superconnected

New Year's resolutto

2012-01-06T20:08:00.001-08:00

I'm refraining from making a long list of all the things I wish to do or be for the new year. I'm trading in my New Year's resolution for a New Year's motto. It's less restricting than a checklist and it won't make me feel disappointed when I'm not crossing things off at the end of the year. Resolutions set you up for failure. Resoluttos give you a guideline.

My 2012 resolutto: To act with awareness and purpose.

I think this covers a lot of things. Mostly, it's a reminder to not live passively...but to live with purpose and passion.

Passover some words of wisdom

2011-04-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

I attended a family seder on Monday, a Jewish tradition that I've been fortunate enough to take part in for the past 3 years. Arturo and I chatted over ancient maps that were displayed on the walls of his home. Each map symbolized where different parts of his family were from and where they are now. His story was a fascinating one telling the drastic emigrations of his parents, from Latvia to Uruguay, Uruguay to Western Canada - each move requiring a change of lifestyle and starting over in a foreign country. His father, whom was a medical doctor, returned to school when he moved to Canada because medical licensing is different in each country. He loved what he did and wanted to continue to practice medicine. He was the oldest medical student in his school, at age 65. He practiced into his late 70's.

In the end, Arturo says to me, "It is extremely important to love what you do, it is unfortunate to be unhappy with your work when you spend so much of your life working. There are 3 key things to keep in mind when you want to succeed. Have common sense, be flexible, and gain skill set".

I have a couple of things to work on.

Here's some foolproof skincare advice

2011-03-09T19:04:00.000-08:00

I recently returned from a business trip in Reston, VA; a cute town where pedestrian crosswalks actually mean something to drivers. Our meetings had ended early so I stepped out to take walk down Market Street and paid a visit to the beauty supply store, Sephora.

As of late, I've started to pay a bit more attention to my skincare. As in, I've started to use moisturizer on a daily basis. Needless to say, I am completely clueless in this field as far what ingredients do what and what brand is worth the extra buck.

I had incidentally packed a bottle of lotion that baaarely had half a pump left and brought it all the way to VA ::doh:: Since I had time on my hands that day and there were few customers in the store, I sought the advice of their skincare expert. We had narrowed it down to a few potential products that I might have been happy with. Standing to my right was the skincare expert and randomly, a fellow Asian customer was standing to my left chiming in on the choices because she, too, was looking for a moisturizer. We looked like a small Asian focus group discussing moisturizers back and forth. I really did enjoy having her as a sounding board.

We were comparing 2 products in the end, Sephora's hydrating lotion ($22, no spf, smooth application, cute and modern looking pump bottle) and First Aid's 5 in 1 lotion ($38, small squeeze bottle, SPF 15, anti-aging magic). My main concern was the price. The other girl's concern was the price and SPF protection.

Her: 'Ahh, I don't know what to get, I like the Sephora one but I wish it had SPF'
Me: 'Are you outdoors that much?'
Her: 'Yea, I'm a student so I'm always walking around outside to get to class and I want SPF protection and I DON'T want my skin to get dark'
Me: 'Yea, but the other one is a bit too pricey'
Her: 'I don't know what to do...'
Me: 'How about...you buy the cheaper one and you take the $ that you would save, by not buying the expensive one, and buy an umbrella'

And that folks, is my foolproof skincare advice; no skincare expert needed.
Oh, and I ended up buying something completely different (and even less expensive) for myself.

Twitter: the good and the bad

2011-02-25T21:46:00.000-08:00

I love Twitter. It’s a shortcut way of ranting, sharing, or noting something. Too bad, when it’s all done and said in 140 characters or less, I am less inclined to go into detail about the story behind it via a blog entry. But when I’m in particular situations that encourage me to get some aspect of my life together (read: being stuck at the airport with a 2 hour delay and free internet), I find myself scrolling through old tweets to recount past events and the significance of a few that resulted in obscure one liners as place holders for stories that are so good, you need 141+ characters.

