pattiez's blog

After reading Stephen's new post, I figured I should write one too. I've been insanely busy this semester. I've confirmed that the busy lifestyle is what I love. I love the feeling of going from one place to another. The need to have a continuous to do list. It's so fulfilling to see a page of "to do's" all checked up and having it spill to another page. It's weird, but I'm not exactly "not weird".

It sure doesn't feel like summer though. The weather has been horrible. Toronto gave me a real summer to compare to, so Vancouver is disappointing me right now.

May highlights:

I'm not sure if I mentioned about my first official day of coop. Well, the wind blew out the power... twice. I ended up going home after 3 hours of work; two and a half of which we were out of power.

We spent our first anniversary in front of the television watching the very disappointing round two game four playoff game. Oh, and he made steak dinner. Yum.

Toronto! It was nice and relaxing. I really appreciated the luxury of taking Friday off from coop as well, so my trip was Friday to Monday rather than just Saturday to Monday. The concert was amazing. Our last meal before returning to Raincouver was outside in the patio. We enjoyed a nice meal with a cocktail and 27 degree weather.

Just on Friday, I went to a meeting with the organization that's paying for my coop. I found out when they were introducing me that they wanted me to do a short speech. Improvising in front of 23 established professionals is not exactly a easy thing.

The past week, I've had about 5 hours worth of meetings for YWiB (www.ywib.ca). Come to think about it, compared to the amount of work that has been done, 5 hours isn't a lot. I'm excited to see our programs and events launch by the end of the summer. The hard work will be worth it!

I finally tried the new ramen place: Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. It's a ramen chain that originated from Japan. I really enjoyed the soup. The cha-shu was delicious! It melted in my mouth. Om nom nom. I didn't enjoy the noodles too much, despite the apparent claim by Japanese people that Santouka cooks their noodles perfectly. I would prefer it if it was a tad softer. Just a tad. Oh, and locals claim that Santouka is the most authentic ramen shop in Vancouver. That may be true, but I've had ramen in Hokkaido and well... it's not the same.

Labels: canucks, co-op, concert, food, food adventure, him, holiday, Japan, trip, vacation, YWiB

Eight official days down and I'm loving the position. I'm tired, and a tad overwhelmed, but it's a nice change. Usually, when I'm overwhelmed, there's no clear break between work and life. But because I'm by the hour, once I leave the office, I can put my "overwhelm-ness" on break. Love it! =)

Enjoyed a nice evening with A. "Panda" Lee. We went to Foundation for some om nom nom goodness and then enjoyed some Asian refreshments after. It was nice to catch up and just chit chat. I love how open we can be. No censorship here. It's rare to find a friend like that now... especially with so many years of history too. I'm lucky.

Mmkay, need to rest now. How is everyone else's summer going?

Labels: co-op, food

I can go on and on about my thoughts on Valentines Day. However, I have a paper to write so my post will be condensed. Valentines day, in a nutshell, is a cute holiday that has been hegemonized by our consumerism society.

Anyway, despite this, I enjoyed a simple day with him. He picked me up early (my kind of early) in the morning to go out for breakfast. When I walked out to his car, he surprised me with handmade roses in a vase. I love presents that don't die. Plus, he actually surprised me. Yay! Then we head down to our usual breakfast place and enjoyed a yummy meal to start off our day. Prior to the hockey game, we made a detour to purchase some pastries for dessert tonight. After the game we had just enough time to grab decent seats to watch Valentine's Day (the movie). Yes, it's corny to watch Valentine's Day on February 14th, but I like corny. He dropped me home after the movie for my Chinese New Year dinner with my family. We enjoyed a delicious hot pot dinner while watching the Olympics. Okay, it's not good to watch television while eating dinner with the family. However, we didn't let the television distract us from carrying on conversations! Watching Canada receive her first gold metal on home soil was amazing.

Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, and Vancouver 2010 Olympics happening at the same time? Sure, that's great, but spending time with my family and him? Now that's golden. I don't need a designated day to love the people in my life.

Labels: canucks, dessert, food, him, movie, Olympics

MS Awareness Week has finally started!

