Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Merry Christmas!
In the Bleak Midwinter is a poem written by Christina Rossetti (1872). Ever since our high school choir performed the version set by Harold Darke, this has become my favourite Christmas carol. Wishing you a peaceful Christmas eve with this beautiful song.
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Blacksheep Inn - December 9, 2010
My very first live music shoot at the Sheep. It was a CD release party for an Ottawa musician, Gerry Wall. Lighting was strange but it was fun to try something new. So nice of my friend to let me tag along!
For more photos please follow this link.
For more photos please follow this link.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Bon Week-end!
Thank you daddy, for changing our tires.
Thank you mommy, for making enough apple chips that Ican must share.
Thank you sissy, for sharing your home.
Thank you David, for sharing your wife.
Thank you Mellie, for sharing your time.
Thank you Carolyn, for thinning the life outta my hair.
Thank you 爺爺 & 媽媽, for home-cooked goodies.
Thank you, Dr. Himm for your courage and sharing.
Thank you Sam & Co., for catching up.
I am thankful for the past weekend.
Thank you mommy, for making enough apple chips that I
Thank you sissy, for sharing your home.
Thank you David, for sharing your wife.
Thank you Mellie, for sharing your time.
Thank you Carolyn, for thinning the life outta my hair.
Thank you 爺爺 & 媽媽, for home-cooked goodies.
Thank you, Dr. Himm for your courage and sharing.
Thank you Sam & Co., for catching up.
I am thankful for the past weekend.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Happy Birthday
An Old box of photographs. A classic car from yesteryear. Stinky cheese and vintage wine. Some things in life just get better with age. | |
 | |
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Prince Edward County - Part 2
To expand on our eating extravaganza from part 1 (follow me!), here is part 2 of Prince Edward County.
We didn’t follow the Taste Trail but used it as a rough guide. (By the way I'll put up all the links in the next post.)
Day 1 - Miss Lily’s Café was the first place we saw coming into Picton. Kel was hungry and I was intrigued by the black and white checkered tiles. Attached to the Picton Bookstore (great store!), this Café serves up hot drinks, sandwiches and salads. The interior is bright and sunny and the alcove at the back makes for a perfect afternoon hideout. My hot chocolate took an unusually long time to make, but man it was so yummy and well blended - totally worth the wait.
Next (literally 20 minutes later) we stopped at the Buddha Dog, which offers snack size hot dogs with unique toppings and local cheeses. I asked for my server’s favourite combo and my topping was a wine reduction something something sauce with coat cheese. I stopped listening when I heard goat cheese. It was so good! I kept repeating that sentence hours after I finished my dog. As a bonus, the interior has a beautiful hand drawn map of The County on a blackboard wall. Local, tasty, and affordable – I wish they’d come to Ottawa! $2.50 for a delicious dog.
Since we were staying at the inn, we decided to try the restaurant at Angéline's. Kelvin had the taster’s menu and I ordered à la carte. I was impressed even though there were glitches with my order. I started with the Soup Trio and one of the three soups was too salty. I didn’t say anything but the waitress noticed that I finished everything except the split pea and ham, so she asked me if something was wrong (I told her). She returned minutes later with a full serving of the yellow cauliflower soup (so gentle and flavourful!) and was genuinely apologetic. My main arrived and I thought I had ordered the mushroom linguine but there seemed to be meat on my dish. I took a bite and it was good so I didn’t let my bad memory get in the way of my happy tummy. I joked about it with the waitress and she confirmed my dish was the linguine, left and I thought that was that. A little later, she returned with the menu and actually the chef had made a mistake. There were two linguine dishes and he gave me the one with venison. She offered to make what I ordered or I could enjoy the rest and she’d charge me the vegetarian dish price. Our waitress took the initiative to investigate my order even though I didn’t specifically ask her to. Good food and great service. Mains are around $25. For one of those splurge meals, I recommend this as an option.
Day 2 – We went to a three wineries/breweries and one cheese factory. Because this was off-season and we didn’t sign up with a food/wine tour package, the tours were basically all closed to the general public. One of the wineries we visited was Huffs Estates. What a fun little place. For breakfast we had one round (3 shot glasses worth) of tasting, a condensed tour of the facilities and then visited their art exhibit. Yeah, this winery has an art gallery and also an inn. I was impressed by their staff, just really professional and down to earth – people who take pride in their work are always impressive.
