Time to Celebrate

I just had my birthday. I usually don't really do anything special for it, but my hubby always makes sure I have a special day.

This flower arrangement has a puppy in it. I didn't notice it first. The puppy even has a little bow on the head. So cute! Kona investigated.

"You don't smell like a puppy..."

My birthday present. New iPhone 5s. Love it!

Birthday dinner. Whole grilled fish with preserved lemon.

"How do we tackle this?"

Front entrance to the restaurant

We'll be back!

In the lobby of the building

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Kona the Superdog

Yesterday was Halloween. We dressed up our dog Kona and greeted the trick-or-treaters with a bowl full of candy. Then it started raining. So much for the party night!

What's in it for me?

How cute is he?

Ready to catch a chipmunk!

Are we done yet?

Bye bye until the next year!

Too much excitement...

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Hot Spring Eggs Made from Frozen Eggs

I've been hearing about how tasty frozen eggs are. No, you don't eat them frozen: some people simply thaw them and eat just the yolk. Some people fry them. But I wanted to make hot springs eggs from them. This is my new way of cooking hot springs eggs now because it's so easy to do. 

The yolk is firmer and not runny. Freezing makes the yolk richer in taste.

Hot Spring Eggs Made from Frozen Eggs
(For two people)
2 eggs 
1 Tbsp noodle dipping sauce
Wasabi, optional

In a Ziploc bag, place eggs and freeze them for at least one full day. The shells may get cracked, but that's ok. In a medium sauce pan, bring water to boil, and gently drop the eggs. Cook them in the boiling water for 1 to 1.5 minutes, and take them off the heat. Leave them for 5 minutes in the hot water with a lid on. Move them in cold water for a few minutes. Crack them in a small bowl and serve with noodle dipping sauce and wasabi on top.

Frozen eggs. They are cracked. Make sure to use a Ziploc bag.

Enough water to immerse the eggs completely.

Wait for 5 minutes off the heat.

Cool it in water

Hot spring egg!

The egg yolk was firm and rich in flavor. The white came out a bit runny for my taste, but I can boil it just a little longer the next time. I like this method of making the hot spring eggs. It takes out the painstaking process of measuring the precise time and the temperatures during cooking. 

Read more on making of hot spring eggs...

• Let the Great Experiment Begin! Part I
• Let the Great Experiment Begin! Part II
• Let the Great Experiment Begin! Part III
• Hot Spring Egg in Microwave?

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Spooky Neighborhood Decorations

Halloween is just around the corner, and we're ready for those little trick or treaters. We have a big bowl full of candy that we've been munching on every time we walk by. 

Little figurines are rising from the cemetery...

Elaborate decorations on the front door... 

Tree hanging ghosts...

Skull guided walkway 

"Boo!" 

Happy Halloween!

Please take them away from us! Hurry!

Gummies shaped like kids. I guess some kids are sweeter than others.

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Fun Halloween Decorations

We almost weren't going to do anything this Halloween until I saw the tree hanging ghosts on sale today at a local drug store. Just hang them in a tree and that's it, but they are pretty cute. They sway back and forth in the wind. Kona will be dressed as Superdog.

Two ghosts, one skeleton and a wasp trap.

Ghosts in the wind...

I think this skeleton is missing the torso.

Kona is spooked out...

We can still put some window decorations from last year. That would look good in addition to these tree decorations.

Kona's costume for this year's Halloween

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