Monday Perspectives

Checking in to say hello to you guys. Work is going well so far--I'm working hard and learning all the time. Especially glad to have had a few months to enjoy Asia at a leisurely pace.

I have been learning the most from the people around me. Getting to know them has opened my eyes to view my Asian world in completely new ways.  I have new perspectives and insights into my experience in Asia. This a huge, unexpected perk of my new position. The people around me come from almost every continent of the world, and getting to know them has been fun, challenging at times and infinitely rewarding.

I've got to get back to studying, but thank you for the e-mails! It takes away from the distance. xo

Have a great Monday. It was a beautiful 72 degrees here.

-Leaping Lizard

Hello and Hail to the Chief

Hello on this glorious (rainy) Presidents Day. Thank you, George Washington for doing all that you did. Today is not a holiday in Hong Kong, which I can prove by the amount of work I have. Hong Kong is meant to be a learning experience for me, so lots of work is a good thing. I hope all of you enjoy the day off and have had a great weekend.

Hong Kong at Night. Looks foggy like this right now.

I am super busy these days in Hong Kong, so my posting will probably trail off for the next 8 weeks. All is well, but I would love to hear from you. What did you guys do for President's Day weekend? Promise to respond if you write me an e-mail...hopefully, you know the e-address :)
x,
busy lizard

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from Hong Kong. Here are some Chinese peeps in traditional clothing on Valentine's Day.

Love,

Leaping Lizard

Poppit

This has nothing to do with Hong Kong, but I cannot stop playing the game Poppit. It just came out in Google, and it is addicting. Here's the link, so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Poppit

Enjoy :)

Apartment: After!

Mostly finished, but holding out for some decorative pillows and art for the walls.
*Let me know if you have ideas!

That's the orange tree I bought for Chinese New Year. They looked SO pretty lining the sidewalks of the neighborhood. My cleaning lady laughed when she saw it and told me I need to water it more.  I want to keep you alive, plant!

Bathtub!

See, they do have everyday American items in HK. Pantene Pro V! Unfort. I can't read what type of Pantene this is!

Handy bathroom telephone. Who uses these? (if you're a doctor on-call, I understand)

Searched HK high and low for a jewelry tree and finally found this one at a store called Homeless. My Grandmother's "Save the Bay" calendar is in the background.

Found this handy jewelry organizer for $1.50 USD at a Japanese Home Store. I think the tray is made for kitchen cutlery but whatevs. Sterling Silver must be stored in air-tight bags here, otherwise it will tarnish very quickly.

Traces of British colonialism in the 'hood.

All the shops and people go away during Chinese New Year. This is what my neighborhood looked like!

Apartment Pictures: Before

Entry way

balcony view

Rock Out With Your Wok Out

I decided to do some Superbowl cooking Sunday night even though the Superbowl airs Monday morning (at 7 a.m.!) here in Hong Kong. I had been dying to make stir fry in a WOK, so last night I did. It is a ton of fun to cook with a wok--you get to use high heat, everything cooks quickly, and it's easy to improvise on your favorite ingredients. I ordered the veggies in the photo below and then went to the market to buy sprouts and flank steak. I used seasonings we already had to flavor the 'fry. I also bought Thai, long grain rice online so that I could start attempting to make rice in the Chinese style--aka sticky! Here's what happened:

 Rob sweetly chopped the veggies for me. 

Heating the wok and adding peanut oil! Vinegar, soy sauce and chili oil on the sidelines, ready for action. Computer and recipe on the dish drying rack.

sizzling steak and veggies

Yum!

Stir fry with sticky rice! It was delicious and fun. I will definitely do it again.

Recipe for Stir Fry and Rice here. Note, I did not have all of the stir fry ingredients, so I subbed peanut oil, white wine and vinegar for canola oil, sake and hoisin sauce. I also did not put the stir fry "in a bun" or add cornstarch as the recipe calls for...improvising worked well!

Lazy Sunday. Reading.

To me Sundays mean sleeping late, fixing pancakes and reading. I like to read books, blogs and favorite news web sites...perhaps write a blog post and a few e-mails. After that, the day is up in the air.

I'm doubly thrilled this morning because one of the blogs I read, BlackEiffel, did a post about the book I am reading right now, Cutting for Stone. My mom gave the book to me for Christmas, and I am loving it so far. While the link above gives a more in-depth summary of the novel, I will give you a little glimmer, too. The novel's namesake "Stone" is a surgeon, Dr. Stone. He is the only surgeon at a mission hospital in mid-century Ethiopia. When Stone's nun-assistant of seven years dies giving birth to twins, he flees, leaving two babies to be raised in the remaining wake at "Missing Hospital." I'm only 200 pages in, but so far I am hooked to this smart, contemporary novel.

Have you guys read anything good recently?