We decided to be adventurous with our lunch choice. I won’t mention the name here but I can definitely see why it wasn’t listed on the Taste Trail. The waitress kind of scared me but at least we tried something off the trail!
For dinner we didn’t feel like fine dining again. Our B&B hosts recommended the Waring House and The Acoustic Grill for burgers flare with live music. We decided to try the latter (missed the turn for the Waring House heehee). I was skeptical because this looked like your average (bad) over-priced pub food joint, and this one had a cheesy welcome message: Cool tunes, great food, bad coffee! Off we went since I didn’t feel like turning around. We were welcomed by a very friendly and genuine server, who I found out later, was the owner.
The first thing Kelvin noticed was the blackboard drawing. I guess the gigantic iphone advertising the pub’s app caught his eye. What caught my attention was their large selection of local beer, on tap to boot. I especially enjoyed the Wellington County Ale. Rich flavours and smooth, perfect with my pulled park sweet potato fries poutine. Kelvin ordered the bangers and mash (so manly!) and it was “hearty and substantial”. Haha what a review Kel! The live music started early (around 7:30 pm ) and the place filled up steadily with couples, girlfriends, even a family with a kid around 8 or 9 yrs old. The Acoustic Grill gets top marks for their food, beer selection, and atmosphere!
Day 3 – For our final meal in The County, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast made by our B&B hosts. It wasn’t fancy by any means, but from the table setting to the small cut fruit pieces, you could see how much care was put into the meal. As E would say, “it was made with love”.
That concludes Chubby’s food thoughts from The County. Oink! Oink!
Stay tuned for the third and final chapter on PEC.
Taken with an iphone. Not bad.
Part of the series, Banquet of Consequences, by Canadian painter, J.T. Winik.
When I realized I couldn't afford to take any of the paintings home.
We didn’t follow the Taste Trail but used it as a rough guide. (By the way I'll put up all the links in the next post.)
Day 1 - Miss Lily’s Café was the first place we saw coming into Picton. Kel was hungry and I was intrigued by the black and white checkered tiles. Attached to the Picton Bookstore (great store!), this Café serves up hot drinks, sandwiches and salads. The interior is bright and sunny and the alcove at the back makes for a perfect afternoon hideout. My hot chocolate took an unusually long time to make, but man it was so yummy and well blended - totally worth the wait.
Next (literally 20 minutes later) we stopped at the Buddha Dog, which offers snack size hot dogs with unique toppings and local cheeses. I asked for my server’s favourite combo and my topping was a wine reduction something something sauce with coat cheese. I stopped listening when I heard goat cheese. It was so good! I kept repeating that sentence hours after I finished my dog. As a bonus, the interior has a beautiful hand drawn map of The County on a blackboard wall. Local, tasty, and affordable – I wish they’d come to Ottawa! $2.50 for a delicious dog.
Since we were staying at the inn, we decided to try the restaurant at Angéline's. Kelvin had the taster’s menu and I ordered à la carte. I was impressed even though there were glitches with my order. I started with the Soup Trio and one of the three soups was too salty. I didn’t say anything but the waitress noticed that I finished everything except the split pea and ham, so she asked me if something was wrong (I told her). She returned minutes later with a full serving of the yellow cauliflower soup (so gentle and flavourful!) and was genuinely apologetic. My main arrived and I thought I had ordered the mushroom linguine but there seemed to be meat on my dish. I took a bite and it was good so I didn’t let my bad memory get in the way of my happy tummy. I joked about it with the waitress and she confirmed my dish was the linguine, left and I thought that was that. A little later, she returned with the menu and actually the chef had made a mistake. There were two linguine dishes and he gave me the one with venison. She offered to make what I ordered or I could enjoy the rest and she’d charge me the vegetarian dish price. Our waitress took the initiative to investigate my order even though I didn’t specifically ask her to. Good food and great service. Mains are around $25. For one of those splurge meals, I recommend this as an option.
