Posts Tagged ‘holiday’

4th of July Weekend

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Bright and early that Saturday morning, we caught the first flight down to LA.  My brother picked us up and made us his breakfast bagels with eggs and ham.  Good stuff!  While Hubby took a nap, I headed to Tsu Salon for a much needed haircut.  Last October, I chopped it all off, but this time I opted for some layers in the front and left the back to keep growing.  After a few errands, we (my mom, brother, brother’s gf, Hubby, and I) piled into the car for the scenic drive along Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu for J and V’s wedding.  I forgot to include a picture of their beautiful cake in the post dedicated to their wedding, so here it is:

On Sunday (4th of July), we woke up early to pick up my dad from LAX.  He was definitely surprised to see all of us there to greet him as he exited the customs area.  I think it made him really happy because he was smiling from ear to ear.  We took him to eat dim sum at King Hua in Alhambra and then stopped by my grandma’s for a quick visit.  Hubby and I ran some errands, which included dropping off some stuff at C’s place where we got to play with J for a bit.


J eating his snacks, so I could take a picture.

While at C’s place, she recommended Jang Soo Jang in Cerritos for Korean BBQ.  We took her suggestion and after church headed there for a belated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day meal for my parents.

We enjoyed our dinner and timed it perfectly to catch fireworks on our way home.  We parked in the lot and watched the show from the car.  From where we were, we could see the Artesia show in the foreground and the Cerritos show in the background.  It was fantastic to have a view of both from one location.  Unfortunately, when it was time to go home, the car would not start.  The battery died and would not jump start, so it was towed to the nearby dealership.  It made for a memorable evening.

On Monday, we spent the day with Hubby’s family.  We met up for breakfast at Four Sea Restaurant in Hacienda Heights for soybean milk (dou jiang), doughnuts (yo tiao), and other goodies.


three generations of Cheng men

After breakfast, we  wandered the grounds of the nearby temple.  I think the last time I was there was probably 20 years ago, but I still remembered the giant courtyard area.  Everything else was unfamiliar though.  The kiddos were tired, so we relaxed at Tea Station.  Our niece A was going to turn 3 a few days later, so we gave her her birthday presents.  Can you believe she is 3 already?  I am still in shock!  Where did all the time go?


bowling pin set from grandpa and bubble gum playland from uncle and auntie

It was a fun long weekend with family and friends.  Too bad we were not able to stay longer.

King Hua Restaurant – 2000 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
Jang Soo Jang Korean BBQ Restaurant – 19107 Bloomfield Ave, Cerritos, CA 90703
Four Sea Restaurant – 2020 S Hacienda Blvd, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
Tea Station – 1637 Azusa Blvd, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

A wonderful movie and perfect song for Valentine’s Day!

Hubby and I do not like crowds, so we usually celebrate Valentine’s Day early.  This year, we headed to Aldo Los Altos for dinner on Tuesday night.  It was perfect: quaint downtown location, no wait, tasty food, and attentive service.  I wanted to try this restaurant because they had Cicchetti, which are “small bites” and the Italian version of tapas.

We shared five Cicchetti dishes and were quite full.  Not sure if it was because almost everything we ordered was fried, though.

Antipasto Mistro per due: Prosciutto, Salumi, Crescenza cheese, Cipolline


Patatine Fritte: homemade potato chips with rosemary and sea salt served with saffron mayonnaise


Gnocco di Pane: puff pastry filled with mushroom and fontina cheese


Ravioli fritti: 4 cheese fried ravioli, balsamic reduction


Calamari Fritti: fried calamari served with marnara and lemon aioli

Of course, we had to try the creme brulee for dessert.

Coconut Crema Bruciata: homemade rich Coconut creme brulee served with fresh raspberries

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Hope you had a day full of love with loved ones!

Aldo Los Altos – 388 Main Street, Los Altos, CA 94022

Year of the Tiger

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

GONG HAY FAT CHOY!  SUN NIN FAI LOK!
GONG XI FA CHAI!  XIN NIAN KUAI LE!
BE PROSPEROUS!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Today marks the start of the new year of the tiger.  Rawr!  Here are this year’s horoscopes for the 12 animals:

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Rat: 2010 will bring changes, for certain. You tend to act on impulse, but this year may not be the right year for you to instigate too many changes. Adapting to change is a better strategy than adding fuel to the fire. Use your considerable wits to handle the uncertainties that are likely to come your way this year. Act with confidence rather than foolhardiness. Avoid overspending. 2010 is strong for you for love, particularly in the first half of the year. Travel opportunities are likely to present themselves. Career changes are likely. The year is likely to be quite busy. Overall: Average.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Ox: A  year of drama, instability, and change is not what a typical Ox wants to hear! It sounds a little too excitable for the security-seeking Ox. Last year was a new beginning for you–the start of a whole  new 12 year cycle, and for some of you it was a dramatic beginning. This year, you are embracing a new lifestyle and dealing with some uncertainty at the same time. Career matters may be competitive; health is expected to be variable. Love is on the challenging side for many and status quo for some. Be determined, and open yourself up to accepting some changes in plans. Focus on the things that are the most important to you. Overall: Average to challenging.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Tiger:  This is a year of new beginnings for you–the start of a new twelve-year cycle. The choices you make this year will be defining ones for years to come. Romance and social relationships are expected to be strong areas for you this year. It’s a time during which the Tiger can take the lead, exercise his or her authority, and hunt down opportunities. Tigers will be very active and enjoy the changefulness of the year’s events. However, Tigers should do their best to exercise self-control. Even though it is “their” year, it’s a year of high drama, and both the ups and downs can be memorable.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Rabbit: As this is the year before his/her own year, 2010 can bring the Rabbit some challenges, but never insurmountable ones. [Note, 2011 will be the Year of the Rabbit]. In fact, the Rabbit often indirectly benefits from the activities of the Tiger, so there can be some small advances this year for many Rabbits that seem to come out of the blue. The Rabbit doesn’t share any strong links to the Tiger overall, however, so the Year of the Tiger is expected to be on the neutral side for the Rabbit–neither overly challenging nor overly positive.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Dragon:The quickness of pace and changefulness of the year of the Tiger in 2010 is rather suitable to the Dragon who prefers immediate results. While opportunities should be grabbed when they arise, and they are very quick to both come and go in 2010, Dragons should make an effort not to be cocky or overly confident. Relationships with others are a little fragile, and Dragons should take care to be more sensitive to the needs of their loved ones this year.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Snake: Snakes may not find 2010, the Year of the Tiger, especially easy. The quick and often hectic pace of the year may be unsettling for many Snakes. The best advice is to avoid resisting change at all costs, as the more Snakes resist, the harder their struggles will be! Snakes are usually more comfortable in a Yin year and 2010 is a Yang one. However, Snakes do have the ability to control or master Metal, so although the overall forecast is an uncomfortable year, it does not bring challenges that Snakes cannot handle masterfully.

 Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Horse: Horses (along with Dogs) are expected to fare better than most in 2010, the Year of the Tiger.  It’s a yang year, which is comfortable for Horses, and while Metal is not the preferred element for Horses, it is something they can take control of. New friendships and career advancement are likely. Health may be a little more fragile this year, however. While opportunities arise and should be taken advantage of, Horses should not jump into new situations or relationships too quickly, without practical considerations taken into account. Overall: Good.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Goat:Last year was at times a worrisome period in the Goat’s life. This year is also uncertain in terms of its quick pace and changeful atmosphere, which can feel overwhelming to many peace-loving Goats. The Year of the Tiger is best used as a period of gaining energy instead of a year of fame and fortune! There is no special relationship between the Tiger and the Goat, so a neutral year is expected overall. Goats are not especially comfortable in yang years, and 2010 is a yang year, but they do well with the Metal element of this period. Money matters are good. Health may be a little more sensitive or fragile this year.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Monkey: Plenty of ups and downs are in store for Monkeys in 2010, the Year of the Tiger. Although Monkeys do not generally fare well in a Tiger year, they do well in Yang years and with the Metal element. The bottom line is a year of dramatic ups and downs. Love relationships are likely to be on the challenging side. Monkeys often tempt fate, and this year is not the best year in which to push your luck. You may easily get caught in lies of your own making, so take the honest route and the high road.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Rooster:The Rooster’s natural enthusiasm will keep them on track this year. The Rooster and the Tiger don’t have a special relationship, so for the most part, the year is expected to be unspectacular or status quo. The fact that 2010 is a Metal year is a plus for Roosters, however. While career matters may change too quickly for their liking, and there may be little in the way of leisure time this year, Roosters should feel relatively confident and, for the most part, are less affected by the turbulent atmosphere of the Year of the Tiger than most other animals in the zodiac.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Dog: Dogs are expected to fare the best of all animals in the Chinese zodiac this year. Dogs are compatible with Tigers, yang years, and the Metal element, so we have a strong showing for dogs. Opportunities come and go quickly this year, and Dogs’ intuition generally is strong enough to take advantage at just the right time. Loyalty and fairness will be rewarded. It’s a good year for adventure, the birth of new and marketable ideas, and travel.

Chinese Astrology Horoscope 2010 for the Pig: While the love life is expected to be much improved for the Pig in 2010, the year is sure to demand much from these people, and sometimes too much. Money matters should be steady and strong. Exercising self-control will be especially important. Reducing your load and responsibilities if at all possible might also help. Uncomfortable with the quick pace of the year, you might feel uneasy and restless at times, but you will do well helping others through rough patches.

Hope it is a wonderful tiger year for all!  Cheers to good health and prosperity!

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