Missing Summer and Family

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Rae

The school year is nearing at an uncontrollably swift pace, and in looking forward I also look back at the memories I shard during the summer of 2013. This particular day, in Dallas TX, was one of my favorites because I had the privilege of spending an entire day snuggling my baby cousins.

The day started with a batch of caramelized french toast made by yours truly, and ended with a sunset as I held a little, sleeping girl in my arms. Everywhere in between, I enjoyed time on the lake’s shore, taking photos, cooking out, and playing with the dog, Snorts (as we have nicknamed her).

I’ve been so blessed with family who love and care for me, I will treasure this day for a long while to come.

Bucket Listing

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Rae

My last week in Tianjin has come. In just 6 days I will be moving back to the States to begin school at Carnegie Mellon University. After five years here, I can hardly believe that China will no longer be my home.

I will miss it more than I can say.

In the meantime, Michael and Jessie are helping to fill my last days with unforgettable memories. Earlier this week we made a long list of various activities that I want to complete before flying out next week.
The first one to be checked off the list was a trip to Tianjin’s “City Center.” Some of my favorite eating and shopping areas are downtown so late Wednesday afternoon we buseed there.

What a lovely outing! Churros and bubble tea－珍珠奶茶－were the first stops we made upon arrival. We then walked around for a while before settling into a quiet Starbucks for a couple of hours spent chatting, planning for the future, etc.

Our last stop was at a Japanese store called Muji, where I stocked up on pens for the next year! Michael was able to snap a few photos of Jessie and I enjoying the Muji “furniture displays” before a shop-keeper gave us some unhappy stares, after which we quickly made our way out.

Cake Challenge: August

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Rae

Remembering what a hit January’s cake was, I decided to try it again but this time with a simple chocolate cake accompanied by smooth vanilla buttercream filling.

This particular cake was a surprise Birthday dessert for our good friends, the Gohs. A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Goh emailed my Mom about joining their family for Thai food at an eclectic restaurant in downtown Tianjin to celebrate Mrs. Goh’s Birthday. Of course Mom (the courteous mother she is) felt compelled to bring something along to the dinner. So she replied asking if we could provide the B-day cake for Mrs. Goh. Mrs. Goh has always been a very encouraging supporter of my baking passion and she herself is a queen of creative scrapbooking so I definitely wanted to bake something special for her. This cake was the result…

our family met them at the restaurant and enjoyed a lovely dinner and (an even lovelier) cake. ~Unfortunately the Gohs arrived at the restaurant before we did and seeing 11 seats at their reserved table, Mrs. Goh soon guessed who would be joining them for dinner.

In the end, I have to say my favorite part of baking cakes are the memories I hold with those I share them with.

Other Cake Challenge Posts:
January
February
March
April
May
June

MAKE YOURSELF:

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling: find a thorough set of instructions here.

Espresso Drizzle: find recipe in the Cake Challenge: January post.

Click on this post to see recipe for Chocolate Cake (scroll to the bottom).

Tianjin Memories

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Michael

I’ve been back to Hong Kong for a week, and getting back into the swing of things has been difficult. Looking through my photos for this post made me miss Tianjin and remember the summer and all the adventures I had.

I remember the huge construction materials market-and dreaming about new projects.

I remember the hundred year old architecture in downtown Tianjin, where I spent times with my sisters, mom and friends.

I remember brainstorming with Jessie on her art portfolio and working in the blog office.

But I guess most of all, I remember the times I spent with my family. I miss you guys.

This post is part of my Memories Collection-revisiting places where Connecting Four really connected and explored the world together. See my Thailand Memories post here. See my Guilin Memories post here.

Guilin Memories

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Michael

I am continuing my Memories Collection with one of my favorite places in China, Guilin. We went on a vacation to this scenic area in the South of China the first year our family lived in in the Middle Kingdom.

During our travels down the Li River, we stopped at small villages along the way. The locals in this semi-tropical area still lived in structures; some of which were hundreds of years old.

China’s token color is red, which we got a lot of throughout our trip to Guilin.

Another great part of the trip was the produce and food. Fresh berries and other fruit are produced in the area.

The historic legacy stretches into both culture and arts… below is a Chinese opera costume.

Lastly, known throughout China, the scenery in Guilin is, in itself, a compelling reason to visit this place. The sights are breathtaking and being able to traverse these karst mountains was a blast!

This post is part of my Memories Collection-revisiting places where Connecting Four really connected and explored the world together. See my Thailand Memories post here. See my Tianjin Memories here.

The Barn

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Maddie

I remember going down to my grandparent’s barn to clean out the horse’s stalls and although it was a dirty job I loved being around the horses and the country feeling. Everywhere you look is a story, from the Exxon sign to the hanging horse shoes. As the years have gone by the barn has grown older and dirtier but I will never grow tired of this beautiful place. I hope the memories of this place never fade away!

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Tag Archives: memories