Beginning of a new blog

After such a long hiatus, I decided to start all over again with a new blog. Central Park Queen was all about me and my new life in New York.

I guess it is only fair that since I got past the Big 3-0, had a kid(and one more on the way), moved to Canada, ate my fair share of table d'hotes at restaurants, learnt french and now start a new blog too. Might as well. ;p

http://lamamangourmande.blogspot.com/

See you there!

Surrounded by the Northern GRIPPE!!!

ALL my classmates are sick.
MY professor is sick and aphone(voiceless).
Theoden is ALSO sick.

For some reason, my body resisted and resisted and after 2weeks of being surrounded by the terminally sick with nonstop coughing and sneezing, I am still fine! Wah-hah!

I just had one of those "OMG" moments last Wednesday when we had to rush Theoden to the hospital in the middle of the night. The poor little fellow had a high fever, on top of an ear infection and we suspect also, teething pain and discomfort. Moments like these makes me realise how fragile life is, and how precious our kids are to us. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to my little boy... *gulp*

Watching "Extreme Makeovers: Home Edition" these days has made me very tearful and fearful of losing my loved ones. Just today, they showed a husband who died suddenly in their own home due to a seizure caused by an allergic reaction to the mold growing in the house they just bought. They have 5 kids and the wife had just gave birth to their 6th child 10days prior. They had to move out of their moldy house immediately and stay with family and friends until Extreme Makeovers came to their rescue.

Mold? A silent killer in your own house! Who would have thought of it?!?!

French and Food

Bonjour tout le monde!

Aujourd'hui, je ecrir seulement en français... (just kidding!) ;p Not gonna write only in French lah...my mind might just burst from trying to find the correct vocab, grammar and tense!

To de-stress from my daily gruelling French classes/homework, I simply cook and bake. Food is really the heart and soul of my "Zen Zone".

Garlic roasted pork tenderloin with raspberry glaze and lemon couscous with plump raisins.

The other day, I made just the most amazing banana chocolate walnut cake I have ever tasted, and ever made. Don't know if it was the bananas from here or the new oven we bought, but I have always used the same trusted recipe from James Beard. This time, I modified a little and it was phenomenally moist and yummy. There's no photos of it cos we ate it up so fast, there was no time!
Departing from the US, I am SO glad to find that they have their own coffee joints here, which are WAY much BETTER than Starbucks! I especially love this Mocha Framboise(raspberry) from Cafe Depot which is my "Go-to-coffee" whenever I hit the malls. The dark chocolate flakes that melt on the frothy milk are always a delight for me. Second Cup also makes the best tasting Vanilla Latte on this planet. My other "Go-To-Coffee" as well! =)

Living alone is pretty hard for a person to be inspired to cook well, I think. I've never lived alone before in my entire life but this week, Emmanuel is in NY for work so I am pretty much Home Alone with Theoden, and cooking for myself alone is tough!

Always, I am so tempted to just tear apart a packet of instant noodles and be done with it in 5mins, but it is so against my nature to be "done with eating" these days. Anyhoo, my supply of instant noodles from Singapore is running low(4packets left, to be exact) and so, the next closest thing I can think of, is to make tom yum soup.
I miss having hawker centres, 24hrs foodcourts and coffee shops just round the corner, like back in Singapore. I want to "tah-pow" lah... :(

Well, I just have to be patient and wait another 4 more months and I will be home!!! Yippee!!!

C'est FRETTE!!!

In Quebec, the slang word for superduperfucking cold is FRETTE.

Since Wednesday, we have been experiencing a record low temperature of -28 to -30celsius, which sometimes drops to -35(or even less) with the wind factor.

Life still goes on however...the car managed to start in the morning and we are constantly dreaming of eating poutine for dinner when it is so cold. Poutine is a quintessential comfort food solely found in Canada and created in rural Quebec. It is mainly french fries topped with fresh cheese curds and brown gravy. Oh-YUMZ!!! Funnily, I think this will be a superb dish anywhere and I wonder how the Canadians have managed to keep it a secret from the world for so long.

I have survived the first week of French school and now my head is literally swimming with French verbs and their never-ending conjugations. My teachers are fabulous and so far, I actually like learning the language which I had always thought impossible to master.

Of course it is superfab that I have a personal walking and talking dictionary(i.e. Emmanuel) and I deluge him with so many questions everyday after school and bug him to help me with my homework, the poor fella has no break at all, even at home! ;p

Oh! Good news! My son has just taken his first steps!
My heart nearly bursted with pride when he took his first step and I think my heart stopped this morning when he said "Allo" to someone walking past in the corridor. I thought I misheard it but he said "Allo" again at the childcare centre when the phone rang and his childcare taker, Doris, heard him loud and clear! Bravo, Theoden!!!

Life's full of wonderful surprises and I wake up everyday eager to see what life will hand me today. =)

A whole new year...and a new HAIRCUT!

So much has happened since my last blog that it is hard to actually remember them all but in a gist...