The day started with us blowing up the fuse =) Okay, I suppose it wasn't that smart to plug in a popcorn machine and a portable hand washing station to an outlet that was already providing power for three laptops. Oops?

Anyway, if you want to find me, just follow the smell of fresh (and hopefully not burnt) popcorn.

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He thinks I'm stressed because I'm too busy. Me? Busy? Never! I still see white space on my schedule!

...er, white space on some days anyway. Rawr =/

Labels: fail, food, him, MS, sma

I would make a horrible anorexic.

Out for dinner? Of course. Free appetizers? All over it! Dessert? Uh, duh. Drinks? Sure!

That pretty much sums up my evening. *scale breaks*

Labels: fail, food, ladies

I must admit that my November schedule is more free than my October, but I think I'm starting to go crazy. I just want to sit in bed, watch Bones, and munch on Halloween candy. Speaking of Halloween... I ended up waking up early to go grab some cheap ones. I managed to get my hands on a box of Hershey's bars before they were all gone. It was only $3.99 for 50 bars! Yummy.

Marketers' Night is over too. That was a good experience. We spent 4 months planning it and it was all worth it in the end. There was minimal networking done on my part, although I did manage to give away some of my business cards. I personally don't enjoy the process of networking. I can see how fake some people can be, and I try to steer away from that. It's a challenge sometimes though--especially when you don't want to be rude. Practice makes perfect!

Now that Halloween is over, I can start getting into the Holiday spirit. It helps that I'm doing the Christmas Charity series for SMA. This time I have a committee under me! Horrah for more man power!

UP! on DVD in 9 days... I'm excited, are you? =)

Labels: food, holiday, movies, school, sma

Mommy said something interesting today. It wasn't deep and insightful, but she brought up a good point.

Him and I were watching TV today and we saw the new Tim Horton's advertisement for their blueberry blossom doughnut. I started nudging him because I wanted one. (Okay, I'm usually not like that but... the advertisement made me want to have pieces of doughnut melt in my mouth. I digress.) He gave in and decides to drive us there for some sweets before his game.

As we're enjoying our doughnuts he said, "I don't need to buy you anything when food makes you so happy." I laughed because my mommy says the exact same thing about herself.

I went home and told Mommy this. She replies by saying that we're like that because we appreciate the little things in life. That's true. I don't take for granted that he would do something just to see me smile. Heck, I don't even take for granted that he pays that couple dollars for doughnuts or when he opens doors for me. Although I've only mentioned what he does, it doesn't mean I don't notice it when other people do it too and of course, I try to reciprocate whenever possible. So I guess I realized that noticing the small things and everything makes me and people around me just that much happier with life.

...and now I know why I can't seem to lose my excess fat

Labels: dessert, food

Since I picked where to eat last, he decided to be adventurous too and picked a random restaurant. We ended up at Romana in North Burnaby.



It's supposed to be Italian/Greek however we didn't try any of their Greek dishes. We ended up having their ribs & spaghetti and pizza. The ribs were a huge disappointment. It was too dry. The pizza was decent. The toppings were as expected with oozing cheese. It was over baked though because the crust was hard and overly crispy.

It was busy though (for a Thursday night). Although the food was disappointing, the service was good except for the end. The lady (most likely the owner or the owner's wife) was really nice but when we asked her to pack up the pizza, she made it really awkward for us by insisting that we should get the ribs packed too. We really didn't want to take it home because well, there was one rib left and enough pasta to feed a baby. She brought the pizza to the back to pack up but she came back with a small container and packed the rib dish in front of us. =/ We felt obliged to take it home, but it ultimately ended up in the trash.

=S

Labels: food, food adventure

So honestly, ever since I've stumbled upon Kevin's food blog, I've been following some foodie's adventures. This is a plus especially when the BF and I are starting to get bored with our meals. Everyone needs an adventure once in awhile!

blah blah blah. <-because I suck at transitions Last weekend the BF and I decided to hit up some random places in *gasp* Richmond! It was honestly, our first time in Richmond together. Okay, no, it was the second time. But I don't think the first time really counted because he only went there to rescue me from Netholics (x_x*).