Day 2 – We went to a three wineries/breweries and one cheese factory. Because this was off-season and we didn’t sign up with a food/wine tour package, the tours were basically all closed to the general public. One of the wineries we visited was Huffs Estates. What a fun little place. For breakfast we had one round (3 shot glasses worth) of tasting, a condensed tour of the facilities and then visited their art exhibit. Yeah, this winery has an art gallery and also an inn. I was impressed by their staff, just really professional and down to earth – people who take pride in their work are always impressive.
We decided to be adventurous with our lunch choice. I won’t mention the name here but I can definitely see why it wasn’t listed on the Taste Trail. The waitress kind of scared me but at least we tried something off the trail!
For dinner we didn’t feel like fine dining again. Our B&B hosts recommended the Waring House and The Acoustic Grill for burgers flare with live music. We decided to try the latter (missed the turn for the Waring House heehee). I was skeptical because this looked like your average (bad) over-priced pub food joint, and this one had a cheesy welcome message: Cool tunes, great food, bad coffee! Off we went since I didn’t feel like turning around. We were welcomed by a very friendly and genuine server, who I found out later, was the owner.
The first thing Kelvin noticed was the blackboard drawing. I guess the gigantic iphone advertising the pub’s app caught his eye. What caught my attention was their large selection of local beer, on tap to boot. I especially enjoyed the Wellington County Ale. Rich flavours and smooth, perfect with my pulled park sweet potato fries poutine. Kelvin ordered the bangers and mash (so manly!) and it was “hearty and substantial”. Haha what a review Kel! The live music started early (around 7:30 pm ) and the place filled up steadily with couples, girlfriends, even a family with a kid around 8 or 9 yrs old. The Acoustic Grill gets top marks for their food, beer selection, and atmosphere!
Day 3 – For our final meal in The County, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast made by our B&B hosts. It wasn’t fancy by any means, but from the table setting to the small cut fruit pieces, you could see how much care was put into the meal. As E would say, “it was made with love”.
That concludes Chubby’s food thoughts from The County. Oink! Oink!
Stay tuned for the third and final chapter on PEC.
Taken with an iphone. Not bad.
Part of the series, Banquet of Consequences, by Canadian painter, J.T. Winik.
When I realized I couldn't afford to take any of the paintings home.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Pumkpin Sunset
| There is a special time in our apartment, when for anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes something magical happens. I have been fortunate enough to catch this magic a few times. |
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Most Beautiful Basement
Nothing more perfect than my quiet corner with music and soup.
On the menu is cream of cauliflower. Alright alright it's sans cream so closer to cauliflower purée (baby food!?) but it's super yummy made from County grown florets.
A Song For You is playing. K isn't home so I can listen to it on indefinite loop. The Carpenters' version is still my favourite.
On the menu is cream of cauliflower. Alright alright it's sans cream so closer to cauliflower purée (baby food!?) but it's super yummy made from County grown florets.
A Song For You is playing. K isn't home so I can listen to it on indefinite loop. The Carpenters' version is still my favourite.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wendy weds Joel
On October 3, 2010, my dear friend Wendy married her sweetheart Joel. I went to the wedding solo and it was one of the best Toronto weekends in awhile. It was full of reminiscing and laughter, with those familiar faces and places from the my pre-Ottawa days.
Plane ticket prices were around the $600 mark so I tried to save money by taking the Greyhound. The last time I did that was probably 4 years ago. It wasn't the fastest but I remember it being not that bad. As soon as I stepped into the bus station I realized that my memory sucks! That, or I had lower standards as a student. hehehe. I get this funny "I'm home!" feeling as soon as the bus drives into the downtown core. During undergrad I had walked by that Dundas/Bay corner so many times. Ah, the stinky smell of downtown.
Breaking all traditions, Wendy surprised and sang to Joel as she walked down the aisle. Hats off to you, Wends! I can't think of a more creative and genuine (and did I say brave?) expression from a bride to groom. From every e-mail to the Skype rehearsals and even her bachelorette party, it was so obvious that Wendy's focus was not on herself or even just the wedding day. She was just so chill about everything. That girl is a rare gem.
After the crazy dancing (I NEVER dance but I did this time!) we headed out to Nuit Blanche. Was I tired? DEAD TIRED. But when I'm around the SO sisters and my own, they have the ability to make me do ridiculous things and act completely foolish. Winnie and I came home at around 4am and the rest of the group braved on till sunrise.