1. My dog died. Happy Chng has been a part of the family since 1994 and when it was time for her to go to heaven, we all wept. Despite her fiesty nature(grrr....) and protective demeanor(BITE ALL strangers!Apologize later!), we all loved her deeply. We are gonna miss coming home to her smiley face and waggy tail and begging hands to be carried like a baby and tummy-rubbed.

Old age is not pretty to watch, even on dogs. It was heart-breaking for my parents to watch their beloved dog slowly degenerate with each passing day, going blind, then deaf, and then most cruelly, being invaded by extraterrestial tumors that eventually led to her death. Fast forward... Before, I was adamant on getting a puppy for my family so that my kid(s) can enjoy the same loyal affection I have had with Happy. But when I burst abruptly into tears the minute I knew my dog had died some continents away and I wasn't even there to say goodbye, I felt a little piece of my heart break off and I knew that I can't subject my kid(s) to such future reality(and cruelty) when the time comes for the dog to go to heaven too. Actually, I almost howled via Skype with my parents.

I am sure the kid(s) would be deeply scarred for life if their beloved pet dies when they are only 10 or 12 and could scarcely grasp the concept of life and death. To spare Emmanuel and I the cost of future therapy sessions for the kids to deal with their grief, I guess I made the inevitable decision to stick to just having plants. And to enforce my decision, we even went as far as to get artificial plants.

2. A new "ME-DO" after eons...
I can't remember when was the last time I ever sported short hair but I finally chopped off my long locks! I didn't have an exact idea of how short or what style I wanted it to be but I kinda blind-trusted the hairdresser and he gave me this.

BEFORE:
AFTER:
Surprisingly, the long locks he left me was kinda comforting to me as if I still had my long hair(even tho' I felt like some kind of showy bird like a... peacock?) and I had no regrets.

Hopefully, I dun have to vacuum the floor as much now that my hair is shorter...keke... ;p

3. Embracing the COLD....Brrr....
Oh yeah! It will be -28celsius this week and we have been told to bundle up REAL well cos who knows if the wind is howling as well and it might add another 10-20 celsius to that scary number!

We're adapting real well and lil' Theoden is a real survivor. Bravo! We also learned that Quebecois bring their own shoes to change into from their chunky snow boots, be it shopping in the mall(you can deposit your coats and snow boots at the service counter for free!), going to the clubs or visiting a friend's house. Cool.


4. My son turns ONE.
It's hard to remember what life was like before the arrival of Theoden. We wake up everyday jumping out of bed and can't wait to greet our cheerful and happy baby boy and see his smile light up the rest of our day. Every little new action he makes, every cheeky look, every twinkle in his eyes...it simply makes our hearts melt...
Watching him grow each day is the highlight of my life and it's kinda like being immersed in a really good book, you just can't wait to turn each page and find out how the plot is going to unfold. I'm that impatient to see my son grow up but at the same time, I want every second to linger longer cos I want to enjoy every minute I have with him.

Now that he is finally 1yo and officially a toddler, I am beginning to miss the baby I had... the irresistible tiny toes, the humongous baby belly after a feeding, the uninhibited midnight fartings from his crib like an old man having indigestion, the helplessness(it is "twisted" but it's nice to feel needed by someone), the immobility then(compared to the monster who touches every bright button and opens every drawer now) and his overall tinyness.

At 5 months old:

5. Learning French
Just became a student today after a long hiatus and it feels weird to be surrounded by so many young people! I had to do a grading test so that they know where to place me among the foreign students learning French and guess what?!?! I think I am the MOST beginner student there in the whole lot!

Everyone had some high school French before or at least 2-5 years of French and I simply dunno how I ended up in the class!?! Maybe that is the most beginner class they have...? All I know is...I will drown before I learn to swim.

Wish me luck. 3more months to go.
Un, deux, trois!!!
Bonne chance!!!!

Start of a new life at -11celsius.

Bonjour! I really have to learn French seriously from now onwards 'cos we moved to Quebec City!

My dear husband is starting his new laboratory here and we have all uprooted from NYC and moved up to the Great White North. Settling among the moose, bears, and caribous have always been our dream. ;p It would have been even more perfect if the Northern Lights were above my house every night too. And so, we are now living in a constant flurry of snow(like in a souvenir snow dome) and have decided to follow the footsteps of Lindsay Lohan and buy FUR. Just kiddin'...(we can't afford it anyway). ;p We're more likely to buy clothes made of bamboo but that ain't gonna keep us warm here, is it? Anyway, I don't wanna be "flour bombed" everywhere I go.

Keeping in step with the "open mindedness" of the Canadians, I am growing attached to Steven & Chris, a pair of charming(and very animated) talk show hosts who shows you how to be a little bit more "FA-Bu-lous" every day in your home or in your life. They are a pair of ingenious gay interior designers who inspire homeowners in their Discovery Homes series "Design Guys". Who better than them to get design advice from, rrrright?

