Food 2!!!!!!

Deng deng deng deng..... Korean noodles with spicy sauce (instant one lah...)

Other than the noodles and sauce, others are homemade -- fresh cucumbers (leftover from last week's sushi) and carrots, fried gong yu zai and dried tofu.


This is how it looks like after mixing the ingredients together. The photo was automatically arranged this way no matter how I rotated it in my original copy. Well, you need to turn your head then...


Hoho... I have no idea why I suddenly get so hardworking... I have written 6 posts since last Monday. Almost 1 post per day. This means you're very lucky... Hiak hiak hiak... May be I should make it up to a total of 140 posts before 2010?? Aiyoh... 4 more to go only mar... ;)

Food!!

My landlady was preparing for an early Dong Zhi feast with her family and her brother's family this afternoon. Handmade fish balls (reminds me of the Malaysian Fuzhounese fish balls) and handmade shi guo （ 米十 果). I never miss any chance to try new food!! She gave me five shi guo's and I had it for lunch and snack before dinner.

Mr. Landlord said it's similar to the Cantonese Cin Dui （煎堆）, but this is grounded pork with peanuts, spring onions and brown sugar wrapped with mashed sweet potatoes. Its taste is a perfect combination of of salty and sweet. Yummy!!!




By the way, I wonder who Dianne is. I have been getting calls from strangers asking for Dianne on and off since I got this phone number May last year. The oddest part was just now. I got the first call asking for Dianne and the next one coming in 1 second later for the same person. Haha... Both of the callers were guys. May be they're this Dianne's boyfriends and just found out that she's cheating on them. XD Hoho... I'm too imaginative...

10 hours later

This is how the street looks like 10 hours after I took the photos of it. I woke up at 9.30am and walked to the laundromat 2 blocks away to do laundry. I should have done it yesterday morning before the storm but I was simply lazy. n_n" The snow on the pedestrian walk wasn't cleared when I walked out this morning. Walking to the very end of the street you see in the picture was a little adventurous. Luckily the residents shoved the snow off the way when I got back.




See the white car in the right corner? It's almost covered by the snow.
It's Dong Zhi 2 days from now. Friends from Bemidji who were supposed to arrive in NYC today can only arrive on Tuesday due to flight rescheduling as a result of the snow storm. My cousin will also be coming from Massachusetts. What a good timing. I should start researching where to bring them for Dong Zhi dinner.

Busy week

Case Management Program's party in the Monday afternoon, our foundation's Holiday Party in the Tuesday evening and ice skating at the Bryant's Park on the Wednesday after work. I didn't even have the time to cook in the entire week 'cause I had too many events going on!! n_n


Dec. 15, 2009 (Tuesday)
I had Singaporean chow mai fun for lunch. It's not the one we have in Malaysia. It's fried with curry powder, char siew, chicken and shrimps instead, but it's good!. My co-worker Christina sitting next to me asked for my suggestion for lunch. So I recommended one of our favorite dishes and I guarantee 99% of Americans will like it (even if the chef cooks as bad as me). The food gave me a shock when she brought it back from the restaurant. WalauA!!!!! This is the worst Americanized Chinese food I ever seen. Guess what's this?

Sweet and Sour Chicken!!!!!!!!!!! The syrup-like sauce is the sweet and sour sauce that you dip with the chicken. Man, these people are way too creative.... Christina saw how surprised I was and she said she expected it this way and she likes this. OMG!! So the chef didn't screw the dish, but I did, I suppose?



Tik tok... Tik tok...

Finally the clock ticked at 5pm!! This was one of the very few times our director sends us an email stating that the office will be closed sharp at 5pm. Well, all of us in the back room were ready by 4.57pm! ;P


15 of us heading to the subway station. We were like school kids going on a trip. Everyone was so excited and who cares how the others look at us?




The express train was already crowded before the door was open. There's no way all of us are going to squeeze into the same train.