We even made it to church although someone was basically 'listening' with her eyes shut and mouth opened. I loved how my sister picked me up from the bus station and my parents dropped me off. We had time to stop by the Tim Horton's by Ryerson. I once ran in to grab coffee even though I was 10min late for an exam.
What a weekend - a new couple and some old memories. Loved it! Photos of the weekend on Flickr.
Plane ticket prices were around the $600 mark so I tried to save money by taking the Greyhound. The last time I did that was probably 4 years ago. It wasn't the fastest but I remember it being not that bad. As soon as I stepped into the bus station I realized that my memory sucks! That, or I had lower standards as a student. hehehe. I get this funny "I'm home!" feeling as soon as the bus drives into the downtown core. During undergrad I had walked by that Dundas/Bay corner so many times. Ah, the stinky smell of downtown.
Breaking all traditions, Wendy surprised and sang to Joel as she walked down the aisle. Hats off to you, Wends! I can't think of a more creative and genuine (and did I say brave?) expression from a bride to groom. From every e-mail to the Skype rehearsals and even her bachelorette party, it was so obvious that Wendy's focus was not on herself or even just the wedding day. She was just so chill about everything. That girl is a rare gem.
After the crazy dancing (I NEVER dance but I did this time!) we headed out to Nuit Blanche. Was I tired? DEAD TIRED. But when I'm around the SO sisters and my own, they have the ability to make me do ridiculous things and act completely foolish. Winnie and I came home at around 4am and the rest of the group braved on till sunrise.
We even made it to church although someone was basically 'listening' with her eyes shut and mouth opened. I loved how my sister picked me up from the bus station and my parents dropped me off. We had time to stop by the Tim Horton's by Ryerson. I once ran in to grab coffee even though I was 10min late for an exam.
What a weekend - a new couple and some old memories. Loved it! Photos of the weekend on Flickr.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Prince Edward County - Part 1
After a few weeks of busyness, we decided to abandon the regular routine for a weekend get-away. If you're a frequent user of the 401 Kingston/Belleville corridor, you've probably seen the Prince Edward County sign (lady holding the abundant basket). We have in fact passed the sign many times, plus E recommended it (she knows all the great food places), so we drove westward towards 'The County'.
Firstly I have to say driving (better yet, sitting next to the driver) in the Fall is amazing. We opted for the slightly longer but more scenic route, curving along the edge of Lake Ontario. What surprised me was the different types of fields, one right next to another. Lush green alternating with corn fields, one covered with wildflowers, and yet another filled with bare trees. I also realized how magnificent my eyes are compared with my camera equipment. The photos are nowhere close to the actual depth and the intricate subtlety in colours we saw.
I was impressed with The County's use of technology. Their tourism site has set up different types of interactive maps on google maps. I know, it's not rocket science, but it's pretty sweet that someone else has already done the work for me! One restaurant had its own app, and many of the little stores were using laptops as opposed to cash registers.
Food was great. Not great for a small town, but just plain great. Will expand further in the next post (here), but my tummy was happy on this trip. Happy tummy = Happy Jenny.
To conclude I will borrow K's saying: "Good food, great company, awesome trip!". So corny but true.
These photos have not been edited. The leaves and the clouds are really that crazy.
Firstly I have to say driving (better yet, sitting next to the driver) in the Fall is amazing. We opted for the slightly longer but more scenic route, curving along the edge of Lake Ontario. What surprised me was the different types of fields, one right next to another. Lush green alternating with corn fields, one covered with wildflowers, and yet another filled with bare trees. I also realized how magnificent my eyes are compared with my camera equipment. The photos are nowhere close to the actual depth and the intricate subtlety in colours we saw.
I was impressed with The County's use of technology. Their tourism site has set up different types of interactive maps on google maps. I know, it's not rocket science, but it's pretty sweet that someone else has already done the work for me! One restaurant had its own app, and many of the little stores were using laptops as opposed to cash registers.
Food was great. Not great for a small town, but just plain great. Will expand further in the next post (here), but my tummy was happy on this trip. Happy tummy = Happy Jenny.
To conclude I will borrow K's saying: "Good food, great company, awesome trip!". So corny but true.
