Knitting Club

Connie, Selina and I have been talking about the knitting club for a while, and finally, Connie organized our first gathering at her place last Saturday.

Of course, we are not only knitting- :D

Selina brought dimsums and I brought Korean rice cakes.

Connie made this hearty vegetable congee. 

She omitted the chicken stock as we were expecting a vegetarian friend.

Here's Connie's project - for soon to be born nephew. 

She picked a rather difficult project for a beginner, but it came out great.

Selina's projects (there are a lot more in the back!)

They are very cute. I will try some of her patterns with different yarns. 

Selina finished Tuffie's sweater on that day.
(Nancy's projects on the floor.. sorry it's not very clear.)

Very very cute!

Strawberry stayed in her bag most of the time. 

She barked a bit (yes, we ladies had lots to talk about so she couldn't sleep quietly.) but behaved. Good girl.

Connie also prepared this cute afternoon tea. Nancy brought Persian walnut cookies.

Beautiful tea cups Connie found at a second hand store.

After our tea time, Tuffie and Strawberry also had treat (I brought boiled egg for them), and again, sleeping in blanket.

We knitted and laughed a lot. It was such a fun time. Thank you Connie for preparing all these. 

.

.

.

This is Japanese natto that Connie gave to me. She bought it but didn't like the smell.

I am not good with smelly food either, but with some reason, natto doesn't really bother me. 

It is good on hot rice with kimchi and Korean grilled seaweed. 

As I was inspired by Connie's beautiful teacups, I stopped by my neighborhood second hand store on the way home, and found an at least 25 years old teapot/tea kettle.

Such a good condition considering its age. And so cute! 

I have to take good care though as it's an enamel coated metal kettle. I once had it and it was rusted as I didn't know how to handle it properly.

 

2013, Week 1

It's 2013. It's weird that this year I don't really feel anything about the change. 2012 and 2013 feel just same. I used to stay late on New Year's Eve, but this year, I went to bed early.

On New Year's Day, we invited David over. 

I made vegetable curry,

and baked potato pizza (from scratch) and some finger food from M&M.

David's Christmas gift for Strawberry...

 Bristol Stool Chart! :D

 He also brought baklavas from Portland. Very sweet. (literally.)

I started morning yoga in December. It makes me feel very good. (and I don't like the gym...) Only downside is by 8pm, I feel dead tired as I need to wake up so early in order to do yoga before I start work.

 It's still dark when I sit in the yoga studio.

Even though the New Year didn't make me excited, I had to take this picture on the first day back to work. Sunrise was very beautiful.
In Korea, there is a tradition to go to the mountain or sea shore to see the sunrise on New Year's Day morning. 

My job becomes extremely busy for first few weeks of the semester. After very busy morning, the leftover baklava made my break very enjoyable.

During the work week, we don't really cook much. This week, I made kimchi stew and it made several meals. 

On Saturday, Selina, Connie and I went to a local yarn store and bought some yarns. They were on sale - it was fun to see many excited ladies tucking yarns into their shopping bags. Just one hour after the shop opening time, several baskets were already empty. I was not going to buy too many, but ended up buying several aran yarns and few colourful ones. 
I also bought a fancy needle, so spent more than I planned, but it will make me busy and happy for several months, so well spent, I would say.  

Strawberry, sleeping, while I was happily organizing my new yarns.

Party @ Selina's place

There was a Christmas hot pot party at Selina's place. Strawberry also was invited. 

Strawberry is checking here and there.

We had to turn the fireplace off as I was worried. It's possible that Strawberry walks into it, as she likes warm places so much. (I don't even want to think about it!)

Selina's home was beautifully decorated. So festive!

Look at these beautiful tea setting. (She even put the signs :) 

 Strawberry seemed nervous, and started to slide her butt on the floor... :(
So I put her in the bag, with her hot pack. She usually stays comfortable in her bag. 

Time to eat... there was so much food!

Selina prepared chicken broth and meat, and Connie brought wontons and vegetable, etc. My contribution was rice cake. 

We ate and talked, talked and ate, for hours. We took a brake in the middle, and even then we had sweet stuff - assorted rice cakes and chips, etc.

Tuffie checks on Strawberry from time to time. However, both dogs are much more interested in food. 

They were most excited when we shared some Korean pear.

Tuffie is so gentle - he looked so uncomfortable on Connie's lap, but just stayed there... then dozed off. 

After the huge (and long) meal, we had American ginseng tea that Connie brought. She said that after the "hot" pot, we need to drink something "cold", Ying Yang. 

I like Chinese philosophy of Ying Yang. Very interesting. There is a similar concept in Korea "Um & Yang." It is symbolized (Taegeuk) and displayed on South Korea's National flag.

I had such a great time, and I believe Strawberry and Tuffie enjoyed too. (Especially when they had the pear.) Thank you very much Selina and Connie, I will look for a recipe for my new pot and invite you over soon! :)


p.s. 
Selina's range hood was so clean, so I was inspired. This morning, I cleaned my hood - took me almost two hours to scrub the grease. Now it's not perfect, but in okay condition. From now on, I will wipe it very often - no more big clean-up!

Even though I am very proud of it, sorry no before and after picture. You don't want to see it. :p

(Almost) Year End, Sunday

Last Sunday, On and Shane invited us for lunch.  

Onjana prepared (with Shane's help! :) these great dishes.
Turkey tofu balls, spinach salad, salted mushrooms.
There also was kidney bean tuna soup, which was very satisfying. 

We enjoyed the food very much, and talked a lot.

Flavourful mulled wine for dessert.  

On has the cutest dinnerwares. So playful.

Vegan soy chocolate mousse. Couldn't taste any soy - just perfect chocolate taste.
And ginger cookies- yum!

Pique seemed to be a bit nervous about us. Sorry Pique... (but she managed to get the treat out of her box finally. :)

Back home, Strawberry sleeps in a weird position. 

Half on her cushion, half out. Maybe it's time for a new cushion...?
(She knows that Boxing Day comes soon...)