Monster-ella Cheese, please?!?

If I could still eat cheese, I'd certainly want to try monster-ella given Halloween 2012 is just around the corner.

Although I'm lactose-intolerant now, it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy cheese and dairy during my childhood. I often enjoyed eating Kraft swiss cheeses in my sandwiches, burgers, on top of my vegetables,... You name it! Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, aside from Swiss cheese, were among my favorite cheeses as I often loved eating pizza and spaghetti pasta growing up. Mozzarella sticks also were the best snacks I ever had growing up as not only are they super tasty, but they're interactive as you can peel as you eat, which makes for a great youthful activity that encourages you to fill up on calcium :)

Cheese, I will never forget you!

Happy Halloween to all.

Bottoms up!

I went to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco this past weekend, and one of my closest friends surprised me with one of the BEST wines I could ever experience drinking. We were celebrating her and her husband's first marriage anniversary, but she's such a great friend that she bought me this awesome-tasting bottle of wine:

Boone's Farm - Strawberry Hill Wine

And of course, in their honor, I finished the entire bottle within a span of 40 minutes, while she drank a whole bottle of Sangria, also by Boone's Farm.

A major toast to an awesome couple who have such an admirable and balanced relationship of 7+ years, where they continue to go on strong. They compliment each others' strengths and weaknesses, respect each others' individualism, work out the kinks when they pop up, and remember to keep the love alive with romantic time spent together. To this, that which I find truly inspirational as not many relationships can keep this sort of balance as they do,... I say, "Bottoms up!"

Rolling the Dice and Breaking Sandals

I like to believe that everyone has a point in their lives where they consider if they've chosen the "right" path to live their lives as happily as they possibly can. "Right" and "wrong" may be relative in this regard as how would you know what's the right way to live? And what would be the wrong way? Everyone has their own interpretation of this. It pains me when people push their interpretive view of this on others as everyone struggles at least at one point in their lives to figure out what is the right and wrong way to live for themselves. Having others tell you what the right and wrong way to live your own life just doesn't seem fair.

At my current crossroad, I have decided to learn more about web programming, which is a completely separate career field from my current career of occupational safety. But where to start as a programming newbie / noob / nub ...? Oh, what a debate this is. All my friends who are in the Information Technology or Computer Science field have the common feedback that if I learn one programming language (such as Perl or Python), it will be simple to learn all the others and/or hit the ground running in the field. But on the other hand, I still feel the need to learn more in depth about HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) so that I can do what sparked my interest in this field in the first place - re-crafting web sites. How did this come about? Well, as a safety professional, advertising and marketing safety to help build a healthy safety culture within an organization is important. With the need for technology these days, especially the world wide web (www), it is imperative to have our safety materials readily available online. But like Pringles, once I popped,... I just couldn't stop.

And so I'm rolling the dice. I'm determined to learn HTML, CSS, and Perl at least by the end of 2012. If you're trying to start a career or learn skills in computer programming too, what have you decided to start off learning with?

As I roll the dice on my career, I feel I am breaking the sandals around my feet... literally.

While it is great to break sandals in your life and let your feet freely roam every now and again metaphorically, I must warn you that if you forget to bring your own sturdy sandals when getting a pedicure and you get the flimsy free sandals from the nail salon (though it is nice they are provided for free)... I advise you to remember to pick up your feet when walking ;) (This may be applied metaphorically as well, but I do mean this literally from personal experience.)

As for rolling the dice, sometimes chances need to be taken to learn what is "right" or "wrong" for you. Think it thoroughly through as best you can before releasing the dice from your hands. And if you can, keep them with you for a while until you're ready.

Got Peanuts?

Tonight, I decided to revisit my piano and challenge myself in maintaining what instrument-playing skill I have left. (To be quite honest, it has been months since I've last played my piano.) I went through my piano books - after playing some relaxing video game music (Chronocross - "Reminiscence" and Kingdom Hearts II - "Lazy Afternoons"), I stumbled upon one of my classic favorites from childhood... "The Peanuts Song"!! (By the way, the correct song title is "Linus and Lucy" from an animated cartoon based on a woe-is-me character named Charlie Brown, which originated from the comic strip called Peanuts. But it just sounds so much more fun to call it "The Peanuts Song".) Now if only I could play these songs as fluidly as these YouTube examples provided here... I admit I purposefully did not provide videos of me playing these songs as you would cringe and say as Charlie Brown would: "Good grief!"

