My first 10K run

I have never thought about running 10K before.
Those who appears on TV, to run the 10K or any Marathon seem to live in an entirely different world.
They are so slim, in such a good shape and simply, fit.

And I have none of the above. In a way, I'm exactly the opposite. I'm chubby, fat, and have been gaining quite a few weights recently. (the most depressing part is that, my coworker even think I'm pregnant...see...I'm SO fat now...)

Despite the above, I still sign up Sun Run 2007.

To challenge myself? To set up a goal? To keep fit? Or just to prove that I can run 10k since 5k is not as tough as I thought?

After my HK trip, sun run is already around the corner.
Only two weeks away from the day, I gotta start my 10k training.

After so many days of rain, it's finally a nice day today, nice enough to run.

So I decided to run 10km for the first time.

The first 7k is not difficult, since I have almost run that distance during the weekly run clinic.

However, the last 2k, if I wasn't stay together with my other running buddy/coworker, I think I'll just walk on my own. My knees definitely feel the pressure and foot is ached.

Final result: 1 hour 15 minutes (first 5k for 37minutes and same as the 2nd 5k).
I was a bit surprised...I think I will slow down in the 2nd half.
Anyway, it's not a fast run but sure it's a great start for me.
Looking forward for more 10k run and some uphill run.
And definitely looking forward for the big day.

Engagement Party

Over the past few years, my friends are getting married one after another. Nonetheless, I haven't been to any engagement myself (either they don't have one or I was not invited). And I don't have one for myself either.

So this time I'm excited to go to one of my best friend's engagement party.

It's a luncheon event in the Samba Brazilian Steakhouse (http://www.thaihouse.com/samba/)

I haven't been to this restaurant myself. It's all-u-can-eat type, but instead of getting all the food outside, the server comes to you with a long pole of meat, and slice it for you if you want one. There is a salad bar (with a lamb stew and rice) outside though.

I wasn't a "lamb lover". So this is actually my first time try the lamb stew since it's heavily spiced and it doesn't taste like lamb to me. And it certainly tastes good.

The day is filled with laugh and joy. There's a toss, photo taking and gift session, which almost like a preview of the actual wedding?

Pictures here:

Jeanne & Humphrey's Engagement Party

Welcome to the great event planning stage!

私房菜 @ the Lo's Kitchen

It's a pleasure to have a friend who is a good chef. He enjoyed cooking a lot and most important of all, he cooked very well.

We have dined in his house a few times but none of them is as formal as this time.
It's to celebrate my husband and another friend's birthday, both of them were born in the same day!

In the email exchange, the hostess offers a MENU to us and a few choices of the appetizer and main course.

First Course
Russian Cabbage Soup

Second Course
Prosciutto Wrapped Tiger Prawn in Balsamic Sauce
Or
Shrimp Cocktail
Or
Prosciutto with Apple Salad

Entrée
Duck Breast Roast Pine Nut with Sweet Plum Sauce
Or
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Peppercorn Shiraz Sauce
Or
Sauteed Yellow Fin Tuna Filet with Shiraz Sauce

Dessert
Traditional Italian Tiramisu

Pictures here:

私房菜 @ the Lo's kitchen

Thanks to our chef and hostess who offer us this "fine dining" experience, also the time and patience to accomdate the bday boy's "special menu".

(OK...time to run extra 10km...)

Trip to Hong Kong

It has become my yearly routine, that I went back to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year period.
Since my parents stayed in HK most of the time, I'd like to spend the Chinese New Year time with them.
Another reason is, the weather is enjoyable at this time of the year, not too hot nor "too cold" (ok..it depends...it "could" be cold but rarely).
In addition, there are lots of sales going on near the holiday and season end, it's a great time for shopping! :P

Well, this year I go back with my newly wedded husband.

This 10-day trip, supposed to be a vacation but turns out to be more busy than going to work!

We tried to cooperate sight seeing, family visiting (for both my family and his family), get together with friends, and of course, shopping!

Sight-seeing
We managed to go to try out the Sky rail (on ping 360), and go to the Peak, including the wax museum. Too bad we weren't able to go to the Ocean Park to visit the jelly fish and the penda. We also went to Macau for 2 days. I felt that I'm extremely lucky to get the hotel lucky draw of $1000! ($500HK cash and $500 chip). The $500 chip we play Baccarat and 2 games of Blackjack. In the end we got $980 back. This is the biggest prize I've ever get in my life!

Family visiting
I'm glad to meet Henry's uncle and aunts, speically thanks to both of his uncles who gave us a ride.

Friends
It's always nice to get together with some old friends. And of course, I'm more than happy to be able to keep our friendship over the years.

Shopping
Actually I don't feel like I have bought many clothings...since I have gained a bit of weight and I simply don't think I will fit in even size L. However, I did spent quite a lot here and there.

Hong Kong Trip 2007

Now it's the time to come back to my routine life.

Dine out Vancouver (Part 2)

I almost thought that the Dine Out Vancouver Part 2 blog is not going to happen, simply because the time and work involved in posting pictures here. In addition, it's been a while and I have almost forgot all the "comments" about the restaurants/dishes.

However, I do not want to see another "mission uncomplished".

I'm trying my best here.

First comes the pictures: (click on the picture below to go to the album)

Dine out vancouver

And sorry, no pictures for Smoking Dog Bistro and Horizon.

Joe Fortes
Overall, I'm a bit disappointed with Joe Fortes. Service is so so...so as the food.