Instead of squeezing ourselves in the express train, the rest of us made into the local train (which took us almost an hour instead of 30 minutes). But we din't need to squeeze and we got a seat!!

The party had started when we arrived at 6pm.


Group photo for the Case Management Program. Not everyone came to the party but here's the majority of us. The only 3 Chinese-speaking case managers are here - Davina, Persephone and me. 3 youngest case managers in the office (22 years old) - the only 2 girls with glasses (me and Persephone) and the only guy (Will) in the picture. The lady in green is our director (Amanda). Barri (in a white jacket and black shirt) is 1 of our 2 supervisors.


Is that me or the staffs in my office don't look like their age? They look younger than they do. But somebody in the office thought I'm at the same age as her.... Well, not too bad... She's 25... Haha... I really want to look more mature/older working in this office 'cause we're dealing with folks older than 65. I can't imagine a 22-year-old assessing my needs and physical condition when I'm 80. Anyways, our program was the biggest winner of that night. 5 out of 16 of us won the lucky draw gifts - a 16" flat screen TV, Wii, camera, Macy's gift card and iPod. I was 1 of the 16 but not 1 of the 5. ......



The dance floor was open after the lucky draw. They had already started helping themselves with alcohol at the bar. I had a Coke! ;)


Our program was too outstanding this year. After sweeping away the 5 gifts, all of us were on the dance floor, occupying half of it. Will, Barri and myself are the 3 pillars among them. These people couldn't believe this is my first dance party in U.S. Hoho... I didn't tell them this is also the third dance party in my life - one in the 2007 HELP ADP/Psychology Dept. prom and second in the club after the prom.







Dec. 16, 2009 (Wednesday)
Davina planned for this ice skating at the Bryant Park a week ago. It's the only free ice skating rink in NYC if you have skate shoes. Shoes are rented for $12 for an unlimited time.


The waiting area.

The rink is temporarily built on the grass during the winter.


The park is surrounded with sky scrappers.




I started off by holding on the rail for about half an hour. You know people say you can only learn when you're not afraid to fall? Not this one for me. I was very careful, watch my steps very closely and move my skates very consciously. Of course, I came in prepared!! I had my knee guard on under the jeans.

Off the rail after that!!! With zero fall in the end!!!
Anna, Davina and Lillian. Lillian left the office 2 months before I came in. I'm now taking over her clients and job in the office.

Free coke products given out at the exit. It's the new mini coke - only 222ml with 90 calories per can. Oh wait, am I doing free publicity for coke?

The famous (or maybe not) handmade (that's what advertised in the newspapers) popcorn!! There are many different flavors. I got myself the Spicy Cajun BBQ popcorn.

We went to the Red Lobster for dinner.

Served with biscuits as starters!!! Yummy... This is a must-try at Red Lobster.




My wood-grilled chicken and scallop with rice. I had met my lobster limit for this week. No more lobster.
I arrived home at 11.30pm with a extremely full stomach and tired legs. How amazing I was when I managed to drag my body to work the next day.


Dec 19, 2009 (Saturday)
Finally here comes the long waited weekend. 3 batches of friends (from St. Cloud, Bemidji and Massachusetts) will be coming to NYC.

A snow storm was expected to hit the East coast inclusing NYC today, which will also be the first snow fall in New York city.

I was on the street witnessing the first snow of this winter (I was there too when it first snowed in Bemidji last year! How lucky!). It started with very tiny little snow flakes. You can't see it from the photo yet (taken with my phone). Suspecting I'm already back in Malaysia or I'm in China when you're looking at the photo? Told you, I live in China. Haha... I'm so going to miss the food here. Well, I am already...



Not realizing it could turn out bad with the small little snow flakes, I ordered 2 Xinjiang "satays"- 1 chicken and 1 lamb (on behalf of 940 as I was talking on the phone with her). Hehe...


See the red chilly powder? Extra spicy chicken "satay". No pork satay 'cause the food is originated from the Uighur ethnic group (維吾爾族) in Xinjiang, China. Most of them are Muslims. This will be my top missed food when I leave this place.