First destination... Tenku Bakudanyaki. We both ordered the original (pictured above). He wanted the pizza but they were sold out. (I think that's pretty bad planning on their part because the only difference is that they use tomato sauce and their menu only consists of six items and a special). It was interesting. They're like giant takoyaki balls stuffed with lots of goodies and made from mochi instead of flour. But the idea is pretty much the same. I do prefer bakudanyaki over takoyaki. However, I didn't like the mass amount of cabbage (ick). I was going to complain about the price (500cents), but then again, you pay just that much or even more for takoyaki (and that stuff is just flour stuffed with a small piece of squid).

Next we went to Danny's Market to try their Screamers. Screamers is a slurpee with soft-serve ice cream. I got the Cream Soda while he tried the Orange Crush. It's an interesting drink and I would go back again (if only it wasn't so far). Yummy.

Oh, and the pictures weren't taken with permission. BUT I didn't direct link them and clickie here and here respectively for where it originated from.

Labels: food, food adventure

So for May's LC dinner, we decided to be adventurous. The suggestions brought up were Caribbean, Indian, Ethiopian, and Afghan. Since we are a very democratic group, a poll was set up and Ethiopian won. The location of choice was Fassil.

I must say, I had doubts about my willingness to try new things. I mean, I'm usually up for anything and (I like to think that) I have an open mind, but Ethiopian food is so new to me that I had... what's that word? Meh. Anyway, I had fun. It was different and I enjoyed the meal. The staff was really friendly. (Although I don't know if it's because the owner's son knows a couple people in out group.) Mind you, our group was huge. Our group this time had 14 people and we took up half the restaurant. They did accommodate us well though.

So the food itself, I can't say what exactly it was. I wish I took a picture of it though. I am in no way claiming to be a food critic or even a food blogger. I'm just recalling my experience.

Labels: food, lunch crew

So I was craving chocolate cake. Dense and rich chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream and hot fudge to be exact. (No, it wasn't my time of the month.) He picks me up to fulfill my long, awaited cravings. =) It took us an hour to find Homestyle Two-Bite Brownies but I felt like a little girl that finally got the doll from the store window. We ended up at his place with a bowl of warmed brownies and a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream; and we enjoyed the dessert with He's Just Not That Into You on the tele.


Was what he did over the top? No. Okay, maybe with the exception of having the patience and determination to hunt for my two-bite goodness. But it was just so sweet =) Yeah, that's right, I'm showing him off. (At least I'm being honest about it... unlike those people that post up a million pictures of everything they do.)

Spoiled much? Nope, just loved =)

Labels: dessert, food, him

So from a previous post, I mentioned that I finally had the chance to enjoy afternoon tea with my ladies.


Our Victoria trip was planned in rush and we made reservations only a few days prior to heading off to Victoria. The Empress suggests making reservations a week or two in advance. Luckily, they were able to accommodate us in such late notice. When we arrived, it was about an hour after they opened for seating and the Tea Lobby was already full. The location is beautiful. (I could live in the washroom!)

For the tea, we enjoyed the Empress Blend. I absolutely loved the blend. Before leaving, our server gave us our complementary sample of the tea to take home. It's packaged in a really nice tin box and there's 10 tea bags in each! Here's a description of it straight from their website.

"The Empress blend is a selection of seasonal, quality teas, created exclusively for The Fairmont Empress by the Metropolitan Tea Company. With components from Assam (thick malty and full bodied), Kenya (floral-like flavor and a golden coppery infusion), South India (superb fruity and sprightly flavor), Ceylon (airy, almost piquant flavor), and China (burgundy depth with light oaky notes), it is truly one of the finest blends in the world."

We also elected for the food option ($12 more per person). The food we sampled were pretty much the same as the sample menu provided on the website. The scone was delicious and each one came with an individual sealed jar of jam. (So cute!) I really enjoyed the pastries--especially the Battenburg (vanilla and chocolate sponge checkerboard wrapped in marzipan) and shortbread. *drools* A few of us had trouble finishing our portions. I was only able to sample part of some of my sandwiches and pastries.

In the end, was the experience worth the $70 (including gratuity)? You be the judge of that.

Labels: food, ladies, victoria

I think this explains it.

