Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Xmas Party Take 2 (Shabu Shabu nite)


We ate way too much before hand, but we were still able to eat quite a bit of food!!

















Perfect picture. Fatboy appears in family picture for the first time!!!


















Edwin is not a very good photographer, I have no idea what he's trying to capture here....

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Kauai


Kauai
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove

Sunday, December 2, 2007

My new puppies!!!

These puppies are so cute is unbelievable!!!!!! They "work" so hard!! I am not sure what kind of shift they were on, but they were taking pictures with people all day long!! If I can, I will smuggle one of them home to play with fatboy!

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove

Saturday, November 24, 2007

My sumo dh


My sumo dh
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Post stirred natto


Post stirred natto
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove

Natto


Natto
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove

Friday, November 16, 2007

Norbert


Norbert
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Wine bottle tree


Wine bottle tree
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Wailia Falls


Wailia Falls
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Friday, November 9, 2007

North shore of Kauai


North shore of Kauai
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Hamuea's saimin


Hamuea's saimin
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Saimin


Saimin
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Goma miso ramen


Goma miso ramen
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Yep, another bowl of Ramen. This one is from Kiwami Ramen located in the basement of Waikiki Shopping Plaza, across the street from my hotel (Sheraton Waikiki). Again, I didn't ordered my beloved Shio Ramen and went for the rich flavored Goma Miso Ramen. This bowl of ramen is completely different from the one from Tenka Ippin, much much lighter, even the rich miso flavored soup base. I was extremely hungry after snorkeling, so I also ordered a small bowl of charsu rice, and that totally hit the spot!!! ($2). Very satisfied!!

Hello kitty suitcase


Hello kitty suitcase
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Fatboy will have a new carrier!!!

Sent from my iPhone

My Balcony's view!


My room's view
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
I usually stay in the Hilton Hawaiin Village, but I decided to stay in Waikiki this time. It's a nice choice. I got a really good rate, so of course, I'm stuck with city view. Well, the city view is facing a garage. Don't get me wrong, you get what you paid for. But what freaks me out is the hallway on the 9th floor. The carpet, wallpaper, and the doors all are very freaky looking, but what's worse is that there was this room right outside of the main elevator set, doors opened, and if you look inside, it looks like someone abandoned some random furniture, and there is a set of abandoned elvators inside, it sure looked haunted. I was so freaked out that I ask for a floor change immediately. That dude at the front desk was really nice, he said in order to get closer to the elevator (so I won't be so spooked by the hallway), I will have to upgrade to the ocean view rooms (he asked his manager). Fine. I'll suck it up. I woke up the next morning, go over my presentation and needed to print something from the business center. Went down to the 4th floor, dude, this floor looks completely different! It's probably renovated. Carpet looks modern, none of those creepy looking wallpaper, and most importantly, it does not have that creepy room with those elevators!!

I went down to the front desk again and asked to switch rooms to the 4th floor, the girl didn't ask anything and gave me my current room, with an ocean view!!

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Hotel gift shop


Hotel gift shop
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Voodoo dolls


Voodoo dolls
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Sent from my iPhone

Mini fried rice


Mini fried rice
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
This is the mini fried rice that came with my ramen along with 4 pieces of gyoza (all for $9.95). Even though this is Waikiki, these meals are definately cheaper than bay area. I love the fried rice here, the presentation is so nice!!! I can only eat half of it. :(

Miso Ramen from Ezogiku


Miso ramen
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
I normally order shio (salt) ramen in traditional ramen-ya. But I decided to give this one a try because it says on the board that this is their specialty. This noodle is super yummy!!! I actually like it better than Tenkaippin (the thick gravy soup is just a bit too weird for my taste, but still yummy). The miso soup is rich and complex. Comes with ample of bean sprouts, char siu, and green onions. The plastic jar with an orange lid is some spicy sauce, I added a little bit in my ramen but it didn't make it spicy at all. Overall, this is pretty amazing!!

Kotteri ramen


Kotteri ramen
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
My first bowl of ramen after my arrival in Honolulu!!! This delicious looking ramen that made my friend Susan want to get up at midnight and make instant noodles is Kotteri Ramen from Tenkaippin in Waikiki. On the board, it says something that this is healthy, I really can't say that this is exactly healthy, it maybe pretty greasy. This ain't your normal ramen, the soup is actually very thick, almost gravy like. The japanese people who ate their finished their entire bowl of noodles including the soup! I was able to make it half way through!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Hideo Wakamatsu or Heys?



So, there are actually good thing that happened at the stupid Oakland Airport actually. While I was waiting for my oh-so-boring samsonite black luggage (SO mad at myself for not getting one with patterns/colour so that it's easier to spot!!), I saw this absolutely gorgeous Hideo Wakamatsu
luggage this girl is lugging. I immediately ask her where she got it, and I looked it up online. Unfortunately, it costs $200 and I'm not that kind of girl that will spend $200 on luggage, it's not like you can wear it, you know?!