These photos have not been edited. The leaves and the clouds are really that crazy.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Just a Beautiful Sunday
| I was looking forward to this weekend all week. It's been awhile since I've had a stay-in weekend dedicated to chores and projects, so I had a fair list of to-dos for today. But after the drive to and from Smiths Falls, the clouds and dueling blue/grey sky called me outward bound. |
 |
|
I hopped onto Kel's folding bike, did a few laps around our visitors parking area to make sure the bike wasn't going to collapse, and went on with my nature adventure! |  | |
My legs were working hard and a few hours later I arrived at a remote location where I was at one with nature. |  |
|
Wow it was so worth it to bike for all those hours! |  | |
ACTUALLY....this is just a 5min bike ride away from home. My building is behind those in the background. Photography can be deceiving, no? |  | |
Lots of people were feeding the ducks, swans and geese. I must have been seriously distracted by the gorgeous light, because when I look at the close-up shots of these birds now I'm getting nervous. |  | |
Honestly I was out for about 2 hours and I probably stopped for 20-30 minutes to take pictures and just enjoy the sounds and sight of a beautiful Sunday afternoon. |  | |
Did I accomplish what I had set out to do this weekend? Nope, not even close. |  |
But I can honestly say it has been time well spent. I hope you have a chance to check out your neighbourhood and discover something new and beautiful.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
The Amazing Mer Bleue
As the NCC suggests, Mer Bleue is truly amazing. One of my favourite destinations in Ottawa, this bog is only 20 minutes from home. The trails are nice but my favourite feature is the boardwalk. Unlike regular trails where you're surrounded by tall trees, the boardwalk allows visitors to experience nature in the open air. The entire boardwalk is only 1.5km so it is ideal for children or anyone who has difficulty with longer trails.
Highlights from today's visit include: introducing Solomon to Mer Bleue for the first time, bird feeding/watching, and falling into the bog. Don't worry, all 5 toes on my left foot are intact.
Click here for more photos of this magical place.
Highlights from today's visit include: introducing Solomon to Mer Bleue for the first time, bird feeding/watching, and falling into the bog. Don't worry, all 5 toes on my left foot are intact.
Click here for more photos of this magical place.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Fall Time in Ottawa
There's elegance in all You create.
Your grand designs leave us amazed.
The wonders of the way we've been made,
Speak of Your power,
And tell of Your grace.
So what am I gonna do with this life You gave me?
What could I do but live for Your praise?
(Lyrics from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - By: Matt and Beth Redman)
Your grand designs leave us amazed.
The wonders of the way we've been made,
Speak of Your power,
And tell of Your grace.
So what am I gonna do with this life You gave me?
What could I do but live for Your praise?
(Lyrics from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made - By: Matt and Beth Redman)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Happy Mother's Day!
I didn't realize K took a photo of this until I saw it on his laptop today.
This was my first necklace that I ever made.
Was this from when I was 5? Nope, this is from April this year. Haha!!
Happy Mother's Day, 媽咪.
This was my first necklace that I ever made.
Was this from when I was 5? Nope, this is from April this year. Haha!!
Happy Mother's Day, 媽咪.
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Crane and the Peacock
THE CRANE ALOFT SURVEYS THE WORLD..
THE EARTHBOUND PEACOCK STRUTS AND BOASTS
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/monuments/monument_info.php?monId=1145
I headed to Wallack's for some supplies after work, then just kept walking towards the general direction of home. My plan was to hop on the bus on the other side of the street, as soon as the traffic lights on my side turned red. For the first 45min the lights were all green, so I just kept going. When one finally changed to red I decided I was having too much fun to stop.
An hour and 15min later I was rewarded by this view:
THE EARTHBOUND PEACOCK STRUTS AND BOASTS
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/monuments/monument_info.php?monId=1145
I headed to Wallack's for some supplies after work, then just kept walking towards the general direction of home. My plan was to hop on the bus on the other side of the street, as soon as the traffic lights on my side turned red. For the first 45min the lights were all green, so I just kept going. When one finally changed to red I decided I was having too much fun to stop.
