhood in the Philippines. Yes, I lived in Philippines for a while and visited there often as a kid but that's another blog entry in itself I will share later. And with one sip, you get the jelly bits and banana (comes in different flavors), entertainment for your taste buds.

And it doesn't stop there people! Guess what mama's cookin' up for dinner?! Korean Chicken! Woohoo! One of my favorites. I am such a fan of Asian foods. So stop at your local Asian market today!

mussels with whole grain rotini

When I was at Kat's yesterday, we cooked up some mussels with whole grain pasta that was deLISH! I didn't realize how eating whole grain pastas doesn't make you feel so overstuffed after eating a plateful. I always knew it was better for you but always shied away. I guess it seemed "unnatural". Shame on me considering I'm always game for trying new things! I loved the color it had from the peppers, mussels, and spinach. This is Kat's recipe and hope she doesn't mind me sharing her creation.

1 lb. mussels (can use frozen. soak in cold water for few minutes to defrost)

olive oil

3 garlic cloves (minced)

2 green onion stalks (cut into 1/2" pieces)

2 tbs. roasted red peppers (can use canned)

white wine

handful of baby spinach

pinch of kosher or sea salt

whole grain rotini pasta (can use any style of pasta of your choice)

1. In large pot, bring water to full boil and add the pasta. Cook til al dente.

2. In a pan, heat olive oil and add garlic. Saute for a bit then add green onions and roasted peppers. Saute for a minute.

3. Add white wine, just enough to coat the bottom of pan and simmer for a minute or 2.

4. Add mussels, sprinkle with salt, saute for 1 minute.

5. Add spinach and saute til tender but do not overcook!

6. Add mussel mixture to pasta and coat evenly.

7. Plate and eat!

r.i.p. fishy #2

Sorry to report that the new fish is no longer new. Yes, it went to fish heaven. And the first fish is still swimmin'! I think he's anti-social and kills the others when no one is around. ha! Oh, sorry. I forgot we're in mourning.
I called the dudes at PetCo and spoke to the manager because I wasn't sure if it was going to be okay to return ANOTHER deceased fish. But he assured me it will be okay and that I should get a different species of fish that are more "hardy" because it apparently takes a few weeks for the water to go thru the whole nitrogen cycle and yada yada yada. At this point, I just want something that's not going to croak in a day. Give me the toughest son-of-a-bitch you got! None of these sissy fish please. So another trip to PetCo for me tomorrow. Grrrrr.....wish me luck!

fishy don't die!

For our son's birthday, J and I wanted to give him some pet fish. He's has so many toys we could open up a small day care, so we figured no toys this time. But my mom said she'd get the fish since she had no clue what to get him. Cool beans. So the other day, we got the tank and then the fish came after to give time for the water to de-chlorinate. I picked out 2 freshwater angel fish because it reminded me of "Gill" in Finding Nemo. He happens to be obsessed with that movie which is fine with me. I'm SO OVER watching Spiderman 1, 2, and 3! Moving along. So we took the 2 home and did as the saleslady instructed. So far so good. Until about 12:30 a.m. J woke up because he had to go into work at 3 :00 and woke me with what he discovered. This is how it went (from what I can remember anyway):

J: Iris.

me: what?

J: One of the fish is dead.

me: what?

J: Is a fish supposed to swim on it's side?

me: what? no. i don't know. it's not dead. leave me alone.

J: you sure?

me: yeah! shut up and let me sleep!

An hour later.....

J: Iris.

me: what?!

J: It's dead. It's on it's side at the bottom of the tank.

me: (grunting)

J: You want me to take it out and flush it?

me: no, I can return it.

J: Cool. Want me to take it out?

me: no, I'll do it. crap.

So yeah. I had to take the poor feller out, put it in a plastic bag and into the "morgue" (the refrigerator) it went, so I could return it. Good thing they have a 15 day guarantee. And so we got a brand-spankin' new one that just arrived this morning from the waters of South America. Too bad I don't know the exact cause of death. Homicide? Possibly. Suicide? Maybe. If this new one turns belly up too, I'm going to have to go with the first. Man I hope this one lives! Well both of them or else I'll be really depressed. Esaias probably won't mind because that means another trip to the pet store and drive mommy crazy! Woohoo!

down memory lane

My lil man turned 3 years old today. I know how everyone says the same ol' saying "It feels just like yesterday when I gave birth and held him in my arms." Well, it does. I don't realize how fast he's grown until I look at pictures of him over the last 3 years. The "monkey face" he would make when he was a baby. His first time sitting, walking, and taste of a popsicle. And today while he was playing away with this Spongebob game at Dave & Busters, did it hit me that he's going to one day be a grown man in this crazy world we live in, have a family of his own, and go through whatever obstacles may come his way. I want him to take his childhood by the horns and have a blast! It saddens me to see how a lot of kids nowadays try to grow up too fast. I on the other hand, am still a kid at heart and plan on staying that way!