The Westwood Bar and Grill at the University Golf Club
To me, the University Golf Club is a very special place, as I got married there. Although my wedding did not take place in the restaurant (but the ballroom across the restaurant), the club house itself did bring back the sweet memory. Still, I'm very fond of the price and the food. I may definitely go back another time, not to mention that the server is nice (always with smile) and attentive as well.

Williams Tell
I like to go there because of the atmosphere, and the nice dining culinery.
They are very detail oriented - the way food is served and presented.
The lobster bisque is first presented with the just the lobster oil and "meat", then with the poured-in soup. The dessert is simple, but nicely done.

Smoking Dog Bistro
Go with my friend P and her brother. We both enjoyed the food and I'd love to go back again. Although, I got a bit upset as they say to have jazz on Wednesday on the website but didn't.

Horizon
Go with Henry's family as my mom in law love the view from the Burnaby mountain. We got the nice window seat.

Dine Out Vancouver (Part 1)

For those who are not aware of what this is about, more info here: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/dining/dineout.php

Basically, many restaurants in the Vancouver area offer $15, $15, or $35 menu for 3 courses dinner. Many of the participating restaurants are high-end so it's just a very good chance for us to try out these restaurants in a much better price. It usually is held in the end of January for 2 weeks, although some restaurant may extend the time a bit.

OK...enough of the intro.

Here's what I had:

Jan 19 -- Macoronni Grill
Appetizer:
Zuppa Di Portobello - Rich and hearty soup with Portobello, Porcini and button mushrooms, topped with a pesto crostini
Pizza Margherita - Tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh tomato and herbs

Comments: The soup is very tasty! And the pizza is those thin crust pizza of decent size. I'm almost half full just with the appetizer and the bread.

Entree:
Pasta Milano - Bowtie pasta, grilled chicken, sundried tomatoes & mushrooms in a roasted garlic cream sauce
Shrimp Portofino - Shrimp, mushrooms, pine nuts, spinach & lemon butter served with pasta

Comments: To me, both of the pasta taste really good however, they are a bit too oily to my taste. Maybe it's typical Italian dishes that it's cooked with lots of olive oil?

Dessert:
Chocolate Cake - With rich chocolate sauce
Tiramisu

Comments: Although Tiramisu is one of my favourite dessert I have to say this one is disappointing. The sponge cake inside the tiramisu is just too "dry". I almost had a feeling that since they are too busy, they just forgot to dip the sponge cake for enough time!
The chocolate cake is too sweet to my taste. Not impressed as well.

Overall, I still think it worth my $25/meal.
More about this restaurant: http://www.macgrillbc.com/vancouver/index.html


Jan 24 - The C Restaurant
I wasn't intend to go to C restaurant this year, since we have been there not long ago and we are both not too excited with the food for this price.
However, a friend of mine asked if I"m interested to go, as her fiancee can't make it that day.
How can I miss the chance of dine-out in a relatively good restaurant for a lower price right? So I still decided to go.

They offer the standard $35 menu and the $45 lobster menu.

I had the $35 menu with addition of fresh black truffle on my entree.

Appetizer:
Shaved Wild Skeena River Smoked Sockeye Salmoncrème fraiche, fennel and crab salad, maple, herbed breadcrumbs.

Thanks Bunny for letting me share the pictures.

Comments: Oh..the smoke salmon seems to have a glaze of maple sugar and it just tastes heavenly good.

Entree:
Seared Wild Skeena River Sockeye Salmon fingerling potatoes, organic leeks, black truffle syrup


Comments: the taste of truffle and salmon just blend in so well. The salmon is cooked just right, very smooth texture.

Dessert:
I got a fruit tart with passion fruit sauce.

It's one of the best desserts I've ever had!

My friend got this one:
Chocolate and carmael macaroons. It's basically meringue sandwiches. She said it's extremely sweet, but the dish is nicely presented.


Overall, I just want to give 10/10 and I feel extremely good about my $55 dinner (with tax, tip and the extra cost of black truffle).
I even want to go back to try another entree, the shrimp risotto.
More info of this restaurant:
http://www.crestaurant.com.

It certainly takes longer than I expected to write my dine out review. Uploading pictures is simply pain.

More to come: Joe Forte, Westwood Bar and Grill at the University Golf Club, the Smooking dog bistro, William Tell and Horizon.

Wii Obsession (Part 2)

It wasn't my intend to update my blog only once a week.
Just that my mind/time were pretty much occupied, still.

It all began with the plan of a so called "Wii Kick-off party" for this weekend.
In the email exchanges, people started to post their Wii numbers.
The idea is that once the Wii numbers from both parties are registered, the personalized Mii characters can travel to each other's console and can be seen during some games.
Since I don't have a wireless router to allow my Wii console to go online, I wasn't able to exchange Wii numbers.
I feel the peer pressure that I just NEED a wireless router, to share the FUN of seeing others Mii characters.
On the 6th day, I guess I can't hold anymore.
Finally I bought my wireless router in BB, got the price match discount. It ends up the same price as the boxing day sales. I'm happy.
Although I'm not too happy that I am spending $53, just for the Wii to go online.

In order to get prepared for this "Wii Party", I'm trying to pass through all the stages for the Raving Rabbids game. That way I can unlock all the games for the crowd to play during the party.
This is not an easy task, perhaps not complicated but just time consuming. There is one game in particular, I have spent hours on it but still can't pass. Even Henry got frustrated but he still managed to get a pass in about 20 minutes.

Therefore, for almost part of the whole week, I slept 4 or 5 hours everyday.
Finally on Thursday, we are able to play till the end.
I really look forward to the party day!

During the party day, we play a few different games.
Had so much fun.

For those games that we played, I am so glad that, I don't feel obsessed about them.
So I guess my Wii Obsession can die for a little while now.