Pre CNY Dinner @ Home

Last nite we had the ladies (Juliana, Sue & Cecilia) over at the house for our Pre Chinese New Year Get Together dinner....   a bit early but with everyone's schedules as busy as it is, this was the only time we can do it or it will be after the Holidays - just like the late XMAS Together....  and needless to say, everyone will be going to their respective families' homes for the Chinese New Year break....  Us included, as we head down to Kaohsiung later this coming week....

It was a nice simple dinner... Soup, Salad, & Sausage Pizza - simple except for the fact that everything was home made... personal chef, David.... For the two of us, it was an all day affair - as we shopped, cleaned, prepared, and cooked before the gals arrived at 6PM.....

Then it was time to feast on the scrumptious food & fun chats...  and to end the feast are treats they brought over - Bread Papa's Cream Puffs and Strawberry flavours.....     it was a little after 10PM when the ladies decided to take off as the following day is Church Day, and Sue has to get up very early for it....

SWEET TREATS to end the night!

MORE PHOTOS HERE!

Fun Friday!

Yesterday was break for me from the work week....   got to go to the GYM....  got to do some work....  then had a tasty lunch with Sue - complete with Goodies and Fun Chat!

A bit later, had a nice FRESH BAKED BISCOTTI Surprise courtesy of Mr Wu.... 

plus a Matinee of "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" at the MIRAMAR Complex....

...then it was back to work...  and a trek to the Library with Juju in tow....

 

5 More to be Thankful for!!!

Been a busy week....  doing lots of running around so am a bit behind... but that does not mean I did not have anything to be THANKFUL for... so am FILLING IN the last five days before Thanksgiving, starting with TODAY...

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Day 21. FRIENDSHIPS -and that includes Past, Present. & Future... And yes, FB Friends and throw in the Haters too - for Good Measure!

Everyone, directly or indirectly, have contributed to who I am...   Shared Joys n Sorrows, and everything in between... Thank You All!

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Day 20.XMAS TREATS -yep, one by one they do come back to brighten and sweeten up the Holiday Season!!!

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Day 19.METRO ART -For me, the BEST thing about riding the METRO in Taipei is not how fast it can get me to where am going, but to be treated to some of the BEST FREE ART around..... every stop with a different theme by some of the local (known, as well as, up and coming artists)... Just Feasts for the eyes!!!

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Day  18.RUNNING -possibly my most Fave form of exercise, since my High School days... Not only is it really good to keep the heart pumping and the calories burning, Running always helps me clear my mind... Think of ideas and solutions... And just really energizes me...

And it helps when you have this convenient, beautiful riverside park to run...

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Day 17.HOUSE CHORES -Not that I really like doing them - but in a way, it does keep me grounded... and when am focusing on the task at hand - I clear my mind of everything else.....

XMas Treats @ Mister Donut

was a rainy day the whole day yesterday....  so most of the day was spent indoors....   working...  playing with and looking after jewel...  never a good thing for me being couped up indoors for looooong periods of time....  as most of you know....   so the minute the rain let up a bit, Jewel in tow, I was out of the house.....  hahahahahahahaha...

Sadly it was already around 8PM at this time... with really no place to go - too late to hop on the bus and go to the malls... we walked over to Min Sheng Rd - to check out mags at KINGSTONE BOOKSTORE....   and just hang out....   and Jewel did a lot of her walking exercises for the day on the 3rd floor....  even walked up and down the steps - A LOT!!!  ON HER OWN!!! (Not to worry - am ALWAYS close by for support and safety...)

Just so happen that Mister Donut is next door to it...  and their XMas poster beckoned us to come in - so a good whole hour was spent eating, drinking, people watching and snapping shots....   we both LOVED sampling the new XMas mini treats - so cute in their XMas packaging - 2 varieties available....

Jewel walking....  Yummy Mister Donuts....  and XMas spirits in the air - FINALLY....  

 Sweet Treats, Indeed!!!

monday, monday

the past weekend, besides being a COLD & WET one (every year, I swear, I think the winter months in Taipei is even colder than the previous one!) was no too bad at all -- even though it seems as if we did not do much but eat, eat, and eat some more.... hahahahahaha... as always, David was on a cooking frenzy and was making a lot of stuff for us all to savour and get fat on.... no wonder I feel like a BIG BEAR in WINTER just wanting to HIBERNATE after each meal.... ONLY PHOTOGRAPH THE DESSERTS AS THEY ARE MY FAVES AND JUST ABOUT THE ONLY TIME YOU WILL SEE ME HELP COOK, MAKE THAT BAKE, IN THE KITCHEN.

-well, aside from eating, I did manage to get around here and there.... and spent a lot of time watching DVDs (finally got to see the ELIZABETH - 2nd installment - simply an amazing film! and the 1st season of newest Melrose Place - TRASHY FUN - and seeing the old casts pop in and out is just too fun a trip down memory lane)...

spent a bit of time at the LIBRARY as well, reading mags, and catching up on "this n that".. always a pleasure flipping through magazines: fashions, toys, architecture, & news, now and again - hahahahaha) always so much going on that I wish I could see in person... places I wish I could visit.... and toys I wish I could have.... I was also HAPPY to have discovered a new TOY SHOP & SAD that, there is more COOL & FUN stuff to add in my OPEN PLAZA collection (SEE Follow Up Blogs) ...... oh well, back to reality.... and the trials and tribulations of life....

Happy Monday to you all... here's wishing for a GREATR WEEK for us all!!!