Talking about homes, we will be moving in 6 days' time to our new apartment! It is a spacious, newly renovated, lofty high-ceiling apartment with marvelous marbled walls and the best thing? The walls and floorings are actually made with cement instead of the usual flimsy wood floorings(shocking, i know!) and that means... I can NEVER hear my neighbours EVER again!!! Whoohoo!!! I don't care if they are throwing a sex orgy party upstairs cos I CAN'T HEAR THEM or THEIR BING-BING-BONG-BONG FOOTSTEPS!!! Finally, some well-deserved peace and quiet!

P/S: A note to all HDB dweller back home in SG - be happy with your cement apartments!!!

It's funny how space-deprived we became coming from the cramped city of Manhattan. Suddenly, we're thinking of 4-5 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms(space, glorious space!!!)! We're thinking of garage and more storage space! We're thinking of garden and flat roads in the neighbourhood for the kid to go cycling safely! We're actually buying APPLIANCES! In all, the move to Quebec made me feel like it's time to GROW UP. We took appliances for granted in NYC when it was all provided for by the landlord. Even when Emmanuel was in Japan, he picked his appliances up for free(sometimes new and in box!) on the street when the Japanese do their spring cleaning and they simply just upgrade to the latest models and trash their perfectly good condition "old" appliances. Gee, how I wish I am a hobo living in Japan.

Anyways, we went through a phase of doing serious research for the appliances since in effect, it is the first time we are buying them and we are no longer poor students living on a budget. OMG - we learnt shitloads in a short time. It is frightening really. The amount of things you n.e.v.e.r knew before... ;p

What I do know, is that the food here is GREAT! Sure, it is not gastronomic France per se but we found Corsican-inspired but locally cured saucissons and ham in the market! There are plenty of vineyards around QC, cheese farms(yumz), and fresh fruit orchards to keep us happy. So far, we have not been disappointed in any of the restaurants we have dined at, without the help of any food reviews. Even the Thai food at the foodcourt is good!

Cat - you would have loved this lovely little bistro called Le Cochon Dingue! My breakfast waffles was served with apple butter(to-die-for) in this cute piggy plate(cochon means pig) and everything was wiped clean off the plate. I was happy to find that they sell apple butter in the Marche du Vieux Port. Once we are nicely settled in our new apartment, it is time to make waffles with apple butter and fresh fruits for Sunday Brunch! *YUM-O!*

Right now, I have this little pot of foie gras with apple wine liquor that is simply heavenly creamy and the supplier also sells whole foie gras - which is best eaten fresh in December. Guess what we're having for Christmas???? ;p

Everything is near in QC(everything but France and Singapore, that is).

The ski slopes are just a 20minutes drive from the city. The bisons park(you can even buy bison meat) is just a hop away on another island. The solitary moose is lurking around the woods 1hr away. Dog sledding, whale watching, apple picking, caribou migration and gosh, I'm sure there will be more to add on to this list after I've lived here long enough! Haha! But you can sense my excitement, yah?

I am just so happy that my son is going to be able to see beautiful snowflakes, slide down in a toboggan with his father, eventually learn to ski fearlessly and see all the wonderful nature and animals without having to go to the zoo.

Just this morning, we both woke up and sat on the bed rumpled with sleep, watching the snowflake flurry outside the window in silence for 10minutes. The snow had accumulated to more than 4inches by then and everything was a beautiful white. For a baby, 10 minutes of silence was worth more than gold to me and I quietly embraced this moment and stored it away in my heart for another time to remember.

The start of our new life. Our own personal snow dome. =)

In loving memory of Papa Planel.

Best remembered for his gardening passion and love of order.
He will be greatly missed by his beloved family.

At the rising of the sun and at its going down,
We remember him.

At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of Winter,
We remember him.

At the opening of buds and in the rebirth of Spring,
We remember him.

At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of Summer,
We remember him.

At the rustling of leaves and the beauty of Autumn,
We remember him.

At the beginning of the year and when it ends,
We remember him.

As long as we live, he too will live;
for he is now a part of us, as we remember him.

When we are weary and in need of strength,
We remember him.

When we are lost and sick at heart,
We remember him.

When we have joys we yearn to share,
We remember him.

When we have decisions that are difficult to make,
We remember him.

When we have achievements that are based on his,
We remember him.

As long as we live, he too shall live,
for he is a part of us, as we remember him.

Not meant to be on wheels...

Ok, I admit.

I SUCK at rollerblading.

I SUCK at cycling(miraculously,I did survive the harrowing ride down the "Road of Death" in Bolivia)

I SUCK at driving.

Anything that requires me to be balanced on wheels, I'm a BIG MESS.

Today, I flunked my driving AGAIN. Not the fault of the tester but simply it just confirms my suspicion - my two feet and ass are meant to be firmly rooted on the ground. Walking, running, hiking are good activities for me.

Before, if I fall, it's just me, scrapes, cuts, bruises, sprains and all.

BUT now, if I drive badly, my baby son is in danger too. Maybe it's good that I failed. It makes me more aware of the perils of driving and perhaps I will pass in the next millennium after I finally have enough practice.

By then, I hope they invent vehicles that autopilot FLY, BRAKE, CHANGE LANES and PARK by themselves.