PIES AND CAKE

This year instead of the pumpkin pie, Ralphie made something different this year, a double-layer pie.  He also made cute little fruit (blackberry and cherry) pies.

This cake is on display at Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in St. Charles.

ALL I NEED TO BE HAPPY

Martha Stewart I am not, but lacking talents to be an expert in interior design did not stop me from trying to make the house festive by putting scented pine cones into a decorative bowl and placing it next to a ceramic pumpkin.  I bought another bag with larger cones and place them all around the house, near the fireplace, and under the artificial Christmas tree.  The cinnamon scent in the pine cones brings back fond memories of my grandfather's Chinese herbal store.  The traditional medicine consists of different parts of plants such as barks, roots, stems, and flowers.  These ingredients are put together based on the recommendation of the practitioner.  The herbs would be cooked in water to form a decoction.  To ease the bitterness in the medicine, a stick of cinnamon is added when cooking the herbal.  We also sell dried fruits coated in brown sugar to help lessen the bitter taste.  (In future post, I will share the story about my "entrepreneur spirit" by taking items from my grandfather store and selling them on the street, right in front of his business.)
Last Saturday, my husband spent the whole afternoon putting the ornaments on the tree in the family room.  We have enough ornaments for a smaller tree which we began to put up in the basement.  I wonder if QQ still has the Christmas tree from our visit in 2008 and whether he would decorate it for the holiday.

Yesterday we finally finished up the apple pie.  We still have about three slices of the pumpkin pie.  I will try to get extra exercise and more walking before the week of Christmas when we will once again succumb to all the indulging of eating (pierogies, pies, snacks), napping, and sitting around watching football games.  Then again, it is the season of joy - coffee and pie and the sweet fragrance of cinnamon scented pine cones is all I need to be happy!

THANKSGIVING AND RAMBLINGS

I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  Did you see me among the "Black Thursday" shoppers standing outside in the rain waiting for the store to open?  Of course not!  I was comfortable in my Patriots pajamas watching Thanksgiving Day Football starting with the Lions v. Texans at noon, took a nap (nothing against the teams but I skipped the Cowboys v. Redskins game) and would not miss the Patriots v. Jets game for all the bargains in the world!  I woke up to the sweet aroma of apple and pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving morning.  CP was up at his normal schedule which is at 0500 hours to make the pies.

It was good to see church was almost full for the 9 o'clock Mass, especially it was not a Holy Day of Obligation.  It was optional and the people who attended Mass wanted to be there.  We know that we have so much to be thankful and we are grateful for God's blessings.  Everyone brought non-perishable foods (monetary also was accepted) to be donated to the food pantry.  

CP did all the cooking and once again did a great job with the turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  I was in charge of making the salad and cutting up the bread to put in the serving basket ;>)

We took these photos last month on our Sunday Drive to Hermann, Missouri.  A little church with the red doors in the country surrounded by harvested fields made perfect backdrop for the T-bird.

2011 THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Taking advantage of the sunny, warmer than expected weather, my husband worked on the Nativity display. After Ma passed away in 2006 (Pa passed away in 2000), the family went thru items in the house and getting it ready to sell, we mentioned that we would like to have the Nativity. We have been carrying on the tradition of displaying the Nativity in front of our house since then, just like the way Ma and Pa used to do during Christmas season.

For football fans, Thanksgiving is also a special time since we could eat and be merry watching the games all day. Traditionally, the Detroit Lions and now the Dallas Cowboys would schedule gameday on Thanksgiving. Nothing against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay but I thought it would be funny if the Lions won the game and broke the Packers' winning streak. (Only serious football fans would understand why I thought it would be funny if that ever happened.)

My husband once again did a great job with cooking the turkey. He also made pumpkin and apple pies and my favorite side dish, green bean casserole. I reminded my husband of our "insider" funny story what happened in 2009 after we found the wishbone in the turkey. We silently made our wishes - my husband got the larger piece of the wishbone and I got the shorter part. CP then told me that his wish was that the exact model of the 2010 Mustang he ordered would be delivered sooner than scheduled. Well, he did get the Pony a few months earlier. What was my wish? I wish for peace in the world and for God's blessings for America. Talk about priority - if only I got the larger piece of the wishbone, the world would have been a peaceful place! (This year, we both wished for peace. Hopefully our wishes will come true!)

