I made these for Ben’s birthday yesterday, thanks to Pip in the City for the delicious recipe. They were easy to make and definitely a cheesey snack but I love the crisp outer layer and the contrast with the chewy insides.

It will definitely become a repeat recipe.

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The birthday present my folks sent me this year made its debut today. I picked a vanilla ice cream recipe to “christen” it and of course, I had to go with an AB recipe. Who else would I trust more?

It will be for Ben’s birthday party tomorrow, but I tasted the base after it had been poured out from the ice cream maker. To toot my (or AB’s) own horn, it was good.

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I love mangosteens. Anyone who grew up eating the fruit would know that it is a cooling fruit to eat after a hearty devouring of durian. I am thankful to whoever came up with that “rule” because then I always had a chance to eat both of my favorite fruit.

Lately, mangosteens can be found here in the US. Suddenly everyone wants a taste of it, albeit at exorbitant prices. The delicious fruit is worth one taste, in my opinion. The difficult part is trying to stop wanting it after that first taste. I miss it.

But look at this new fragrance from Fresh – Mangosteen Eau de Parfum. I took a whiff of it at Sephora this week. It smells heavenly.

There is always a certain smell around the garbage can no matter how often we take the trash out and how much wiping we do around the can.

I wonder if this Simplehuman activated carbon filter will help at all. I might have to pick a few of these up.

Update: 8/25 – I  bought a pack of these yesterday and they seem to be working good. You have to ensure that the lid of your trash can is a flat surface so the double-sided tape will hold on tight to it.

I received the new MoMA catalog this week and here are some of the things that I am now lusting after:

For Scarlett, clover dishes for cocktail snacks, bread box for the bread that is always lying around the counter and these cute red measuring spoons

For myself, this aptly named colorful wallet, this adorable red calculator and this Eames miniature bent ply chair in the shape of an elephant:

It’s a pity my birthday is over. Maybe Santa will remember?

This was my first time trying my hand at Chinese Roast Belly Pork. The flavor was amazing with just a simple rub of salt and five-spice powder. I didn’t crackle the skin with some scalding vinegar before I left the pork belly skin dry out in the fridge but it was crispy and quite yummy.

I made a noodle salad with some linguine tossed with shredded carrots and cabbage, some sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and rice wine vinegar. It was a quick and easy dinner for the middle of a crazy week.

I don’t know where to begin with this post but I will start by saying how very lucky I am. Just when I thought that I was grateful for the birthday I’ve enjoyed yesterday, K, J and Mike surprised me with a lavish birthday party.

I was surrounded with good friends, dear family, scrummy food, strawberry daiquiri and F’s amazing black forest cake.

I am deeply touched and thankful.

For K and R, who let us celebrate at their home and planned all the little details of the surprise.

For J & her Q, who thought of me even before she left on a crazy family trip and took precious recovery time to celebrate with me.

For J and P who went with the surprise and spoiled me with a box of Japanese confections.

For A, my only sibling whom I hope always to celebrate my birthday with, and his dear F who baked me a 2nd birthday cake. Thank you!

For the kiddies, I, M, O, B and V – cuteness unlimited!

For my darling Mike who reminds me constantly how loved and lucky I am.

Thank you again, thank you. You really made my weekend!

Another birthday, another year but so much love showered on me. I feel so very lucky.

It all started yesterday afternoon when I went to lunch with K, while Mike babysat her 2 adorable kids. The falafel and frites (at Café Presse) were delicious, as was the chance to drink a beer since I didn’t have to go back to work. Then we did a little shopping and picked up some amazing lemon meringue and chocolate cream pie from Shoofly Pie. The crust on those pie slices was to die for.

Dinner rolled around and I had myself some grilled pork chops with summer vegetables tossed in a flavorful rice. Then we treated ourselves to a movie.

This morning, I woke up to find all sorts of birthday love in my inbox and on my phone. I even found some time after coffee in the morning to plant some creeping Lady’s Mantle near the patio corner.

My brother and sis in law brought us out to lunch at Vios – I’d always wanted to go there to eat and I’m glad we did. I had a delicious meze plate of grilled lamb skewers, octopus salad and hummus. So good. Most notable was the Chicken Kapama that F ordered. So many delicious flavors!

Then I came home to a homemade Strawberry Mousse Sponge Cake. F makes the best cakes and to have her bake my birthday cake this year was a privilege. More of good eating.

Before long, dinner time found us at Salima, a Malaysian/Cham Restaurant. There was delicious lamb curry, fragrant prawn curry, roti canai, briyani rice, okra sambal, mee goreng and lemongrass chicken.

Thank you everyone, for your wishes and love, today and every day. I am truly grateful.

There is one thing that I will always be sure of in this world: that my parents will love me no matter how old I get. My birthday is not in 3 days but they’ve sent me a much longed for present. It’s mid summer as far as I’m concerned and I’m going to put this ice cream maker attachment to good use. I can’t wait.

Thank you, ma & da, for being my loving parents!

Image from Macy’s [incidentally, my mixer is red too!]

A simple lunch that Mike made us yesterday afternoon: open faced tuna sandwiches with some avocado spread (from this recipe) and cherry tomatoes.

Absolutely divine on a lazy summer day.