Memory Lane

Swiss Chocolate cake from Becky’s Kitchen— toffee crunch and cream between moist chocolate cake, covered with marshmallow icing. I DIED.

There was always a particular week in May that was celebratory for my family— the week that held the 11th, 15th, and 16th days which comprised of my mom’s birthday, my parents’ anniversary, and my dad’s birthday, respectively.

This year, obviously, is different, since it’s the first time without my dad. We celebrated my mom’s birthday a few days ago with family, and last night, the 15th, my brothers and I took her to Le Souk for mediterranean food (and made her take a flaming shooter; lightweight that she is, she was buzzed immediately. Which was hilarious.), to celebrate with her in place of my dad.
When I was about to sleep last night, it somehow only hit me then that the 15th didn’t just mark my parents’ anniversary; it was also when my mom had an aneurysm the same time my dad had cancer, exactly a year ago. I’m not going into details now, but the scarring events are still vivid in my mind.
My dad passed away some months after, but I could not be more thankful that my mom was given back to us. We’ve lost a lot yet we’ve been given just as much, in other ways.

Today, my mom, brothers and I are commemorating my dad’s would’ve-been-49th birthday by going to his grave, and then having dinner with the rest of the family, with whom, somehow, it kind of feels like we still have him around.

Man, oh man.

Apologies for being inactive the last few days; I assisted in a youth camp, whose participants were mostly high schoolers. Lots of hiking, games and obstacle courses, races and relays, and getting drenched and muddied. Mighty fun but I might need a nice long spa day in the next couple days haha.

Anyway, this morning my brothers and I woke up extra early to prepare a mother’s day breakfast-in-bed for my mom— coffee, cheese and mushroom omelette, peanut butter pancakes with bananas, and fresh flowers.

PS, Happy Mother’s Day to all your moms!

Cupcakes from my sorella karelleyyy’s 18th last night.
Plans to get her mildly inebriated and throw her in the pool were buoyantly accomplished!

“Strawberry Fields is anywhere you want to go.” -John Lennon

A shot for La Vie En Rose Sweets’s new promo coming soon. Keep checking back!

I have three younger brothers and every now and then I like taking them out, individually (as my wallet would permit haha), on a “sibling date,” where I get to be all big-sisterly and build a more solid rapport with them.
This was today’s lunch (my lasagna and his French sandwich something) with brother #2, Charles, whom I share a common interest in books, movies, and art with.

I was just blogging about home-made mango lassi a few days ago, and last night I had proper Indian food, which I haven’t had in a while. Some Hindu food deity must have heard of my cravings haha. Happy tummy is happy!

Mango lassi is one of the things I always order at Indian restaurants, and with the intense heat lately, I couldn’t think of a better time to learn how to make it myself! Totally perfect for summer.

Macarons my mom brought home last night from Park Avenue Desserts, whose food she spoke well of.
Anyway, of course I went all pretentious-wannabe-macaron-connoisseur while sampling them, lol. Ergo— the flavors were quite tasty, the egg shell-like texture was precise, and although there was a slight lack of mild moistness I prefer, they were still pretty good overall.

Some snaps from a spectacular dinner of 5 wonderful families (plus one addition— thelittlelle haha) at our house last weekend. 

Lindt Easter chocolate with liquor from visiting friends from Germany. I swear I just went weak in the knees.

Good morning