I attended a work conference this week, as if the poor data extraction from our site wasn’t already a bummer, I received a twitter request to follow from my ex. I can’t explain why little actions like these come around and still knock the wind out of me. I tried not to weigh the pros and cons too much before I exhaled and denied the request. I’m just not there yet and I don’t know if I’ll ever get there. I’m happy for you, can’t we just leave it at that and carry on with our lives? We’ve finally stopped the obligatory Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Birthday texts.

I was waiting for E to get out of the writing group so we could catch our cab to the airport. I scrolled through my apps and saw Q of the day. I opened it up in hopes for some food for thought and ironically, the question that popped up read: Where did you leave it off with your ex?

I don’t know where we left it off. Well that’s a lie, we left it off at me denying his request to follow my tweets. Prior to that, he texted to tell me his dog died (which I was truly sad about), and the time before, it was to return my old photos. In the back of my mind, I knew he was cleaning me out of his life. He was moving. You, generally, only return things when you’re cleaning out to move. He was physically and mentally moving on. I’ve moved on myself but there’s something about the definitive that irks me. I’ve found comfort in things fading into the background and when the past is reintroduced, I can’t help but be taken aback and a little defensive – didn’t we agree to not talk about it anymore?

Maybe I take it as an attack to my ego, that as Nat says, I wasn’t the one that made him. Perhaps I just hate the idea of letting people down. I want everyone in my life to be happy and when I cannot deliver, I feel I let myself down.

Anyhow, I inadvertently learned that you are engaged, so congratulations are in order. I'm not sure if that was your intention all along for me to come across this information but I like to believe it wasn't. I am happy for you, my longtime friend so cheers to you and your future family. A toast from me to you and your champagne life.

2010-11-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

I'll keep this front up for as long as I can.
In the mean time, this sadness is eating me from the inside.
I'm just sorry I can't be stronger.

Keep Calm and Carry On

2010-11-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

My dad called today to tell me he was leaving this Friday. It's the usual 2 day notice that I am granted and nothing more. I won't be seeing him for another 2 months. As his last obligatory words as a father before he departs (and don't hear from until he's back), he advised me to put aside some 'me time' and invest in my well being. I think this is something that I've been needing to hear from him, someone who has been part witness of this hell of a time... acknowledgment that I've been put through quite the pandemonium as of late. I haven't slept in what feels like weeks and I don't know how I'm going to reclaim all the time lost.

I think my brother is going to be okay for now. I've devoted more time to his healthcare than I have ever invested in my own...yet I still feel like I can't do enough. Finding doctors of all specialties, occupational, physical, and speech therapists that take his insurance, making appointments, attending said appointments, working as an interpreter for my sister in law, following up with all the health care professionals while taking my own notes of his progress, getting in touch with social workers to learn what his options are, keeping the family in the know, visiting him in the hospital everyday for weeks during lunch and then after work, and working on exercises together. Understanding his needs, informing and keeping him focused. I've been fighting so hard for him but I'm realizing that there is no end and I am feeling defeated. There is no cure. There is just waiting for it to get worse and figuring out how to work around it.

What words of encouragement do you tell someone who is chronically ill, when you know it doesn't get easier? How can you tell someone how to live when their sight, hearing, and speech are disappearing simultaneously? We're no longer referencing Helen Keller at this point. Imagine you are someone who has experienced life through all your senses and is slowly being stripped of them. How about swallowing...lets take that away and put in a PEG tube; no food or water by mouth. And strength and balance. Mix in delayed cognition and mental blocks. Frost on years of pent up anger and not a tear shed. Finally, lets plant you in a family that does not sympathize because they refuse to understand the circumstances - not a soul to turn to, except a younger sister, someone you used to be the cool big brother of but now the tables have changed. This is my brother at age 35. Someone who understands that he doesn't not have the strength and thereby is too afraid to pick up his 2 year old and play with her. So he watches over her as she sleeps because it's his way of protecting her. And this is the best part of his day.

I am learning that I cannot force help on my brother...when he turns away Home Care and requests therapists to stop their visits - I cannot be there to monitor him every second of the day. Although, I am JC's proxy I need to come to terms with respecting his decisions even if they're, in my opinion, not the best ones.

As somewhat of a side note, I'm reminding myself not to complain about my situation or about my everyday life in general. If anything has changed, it has been my threshold of withstanding people complaining. Yea, I am tired but JC is more tired. Yea, you had a bad day but JC can't catch a break. When I hear people whine and bicker, I think of how small and self-centered their world is and it's infuriating and upsetting at the same time. Because there is always someone who has it worse than you and the truth is, you probably don't have to look too far to find that person. For me, it's just a matter of looking at a family photo.

L'uke

2010-10-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

It's been week 3 of learning the ukulele and I'm getting more excited each week as we learn new chords and progressions. Since I haven't found a career that I love yet, I've been able to divert my energy towards trying out new hobbies. But in general, I'm obsessed with learning new things.

Asides from a couple of years of piano that I took in my early teens to appease my parents, I have no musical capabilities at all (I have forgotten everything since then). And since the uke is only 4 chords compared to the 6 chords of the guitar...it's gotta be at least 1/3 easier, right? I'm so smart.

My class is at the NYC Guitar School located in midtown. Everyone walking in and out of the building has such a cool laid back vibe - no pretentiousness, just a love and appreciation for learning string instruments. I was a bit concerned that my attention span would prevent me from sticking around for the entire 10 weeks but Asha had signed up with me so it's nice to have some company as motivation.

So I'm playing a soprano right now, it's the tiniest form of a ukulele. I had purchased it off of ebay but I'm thinking of investing in another of better quality (and a fun pineapple shape) - mostly because my teacher had indirectly suggested that mine was pretty lame. When going around the class and helping the students tune their instruments on the first day, he had complimented everyone's choice of 'a good brand' or 'great quality' but when he saw mine, he said flatly: '...and some ukuleles need to be tuned more often than others'; and moved on.

All in all, it's a great way to invest an hour a week towards myself. I'm already looking forward to learning guitar eventually...so then I can take Brazilian Basics. THAT sounds amazing.

A photo of the restroom door at school:

Yours in rock...Mary.

2010-09-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

My grandfather was admitted into the ER last week after falling and losing consciousness for a brief moment. After getting bits of the full story together, I’ve been reminded once again of why I can never fully relax my nerves. Long story short, my grandfather may have a drinking problem which my uncle is contributing to – by (what I recently learned) secretly buying him liters of cheap vodka and telling him it is good for his health. In addition, he has had him sign life insurance papers so that when my grandfather passes away, the money will go to my uncle; the uncle who has disowned all of us - another all too long story.

Between coordinating my grandfather’s care in Amboy, finding a translator for him in the ambulance and at the hospital, keeping the rest of family up to date, and making my way down there to be by his side…I was exhausted. I’ve been caught in a whirlwind of family matters lately - after what felt like the dust was just settling. I'm distraught that none of my siblings put in any effort to help with the matter. My parents are half way across the globe and have not checked in with me. I'm sure they assumed if I couldn’t handle it myself, there was nothing they could do themselves. I guess they were right. But it's not alright.

I need a good paint session.

2010-09-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

I think my brother is dying. And I am the only one losing sleep over it. Because I am the only one not denying it. My body acknowledges the situation and it burst into tears without a warning.

I know it. And I hate this disease. I hate it I hate it I hate it to the core.

In transition

2010-08-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

The way my work days have been going, I am sure I will be hearing 'you look so different' as the first liner over and over from friends I haven't seen, which is unsettling...because the sensitivity of the subject, is still in effect.

I've decided that, all I need really, is assurance that I still look like my father's daughter...

Baking this little 'less than three' out

2010-07-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

In the confines of my home, I’ve been baking. Problem (or beauty...however which way you see it) with baking is…you have to measure ingredients out and follow instructions. I’m that person who because I cannot follow directions (including spatial ones, hence why I am always lost), I never produce the same product twice. Like those muffins I baked? Well, enjoy them now, because they’re never going to taste the same again.

Pecan pie muffins & Honey lace cookies

Peanut butter chocolate oatmeal cookies

Sweet-milk biscuits (star-shaped!)

Lemon squares (being packaged, on their way to DWS). That box just screams 'love me!'

Everything was made from scratch and very easy. By keeping up with a routine of baking, I am shedding a fear of being in the kitchen and messing things up. Things don’t feel so foreign anymore and I feel less guilty about purchasing ingredients that aren’t my staple needs. Can’t say I did things perfectly (turns out you can’t replace rolled oats with steel cut oats – ::face palm::). I imagine things will come out better when I can actually taste what I’m making..or not.

More thankful than ever

2010-07-22T20:12:00.001-07:00

Something I wrote 5 days into post-op:

This has got to be one of the most difficult and challenging experiences in my life thus far. This makes me sad, thinking that I have never truly suffered in life. Afterall, this wasn't a life threatening surgery and I received care from some of the best. Besides the fact that being wired shut doesn’t allow me to eat the foods I wish to eat, and speak the words I wish others would hear, I cannot do simple tasks like drink gulps of water, or rinse my mouth properly, or yawn. I am afraid of all this things. I have to take extra precautions so I wouldn’t feel the urge to sneeze/cough, or any sort of action to provoke uncomfortable results.

My first night at the hospital, in the recovery room, post op – I truly was unsure whether I would pull through. I kept phasing in and out, losing consciousness. I would wake up to throw up old blood each time through my wired mouth. They had to call the doctors in the middle of the night to check up on me. The nurse by my side that night was amazing. I asked for a piece of paper+pen to write down what I was trying to say while I was spewing blood. I wrote ‘I think I will be a bit nauseous later’, ‘what is your name?’. After she told me her name was Julia, I wrote ‘Julia ____?’. She said B**rone and I filled in the blank. Underneath that, I wrote 'Thank you' and underlined it twice.

I didn’t think I could think any more highly of nurses until I was admitted as an inpatient. Everyone was so kind that I had to agree NYP was the best around.

After Sharon mentioned that Kanye West had done great things during his month of being wired shut, I thought this was a potential given for me as well. It’s day 5 and the days cannot go by any slower. I wake up every hour in the middle of the night and pace around in my tiny apt. I have been hallucinating due to lack of sleep – that scares me too. I have done nothing productive even though I should really be concentrating on my healing. After my first night home, I was actually very scared. Very scared for myself and scared for Lev because he was taking care of me. One of my worst qualities is the fear of putting others in a precarious situation for my sake. Though I was in a lot of pain, I opted not to take any of the codeine. When Lev was running around trying to track a pharmacy for the medicine, I already knew I would never take it no matter no much pain I would have to tolerate. We were both afraid I would be nauseous. Instilling fear into someone is, in my opinion, one of the worst things a person can do.

Lev has been absolutely wonderful. I could not ask for anyone better. He had accompanied me to the hospital, visited before and after work each day, tried to keep me in high spirits, and brought me home. Since being home, he has run around getting medicines and extra supplies for me, made me food, fed, and bathed me. He washed my dishes and cleaned up my apt because he knew I was afraid of my parents seeing my place. When I see him crammed into my couch, asleep, I feel sad that he is doing this for me. But this experience has confirmed for me of how amazing I think he is, so for that reason, there is nothing to regret.

Parla Català

2010-03-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

I’ve been studying Catalan; a language spoken by slightly more than 9 million around the world. Our trip to Barcelona made my heart flutter enough to sign up for a class this Spring semester. I fought my urge to find a practical reason to take the class (i.e, When will I use it? What is it good for? How will this help my future?). It’s funny when you spend your life needing to justify your actions with everyone, you start to do that with your own person. I told myself this obscure class (that is hardly offered anywhere) was for my well-being and it would involve fun learning. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass on.

Thanks to my good fortune (and the coy referencing of ratemyprofessors), I lucked out with having one of the best professors I’ve ever had. As much as I sweat over interacting with people, I really believe in her teaching methodology – absolute and total immersion. Only Catalan is spoken in class and there’s always a fun exercise that requires all of us to speak to each other. Thanks to her positive encouragement, I’ve become a bit fearless of speaking to others in Catalan even though I am well aware that my knowledge is so limited and it probably sounds like baby talk when I open my mouth. In addition, it didn’t matter that I had no foundation of Spanish.

But why don’t I feel the same courageousness with French? Because I was trained in conjugating verbs and not in conversing with others! Quel horreur. I haven’t figured just yet how to combat this problem but it may call for an intervention…in the form of an annual trip to Paris. Oui, oui.

What would have been Saturday's post

2010-01-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

I took out my Singer, dusted it off, and reacquainted myself with it. At first I thought it was broken but then realized it was simply that I forgot how to use it. Oops.

Resolution #264: sew a project a week.

Conclusion: I got the machine to work and sewed a rectangle with sloppy corners (picture to be posted later). It holds no purpose whatsoever. I was really practicing sewing straight lines but secretly hoped it would turn into something...because sewing involves a bit of magic, right? I may need to refine the bold assumption that I would be able to step-pedal my way through project after project. But this is a good start, because I genuinely can only do better after this first project attempt.

Go me!

What would have been Sunday's post

2010-01-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Lee, Laura, and I visited the Tenement Museum, on Sunday. It was my first time and their second. Lee swore that I would enjoy it and she was right on the mark! In fact, I instantly signed up to become a member at the end of the tour.

The ticket booth/gift shop/screening room are located at 97 Orchard St. - what appears to be a standard sized glass storefront found in the city. The tenement where the tours take place is located across the street at 108 Orchard St. There are 7 different tours to choose from, at $15 each. For an extra $30-40 (depending on if you are a student), you can become a member and go on all of the tours for free, as many times as you like. Going on the same tour more than once isn't as strange as it sounds because the museum has several guides who give the same tour but may provide different facts.

Visiting the tenement is much more than seeing what the inside of the building looked like or getting a closer look at the furniture of old times. Stepping into the apartment where families dwelled over a century ago was like a time warp. Being there gave me insight to how people lived in the late 1800's-early 1900's and it was humbling to be reminded of the tribulations immigrant families had to face when they left their respective homelands - a new language, having to acquire different skills to make a living, harsh living conditions, low pay, poor working environment, etc. Whether German, Russian, Jewish, Chinese (the order of immigrants who eventually called the lower east side their new home), it was the same deal for everyone. This was because everyone shared the same dream and believed in it.

I have forgotten what it is like to believe in myself, which makes me realize I can't expect positive change in my life until I change how I think. Didn't I tell myself to fear less? Just this moment, it has dawned on me that I am not much different from the Velveteen rabbit.

...

What would have been Friday's post

2010-01-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

I watched most of Food, Inc. Friday night. Unfortunately, I was so tired that I fell asleep 80% into it. You would expect that I would have made some lifestyle changes thereon after. Nope. Rather instead, I mosied over to 'Five Guys' the very next day and ordered myself a cheeseburger topped with onions, mushrooms, ketchup, and mayo + fries (which by the way, despite the dozens of Zagat postings that were displayed, proved to be extremely greasy and unappetizing).

Moral of the story: Lesson not learned. Perhaps had I stayed awake during the remainder of the movie, I would have opted for a healthier meal.

I'm gonna work harder on this, because conscientious eating is number 49 on my list of the 5 billion things I need to change about myself for the New Year.

"100 Skills Everyone Should Master"

2010-01-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

As an addition to yesterday's post, I thought this guideline of '100 skills everyone should master' found at mightygirl would prove to be helpful in case you weren't a resolution making but more of a goal achieving/list checker-off-er type of individual: click here for skills

I can confidently say I stand at 62% fairly confidently. I'm actually quite proud of this.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to make a list of New Years Resolutions for twenty-ten. I saw this elsewhere, where they broke down the resolutions into categories of family/friends and wellness. I would like to do that and throw in an extra section for creativity/education, which overlaps a little with wellness but it’s just so important lets give it its own pedestal to stand on.

Family and friends:
Call my mom more often; we don’t have much to say but I think she’s happy when I simply call and let her know I’m still alive.
Pick up the phone when friends call; I need to stop avoiding people and acting as if I owe them money.
Send birthday sentiments to dear friends, rather than lazily resorting to texts and fb wall posts.

Wellness:
Moisturize my reptile skin daily and stay well-hydrated
Practice more yoga (1-2x’s per week)
Blog frequently (so far so good)
Keep a tidy home and thereby, keep a tidy appearance

Creativity/education:
Cook and bake 2x’s a week. Making ramen will not count. Adding an egg to the ramen also will not count. I am saying this with gritted teeth.
Read 3 books a month, currently cracked open ‘The Velveteen Principles”
Sew 1 project a week
Finish my painting (eventually)

My motto for the year: Fear less - Do more

Aprons & Aperitifs (I)

2009-09-01T22:29:00.001-07:00

Recently, I was invited to be a part of a monthly project meetup: Aprons & Aperitifs, which started over the weekend in Park Slope. This was a wonderful idea put together by M and I was delighted to be asked to join. Our 1st project involved making preserves, jarring them, and labeling the finished product. Between the 4 of us who were there, we made fresh strawberry preserves and white magic plum jams.

Not only was there great Vegan food and (Vegan/Vegetarian) company, I walked away feeling inspired to create more on my own time.

Oh! I also learned what exactly made sugar Vegan...

Printing for a Monologue

2009-08-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

Happy August/Almost September. I'm in bed right now, unable to sleep - I guess that coffee was a bad idea afterall. But it kept me up to blog so it's not all bad.

As you can assume, a lot has happened since my last post yet at the same time, (sadly) not much has changed. But I'll try to focus more on the positive. I took my very first art class at the University this summer. I showed up to class thinking I had signed up for intro to printmaking but in actuality signed up for silkscreening I. This was one of the best mistakes I've ever made.

I found it challenging in the beginning, not the silkscreening process, but letting myself try something new and be open to imperfection. I think this is why I stopped painting - the idea of making mistakes is paralyzing to me. I'm not sure what I was hoping to get out of this class other than learning a new technique and producing some palatable art but I walked away learning some things about myself (which I hate to admit I am still doing at this age).

I have this really annoying habit that one of my coworkers called me out on: Sometimes, I am not responsive when spoken to. I find it unnecessary. It's something I've known about but never understood how annoying it was to others. It's difficult vocalizing my opinions. And I don't expect people to understand that.

Then, I took this class. I had a great teacher, a nurturing class environment, and getting myself covered in paint was so fun! I couldn't believe how much I was enjoying the 4 hr class (which was too short for me). In the beginning, I was still anxious about going to class because I was still associating school with something nerve-racking...then things starting to unwind. My hardwired beliefs started shifting. Moving around the printshop felt right.

Silkscreening was labor intensive but it was energizing. We worked on individual project ideas and executed through printing and the results were critiqued openly in class. When something is your idea, you own it and you have to present it the way you see it. I was able to funnel my thoughts/ideas onto my prints and open dialogue because the artwork asked for attention. I was never particularly comfortable with speaking in front of class but I didn't hesitate during this session. I didn't have to worry about people speaking over me or speaking for me. That is one of the great things of unique creation - sole ownership with the option of sharing with others. After that, you're open for theft. I was told to strive for theft as an artist - to mimic but not imitate.

