One picture is worth a thousand words
- Chinese proverb

After 4 years and 9 months, Adrian & I are officially Permanent Residents of the United States. This is our most coveted Green Card. Although it is no longer green in color, the term has become colloquial. In fact it has changed colors several times; green, light pink and now white.

The road to March 20, 2007 hasn't been easy. There has been times whereby our patience were severely tested when Adrian's Labor Certification (LC) was stuck for a couple of years due to the back-log in the Department of Labor's processing centers.

However, once the LC stage was over, it took less than 6 months for everything to be approved and mailed to us. Although we faced a bumpy ride in the beginning, it all balanced out in the end.

A cauldron of thanks to our dear friend, Liz V. for all her professional help and invaluable advice. To John & Edie S. for your constant support and concern. To Brian O. from our local Congressman's office for his perseverance and genuine effort in assisting our cause. And, finally but not least, to the Infinite One for giving us the strength and patience to pull through.

Cooking Frenzy

This whole week, I've been caught by the cooking bug. I think it is also attributable to a recent good news, which I will blog about some other day. On my lazy days stepping into the kitchen is like walking with an iron shackle around your foot.

So, I started off with some goreng pisang or banana fritters on Monday night;


...followed by Cinnamon Nut Cookies on Tuesday evening. I've to refrain from using the word biscuits at this point because biscuit is an entirely different thing here. In Malaysia and perhaps elsewhere around the world, biscuits = cookies; while biscuit is a soft buttery bun-like roll you eat with your meal in the U.S.

Anyway, this easy snack uses standard cookie measurements + cinnamon powder + roasted nuts.

Dough spooned onto a greased parchment paper.

Once it's done, let cool on wire rack & sprinkle some confectioner's sugar.

By dinner time, I was on to a popular Kuching dish - tomato sauce noodle or tomato mee. Like kolok mee (kolok noodles) this is only found in Kuching. Same goes for tomato sauce kway tiau (flat rice noodles) *sigh*.

Somehow the tomato sauce is still "not-there-yet" in spite of the sauce being brought all the way from home :(

Wednesday - OFF (I did cook, though. It was just some regular fried bee hoon.)

Thursday - Back in full-swing. I stopped by my local Indian grocery store, Annapura, to get some star anise, cinnamon sticks, Pappadums and frozen Pratas. We had an Indian theme dinner last night.

My Mom has been pestering me to try my Aunt's curry powder. My Aunt bought it from some lady in Kuala Lumpur. There's no brand and the only words on the packet are HOMEMADE CURRY RECIPE. This is very unfortunate for you and I because there's no address or telephone number for us to call. Plus, I've to use it sparingly. Double shucks!

Malaysian Chicken Curry. I love the color, the aroma, the taste. Just like home :)

Onion & plain Pratas - heat them until golden brown on a non-stick pan.

Fried pappadums, yum!

When you're happy and you know it, keep on cooking :) Cowanbunga!

For the Love of Boats, Schooners & Tall Ships

Another past activity. Still waiting for outdoor activities to come to life...!


Mystic, Connecticut is one of the most tranquil places I've ever visited. The seaport is a living history museum (just like Sarawak Cultural Village except this one is a fishing village). It consists of a village, ships of all sizes and 17 acres of exhibits depicting coastal life in New England about 200 years ago.

This is the belle of the ball at Mystic. The last surviving wooden tall ship Charles W. Morgan used for whaling. A historic landmark!

Amistad - recreation of the freedom schooner from the Amistad Revolt (1839-1842)

Steamboat Sabino & I

Gerda III brought Danish Jews to safety from the Nazis

Salted cod fish, anyone?

Maxwell House Coffee c. 1800

Maxwell House Coffee c. 2007

Inside the L.A. Dunton bunker. Pails underneath for collecting night soil???

Lamps in the village store

Supplies for your ship. Steers, anchors, ropes and a biscuit tin.

Fish tail decoration - Noank style

Funnies and cute stuff around Mystic...

Viking magnet

The American Frugal Housewife Book
"Dedicated to those who are not ashamed of economy"
c. 1833

An accessorized dog

My "Aflac Duck" look-alike striking a pose. Quack!

Side Note: Our trip to Mohegan Sun, thereafter yielded negative returns *sigh*. Couldn't resist the slot machines ;)

Hot Cross Buns, but minus the cross

I started making my first hot cross buns on Friday. It seemed befitting since hot cross buns are traditionally eaten during Lent & Good Friday. Baking bread is not one of my forte but why not try something new? Here goes my hot cross buns challenge...

Ingredients for hot cross buns

The tricky part, warm the milk. Not too hot unless you want to kill the yeast action. Sprinkle the yeast, let dissolve & rest it for 5 mins.

While stirring constantly, add in all your ingredients like melted butter, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and finally, the flour.

Knead until smooth and let rest for 30-45 mins. Add raisins and knead again until even and smooth. Place dough in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator overnight.

Next day: divide the dough, shape them into balls and place on parchment paper. Let rest for about 1.5 hour. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel :) I thought my dough looked like potatoes with eyes?!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bake. Finally! When dough has risen, use a sharp knife to slash across the buns. Mine didn't work out as you can see :(. Brush egg white on the buns. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F for another 15 mins or so. My glaze was too liquid. Less milk next time :(

Anyway, I gave away some to my friends. I hope they didn't have a bad reaction to it. Fingers crossed...!

Highlight of the day: I received a delightful phone call from Sue in Orlando. I found another Kuchingnite here! Turns out we share the same mutual friends back home. Thanks to the cooknengr for getting us acquainted as well. It wouldn't be fair not to mention the "link". Must give credit to this very "gau" fellow *lol*.

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Heading North

8 months to November. My Jersey Life's calendar suggests a possible road trip to Canada. This time for a destination wedding. Maybe we will do Montreal first (never been there) and then drive down to Toronto. This will be our second destination wedding since our desert-filled, fun Vegas experience last summer.

Look who's getting hitch end of this year...

These two cuties: Andrei & Gracie

The bride-to-be is my third cousin on the maternal side. Coincidentally, Gracie's big brother is Adrian's former schoolmate at St. Joseph, Kuching. Alex and Adrian hasn't seen each for 15 years! It would be an awesome reunion for the AAs during the wedding.

Toronto, Ontario

It has been almost 2 years since our last road trip to Canada. We stopped by Niagara Falls for a while to soak-in one of the wonders of the world. Yup, we had a mini shower there. Never underestimate the power of water. A hydro-power electricity producing one, that is!

The Falls at first sight

Maid of the Mist going towards the Falls

Just before the plunge!

CN Tower, world's tallest free standing structure on land

Posing with Mr. Moose at CN

This is the the Glass Floor for you to look down below. It can withstand the weight of 14 adult hippos. Funny how that fact didn't seem to allay my FEAR. Look down, you say?!!

Faking my smile while trying hard not to break out in sweat

But the view from the Skypod is really breath-taking.

Lake Ontario

The Marina

Something is missing here. I haven't mentioned about food. Our cheapie hostel is only 5 minutes away from Toronto's Chinatown. So off we went to fill our hungry bellies.

Vietnamese summer roll

Beef bun - this is the thing I was referring to in my previous entry. My addiction.

Vietnamese spicy pork leg & beef noodle soup - really good!!!

Time for some animal/nature pictures...

Riverdale Farm in Cabbagetown, Toronto is indeed a farm within the City.

Mister Ed??

Funny how that Mister Ed song immediately came to my mind:
A horse is a horse, of course, of course, And no one can talk to a horse of course, That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed!

Damn! They're so lazy, rolling about in the mud.

His Moo-iness enjoying his grass. No pun intended!

My Ah Kong's (Grandpa) pet-hate, u-huh!

Hello dollies! No rear shots this time *wink*

Hello Kitty..!!

And, CASA LOMA - the estate of the late Sir Henry Pellat; financier, industrialist & military man.

Casa Loma c. 1914

I love gardens & flowers so never pass-up on a photo with the greens :)

And finally, something all Malaysians will appreciate. A Bata shop at Eaton Center, downtown Toronto.

School shoes, anyone?!

I can't wait to write about Montreal but that'll be in November, provided our plans solidify??? We shall see... Meanwhile, time to learn some French phrases.