Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Up and Down

Carmel

I miss Carmel. There's something soothing about being near the waters. Although I can't swim, I could spend hours just watching the waves glide towards me, while skipping along the shores and kicking the sand beneath my feet.
I dug up more photos from our trip. E and I decided to make a lovely sunset dinner for the last night. It was picture perfect, a five * dinner with a five * view, with my best friend!
Now I just needed my 승기<3 to serenade me away to 결혼해줄래 and I would've said yes to him in a split second! And I'm sure E had Mr. Nick Khun drifting around and about in her head. But that is a different story to which I would have to devote a whole blog post to, or maybe two or three or even a 100.

Carmel
We set it out on the balcony on top of E's picnic mat

Carmel
Steak and seafood kabobs on a bed of orzo.

Carmel
Now that is one sexy plate!

Carmel
I love how our glasses frosted up!

Cheers to a wonderful week! :)

Monday, July 27, 2009

Staying cool in the summer is easy peasy!

Juicy. Sweet. Refreshing!

Watermelon Hwa-Chae

What's better than winding down with a mouthful of watermelon on a hot summer day!
I've been hooked on making su-bak hwa-chae (수박화채) Basically the same idea as a fruit salad except using watermelon as the main.
For this one I used refrigerated watermelon, lychee, and peach, that way you can eat it right away and it'll be nice and cold!
1. Split the watermelon in half.
2.Cut the edges in a zig-zag, and scoop up the watermelon with a spoon (a melon scooper would be ideal, but I couldn't find one) Keep all the yummy juices.
3. Cut open fresh lychee, or open and drain a can of lychee
4. Slice a peach into 1/4" thickness, then press the peach with a cute cutter. (Stuff the leftovers in your mouth while singing merrily)
5. Toss the trio in the juices and voila! YUMMMMMY!


Watermelon Hwa-Chae
I think I'm gonna go make myself one right now! Ciao.
How do you stay cool in the summer?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I'm BACK!!

I've been MIA for a long time! And that comes with a large update! I've started a painting project on the first floor of our house last month which is still running on. I'm taking it slow and doing one room per week, or so I'd like to think. ;) All our walls have been cream/ivory/off-white for the past 10 years or so, so yes we needed a change! First off was the living room, which went from cream to a lavender colour. Our choice was Olympics 'Ancestral' after seeing it on the paint swatches. In the beginning it took some getting used to, because it changed so drastically throughout the day, depending on the light situation. But after a week or so, our family totally fell in love with it. The colour brngs a feminine and romantic feel which complements the dark chocolate furniture. I also stained the wooden mantle above the fireplace from a colonial maple to a dark chocolate. It's uber sexy, in my honest opinion. ;) hahaha! And then I painted a large mirror that was hanging on the wooden panel to a white and gave it an antique look. Those two additional changes (mantle + mirror) really transformed the living room, in a good way and we love it! It so interesting how a coat of paint makes all the difference!
Unfornately, silly me forgot to take before photos, but I do have an inbetween shot. :P And I haven't gotten to the after photos.

Living Room
The second project was by far the easiest, we painted the entryway and the stairway wall, from an ivory to a light sage colour. It looks good and it makes our white door stand out from the walls now.

Then I tackled the third project with my mom, "THE KITCHEN, including all the cabinetry". It went from a yellowish cream to a organic basil colour, and the cabinets are now wearing white, and we love it! I under-estimated the work that comes with it... Well... let's just say I made a mental note to self that next time we will have that professionally painted.
The fourth project was the family room. We had the ugliest varnished wooden panels on the walls and it was my wish to get them re-painted... but I did not get my way till now. Now I love myself some wood, but these panels were so varnished to the point of cheapness!! Yes!! Feels so great to have it covered up in a nice natural taupe!
I know a picture speaks a thousand words, but after all the painting my body went into lazy mode so I skipped out on the photos. :P Perhaps in the near future~ But I did go up north to Carmel and had the most relaxing week by the waters!


Asilomar Beach

Asilomar Beach

Baby Baby Bertha

We made Baby Baby Bertha @ Asilomar Beach


Point Lobos (China Cove)

Point Lobos (China Cove)


Leaving behind traces in the sand

Point Lobos (China Cove)


China Cove

Point Lobos (China Cove)


Filling my basket at Candy Baron

Cannery Row - "Candy Barons"
I was fulfilling my sweet desires with salt water taffy!

Carmel

Sunset view from our suite