Musings of a Virgin

This is the first meal I've cooked since I started traveling in March. I'm making Gumbo. Basically a "thick" soup with ocra and rice and some meat, usually shrimp and sausage. Today I'm using Italian spiced turkey (a healthy option).

Its really simple. Cook the turkey, dump everything else (except the soup packet) in, 8 cups of liquid, I used 4 cups chicken stock and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and whisk in the soup mix and finally simmer for about 20-30 mins.


Serve with some bread and it makes a very filling meal. I bought a loaf of tomato and basil bread which explains the slightly red tinge on the bread, its pretty good. My first choice was focaccia bread but the bakery was out of it.


For desert, strawberries with Splenda instead of sugar :)

Posted by emyln at 11:34 PM | Permalink | Comments

Yep, the photos are about a week late but that's cos I used my camera on Day 2 and forgot to bring the cord to connect it to my PC. Ah well.

Pic of Trumph Tower as I walk to Niketown to get new shoes.


Finally at Nike Town. Spent about an hour here to and tried on about 5 pairs of track shoes.



Here's my new Shoes. I went with the extra cushion, its about double what I would normally spend on for shoes but man does it feel comfortable. I can even skip wearing my "special" insoles.


I went to Chinatown next to buy food and finally to catch Next to Normal at 2pm. I LOVE this musical. Its so powerful and I even teared up. If you read the synopsis of the musical it sounds depressing but like I said the music is so strong and moving. I highly recommend this one.


Something new I noticed since I last visited NYC, they have carts selling fruits now. Healthy living is very in vouge. Still its good that you can purchase these fruits, its a lot healthier than getting a pretzel or hot dog.


And here's the food I bought from Chinatown. Its a lot but this should cover dinner as well as my after musical meal.


After eating I had about 2 hours before my next musical. A little Night Music. This was a pleasant surprise. It was an entertaining musical but I really wish Angela Landsbury was playing her role. Of all 3 musicals that I watched, Next to Normal was hands down the best with A Little Night Music coming in 2nd.



This is breakfast at the hotel on Day 3. It rained Sunday and I had to leave for the airport at 10am so there really wasn't much sight seeing.


And finally a shot of NYC time square at noon on Saturday. Sigh... Good memories.

Posted by emyln at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments

Finally arrived in NYC at about 2pm.

The hotel I'm staying at. This is the 2nd 3rd time I'm staying here I believe. I like it cos its so close to the theaters.

Inside looks quite nice.

First stop... Century 21 for shopping.

Loot from Century 21.

My lunch/tea.



Broadway in the evening, walking to the theater.


La Cage Aux Folles, the highlight of the evening. Its a pretty good musical, not sure if I would rate it 5/5, but there were a few very good numbers. Go borrow the movie Birdcage for the story.


As tradition goes, a little after theater meal, this is take out from a nearby restaurant. I love 24 hour breakfast diners.



The only downside. While walking to the theater, my shoe split. So I see myself going to Nike town to get a new pair of track shoes tomorrow.

Posted by emyln at 9:56 PM | Permalink | Comments

I'll be in NYC this weekend!!! WOOT! I love to visit NYC, and this time its totally to watch some musicals. My itinerary is to arrive Friday afternoon, pop over to Chinatown, then back to broadway to watch La Cage aux Folles.

Saturday morning I'll rush to 20th Century for a spot of shopping then back to Broadway for the afternoon show of Next to Normal, rest up a little and finally in the evening its A Little Night Music.

And Sunday, I'll play tourist and stroll down 5th Ave, before leaving for the airport. That's my weekend in a nutshell.

I CAN'T WAIT!

La Cage aux Folles



Next to Normal


A Little Night Music

Posted by emyln at 6:59 PM | Permalink | Comments

Been a while since I made a post. So here's what's happening in my life right now. I started work with a new client in Pittsburgh so that means I'm traveling every week from Sunday - Thursday to and from Pittsburgh.


Aside from that, found out that the folks and family will be traveling to visit me on Memorial Day weekend this year. So I have a little over 2 months to get the house in order. My extra bedroom/book room has not seen visitors for about 2-3 years now and has turned into a book/dvd storage room. So I've spent the past 2 weeks, clearing out carton after carton stored in that room and filling up my dustbin with trash bags.

And since I only tackle home improvement projects when some one comes to visit me, this is my improvement for 2010.




The book shelf cost about $98 and of course I spent several hours assembling it but I think it looks good, much better than the plastic storage boxes. The ambitious part of me wants to get 1-2 more book shelves for the living room and perhaps several more for my bedroom. The realistic part of me is saying... one shelf at a time boy and I don't feel up to assembling another this weekend.

Since I'm traveling every week now, I don't have much time to cook. Here's some of the weekend meals I've been getting. Costco's prepared food section is my new best friend.




I just had this steak last week. Nuked the broccolini in the microwave for 6 mins, and broiled the steaks for 6 mins each side. Salt and pepper for seasonings and dinner is served in 15 mins. It was so good that I'm doing it again this week. But sub out the broccolini for broccoli and potato salad.

---

PS. This was the meal I got CNY week.



Also I bought 3 boxes of puff pastry and made lots of curry puffs for my friends, sadly Americans were ok with it but not crazy for it. So guess who ate all the curry puffs? God they were good.

Posted by emyln at 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments