mipmup.

superdog.

new developments.

my head is spinning because what i've wanted for a long time seems to be coming true. well, i'm not getting paid for the work i'm doing, but i'm doing it! it feels good to focus on something positive, something that gives me energy. joy even. it was strange that yesterday, my thinking quote was:

"always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. that has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor." —paul hawken

even when that economic well-being has nothing to do with coinage/blingbling/kwan.

things are very good today. very good indeed.

newbie.

confessions of a neophyte blogger:

1. why do bloggers insert characters into certain words like "c*stco" or "f&ck that?" i'm guessing it's so those terms don't come up under searches?
2. what is rss?
3. is there an easy way to track my favorite blogs?
4. why do some bloggers put an * next to their favorite blogs listed on their site?
5. do you think blogs should have a theme or focus? if so, why? if not, why not?
6. am i a total geek?

crack.

there are certain items that i simply cannot do without. if i run out, it's all over. and like a crack addict, i must get more. more. more. apparently, these are "soft addictions." whatever. it's crack.

• my really worn-out slippers from ll bean (but i still love them).
• my orange and grey robe from garnet hill.
• sesame sticks from trader joe's.
• silk plain soymilk.
• peet's masala chai tea bags (ps i don't love the new packaging).
• lip balm. any kind.
• seventh generation laundry detergent.
• my computer.
• cool pens. like this or this.
• lemons.
• avocados.
• the sopranos (though i missed it this week, so no spoilers!).
• cheesy dating shows, including, but not limited to, elimidate, second chance, the 5th wheel and a dating story. what is wrong with me?
• hearts of palm.
• garbanzo beans.
• celebrity gossip (though i am trying to beat this one. i just should not know about apple or pilot inspektor or tu morrow anymore!)
• yves veggie ground round (recently rebranded "the good ground").
• olive oil.
• mushrooms.
• garlic.
• sambal oelek.
• red chile flakes.
• stationery/office supply stores.
• tonic water.

superbowls.

i'm really in love with these bowls from crate & barrel. they are so handy for: chili, olives, cereal, sesame sticks, roasted/salted almonds (hey, don't eat these though), m&ms and so on and so forth. i like to use them when we transport a dish. just throw some plastic wrap over it(my current favorite is zipsafe. it's nearly impermeable — no onion smell in the fridge for us, oh no — comes with a nifty cutter and is available at your local trader joe's), top it with the cute lid and we're off (in style!). plus, it's a relief for the hosts — they don't have to scramble around for a serving piece. we received two of them as a gift for christmas and must get more. at $4.95 each, how can you go wrong?

photo credit: crate & barrel.

is my blog burning?: rice.

this is my "is my blog burning?" post, rice (thanks, jen for pointing me to chez pim, who has graciously hosted this edition).

pre-veggie days, chicken and rice, a mexican dish, was my all-time favorite comfort food. this is my grandfather's recipe (which explains the lard part. i'd substitute vegetable oil or vegetable shortening). very authentic.

chicken and rice
cook 1 can tomatoes in 2 tbsp. lard. add a little garlic powder, chopped onions, chopped green pepper. add one cut-up chicken, cover with water and cook medium to medium-high heat (keep at a slow bubbling boil) for about an hour. add salt and about 3/4 box of minute rice and cook about 10 minutes more.

serve with hot sauce (see recipe below) beans and tortillas.

hot sauce (salsa)
2 fresh tomatoes, cut-up, 2 hot peppers (my mother uses 2 jalapeño and 2 serrano peppers to every 2 tomatoes, sometimes adding a little garlic powder.), onion and salt. sauté in 1 tbsp. lard. add water if too thick.

now create your own post highlighting your favorite rice dish.

it's all in the timing.

"timing is everything."

"right time at the right place."

"boy. she has great timing."

i've decided i was born without the great timing gene. it seems like i just miss the boat by an eensy-weensy bit. all the time. internet boom? caught the tail-end. great jobs? didn't risk it. exciting clients? never had the opportunity. going for my passion? too little money.

it seems like i'm surrounding by people with experiences that couldn't be more antipodean than mine. the woman who happened to be hired right out of grad school and assigned to clients that her boss didn't think were that important. lucky for her. they were very important indeed. eleven years later and a $2m house in the hills by the beach prove it. or the family member that caught the internet wave, rode it, crashed briefly and is back up and at 'em. his stay-at-home-mom wife, $1m+ flat in san francisco, nice vacations and two imported cars show it. or our friend who took a chance and relo'd for a wireless company several years ago. it's an excellent job that takes him all over the world, has allowed him to purchase a boat, several horses and a cottage by the beach, which he renovated in painstaking (if pottery barn-esque) detail.

of course, this is not to say that these people didn't work hard for their money. or haven't earned what they have. or that i'm not glad for them. i am. it's just that i get sort of huffy when none of that luck seems to rub off on yours truly. and i know, i know. it's not all about money or things or whathaveyou. i know that. i've been lucky in a lot of ways and i am thankful. this is just my little ragelet.

you see for once, i'd like the planets to align for me. to be the one with great timing. at the right place at the right time. i want to be the cliché. i really think my time has come.

perfect 10.

inspired by jen's entry, here are my 10 recipes that i rotate:

• vegetarian chili, adapted from this recipe.
  
• spaghetti with marinara sauce for me, add italian sausage for better half.
  
• arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, hearts of palm, garbanzo beans, drizzled simply with olive oil (this olive oil is our all-time favorite, thanks to a beautiful christmas gift from jen filled with all things culinary from san francisco) and fresh lemon juice.
  
• ma po tofu with yu choy.
  
• homemade vegetable soup with crusty bread.
  
• taco night with refried beans and freshly-made taco shells. gotta top with lettuce, tomatoes, avocados (for me), cilantro and salsa from trader joe's.
  
• snackie night with bread dipping (olive oil, garlic, cilantro) and antipasto salad of red bell peppers, basil, tomatoes, olives, garlic. served with bread. (and salami for better half. he loves the sopressata salami from molinari in san francisco. they ship!).
  
• sautéed spinach with olive oil, lemon and garlic or sautéed mushrooms with the same ingredients. this is a good recipe. (and ps, i really want michael chiarello's life.)
  
• spicy udon soup with tofu and baby bok choy.
  
• lumpia. (btw, does anyone know if these can be made vegan? i realize this is most likely an oxymoron in the filipino culture, but thought i'd give it a try.)

if you want any of my recipes that are not listed, please just email me (see link above right).

so what's your "perfect 10?"

say hello to strangers.

why don't people say hi?

or is it just my neighborhood? this morning, haley and i walked by no less than four people, none of whom said "hello." not even a gentle smile and a nod. not even a tip 'o the head, which would have done just fine.

it's not like i'm asking for a donation. just a little civility. a tiny devoir to get the morning going in the right direction.

is it because we were taught to ignore strangers? afraid that at any slight inclination of showing some kind of humanity that we might appear an easy target for some kind of violence or other atrocity? are we that afraid of each other?

but what about a sense of community? even a sense of decency? heck, folks even say a kindly "how-do" in deadwood (well, that is before they kill each other, but nevertheless, it's a greeting.). apparently, the animals have mastered the art of the greeting better than my neighbors.

and of course, this is not to say that i'm looking for one of those in-your-face-isn't-it-a-fantastic-morning!!! type of hello. just a little somepin' somepin' to let me know that we are not in fact, total strangers. we live in the same neighborhood. we walk the same roads. we share power lines and cables and grocery stores and post offices and hair salons and manicure shops and parks and beaches and schools and police and firefighters and libraries and bike paths and coffee shops and clothing stores and restaurants.

we are not strangers. so please. just say hello.

elixir.

after so many months of hibernating due to our financial crises, i felt really good to have a weekend chock full o' our favorite friends.

thursday, we went to dinner, popped into a little divebar filled to capacity with typical, giggling la twentysomethings and promptly left without ordering, opting for a more sedate and refined hotel bar across the street. catching-up, laughing and brainstorming new business ventures made for a good time. i arrived home at 1:00, which is unheard of for me. i thought i would just pass out from the sheer madness of being out amonst the cabbies and the youngins with far more energy that i have.

friday, we walked to one of our favorite mexican places and had more fun. you know how you just feel good around some people? these are those kind of peeps.

saturday, we did our usual trip to the farmers' market and scored a free bag of avocados (because a third of the last two bags were spoiled). my better half and our friend jammed for a while, which was so nice because they haven't done that in so long. i have missed their playing. later on, we watched a (the?) basketball game while eating some mediterranean food that seemed to be a hit ("this is the best basketball spread ever!"). all for about $18 for five people. (guess this trip hasn't been all wasted.)

it was sad to see them go on saturday night. we always say that we wish we could find "couple friends" like them in our neck o' the woods. we're not stalkers, i swear. they're just good for our health.