Today has made me think of my own childhood and reminisce of the good ol days when I didn't have a care in the world! Not all of it was happy-go-lucky, but it's the good ones that I hold on to. Sometimes it seems so long ago that it could have all been a dream, until a familiar smell in the air of cherry flavored tobacco and I'm back at grandpa's and tutu's house in Kailua. Or the smell of "swimming pool" that brings me back to when my sis, our bestest and one of our oldest buds Mischa, and I would walk to the local pool. And after about 5 fun-filled hours of Marco Polo and "who can hold their breath underwater longer", we would walk our sunburned bodies to Taco Bell or Jack in the Box to get a drink we would all share, and play some "ice hockey" on the tables. We got in trouble once for doing that. heehee! I would have to say alot of my favorite childhood memories were from living and visiting my grandparents in Oahu. My tutu was an artist and so we always had access to art supplies to play with. Once during one of our many barbecues, Kat, Mischa, and I decided to make the lower level of the house an "art gallery" and so we drew all kinds of pictures for the display. To this day, I still get teased for my "Dorky of Oz" picture. I hate you guys. Nah, you know I love ya! One afternoon with painted faces, we made scary faces at drivers down busy Oneawa Street. I'm surprised we didn't cause any accidents that day. What a bunch or dorks. So many happy days of going to the beach, buying Sanrio at Liberty House, "panty hunts", barbie doll soap operas, and playing detective, will forever be locked away in a special place in my memory.

And of course I had very memorable moments on Kaua'i as well. Voting season was always fun! Holding signs and waving for Cayetano, Hirano, Kouchi, and whatever candidate signs happened to be posted by our house without permission. It was hilarious to see the confused faces of passersby. Our backyard was abundant with a variety of vegetables. We could've had a stand at the farmers market! There was corn, sweet potato, papaya, peanuts, eggplant, ginger, starfruit, avocado, jackfruit, typical filipino spread of malunggay, saluyot, and some kind of something that I still to this day, am not sure what it was. All I knew it was good for was throwing at cars that drove on the highway. They were a little larger than dates so don't be so appalled! Something I really miss was riding our bikes after school and stopping by the 7-eleven to get our Big Gulp and Big Hunk fix. But we always had to be home by 5:00 to cook rice. Good times.

Now I'm an adult and the life of bills, responsibility, picking up after the family has taken over! But it's okay. I love my family. I have some great memories to look back on, and new ones to make with my son. Happy birthday lil guy!

morning.

migraine. 1 aspirin. 2 aspirins. coffee. damnit. no creamer. no good. milk? ugh. i guess. no choice. need sleep. more sleep! pain leaving. good. arm itchy. scratch. yawn. close eyes. coffee. eck. more milk. sip. better. sigh. close eyes. rub ear. pimple?? what the?! ew. sigh. laugh. coffee. grunt. sigh. laundry. damnit. dishes. damnit. breakfast. damnit. dog barking. damnit. mornings. DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!

lobster and linguine

So J brought some lobster home the other night. He knows the way to my heart. I wanted to cook up something with the lobster tail meat and so came the linguine. Here is my recipe, which may I add, can also be used with crab, mussels, or any other seafood your stomach desires. I'm not big on measurements like, teaspoon, tablespoon, yada yada yada. Unless it involves baking or ingredients with very strong flavors. I do apologize for the picture. I could've presented it better but i'm a hungry girl. This dish is simple, yet plate lickin good.

(for 1-2 servings)
1 lobster tail (cooked in the shell, then cut into chunks)
olive oil
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
crushed red pepper flakes
pinch of kosher salt
freshly grated parmesan
linguine
lemon wedge

1. Boil water and cook linguine until al dente.
2. In pan, heat oil, add garlic and cook til slightly tender. Do NOT cook til brown or will have a slightly bitter taste. Unless you like that then go right ahead.
3. Add crushed red pepper to bring out the heat of the pepper, then add the lobster meat, kosher salt. Saute for a minute.
4. Plate linguine and spoon lobster on top.
5. Squeeze out juice from lemon and grate parmesan all over.
6. Eat.

Buon appetito!

