Wordless Wednesday: Brush painting
#BookReview: Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune
5 stars Genre: Magical realism Pros: Strong weaving in of cultural observationsPoetic and lyricalBonus recipes Cons: Appears to be a predictable narrative (but stick with it!) Absolutely loved this book! Lim's lyrical prose really draws you in. I love the magical aspects of this book and all the cultural details artfully woven into it.To be honest, I thought this book might be very straight-forward, with its transformative recipes. I was very glad to be proven wrong and … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Bubble Milk Tea Cakes
Bubble milk tea cake: a cross between pineapple cake and boba One of the treats I got from my recent Taiwan trip was a box of bubble milk tea cakes. Essentially, they’re pineapple cakes—baked delicacies reminiscent of Fig Newtons, down to their square shape. Instead of a fig filling, though, they use pineapple paste in them. This bubble milk tea version swaps out the traditional flavor and uses boba inside the treats. When I first saw the combo, I was hesitant to try them, but the … [Read more...]
Holiday Trip: Taiwan and Japan
Hello, all! I've enjoyed a lovely extended holiday overseas. I'm still battling jet lag, but I have enough energy to highlight some of the spots I visited. Taiwan I launched a sky lantern. There's space on the four sides of the lantern to draw pictures and write well wishes or dreams. I got a treat at breakfast. Look at these cute steamed buns! An amazing sight I visited was the Fire and Water Spring! I learned more about the history of indigenous peoples in … [Read more...]
Catalina Island
"Allow disruptions to deepen your concentration." I spent Thanksgiving off the mainland! A short ferry ride away from Los Angeles lies Catalina Island. It was nice to walk around the quaint town and relax by watching the boats bobbing in the water. We even spied a school of Garibaldi (our state fish) swimming below the pier. Due to the off and on rain, though, we spent a lot of time indoors. I loved visiting the Catalina Island Museum and learning about the history of the … [Read more...]
#BookReview: The Satapur Moonstone
5 stars Genre: Mystery (historical) https://www.amazon.com/Satapur-Moonstone-Mystery-1920s-India-ebook/dp/B07CWF5BQF Pros: Excellent historical insight and world-building Unique and well-drawn protagonistA solid mystery Cons: Pacing may be slow for some in the first few chapters This is a historical gem of a book. It took me a few chapters to get into the pacing of the novel, but after that, I was sucked into Perveen's world. I really love the idea of her being … [Read more...]
