Hello again, I've finally decided to update my blog. Looks like the chatbox to the side will not be in service for free anymore, so you'll have to leave your messages under each entry. Which is a bit of a relief actually, now I can save your comments here permanently and in their relevant entries, and also there's no more of the recent problem everyone's been having with spammed chatboxes.

So here's what I've been up to these recent weeks (months? oh no...I've been that lazy with updates?)

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Thanksgiving at Mandy's place. Much bigger party than I expected, people from 2 dorm units who then proceeded to each invite a few of their own friends, and everyone gathers to eat in the biggest room available.

Here's our spread; turkey, sausage rolls, broccoli (hahah...mine, see how much I care about people's health?), fruits, mac and cheese, pecan pie, red and green bean soups, tang yuen and punch. There was another pasta not in this picture which came later.
Tiny dorm kitchens oh how I don't miss you so.
And so the only way to be seated was on the floor, which I guess is the most comfortable way anyway.
We're playing Dixit. It's really fun and easy at the same time. Check it out.
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Also, I biked to Sausalito. Not many pics, but here are the few I have.

On the way to the bike rental place I came across the Occupy SF tent area. I don't pay much attention to the local politics, so I forgot that they would be at the Embarcadero.
One of the ice rinks put up for Christmas. This one is at Justin Herman plaza. The other one's in Union Square.
Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. Apparently one way traffic is no longer in force for pedestrians, it's now one side for bikes and one side for walking. Lots of pro-looking bikers around Sausalito.
The Bay Model Center, with their huge model of SF. If I remember correctly, it was used to monitor tide levels, but was turned into a museum after computers were used instead.
So this is Sausalito, quiet upscale area. Kind of small though.

Look, a blimp!

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My Christmas was a little low key this year. I had dinner at an Indonesian restaurant with Xiao Wen and Gi (they found 2 Malaysian restaurants, but said both weren't as Malaysian as the Indonesian restaurant)They served Ais Campur (Kacang) with chocolate sauce on it. Then I went to see the Nutcracker ballet on the 27th. I think it's a little bit of tradition to see the Nutcracker during Christmas, plus I want to experience going to each of the entertainment venues around here (as in Opera, Orchestra, etc)
The City Hall is just opposite, and is dressed up for Christmas! Luckily the place was packed with ballet goers, or I wouldn't dare to display my camera here, it's (unexpectedly) a little bit of a dodgy neighbourhood.
They were blowing soapy snowflakes over the entrance in the spirit of the season.
Here's the lobby. Quite a varied crowd, working class people, parents with small kids(which little girl wouldn't want to watch a ballet?), students, people in cocktail dresses and suits, people in jeans and t-shirts.
The concert hall. Surprisingly I didn't have to sneak this picture. (In comparison, at the Broadway theater, you are watched like a hawk and no photos are allowed at any time even before the curtain rises-I think just a little slack in allowing people to take pictures is actually better for publicity though)

That said, of course there's no photos of the actual show. How was it? OK I guess, I think I always have too high expectations of live performances. It's fun to see a different take on the ballet even if you've watched it being performed by other companies. But I hoped the scenery would have been more elaborate, maybe it's just me, but when I hear 'The Nutcracker' I always imagine some over the top Russian styled candy land background.

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And New Year too. Happy 2012 bytheway!

The Macy's Christmas tree was up, so here's a picture of it. I think this is the first year they are using a fake tree, so that it can be reused every year. There's the skating rink next to it and some buskers performing music, so the atmosphere was pretty nice.
The streets were very crowded, and getting more so by the hour (and lots of drunks too, of course, not being dangerous, but making enough of an ass of themselves anyway) but we found a relatively empty car park to watch the fireworks from. Only thing is that waiting for the fireworks to begin makes you want so much to sit on the car rooftops around you. Oh yeah, and that night public transport was free, and so was car towing services, probably in anticipation of drunk accidents. Good idea.
Fireworks!

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And of course we have to finish with food pictures. I tried making ice cream (with egg yolks, half and half, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract). Turned out better than expected.
And then I tried pouring melted chocolate on them too, which helped since I was too stingy on the sugar. They stuck to the plate though, so maybe putting them on oiled plastic wrap next time will be better. But in theory if you do it well, you can transport the ice cream without it melting all over the place.