If you have never read the comic strip or watched this animated cartoon (or if you just love it as much as I do), please enjoy these clips for a good laugh:

Good Grief, Charlie Brown

Lucy Analyzes Charlie Brown

Speaking of peanuts, they make a great snack or garnish over food. Not everyone likes or can eat peanuts, but count me in as a peanut-liker and eater! I personally prefer the peanuts that are offered outside of their shell already as those shells are ridiculous! How so? If you crack them with your hands, they can cut your fingers or otherwise create an inflamed rash from rubbing against the hard outer shell as you try to open it,... in addition to leaving a white dusty mess whether or not you use your hands or a tool to open the shell! It is just frustrating if you ask me. But when you're hungry and all you have are peanuts in their shells, if you're not allergic, you might as well give it a go.

There are many types of peanuts available: salted, lightly salted, unsalted, dry-roasted, oil-roasted, caramelized or candied, etc. One type of peanut I recently enjoyed when vacationing in Manhattan, New York earlier this year is the honey-roasted peanut from the Nuts 4 Nuts carts I observed throughout most if not all of Manhattan.

Yet, the honey-roasted almonds from these Nuts 4 Nuts carts trump the honey-roasted peanuts,... but almonds are a completely different story in my opinion. Whatever the case, if you like nuts and happen to be in Manhattan, New York, hit up a Nuts 4 Nuts cart and grab a deal (they'll most likely offer one bag of honey-roasted almonds and two bags of honey-roasted peanuts for $3-5, depending on how well you can bargain; keep in mind that the regular price per bag of nuts is supposed to be $2.50-3.50). It is definitely worth the experience for the typical nut-lover. Enjoy it if you get the chance!

Bad Dream? Take me to Yogurtland...

With the American economy being down in the dumps these days and seeing coworkers losing their jobs, I had a horrible dream last night. I was at my parents' house rather than my current home, and Steve Jobs was there... pointing at me angrily and telling me that I'm fired, in my own parents' home?!? He then proceeded to tell me harshly that I need to pack my things up quickly and get out. In a frenzy and out of panic, I start packing items in all my old backpacks still residing at my parents' house in my old room. But each time I packed a backpack, it would disappear. Eventually, I was at my last backpack. I remember the backpack in reality (Hawaiian-designed white flowers on black with an adjustable drawstring, where a flap opening at the top locked for safe closure by a knob in the front, and a small zipper pouch in the bottom-front), but there were items in the backpack I never owned or recognized having at any time during my life; it contained a blue plastic lunchbox and a Tuxedo Sam doll. Still in a rush and confused about where my other packed-up backpacks went, I stuffed the remaining backpack with essential items from drawers and was finally ready to leave. While standing by the front door to my parents' house, still within the house, some random voice tells me that all the items I packed up are being kept safe. At this point, I wake up... and off to live reality I go.

Ever had an odd dream like this? Well there is an ailment! Many Californian frozen yogurt lovers who prefer fresher frozen yogurt may trek to Blush, Pinkberry, or organic frozen yogurt shops like Fraiche. Though I agree these other shops have fresher-tasting frozen yogurt and are enjoyably delectable, I would still prefer to trek to Yogurtland. You can have as many free samples as you please with the choice of several flavors varying from creamy to sugary to tart, as well as "no-sugar added" flavors, before you decide to fill up a cup. Yogurtland also offers a wide variety of toppings ranging from different types of fruit to candies, nuts, and syrups. You can get all this for ~$0.37/ounce, which is reasonable for California at least (it used to be cheaper than this but again... the economy's been rough so the deal is still pretty good if you think of it holistically from my point of view.)

During this season (Fall 2012) for as long as it's available, I highly recommend trying the "no-sugar added" Yo-Frappe flavor. This is a caramel-chocolate mixture. It wasn't creamy or too sweet but rather reminded me of a chocolate-flavored Popsicle with a hint of caramel. Another new flavor available this season is Milk Chocolate Hazelnut. This was creamier and sweeter than the Yo-Frappe flavor, but quite worth the try (if you like milk chocolate and hazelnut). Both of these new flavors are advertised as non-fat, gluten-free, and contain some essential vitamins. (If you're lactose-intolerant like me, it is still certainly worth popping a couple of Lactaid pills and treating yourself!)

After such a nightmare, carrying on with one's regular daily routine can still fare well. Thanks to a very awesome friend who reminded me how Yogurtland is a happy place that allows one to forget the woes in life, I was able to discover the Yo-Frappe and Milk Chocolate Hazelnut flavors and enjoyed a great innocent girls' fun night out; all of which helped me forget about the scary nature of my awful dream.

