A Sweet Side to everything

This blog originally was created to make describe, comment, and critique on foods. I may be not as pro as most other people on the internet, but I still have a passion for eating. So, I might as well fulfill the purpose the blog once more rather than only rant about ubiquitous high school issues.

In the sunny southern California, many would line up for ice creams or frozen yogurts in those bright, chic stores filled with either barrels of ice cream or chopped, frozen fruits. Taiwan's version of ice cream, shaved ice, is anything but cream, with the exception of the sweet, rich condensed milk that is drizzled all over the ingredients. Simple yet satisfying, I beg to differ that ice cream can make the summer greater than Taiwanese shaved ice. From fruits to grass jelly, shaved ice conquers with its versatility to add virtually anything on top of the ice.

Cheaper than going to Pinkberry and spend money on an overpriced, tiny bowl of freeze dried "yogurt."

Bumpy Experience

Nutty. Crunchy. Anything but sweet and simple.

Priorities. A must-have on everyone's to do list. A requirement that demonstrates qualities of selflessness and care.

It's something to live on.
As well to make an excuse of.

The problem about this mandatory factor is that there is always more than priority that fights for its throne. Yet, all of them are at equal in weight, stress, and most of all, importance. Many would choose that the top three priorities on their list are: family, friends, and school/career. However, accumulating all three can make your balance of time to fall or become lop-sided, never in order.

You can obviously see that this blog is not a priority at all. Which breaks my heart.

It is clearly obvious that Golden Spoon doesn't take much attention or priority on their servings' appearances. Golden Spoon is...pricey, not much appeal to my taste, not proportional, and mediocre. Yogurt should be refreshing and light to the tongue. On the contrary, Golden Spoon serves their yogurt plain, unless the customers would want to spend extra cash on toppings that they can easily acquire (I should have just taken a few of my almond rocas at home and make it myself instead of spending another $1.55 or so on the pre-crushed).

It's just sweet. Maybe too sweet. Nothing more.

Golden Spoon
21710 Valley Blvd., # B
Walnut, CA 91789
909-869-7206

The difference between Gluttony and Indulgence

Gluttony gets you nowhere. Indulgence makes you happy for what you have until it's gone.

There's a thought that always comes up in mind on September 23. Maybe it's the weather that always changes unpredictably. The inclement weather is unmerciful. It rains. It pours.

For some odd reason. For every few years (this year, too) that it does rain before this particular date, I feel as though the sky is crying for me.

It's been exactly four years since my grandfather has passed away. I can remember ever so clearly the moment I came home from school. We received a phone call from my father, who rarely calls, and rarely talks very quietly.

"Stephy, let me talk to your sister please."

I then handed the phone to my sister and walked over to the study room. A few minutes later, I see my sister already in tears, saying that my grandfather died approximately 10:00AM that day. I couldn't help but well up tears in my eyes the moment my sister cried out, "Grandpa passed away today." My siblings and I never cried so hard together, grieving our lost.

Seeing my grandfather in a casket was one of the most memorable yet most depressing moments of my life. I couldn't touch his forehead, I didn't want to feel how death feels. I was still in complete denial that my grandfather left us. After visiting him weekly at three different hospitals for two years, seeing him slowly open his eyes, and even touching his hands made me want to just imagine that he's still there. During that time when his health was returning, I still wonder even now,

"Why then?"

I think the most realistic and painful time I've ever experience was when I saw my father cried for the first time.

And probably for the last time.

Losing my grandfather was like losing a father to me. He took care of me when I was little and always made funny jokes behind my grandmother. And now... all that I have now from him are birthday cards and shards of memories that I may just forget. I hope I don't forget.

So here's to you grandpa. I hope you're watching up from above and know that all of us are okay. We're getting through this and we want you to know that we are happier that you left an unfair world to a better place. It's been four years, but it felt just like yesterday since you left your physical presence. Hope we can visit you soon.

Our family and loved ones are indulgences. Like the Häagen-Dazs® Vanilla and Almond ice cream bar, we should all be grateful for what we have, because we know there will always be a day when they're gone. However, we must also appreciate the moments and the cherished recounts that there was and never let those times die out from time.

Very Eventful

Ooey-Gooey Goodness.

I find that cutting pies is one of the most difficult desserts to cut into. Unlike cakes, pies are more fragile in their structure since the only thing that is supporting the indulging filling is the light flaky crust that can just break within seconds! Just looking at a broken piece of pie vexes me since the food's beauty also contributes to my opinion.

Oh well. It still tasted good. Pretty sad that Marie Callendar's discontinued its oh so yummy Boston pie.

School is rolling around the corner. Wow, it's amazing that two months have passed since high school students shout for joy around the campus. Time surely flies. Just recalling back to all the moments during the summer: Arcadia Relay for Life, going out everyday while my parents were gone, Ashley coming back to Walnut from Singapore, break ups, make ups, getting a car...this is probably one of the few summers that played a significant portion of my high school career, probably even my life.

Ugh, pulling out just one wisdom tooth made me feel miserable today. Note to self: never evereverever watch Food Network when you're not allowed to chew real food. I think I'm going to get sick of soy milk soon after drinking two cups of it in less than half an hour.

Marie Callendar's
1560 Albatross Rd., City of Industry, CA 91748
626-964-1094

Delighting Our Senses

This tingles the ocular and gustatory senses.

Chunky yet soft, these almond cookies have a hint of cinnamon topped with a generous amount of melted white chocolate. I was pretty satisfied with the light sweetness unlike most of the typical over-saturated-with-sugar American cookies. I would normally eschew away from the packaged or bakery cookies found in the center aisle of the supermarket. No matter how cheap it is or how embellished the cookies are with the colored frostings and sugar-coated icings, I still find that one bite is equivalent to a teaspoon of sugar.

No, and it's not because I am too "Asian".

Despite the fact that many Asians don't particularly enjoy consuming American cakes and cookies, some use that "excuse" to their advantage. Many despise the American cuisine after eating one dinner at one restaurant, thinking that one mediocre restaurant makes all others the same. Living in a city where over half of the residents are Asian, I find this obstinate behavior particularly irksome. No, annoying. There are probably other cultures that behave the same way, lacking the broad-mindedness that is needed in America and continue to dwell in this limited perspective that can only lead to conflicts between cultures.

Well, that's enough about my trivial garrulous nature. Now on to college topics, how exciting.

So. I've visited UCLA and USC (do I sense irony in this?) campuses along with many other classmates in this tour program that is given in my SAT class. After seeing the buildings, listening to the tour guides, and taking many many pictures of the beautiful campuses, I started to feel nervous.

"Nervous about what? College is all about the independence and freedom from home that is endowed to you"

That's the thing that I'm worried about. I feel that I'm so attached to home and my family that I don't feel I can stay a week without being at home, eating home cooked meals, and playing with my dog. Not only is the freedom scaring me, but also the fear of failing classes. Although it is my dream to be accepted into the medical field, getting there is just the beginning.

I dislike insecurity. Be strong!