Saltimbanco

Entertaining. Colorful. Whimsical. That's what Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco was. Basically a much more lavish circus minus the animals. The flamboyant and overly charismatic characters overtook the stage with such dedication to the part they played, delighting the audience and personally, kind of freaking me out to be honest. I think the faceless masks a.k.a. vers masques, reminded me of some off-the-wall dreams and haunting movies that made me not want to make too much eye contact when one would stare right at me. Oh yeah, I sat at the second to the front row. So pretty close. I have to give props to the costume designers for a hint of the circus look but with a twist of eccentricity. A multi-colored afro, a red nose, and over sized floppy loafers just wouldn't do justice to the story that was being told by the these extremely gifted performers. I guess I call it a story because even though there were various acts throughout the show, the ringmaster, the sleeper, and the child-like "street clowns" were always present. Saltimbanco is the oldest of all the Cirque du Soleil's shows. The vibrant colors, whimsicality, pulled you into their dreamlike world, giving me a happy but kind of uneasy feeling. Once again, the faceless masks. The mime, Russian twins on swings, boleadoras, and artistic bicyclist were my favorite acts. Oh, and not to mention the two, and may I add, HOT gymnasts. The two men could balance themselves on one another defying gravity and using every muscle of their being to do things I didn't even think were possible. Kind of like super heroes, minus the fighting crime.
But what brought me back to reality during the show was the girl who had attempted 3 times to swing up in the air and land on a man's shoulders who may I add, was balancing on a 10 foot pole, but didn't. The audience's reassuring and "it's ok" clap didn't make up for it. Her face that was full of smiles previous, had now looked like someone told her her dog had died. And if it did, my condolences. During the rest of the show, the LIFE had completely drained from her painted face.
And another interruption was my mother in a loud whisper, "it's Joe the plumber". Referring to a bald "man's man" that was pulled up on stage by the most talented mime I have seen. He really got into the part on stage and made the audience roar with laughter, putting a smile on my face the entire time. There's a special place in my heart for tough guys who act like little kids.
And so goes my Friday night. Saltimbanco in Italian "to jump on a bench", was a sight to see. Merci you kooky french acrobats for a fantastic show!

rainy days and mondays

"Rainy days and Mondays always bring me dooown! " I hear ya Karen. This entry is of nothing remotely exciting so stop reading if you are afraid of being sucked into my....i can't even think of the words i'm so braindead. Let's just say I have no energy whatsoever, so i'm pretty pissed at the two cups of coffee I downed about, oh, 5 hours ago that hasn't kicked in yet. All it did was give me a trip to the bathroom. So thanks. Thanks for NOTHING! Okay, alittle too much info. but whatev.

The temperature is now at 40 degrees, compared to the 75 degree weather we had yesterday. What...the...hell....I was so looking forward to wearing my slippers again, but no. Mother nature had other plans for us. Like my mom always says, "mother nature is having a hot flashes." Notice how i typed "a hot flashes"??? My mom is from the Philippines and so some things don't come out quite right, but God love her she tries.

So what have I been doing today aside from loafing and keeping my toddler entertained at the same time? Well i've been experimenting with this Photoshop thing. Very interesting...and confusing. I pretty much got the jist of most features, but still confused with others. Like i'm trying to customize a header for this blog page of mine, but i'm having some technical difficulties. So instead i've been messing around with some pictures, like these seashells, to see what this bad boy can do. Oh the possibilities!
Well, there are a pile of dishes to be washed and a dryer full of laundry to be put away. If only I had super powers to take of everything in a blink of an eye! And stop global warming. And fight crime. Oh, and find Bin Laden of course.

bonjour!

I have now officially entered "blogger world". Blog. What a wierd word. It took me a while to figure out how to customize things to my liking and it's not quite there yet. So over time, things will change. I have quite an eclectic and wishy-washy nature, so I never seem to be completely satisfied with the look of things. It's a curse! An example, it took me a month to decide exactly what fabric I wanted to reupholster a chair with. And all I needed was a yard and a half. Sad, but true. I think working at an upholstery shop drowned with thousands of fabric swatches and wall-to-wall remnants, caused this long ordeal. So when I finally ordered the damn thing, the chair had become termite infested while in storage. Crap. This is back when I was still living on Kaua'i. By the way, I tend to jump subjects so try to keep up. But I digress. I'm pretty excited about this because there's alot of thangs goin' on up in this brain of mine that I feel the need to share to the world. Or just to myself for my own amusement. And so, there will be talk of food, my life experiences, obsessions, and random thoughts. Hence the hodge-podge.