In memory of a former chef dear to my heart,...

On August 6, 2012, I lost one of my grandfathers. He was a former chef at Las Vegas, Nevada's Stardust Hotel & Casino, many many years ago, specializing in quality Chinese food. Before that, he was a chef at many Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, California.

He wasn't able to cook for the past 20 years because he has since then been handicapped. When I was too young to remember, he attempted saving a woman's purse from being stolen by a robber. The robber fought my grandfather, which led to my grandfather experiencing a stroke. He rehabilitated well enough to be able to walk again with the assistance of a walker, but with a paralyzed left hand and a need for walking support, he had to give up his days as a chef.

Finding high quality Chinese food is a must in my family. Though it seems to be rare to find, even in China. When I traveled with my family to China once a few years ago, we visited Beijing, Xian, and then traveled to Hong Kong (which now I can say is a part of China and where most of my family originated from). Should you travel to these parts, if you're looking for quality (tasty) Chinese food when in China, beware of tourist food. On the downside, if you don't stick to tourist food, you could run a greater risk of food-borne illnesses.

At any rate, farewell to my grandfather - I wish I could have been able to taste the food he made, but since I can't remember his food, I'll always remember the smiles and the love... which always leaves a great taste in my mouth.

The Vegan Donut

Have you ever tried a vegan donut? If so, how did you like it? Do you think Homer Simpson would enjoy vegan donuts?

At the Whole Foods Markets nearby where I live, I noticed a variety of vegan donuts being sold for delectable purchase. Funny observation though was that they only sold vegan donuts... there were no donuts on the display that were considered non-vegan. For someone like me who is lactose-intolerant and would like to find more baked goods that are healthier (if you can consider them healthier when they're made without dairy products like butter and whole milk), I say "THANK YOU WHOLE FOODS MARKET!"

Assorted vegan donuts at Whole Foods Market in Walnut Creek, California

Now that the vegan baked goods have been identified, my adventure begins. I tried all six vegan donut variety flavors offered at one of my local neighborhood Whole Foods Market. The available vegan donut flavors were:
- Chocolate Vegan Donut
- Maple Vegan Donut
- Vegan Apple Cinnamon Donut
- Blueberry Vegan Donut
- Cherry Vegan Donut
- Vegan Crumb Donut

And yes, folks,... I ate all six flavors in one sitting. Here's my verdict:
- All Whole Foods Market vegan donuts are of the cake donut texture.
- All are tasty and moist. Being that these donuts are vegan, they are not dry at all and taste very similar to a non-vegan donut. The difference is actually not detectable. Well done.
- The best flavors out of all of these, in my opinion, were the Cherry, Maple, and Chocolate Vegan Donuts. These donuts tasted like the flavor description given to them.

Chocolate Vegan Donut

Cherry Vegan Donut

Maple Vegan Donut

- The worst flavors out of all of these were the Blueberry and Apple Cinnamon Vegan Donuts. These donuts tasted like sweet sugar. Though the sweet sugar taste was flavorful, and given that the texture was moist and good, they get minus points for not tasting like the flavor description given to them.

  Blueberry Vegan Donut        Vegan Apple Cinnamon Donut

- The Vegan Crumb Donut was just okay in terms of flavor. Tasty and enjoyable, taste and texture matched its flavor description, but not significantly impacting for me to comment much about.

Vegan Crumb Donut

So now that I've completed my pig-out adventure session, the question remains - would eating these vegan donuts really be healthier? I turn to my search engine (Google of course) to find nutrition facts pertaining to these vegan donuts from Whole Foods Market. I can't find nutrition facts for more than just the Chocolate Vegan Donut from Whole Foods Market, but I'm thinking perhaps I shouldn't have eaten all six in one sitting.... Or I should have baked my own at home. Comparing the nutrition facts of the Chocolate Vegan Donut from Whole Foods to the nutrition facts of Krispy Kreme cake donuts, the total fat is slightly lower, but the saturated fat content (in grams) is pretty similar. Yet the vegan donut trumps the non-vegan donut health-wise still with 0mg of cholesterol and significantly less sugar (in grams). So all in all, I am not unhappy with my pig-out adventure session.

Homer Simpson is a cartoon character that loves donuts. I believe he would not discriminate between the non-vegan and vegan donuts, especially if he were to eat Whole Foods Market vegan donuts. If you haven't tried these vegan donuts yet, I encourage you to put it on your to-do list. You won't be sorry (or feel too guilty!)