So connecting the idea of vocalizing through visuals, I tried to understand why I've had so much difficulty speaking up or feeling confident enough when I had something to say. I started having flashbacks of the days when we weren't allowed to speak at the dinner table because it was disruptive and unnecessary - a waste of everyone's time. Whatever we wanted to say lacked importance. The only time our father spoke to us was regarding our progress in school. Nothing more. We were spoken to but no conversation ever followed. Any emotional distress following being told to shut up would only result in more berating. I imagine some of these experiences have contributed to the way I am today. Of course, I am not angry at anyone about this (although, sometimes at myself) but it's still a challenge I have to tackle.

2009-04-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!
Just wanted to plug this: http://aidswalknewyork2009.kintera.org/superchan
And disappear for now...

2009-03-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, Marco & Pepe threw a "Feel Good Event" during the evening despite Mondays generally being their day off. It was a free meal + free beer/wine - what can be better? I was headed there right after work when Dan spotted me at the station. Naturally, I decided for him that he must have dinner w/ me, Lev, and Shankar (who were meeting us there). "Dan, you must eat delicious free food w/ your friends - cry all you want". No room for refusal.

M&P has excellent food. It's a downtown JC joint (named after the owner's two dogs) that offers American cuisine and rustic decor. The menu is simple and the bar well stocked. It is easily a local favorite. It's on the pricey side so I definitely reserve it for a 'I want to treat myself' day. Bar seating is abundant and there's a magazine rack filled w/ an assortment of reads - so hanging out is welcome. The music depends on whose employee's IPOD is plugged into the speakers. It's usually mellow tunes. I'm also a fan of their tea selection (which is served in a personal pot).

That evening, everyone would be sampling the same dish: braised chicken w/ roasted brussel sprouts, carrots, and mushrooms over rice. Initially, I thought it would be a small tasting but it was much more than that. I sipped on some vino blanco while scarfing down the dish. My 9 News was there too - so that was the catch. We were puppets of a publicity stunt...puppets w/ jolly bellies. boohoo. yum yum! We left a nice tip and left quickly so others waiting in line could enjoy the free eats too. We walked Dan home and he put some homemade brownies in a baggie for me. I am the luckiest. Then Shankar made me some Indian chai as I watched part of BBC's Wild China (which Henry figured I would enjoy). Did I mention I am the luckiest? It is really good so far...and I'm excited to watch the rest.

Psst...Congrats, you're halfway finished with the week!

2009-03-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

There was lots of work ahead of me this evening so I decided to start a new blog instead. I am the master of self-sabotage. True story. If you followed me over here from my last blog, thanks for helping me move! If you're a new viewer, welcome to my new home!

What shall we expect of this blog? The adventures of Masha Chansky, of course (would you believe that URL was already taken?) and an endless list of things I fancy.

This evening, I grabbed a Chicken Sate Bahn Mi from "Mangez avec moi" for dinner. I've had my share of bahn mi's in my lifetime and have to say that this place never disappoints w/ their sandwiches (i.e. toasty bread, marinated lean chicken, perfect ratio of vegetable + cilantro). Their actual restaurant (located next door to the sandwich shop), however, is another story.

The petite shop offers a lunch time buffet and Asian snacks to go. Staff is all smiles. I always get suckered into buying a random dessert they're offering - tonight was no exception; a Thai dessert of sweet rice noodles fried w/ garlic. I should have quit while I was ahead but it turns out I have no self control (!) and finished the entire container. oops. One other detail I enjoyed about the bahn mi is the long and slender brown paper bag it comes in w/ the name of the sandwich neatly written across the bottom. (I'm a big fan of packaging). Two well kept wooden benches are outside to sit and enjoy your meal. FYI, the same homeless man hangs out near there, he's a bit intimidating but be nice and offer him half your sandwich.