Monday, January 31, 2011

Woah Doggies

Hello all. Woo, a lot is going on these days. I have been super busy catching up with friends back in Hong Kong, getting the new apartment furnished (pictures to come!), and preparing to start working in February (yay!). Rob has been busy on the job hunt, and has landed some great meetings. Please keep your fingers crossed!

I somehow managed to catch a bad cold and have been in bed the past two days. I guess better now than later, as Hong Kong seems to be getting quiet this week. The Chinese are gearing up for the Chinese New Year, which takes place this week. The CNY is a serious holiday in which all Chinese return to the place where they are from and spend time with family. Since so many Chinese people live in Hong Kong, much of Hong Kong empties out as people return to the motherland or go on Vacation. Work is cancelled. Rob and I will be pretty low-key and plan to see a few friends who are staying in Hong Kong for the holiday, as well.

Will post soon when I'm feeling better.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Meatballs

I went to the grocery store the other day to buy some staples for the apartment. I knew we would need MEAT from the International grocery, since the Chinese grocery tends to offer rather odd cuts of meat. While at the International grocery I was super duper happy when I found ground turkey from Mount Olive, North Carolina! I was so happy that it came from some place familiar that I bought three pounds of it.

When I returned home I realized that I had more ground turkey than I knew what to do with. I had never bought ground turkey! I decided I needed to come up with some uses for the lovely meat, and I decided I was dead-set on meatballs!

After sorting through a few recipes online, I landed on Rachael Ray's turkey meatball recipe. Now, historically I haven't been all that into EVOO and RR and the RR cult following stuff, but I got over that--the RR recipe called for things I already had in the kitchen. 

Tonight Rob and I made the meatballs. Success!

They were easy, SOO delicious, and guys love 'em (Rob ate 7!). I highly recommend trying them.

Here's the recipe!


Enjoy! Do you guys have any favorite recipes?

Shanghai 1990 v. 2011

Rob sent me this link, and it's pretty unbelievable.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/01/picture-of-the-day-shanghai-in-1990-and-2010/69959/

The sky in Shanghai no longer looks like it did in 1990.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Winter in New York

I'm not sure why the picture in this article tickles me, but I just had to share it with you. Poor guy:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/this_guy_freezy_rider_2nFk3OcA3U7YgOeq9lbeFM

Monday, January 24, 2011

TV tweet

We bought a TV today, and I finally feel relaxed for the first time since arriving back in HK. I am actually watching MTV Southeast Asia. After watching several episodes of The Hills circa 2004, I am now trying to stomach an Asian boyband music video that is heating up the airwaves in Hong Kong. The song "Hello Hello" by Shinee is sung in Chinese, and it offers the latest in coiffed man-dos, and pleather man leggings.

I am trying to find the Chinese version of the BBC so I can watch the new mini-series "Downton Abbey" by Julian Fellowes. Have you guys seen it? It's amazing. I watched it with my mom at home. I'm also trying to access Bravo's Real Housewives of  BH. It's a gem of a reality show, if I do say so. Do any of you know when the episodes are uploaded online?

___
A few hours later...

Speaking of Downton Abbey, I was just catching up on some of my favorite blogs, and look what I found! So excited:
http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/2011/01/divine-downton-abbey.html

Sunday, January 23, 2011

blah bity blah

Hello all.

I am going to make tonight's post rather short. Frankly, I'm exhausted. Rob and I had a relatively smooth journey back to Hong Kong and have since hit the ground running...non-stop. The only slip-up in the return route was that the airline lost our bags in Shanghai. Because of this, I spent the first night in the new apartment literally on the floor without any blanket. Perhaps that night encouraged us to get things in order QUICKLY. After 3 or 4 trips to Ikea and the Japanese home stores, things are coming together. I will show and tell more in the next post...must get my beauty rest for a day of Hong Kong immigration office appointments tomorrow...schwing!...will be thinking of you.

Lizard

Monday, January 17, 2011

Happy New Year & The beginning of the end of my journey home

Happy New Year!

It is January 16 here in Virginia. Tomorrow is my last full day in the United States. I will have spent about a month here at home when I leave to head back to Hong Kong Tuesday. This visit home has been completely wonderful. Some (but not all) of the highlights were:

1) First arriving in the United States after 4 months in Asia and a 48-hour journey home. It's a great, unique feeling.
2) Christmas
3) Seeing my family and friends (love you guys!) This past week was so fun!
4) Helping pick out a surprise Christmas puppy (He's a busy boy named Blitzen)
5) Ringing in 2011. New Years Eve at my friends' home was perfect!
6) Playing in Richmond and relaxing in the country...never read so many books in one month :)
7) Meeting Sally Mann and doing lots of other local, cultural activities
8) Test driving a bevy of friends' and family members' cars! Volvo mom wagons, Fords, VWs, Lexuses, GMCs...Thank you guys for looking out for this car-free lass.
9) Finding a new reality TV show that I love. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Beauty is pain.
10) Sleeping 10 hours almost every night.

A few of the negatives (because we must be balanced):
1) Exploring the woes of international banking!
2) Driving in snow for the first time in years
3) Jet lag
4) forgetting to prepare for my half-marathon in February...oopsie! *The chocolate was fabulous, though.


Anyway, I will resume posting regularly once I return to Hong Kong and move into my NEW apartment! I am so excited :) Until then, please send e-mails and be in touch~ไปฅๅŽๅ†่Š!


With Love,
Leaping Lizard