FRIDAY "THANKSGIVING" SKY - NYC IN 2010

These photos were taken at last year (2010) Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in NYC.

Besides visiting my family, being in NYC during Thanksgiving also sort-of anniversary celebration for us. Exactly 22 years ago (1988) that my husband flew from Michigan to NYC at Thanksgiving to ask my parents for my hand in marriage. When my husband said that he was very nervous not only about asking but also about the language barrier as my parents did not understand much English, I told him not to worry because my parents would be so happy that their 28-year old daughter (an very old maid in Vietnamese culture) finally got married!

We had a wonderful time and 2010 Thanksgiving in NYC was a memorable event. My husband got his wish of eating a Nathan's Famous hotdog in Coney Island. We broke our piggy-bank to pay for a delicious steak for lunch at Peter Luger Restaurant (only cash and PL credit cards are accepted there). Thanks to my brother, QQ, for driving us to see our 1st home in America on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx. The next day, we walked around Flushing Meadows Park and then visited the apartment building in Elmhurst, Queens - our 2nd home in America. The highlights were spending time with my godparents, listening to my godfather telling stories about his service at the Battle of the Bulge during WWII, attending Mass with my 95-year old godmother and having dinner with my best friend from college and her family.

We are deeply thankful to be living in America and for the many patriots who love and serve our country. We thank God for His blessings and we pray that America will recover from its current downward, self-destructive path and with God's grace, we will once again look forward to brighter days.

DON'T CRY FOR ME (TOTA, DON'T BE A WHINER)

I woke up with a backache and a stiff neck. I felt lousy all day. I went to a business meeting and could not wait for the discussion to be over. The frustration continued to build up because there were other matters that did not go right. I am sorry I could not share the details with you here.

How could these people live with themselves for doing something so unethical and immoral? I did not start the war and it was not a fair fight. The worst thing is those who looked the other way because they were not the one that was mistreated. I am reminded of the words spoken by Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph over good is for good people to do nothing."

I started to feel sorry for myself. "It was not fair," I said. Then I realized what a whiner I was. I have so much blessings in my life. I have a strong support system from my family, friends, and even kindness from strangers. There is still so much good in this world. I should be thankful for what I have. I decided to visit a nearby rehab center. The residents gathered together for a prayer service on Friday afternoon. I helped the nurses bring the residents into the prayer room. After the service, I helped take the residents back to their rooms. Most of the residents were in wheelchairs and some have lost their mobility. I said to myself, "Well, TOTA, do you still feel sorry for yourself? You have so much to be thankful for. What is the matter with your self-pity, why me attitude? Just look around, there are people who are fighting illnesses and misfortune, what do you have to complain about?" So I kicked my "sorry a#@" and stopped being a whiner! I remember that God is great and Life is good.

FRIDAY SKY - THE CHRYSLER BUILDING IN NYC

(Here I am a week late and a few dollars short – well, I am more than a few dollars short but that is entirely different story which I will save for future entry.)

I took these photos of the famous Chrysler Building when we visited NYC last November. The Big Apple offers so many great images to be captured. I was asked many times what my impression of America or New York when we first arrived. When we were in Viet Nam, we watched American television shows such as Mission Impossible, Hawaii Five-O and various Variety Shows, plus living in Sai Gon, the capital of South Viet Nam (we lived in Cho Lon (1) to be exact), we were familiar with modern metropolitan living. I personally was not intimated by the hustle and bustle of NYC. However, for some people, NYC could be too hectic and I know a few Americans who find NYC is a bit too much!

The first few years, we had to learn everything quickly from taking the subway (this would be intimidating even for some Americans), learning to speak English, making new friends and knowing whom to trust. We learned how to survive from watching, listening to others around us and pushing ourselves forward while creating our own pathways. We did not have time to be choosy or the luxury to select something else. It was not easy but it was not difficult either. NYC is a fascinating town and there are so much to do, see and enjoy. NYC is a great town for someone who is rich (money definitely comes in handy anywhere), young, thin and beautiful. Too bad I did not have any of these when we arrived on January 10, 1980! (I still don’t – haa haa)

Tuesday, January 11th – I began a 13-week Bible Study for women at our parish. There are about 50 women signed up. We begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. The gathering includes reading the scriptures, providing support to each other thru prayers and encouragement as we learn to renew, to re-discover the joy and fulfillment God has planned for our marriage.

