Ohio Time

We've been here in Cincinnati for more than a week now spending some quality time with Alex's family before we move on to China and UK. I am so glad that I made the decision to come down to visit with Alex before leaving for Vancouver. Because we are not gonna be able to see them quite as easy once we leave the country, I am glad to have the chance to bond with everybody some more.

Last week at Marge's, we spent a lot of time in her backyard pool in the afternoon. It's so relaxing since it has been above 90s every day in Cincinnati. We visited Cera's house and had quality baby time in the play room with my little boyfriend Jack Jack (tee hee hee). That play room reminded me of all these crazy ideas that I wanted to do with my own baby's room. Designing for children is quite challenging but so much fun!

Somebody is trying to cuddle...

Marge also brought us to supposedly the BEST restaurant in Cincinnati - Orchids at Palm Court. Over all dishes were not bad except my fish was a little over cooked, but the service was exceptional. They take off the bill of the fish and did not charge anything for our desserts. There aren't many fine dinning would do this for there mistakes nowadays.

Sunday we came back to Alex's dad's house for Mimi and the girl's be lated birthday party. I love all the Peffly gatherings because there are always so much LOVEEEEE. And I love to see all the little humans running around the house☺. When playing with the kids in the basement. I found this little book that Alex wrote when he was 11. The book is called "Lost". It is about the two brothers, Peter and Jake, adventure in the woods. The book was made with proper cover and back cover, and also illustrations in several pages!! It's the CUTEST thing!

Then it was HOT POT DAY!! I am so proud to introduced our "greatest culinary culture" to the the family! My all time favorite hot pot! We went to the Asian market to shop for ingredients and I especially picked some of the interesting textured food for the hot pot dinner. And OF COURSE I made my special secret sauce! They loved it and we had it for two days in a row!! It's just heaven for me. I was glad that they all LOVED it!!

My stomach has not been resting. After two day of hot pot, Alex made Creme Brulee last night!! And his also making dinner tonight!! I love it when bear cooks!

Now something totally irrelevant. I FINALLY GOT MY NEW HEADPHONES by Urbanears. There are so many colors to choose from, but we got the black and white. Pretty comfortable so much better than my ear plugs I hate!

One Time Weakling

So many things had happened since the last time I updated my blog. Every time when I start a new entry, I feel glad that although I am so lazy about blogging, I never give it up. Because there are so many things that I don't want to forget.

So Pitchfork was last weekend. It was my first Pitchfork and probably going to be my last. I bought my 3 day ticket, but I was only able to make it to the first day, and not even till the last band. I was escorted to the emergency tent by Alex, put on an oxygen mask, and then the ambulance and being speed to the hospital. I don't really want to think and talk about the details, because anything about the hospital makes me dizzy. I was diagnosed to have agoraphobia. I was shocked, but relieved at the same time. Because for so many years, I didn't know why I always feel low on oxygen or feeling nauseous in any concerts or festivals. Now the mystery is solved. I thought I would be cured immediately.

At Pitchfork Emergency Tent

However, the panic attack started again 2 days ago when I was in the subway station. We were suppose to go to a movie, but we returned home instead. I was really upset about it. For the first time, I feel like a coward. A real one. There is nothing wrong with me physically. Everything was in my brain. I made myself sick. I am scared of the subway?? Are you kidding me? I have so many places that I wanna go. I cannot afford to be fear of any kind of transportations.

I used to think that any kinda of phobia is non-sense. Just some people trying to be dramatic. I was so wrong. It is horrible to have a panic attack. Feels like a heart attack. It's scary. Since the attack happen in the subway station. I cannot stop thinking about it. All the time I am just being anxious that would happen again. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. Today morning it took me 2 hours to decide whether I should go get my cup of coffee. I went eventually. And I came home safe. But the whole way to the coffee shop, I was trying so hard to find things to distract me. It was only a 3 min. walk from my apartment to the coffee place. I felt like a hero when I returned home.

I hate it every time when Alex tease me saying that I am a weakling... So I am going to fight with this bullshit phobia.

I also feel bad for Alex because he had to give up the funs because of me. He was not able to watch Animal Collective or the movie that he always wanted to go to because of me. I feel like a bad person because of that...

Alex is in his colorado trip to visit his friend Grant. I sure feel weird and ... a little bit scared that he is not here ( GOD I AM SUCH A WEAKLING). But I will try to stay ...normal. I am going to have a get together with some friends tonight. And I hope I will arrive and return without any dramatic incidence. May be I will take a taxi.