...more on the trip later =)

Labels: food, ladies, victoria

So I went on another food adventure with my dear, lovely, high school buddy, AY. This time it was one that neither of us had tried before. So the location of choice? A "hole in the wall" location, serving Singaporean and Malaysian dishes, called Hawker's Delight (4127 Main St.).


I got the chicken curry with rice while she tried the Mee Soto (yellow noodles with chicken and fish cake). The great thing about the place is that the dishes all have an explanation of what it is under it to compliment the pictures. It has the neighbourhood restaurant feeling to it. Although due to its size, it's not somewhere you'll bring a big group.

Now would I ever go there again? Maybe. It's not overly far and the food is good enough. Plus, it's inexpensive (my meal with drink was only $6 and change!) and really quick.

Labels: food, hawker's delight

I'm almost done my Green Tea Kit Kat bars =(


You would think that Green Tea flavoured Kit Kat bars are the easiest thing to find in Japan. Nopes. I couldn't find it until the very last minute. And when I say that, I mean I didn't find it until I was in the airport before leaving Japan. Obviously I stocked up on them. Now that my treasure chest of sweets is almost cleared out, I must once again start the hunt for my beloved Kit Kat bars. *drools* I've seen them at T&T Supermarkets before (at a ridiculous price). Please tell me if you see them anywhere!

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On a happier note, I really enjoyed my day yesterday. My contacts came in time for me to watch Monsters vs Aliens in 3D. Remember the good ol' days when 3D glasses were made out of cardboard, and red and blue "lenses"? It's one of those things we'll be telling our kids about.


I love B.O.B. His relationship with Jello is memorable. Although he doesn't have a brain, he's really smart! (Kind of like me? Okay no, I have a brain but not smart at all. bleck)

Anyhoo, after doing some shopping with a couple of my ladies (KC and AY), I went home to get ready for my date with AL. We changed plans and ended up going to Joeys. It was my first time there, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I have to go back there during a game night though =)

We wanted to get some dessert after a couple drinks, but didn't know where to go. So I called up a friend and we went to Cheesecake Etc... a few blocks down from where we were. Aikes. I didn't know it was that close! Not wanting to end the night so early, we rushed our way to Riverport and watched Observe and Report. We made it just as the previews started for the last showing of the evening. It was a decent movie. We were sitting way too close for comfort though (second row in the very front section).

All in all, yesterday was a nice break prior to pulling the books out again for my last final.

Labels: food, Japan, kit kat, movie

So... I finally fixed part of the layout. It's not completely done but I'm working on it. Please be patient. Also, is there anything that you don't see that you want on my blog?

Oh right, I'll throw out a "Intro to Blogger" once finals are over. It'll make the transition to Blogger easier for you people. There's some nifty tricks out there that isn't hard, but can be confusing if no one taught you or you didn't bother to figure out yourself.

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On another note, I made breakfast today. Yeah, I'm proud of myself for not just grabbing a rice cake. I had pancakes, cheese omelette, and apple juice. Yummy =) I would take pictures but my food rarely looks good. Yeah, I'll make a horrible housewife. So here's a picture of a bento box that I will never be able to make.


Someday I'll be one of those cool moms that would make lunches that other kids at school would be jealous of. Booyeah!

Labels: bento, food, layout

So yesterday was our 2.5 year anniversary for LNO. We celebrated the evening with a lavish dinner out. I didn't get ID-ed. *tear* But anyway, we went back to my place and enjoyed the rest of Earth Hour in romantic candlelight. We threw in a movie too. Spanglish was pretty good. It's not a movie I would have enjoyed in theaters, but it's nice to have it as a ladies night in entertainment.

After all that background information, let's get to the point here. We had our exotic chocolate tasting courtesy of me. Yeah, I spoil my ladies. I brought back a lot of treats from Japan, but for the evening, our menu consists of three courses. We started the tasting with white chocolate covered strawberries. Our main section was made out of ten different flavours of Kit Kat bars, and the evening was finished off with a Cola Mentos. Oh, and in accompany with the meal was the best filtered water I had available.


Does anyone want to guess the flavours? (I'll post them up in a couple days)

Labels: dessert, food, Japan