Wednesday, Jan. 12th – I did not get home until almost 10:00 p.m. from a work-related (dinner meeting) activity.

Half of January has gone by. We had many sunny days and pleasant temperature this week. I promise to write more about a few projects that I am working on. No resolutions but I am actually excited with the changes I have already made.

(1) Cho Lon means Great Market (Cho = market, Lon = great or large) was a Chinatown of Sai Gon. Many of these Chinese who were born in Viet Nam did not attempt to learn Vietnamese nor considered themselves Vietnamese citizens. The Chinese merchants controlled 50% of the imports, textile factories and major trading. After the Fall of Saigon in April 1975, the Communist government nationalized all Chinese-owned businesses in 1978. In the Spring of 1979, we were among the Chinese-Vietnamese who chose the extreme escape route by boat over the South China Sea.

TUESDAY TWO - 2 + 2 = 4

If you come to NYC during Thanksgiving/Christmas, you would see the above display. I don't remember exactly what street. If you walked around Radio City/Rockefeller Center, you would not miss it.

I was trying to take photos of Manhattan skyline when my friend, MG, drove us back to Brooklyn after our dinner in Flushing. I did not see what the sign was so I was not happy when it got in the way. As I sorted thru all the images, I was glad to see that it was the "Exit 2" sign. It is perfect for one of my Tuesday Two weekly theme. I will try to remember that when facing something unpleasant, it might turn out to be something good or a nice surprise awaiting.

I did not walk around to find out if there were numbers 1 and 3. I will try to remember to look for them, on the display, the next time I am in NYC during the holidays.

ONE WAY OR FINAL EXIT (THE VIEW)

On Saturday, November 27th we picked up my sister CH around 10:00 a.m. My brother VL drove all of us to Greenwood Cemetery to visit my Dad’s final resting place. A few years ago, my husband and I decided that we should also get a space for ourselves. We thought without children, who would care to visit our graves, so planning ahead for that inevitable exit would be practical. My husband was very pleased with the selection because he said we would have a nice view of the Statue of Liberty from where our niche was located (the view in the top photo). Well, you got to look at the bright side and find some positive aspects in all situations!

My husband and I got off at the corner where a florist was conveniently located. It used to be Mom and I would get the flowers but it has become difficult for Mom to get around using a cane for extra support. We bought the flowers, walked across the street, passed the gate into the cemetery towards the mausoleum.

We taped the flowers, one from Mom and one from all the kids, onto the space outside the niche holding the urn containing Dad’s cremated remains.

The first few years, Mom would cry and we all would shed tears, whenever we visited. Now after almost 10 years, we simply spent a few minutes in silence and then moved on. My husband and I held hand while we recited the Lord’s prayer, Hail Mary and prayed that God grant my Dad eternal rest.

“Hello Dad. It is me, your first born child and your sport buddy. I could not see you but I knew you are near. I could not see you but I knew you were there at the hockey games and other sport events with me. I still felt your protected arms when I was about 12 and we tried to get into a sold-out soccer game at Cong Hoa stadium in Viet Nam. I love the good times we had cursing at the players and the referees.

I also know you are watching over us, being us when we gathered as a family and taking care of us like you always did. Like Mom said when you were ready to leave this world that you had guided us and taught us well that we are able to take care of ourselves. You led the way to our escape from under the Vietnamese Communist, protected us during the boat journey, gathered every little piece of food in the refugee camp to feed us. And when we finally came to America, you worked at any menial work you were able to find to give us the opportunity to earn higher education, to obtain professional occupations and to achieve the American Dream.

You had taught us well. You provided guidance and lessons we needed to be productive citizens. We promise to make you proud and we know you are always with us. Rest well, Dad, we love you.”