An hour and 15min later I was rewarded by this view:
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The Waiting Game
Sorry for being MIA for so long. I've been crafting, cooking and patiently waiting for my new friend. I can't wait to meet baby Jee!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Hong Kong: Day 3
I lived in HK until I was about 10yrs. My world then was made up of my parents, my sister, my school friends and the occasional conflict between these elements. Life was simple and I had no need to distinguish Hong Kong as rich, poor, modern, or any other labels. It was simply home.
My last visit was about 8 years ago. On that trip, the Hong Kong I experienced was a fast-paced metropolis. I was impressed with the advanced transportation system and of course the newest electronic gadgets. The trip was only a week long and I stayed with the same relatives. Naturally I experienced HK life as my relatives did. I lived in an expensive residential area close to the business district, with easy access to luxury goods stores and posh restaurants.
This time around something new struck me. My idea of this wealthy and prosperous city was slowly breaking down, as we wandered into some new (to me) neighbourhoods. Although this was the place where I was born, I felt like I was discovering a city for the first time.
Sham Shui Po (深水埗). I'll talk more about these buildings in future posts.
鴨寮街, I love this street. It's all electronics, parts, randomness.
This street is dedicated to wholesalers of toys, stationery, accessories, basically the cute and useless stuff they sell at Asian stores, at 1/10 of the price. I was very intrigued (c'mon an entire street of funny trinkets!) but no I didn't spend a dime here. There was a store filled with fake guns and war memorabilia. It scared me.
LOL!
Kelvin's uncle W on the left. He seemed to know a lot of people in this neighbourhood, such as this shop owner.
We ate lunch about 2hrs ago. In HK you never really stop eating. Here we are in a typical "tea restaurant".
Kelvin's auntie E and family. If you see something craft-looking in this picture, she made it. Some people are interested in crafts but auntie E is truly gifted. From delicate rice-sized clay models to shadowboxes made out of hundreds of paper layers, her house is filled with truly unique handiwork. On top of her creations, she uses her gift to teach and connect with the community. A lady who is inspired and inspiring.
We had dinner that night with my mom's side of the family to celebrate aunt S' birthday. I don't know how but she looks younger and younger every time I see her. Uncle W looks just like my mom. Haha!
The black stick figures represent our aunts and uncles that were in Hong Kong during our visit. Add our cousins, their spouses, the kids, and this picture suddenly multiplies like wild fire. In the next few posts, you'll meet some colourful lovelies, known to us as family.
My last visit was about 8 years ago. On that trip, the Hong Kong I experienced was a fast-paced metropolis. I was impressed with the advanced transportation system and of course the newest electronic gadgets. The trip was only a week long and I stayed with the same relatives. Naturally I experienced HK life as my relatives did. I lived in an expensive residential area close to the business district, with easy access to luxury goods stores and posh restaurants.
This time around something new struck me. My idea of this wealthy and prosperous city was slowly breaking down, as we wandered into some new (to me) neighbourhoods. Although this was the place where I was born, I felt like I was discovering a city for the first time.
Sham Shui Po (深水埗). I'll talk more about these buildings in future posts.
鴨寮街, I love this street. It's all electronics, parts, randomness.
This street is dedicated to wholesalers of toys, stationery, accessories, basically the cute and useless stuff they sell at Asian stores, at 1/10 of the price. I was very intrigued (c'mon an entire street of funny trinkets!) but no I didn't spend a dime here. There was a store filled with fake guns and war memorabilia. It scared me.
LOL!
Kelvin's uncle W on the left. He seemed to know a lot of people in this neighbourhood, such as this shop owner.
We ate lunch about 2hrs ago. In HK you never really stop eating. Here we are in a typical "tea restaurant".
Kelvin's auntie E and family. If you see something craft-looking in this picture, she made it. Some people are interested in crafts but auntie E is truly gifted. From delicate rice-sized clay models to shadowboxes made out of hundreds of paper layers, her house is filled with truly unique handiwork. On top of her creations, she uses her gift to teach and connect with the community. A lady who is inspired and inspiring.
We had dinner that night with my mom's side of the family to celebrate aunt S' birthday. I don't know how but she looks younger and younger every time I see her. Uncle W looks just like my mom. Haha!
The black stick figures represent our aunts and uncles that were in Hong Kong during our visit. Add our cousins, their spouses, the kids, and this picture suddenly multiplies like wild fire. In the next few posts, you'll meet some colourful lovelies, known to us as family.
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