SUN-MER

The Peffly Family Reunion

I went to my first Peffly Reunion, and it's probably the best. It was hosted at one of Alex's uncles, uncle Ed's "mansion" at Chesapeake bay. I am sure everybody had SOOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN. Basically sun and pool everyday plus some soccer, hot tub, water balloon tossing, great food, billiards, crabbing, and jet ski.

Tahlia!

Jazzie!

Floating Lanterns!!!

Uncle Al and Jack Jack

White House and The GANG

White House and the Chinese Gang

My Bear

Last picture of the trip

Pier

The mansion we stayed

SICK

It was a great LONGGGGG weekend since I couldn't wait to get out of the office for a long time. However, I had some pretty miserable days right after we got back from DC. Back pain, muscle pain, headache, dehydration, swollen burning eyes, fever and carpal tunnel. It was not fun. And I had to go to work carrying all those diseases. I felt lucky to have my giant bear here taking care of me everyday no matter how whiny I was. I really don't like feeling sick man.

New APT Rearrangement

It is our last 2 weeks in chicago. The packing has start awhile ago, though we are still trying to get rid of a lot of stuff. We have rearranged our apt. layout. Our living room is now our bedroom and our bedroom is now the storage and crap room. We are loving this new layout coz the giant projection screen is right in front of the bed! What else can be better.

Games Fever

Alex bought this game on PS3 and said that I would love it. AND I DID! It's call Castle Crashers. We've spent an entire weekend in bed crashing castles. GOD that was nice! Check it out. It's awesome.

Tiny Tower, an i-phone game, is also very addicting. It's kinda dumb, but ... I've played dumber. So if you like cute, brainless games. TRY!

FOOD

Went to some pretty interesting restaurant lately. I don't think I've mentioned about The Publican. We went there for brunch awhile ago. It's just the BEST! It's hard to get reservation for dinner there. So at least I tired the brunch. It's the best, the bacon. Really.

Chicago Q is a restaurant went went for brunch this weekend (my favorite sunday activity of all time). It's a BBQ places basically. I am not a big meat person, but I came here and loved the place because its interior. It's very ... "modern southern." Food was not bad.

Outside of restaurants, the Taste of Chicago was going on before we visited DC. The food stands were a little disappointed, but it was a fun experiences with friends.

Food Tix!

I've been out of town and come home sick, so there aren't much cooking going on at home. But I made breakfast today! First monday out of work! YEY!

Roasted Portebello Mushroom and Garlic / Saute Corn and Sausage / Poached Egg

By the way, we have officially started our grad school applications. *Wink*

Better Times

My lucky man found some lucky left over money in his lucky casino piggy bank. So we went all the way to Horseshoe just to eat. I don't mind. I never refuse good restaurants. So here we go at Jack Binion's for our feast.

LAKE VIEW!

We ordered EVERYTHING.

Tiramisu

and desert. *wink*

And Also I finally get to try Gyu Kaku. It was ok. Really just ok. I don't know why people over rate it so much. It does not worth my one day salary for that fake japanese BBQ. However, the only that I appreciate was the s'more. So smart to bring it to the real table. It's basically the kind of peasant food I eat all the time when BBQ. You know, marshmallow and crackers.

S'more

Marshmallow on Melted Dark Chocolate and Cracker

Since I've started working at HH, I haven't been cooking as much. Because everyday when I come home from work, I became a cranky old biatch ( by Mr. AL). But bad deliveries are driving me crazy. Have I ever told you how much I hate it when my starving stomach is stuffed with ugly food, like ... shitty chicken or shitty shushi (kinda thing). Hence, I started making easy food, or pre-marinate stuff the night, or few nights before. When I came home from work cranky, I don't need to do much but put things on the pan and wait till they are no longer raw.

Atlantic Cod & Mushroom

Tomato "Egg Flower" Soup

Lemongrass Pork Chop with Sizzling Green Onion Oil

Hot and Sweet Grass Noodles

Lettuce with Sweet Soy Sauce

( This is my ALL TIME FAV. dish. The easiest dish to make on earth!

BUT there is a secret to it to make it a favorite. )

Alrighty enough of food. Talk about something serious. I gave myself a rule - minimum of three pages of sketch/idea book everyday. Feel good picking up the pencils and brushes again.

Also we have been very on to this detective movie video games. Alex bought both the L.A Noire and the Heavy Rain. L.A Noire is life wasting. But O.M.G. Heavy Rain is OH. SO. AWESOME. Go get it or die. I am not kidding.

Our Projector Screen. O' YEAH.