WICKED PETER

On Friday, November 26th, we had a typical schedule that most tourists would do when visiting the Big Apple. We went to lunch at Peter Luger before the show Wicked. We took the D train, then transfered at Broadway-Lafayette Street for the downtown F train to Delancey Street, went upstairs to get the M train (Jamaica bound). We got off at the first stop (Marcy Avenue) after the train crossed over the Williamsburg Bridge. We walked to Peter Luger at 178 Boardway for lunch.

Inside, the local landmark since 1887 looked exactly the way I saw it being featured on the Food Channel as the best steakhouse in NYC. After walking thru the door, I noticed to the left was the regulars having their drinks at the bar. How do I know they were regulars? They were all men, talking at the same time to the bartenders, relaxing and looking very comfortable as if they were in their living rooms. On the right were many plaques lined the walls with front covers and articles displaying a who's who of culinary critiques and top stars.

We walked up to the bulletproof-glass cubicle in the foyer where two serious looking older women were sitting. It must be where the cash being kept. We were greeted fairly nice by a short middle-age woman looking like a Carla of Cheers, even with our appearance of casual attire and “poor people with no money” written on our faces!

Carla: Hello! How many?
TOTA: 2
Carla: Do you have reservation?
TOTA: No.
Carla: Well, I will see what we have available.

A few minutes later, Carla came back and led us to a table for 2. I almost fell off my chair when the waiter came to the table to give us the menu. He looked almost like the guy I dated in 1985. Whether it was really “Victor” or he just acted like all the other waiters at this establishment, tersely matter-of-fact. There were three other tables in the whole dining room, a group of Japanese tourists, a family of 4 and a young couple. I wanted to ask Carla why she had to double check whether she had a table available for us!

We ordered quickly as to prove our worthiness of eating in this establishment. CP selected the steak for one and a salad and I ordered the lamb chops. I made the mistake of asking Victor what kind of soup they had available. He responded, “No soup”, with the look that said, “You should know that we don’t offer soup here”!

The phones did not stop ringing the whole time while we waited for our steaks being prepared. It must be for the New Year Eve party. There was a card on the table that read, “New Year Eve reservations are subject to availability with required advanced deposit of $50 per person, for 2 hours sitting.” That would be $200 advanced deposit if you wish to reserve a table of 4 and try to eat fast because you are allowed only 2 hours.

Victor finally came, took away the salad and cleared some space on the table. Then the sizzling platters came out and they were very hot. The steak and the lamb chops were already sliced in sections off the bone with the bone staying on the plate. Victor placed a few slices on our plates and walked away as he asked whether we needed anything else. Our food was good and plenty. We even had a few slices to take home.

Victor brought out 2 gold dollar sized chocolates when he gave us the bill. After placing a $100 bill and a couple of $20 in the guest check folder, we waited for Victor to pick it up. When he walked by our table, he commented, “It is ok to leave it there” or something like that since he again mumbled the words as he continued to walk away. We got up and left because we knew no one would dare to steal the cash.

So we did it, spending our cash foolishly so we could say that we ate at Peter Luger. It was one of those sort of “bucket list” items that we had to do to fool ourselves into thinking that we deserved to have a taste of the good life.

We walked to the subway, took the Manhattan bound M train to Delancey Street, then F train to Broadway-Lafayette Street, transferred to the D train to Rockefeller Center and walked to Gershwin Theatre on 51st Street and Broadway.

Personally, I did not care much for the music, the over-sensationalized story lines, the characters of Elphaba and Glinda, and the whole show trying to be “catch-all” political correct, specially the role of the goat-professor. I was so bored while the audiences, including my husband, were laughing all around me at humor I found either annoyingly or somewhat idiotic! See Wicked if you wish, you might like it but for me I would have liked to see Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice, James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave in Driving Miss Daisy or Kelsey Grammer in La Cage Aux Folles. These shows were all sold-out, so I got Wicked!

After the show, we went to Park Slope and met my sister, CH for dinner. We walked to an Indian restaurant about two blocks from her building. After we came in, there were only a few more diners in the whole place. It was a nice quiet dinner. The wind picked up and it got colder when we walked CH back to her place. We decided that it was time to get back to Bensonhurst. It was another good day in NYC!