When I was biting on my second stick, the storm started - more snow and stronger wind. (You know how slow I eat, especially when it's delicious!). As soon as I finished my last bite (not too soon afterall), I fast-walked back home with my runny nose (I ordered for extra spicy!!) and freezing hands.

Snow was accumulating on the floor within 20 minutes after I saw the first few snow flakes on the streets just now. How can I miss this first snow fall? I went back to my room, grab my camera and got out of the house.


Have I shown you the place I'm staying yet? See the balcony (second floor) with the orange cardboard stating room for rent? I stay in one of the rooms in the unit. I live with the family of my landlord who collect rent from the units on the basement, first, second and third floor. Mr. and Mrs. Landlord are very friendly and nice people. Mrs. Landlady's surname is Yang too! They emigrated from Fuzhou, China and they speak to each other in the family in Fujianese (we'll call it Fuzhounese). I listen to the language everyday...




Well, the winter is now officially started in NYC.

博君一笑

地点：公司
时间：中午
人物：我隔壁的同事 - 以下称 C

C 正在处理信件。话说她把信塞进信封内后用舌头直接往信封的接口处一扫，然后眉头一皱，说：



"Eww!! This envelope tastes weird!!"



哇塞！！！信封上的浆糊还要做成个像样的味道吗？？？老板，信封不是用来舔的。。。老天她还真能骂得这样理直气壮。。。

我刚好正要站起离开座位，跑到橱后面使劲地狂笑。还好当时没人在偷看我, 不然一定以为我这个马来西亚人是痴线的。

现时为午夜00：28. 一小时前才回到家，冲完凉后准备睡觉。今天下班后跟同事到 Bryant Park 溜冰，就是上次扮文艺看交响曲的地点。照片下回见！！

Office Party!!

Year end's coming!!! Although social workers receive no year-end bonus, but at least we still have the office party as everyone does!! ;)

It was a potluck party. I wanted to make agar-agar "kononnya" to publicize Malaysian food a bit; but I couldn't find the ingredients in the store. Guess what I made? SUSHI!!!!

I know, what a betrayer I am... Eh, I spent 2 hours standing in the kitchen rolling up the sushi okay?!!

All case managers in the office signed up for the Secret Santa. Too bad our asst. director is sick (she;s also my supervisor) and our director and the other 2 supervisors were not playing. The party was held in the conference room right next door.

Here comes the foods!!! (See my sushi in the picture??)

There's 1 director, 1 asst. director, 2 supervisors, 14 case managers and 3 case aides in the office. Most of us are in the photos. (Going clockwise around the conference table)



I'm the secret Santa for Rafael! He's one of the only 2 male case managers in the office. I was thinking of getting something suitable for his children, but I ended up with a gift card from the Whole food store. AND, I went out to get it 10 minutes before the party started and got back 15 minutes late. Kill me... I tried to hunt for something in the weekend. On a lovely Sunday morning spending 30 minutes walking on the street not knowing what to get. Now I know how it feels when you're getting present for those who wrote "anything" on the wish list!! Rafael and I are the 2 idiots!! (Luckily he's not going to see this!! :P)

Rafael making the guess of his secret Santa.



My secret Santa - Davina!!!! She's the big sister who vows to turn me into an American gangster! Haha... Guess what she got for me?

FOOD!!!! Actually I wanted to write "any type of food will make me happy" on the wish list, but I thought writing "anything" would be a better surprise. Davina, I salute you!!!! This is the best Christmas present I ever had!!! Muahahahaha!!!

By the way, it's a Chinese style fried lobster!! It looks like one whole lobster lying in the box!! Yummy~~~ See what the gangster wrote on the paper? All of them laughed when they saw the words. I guess they already know this Malaysian Chinese girl is all for food?? XD



Since I had my camera with me (isn't it rare?? And did I mention I finally got myself a 8gb memory card?), I took some photos after I finished my home visit in Greenwich Village. It was only 5pm but it's already so dark. My second winter in US.