So, I asked my friend if she's seen something similiar that I can get since I'm really tired of my black ugly samsonite. And she found a brand call Heys for me! Much more affordable price with lots of color. They also claim that it's the world's lightest carryon luggage!! So, as a PINK FREAK, I ordered this online.




Isn't that lovely??? Now, unless my dear husband reads this and decide to suprise me with the Hideo Wakamatsu.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Artwork at Oakland International airport

I took a picture of this "artwork" from the Oakland Airport. It looks like a massive glioblastoma going on there, yet, kinda cute.

I cannot tell you how mad I am with Southwest Airline and Oakland aiport. First of all, when you say you are flying from Oakland to Spokane, I assumed that it's a non-stop flight. It turns out that they make a stop over at Seattle. Then of course, mechanical problem occured and we were escorted off the aircraft and had to switch. Delay, delay delay... what's new.

My return flight: Right before entering the plane, I was told that all the overhead was full, luggage must be checked. Fine. Walked into the plane, the overhead bins towards the back were empty! WTF??? I asked if I can get my luggage back onto the plane and they said it was too late.

Landed at 5pm, I didn't see my luggage out until 6PM!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't even have to wait that long for international flights!

No more Southwest, no more Oakland airport.

Forgot to mention, the valet parking in Oakland is $39 per day. Highway Robbery.

Spokane, WA



Arrived in Spokane for work. Note that it is pronounced as Spo-can, not spo-cane. Extremely small airport, what i love about small airport is that there is usually minimal walking involve. You get off the plane and zoom, you're at your rental car or on the curb waiting to be picked up.

Bad side: Not all major airlines have direct flights. I also happened to be on a flight where they told me I had to get off at Seattle because there were mechanical problems with the plane (which I already was on for 1.5hrs up in the air). Oh well....

Hotel Lusso in Spokane, WA



Okay, my coworker told me that he booked us in a hotel in Holiday Inn Express and I was losing sleep over it for a few days. I'm not trying to be a hotel snob, but holiday inn express? Is there not a Marriot Courtyard nearby? But I didn't want to appear to be a snob, I didn't say anything. To my surprised, we are actually staying in a nice little boutique hotel called Hotel Lusso. Staff here is extremely nice. The room is GIGANTIC and the jacuzzi club is just like heaven.

I just realized that it is not the size of the tub, but the shape that makes the difference. The shape of this tub allows me to relax and fall asleep while soaking in the hot water!!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Atomic Bomb?


photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Here is a picture of Fatboy sitting on my desk while I was working. Sometimes he will stare outside at the window, but sometimes he will just "sit tall" and stare at me looking cute. How could you work with your animals looking at you like that?!? I guess thats the beauty of working from home.

Things he loves to do while I am working:

1. Walk on the phone to either mute or unmute my phone while i am on conference calls
2. Hang up my conference calls
3. Make wolf-like crying noises
4. Sleep on top of my laptop
5. Play with the curtains until everything on my desk falls on the floor
6. Bite my ankle and play "attack"

Thats my lovely Fatboy.

Alot of people asked me why I named him Fatboy, and questioned me why I named him after an atomic bomb. First of all, his real name is Wolfgang, and no, I didn't not name him after Mr. Puck, I named him after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Second of all, the atomic bomb's codename is Fat Man, not Fat Boy!!

Since I know nothing about atomic bombs, I googled Fatboy Atomic bomb and found a video of the bomb, the author actually called it Fatboy.

The first atomic bomb that was dropped in Hiroshima, Japan was called "Little Boy", and the 2nd one, was Fat Man.


Here is the video of the 2nd atomic bomb FAT MAN that was dropped in Nagasaki, Japan during World War II on August 9, 1945. Japan announced it's surrender to the Allied Power on August 15, 1945.

Monday, October 15, 2007

I can dooooooo it by myself!!!

I did it!!! Without my dear husband's help, I was able to put this beautiful curtain up all by myself!! Before you make fun of me and say "how difficult could this be"...I'm a very clumpsy person and without my dear husband around, I'm quite handicapped. This is a BIG challenge for me!!!

I love it since it blocks more light than my old curtain, but it still allow some light to come in.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Fatboy


Fatboy
Originally uploaded by Mozartilove
Look at how cute my fatboy is!! Kay was playing laser pointer with him and yappari, he has that "i'm still a baby" face again!!! He only likes to play laser with his big master, anyone else, if the laser dot is not within reach of his fat paws, he won't chase it!!!

Curtains!!!! What a nightmare!!

I didn't realize that changing curtain is such a big nightmare. All my friends know that I'ma huge pink freak. I love everything pink. So when my husband went to Hong Kong on vacation, I decide to change my home office's curtain to bright bubblegum pink with a sheer pink polka dots one in front. I got them at target and was really excited to hang them.

BIG mistake!! The bright bubblegum pink layer was a bit sheer, so it turned my room into this weird color. I can literally go blind if I read in that office!!!

So i had to take the curtains down, repack them and take them back to target. After beingon the phone with my friends to figure this whole curtain business, I finally settled on this one!! It's very very cute in my office!!