Accidentally found the huge Pride flag hanging on the building while I was on my way to the subway station. This should be the GLBT activity center.


My dinner!!!


I think I'm having a lobster overdose syndrome right now. I can feel the cholesterol level is up above my head... Wakaka!! I therefore certify this is a whole lobster, 'cause I ate from the head to tail.

There's another party after work tomorrow. It'll be our agency's party organized in 1 of our senior housings. I heard that there's raffles for iTouch (last year) and etc. And, my co-workers were openly planning to get me drunk tomorrow because they still don't believe I'm allergic to alcohol.... Poor them, they're going to be disappointed... Let's see who's getting high then... Hiak hiak hiak!!

无药可救。。

昨晚准备晚餐时就想好了今晚的晚餐 -- 白饭配午餐肉片！！把切成刚刚好厚度的午餐肉放入锅里煎，外皮香脆，里边厚实，简直是白饭的最佳搭配！！当然，我还没忘记冰箱里躺着的那盒江鱼仔炒矮瓜和马铃薯片，加热后一并吃下肚子。呵呵。。。午餐肉果然不同凡响，吃完了还溢齿留香。。。

好啦，吃饱喝足以后，当然得洗盘碗。同是房客的大姐说请我吃她包的饺子，说是她来美国这么久才第一次包的饺子，还说谢谢我给她翻译英文书信。

一阵客气后还是很给脸地接了那碗白菜猪肉饺子。

一看，老天！！！！七粒咧！！！而且还是大大粒的七粒饺子！！！我简直可以当另一餐配饭吃得饱饱了！！！不早点讲？大不了我明晚才吃白饭配午餐肉。。。

结果，吃了第一粒后，管不了这么多，把其余的也送进口里了，完完全全忘了十分钟前还站在体称上的我。。。一句话，好吃！！！

呜呼哀哉！人家刚才回家前好不容易抵住了新疆铐鸡肉串的诱惑，现全功尽费了。。。

呵呵。。可是饺子塞进嘴里时还是觉得暖暖的，冬天吃水饺果然不一样。我在这儿住了近七个月，用了人家大姐大哥（大姐的老公是不是该叫大哥？感觉怪怪的。。）的刀板大刀，好不容易才在几个星期前将功补过，帮她翻译书信。翻译文件时，我心里还想：怎么我酱像古装戏里的那些代写书信的落魄书生？？Choi choi choi!! 才不是落魄！！

当东西有得比较时才会觉得拥有的不再是理所当然。我觉得看得懂英文（厉不厉害是另一回事啦。。）不是什么大不了的事，可是能以己所长助他人所短还是件开心的事。帮了那大姐第一次后，她都不再那么生疏，有事时就“小姐　小姐”地找我帮忙。帮她之余还要记得打扫落满地的鸡皮疙瘩。。。其实屋里除了房东太太很亲切地叫我巧彤以外，房东先生和那“大姐”两夫妇都叫我小姐。TMD... 感觉上我好像在操守某一份职业的。。。

没办法，可能房东先生和那位“大哥”叫我名字会更怪。可是我也从来没问过这中国（朝鲜族）大姐叫什么名字，碰面时仅仅是很礼貌外加甜甜地一笑。好啦，这次拿了人家一碗热腾腾的饺子，终于问了人家大姐的名字。她的答案让我的下巴差点掉近碗里！！



“我叫Jenny。”



哇塞！！我还在想象个中文名字，又或者是个韩文名字（她讲中文时还是带着浓浓的韩腔），竟然来个Jenny？？那位大哥则在灶边看着我俩憨笑。可是我还是没问大哥叫啥名，我怕他跟我讲他叫Peter！！　哈哈。。下次再算啰。。


今天，这一碗饺子拉进了我和这两位房客的距离。


却也拉大了我和52kg目标的距离。。。。　=____="