Superbowl Weekend!

 

Finishing up a snowy Cinderella Saturday, here.

Tomorrow being Superbowl Sunday

...at last...

with the Rams and the Bengals!

John and I have decided (...since both our teams are out now...) to root for The Bengals together tomorrow!

Ya gotta have a plan.

Woke to unexpected snow showers here...and now the are forecasting much the same for SB Sunday.

But the house is warm and snug and there will be abundant snacks...

"Did somebody say snacks???" 

                                       Sofi

"Every bite you take...every snack you make...I'll be WATCHING you..."

                                                                                                  Gadget

Loaded potato skins with bacon, cheese and sour cream...Buffalo
BBQ chicken bites...Pizza Rolls...and the like.

This week I joined an Over Sixties group for women. It is amazing, fun and sometimes informative.

The creator and leader of the group explained that life is lived in three acts...like a play. 

Act I:

From the time you move away from your parents..discovering yourself... until you are 30'ish or have children...a career or job... and/or marriage.

Act II: 

While you are working your career or job. Raising your children and/or being a wife or mother.

Act III

Where we are now. Maybe retired. Maybe widowed. Our children grown...with lives and sometimes spouses or families or careers of their own. Maybe downsizing. Maybe rediscovering ourselves...likes...dislikes after taking care of others for many years.

We discuss a bit of everything...share our adventures of rediscovery.

I'm enjoying it a lot.

Just what I've needed.

 

Looking forward to Our Valentine's Escape...just a little longer!

 

And the LAST...latest and greatest of Jurassic Park.

The trailer is finally out!

Jurassic World: Dominion

https://youtu.be/obqfbOUKSFg

(...the first five minutes...)

 They have managed to gather most of the original JP cast...plus the cast of JW plus a few bonus characters.

Not in theaters until June 10th...but John and I have already made a Dinosaur Date to see this last one on the wide screen!

This one is suppose to pull all of them together and bring closure to the JP/JW franchise.

So excited!

Enjoy SBS...and I'll catch everyone on Monday!

Virtual China: Hong Kong- Tian Tan Buddha

 

Actually, located just off Hong Kong on the territories island of Lantau, the statue is also known as The Big Buddha and is one of the world's largest sitting buddhas.

 

The buddha sits over the Po Lin Monastery. 

This is the major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong.

The statue is 112 feet tall and weighs just short of 250 tons. It was completed in 1993 and can be seen as far away as Macau.

 

Surrounding it are six smaller bronze statues known as The Offerings of The Six Dervas.  Symbolizing generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom. All which are deemed necessary to reach Enlightenment.

The climb to Big Buddha is 268 steps...but there is also a winding access road where the elderly or disabled can ride to the top.

...thankfully....

Drone View

 https://youtu.be/Hl9TCsAIbdI

Tour

https://youtu.be/_d0zw_o7OTc

Inside the buddha is a relic...some of the cremated remains of the very first buddha. 

(Siddhattha Gautama)

https://youtu.be/IgHgLxqLCt0

Tours

https://youtu.be/1gz2smlgI0E

https://youtu.be/-ps6FhPXnKU

(this is the very best)

I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of Tian Tan Buddha.

 

 

Virtual China: Sweet and Sour Pork

 

The #1 dish of Hong Kong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzu6E19sXSg

Step by step tutorial.

Fixed this last night with steamed jasmine rice and green beans.

...yes..I have a rice steamer...not entirely backwoods...you know...

I did the twice cook method with the pork of frying then baking. Not at all like the soggy take-away stuff. Nice satisfying crunchy coating with tender cooked pork inside that could hold up to the sauce well.

About the sauce.

I cheated.

....somehow I imagine Chinese-American places do, as well...

My sweet and sour sauce was jarred...but everything else was fresh and from scratch.

Turned out wonderful.

So much better than take-away, as everything was fresh and crisp. Stir fried the pineapple and green pepper.

The # 1 beverage in Hong Kong is a holdover from its time under British Rule (until 1997).  Black Tea with copious amounts of heavy cream. I added sugar, too.  The cream tends to take the bitter edge off the tea.  Very nice. 

Colonial.

Next we will explore one of Hong Kong's better sights.

Until then...

Virtual China: Hong Kong-The Marketplace

 The people in Hong Kong are a mixed bag.

Roughly half of them identify as Hong Kongers of Chinese Descent.

The other half are firmly Chinese...who happen to live in Hong Kong.

Interesting.

Anyway...people got to shop and eat.

The best places are the colorful markets.

Since dishes here are prepared from the freshest ingredients...most visit the markets every day.

Since tomorrow I intend to make the favorite dish of Hong Kong (Sweet and Sour Pork) and Beverage (Heavily Creamed Black Tea) I will need

Fresh Pork

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Fresh Pineapple

Green Pepper

Jasmine Rice 

Heavy Cream

Sugar

Black Tea

I have also found a wok, cleaver and cooking chopsticks (online)...and a jade goldfish necklace that I simply must have.

Tomorrow we will cook!

Until then...

Virtual China: Hong Kong

We are beginning Virtual China with the territories.

First up is Hong Kong!

Tour

https://youtu.be/2OlnG-GMSpI

A small island located five miles off the mainland...considered a territory but not part of the PRC

 

426 square miles and over 7.5 million people call it home.

Also one of the most developed cities in the world with the highest per capita of billionaires...and the most skyscrapers.

Crowded and bustling...filled with sounds and sights and smells (the name Hong Kong literally means Harbor of Incense) the entire ordeal may feel like an assault on the senses.

One would scarcely believe this used to be habitated by sleepy fishing villages and a few farmers.

It is now one of the world's most significant financial centers and commercial ports.

 

A shining jewel on the Pearl River delta.

Surrounded by the China Sea on three sides.

The Hong Kong Skyline

The primary languages are Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

Traditional characters are used in writing instead of the simplified characters of the mainland.

Example

The population is a mix of races..as is the religion. 

Hong Kong is home to Buddhists, Confucianism, Taoists, Christians, Islamic and Jewish.

The culture here is seen as a hybrid of the East and West.

Video

https://youtu.be/xwftD2aehpM

Later this week we will explore the cuisine of HK and some of its better known attractions...

Until then...

 

Groundhog's Day...SNOW...and Hibernation

 

Dragged again from his warm burrow, Phil retaliated by forecasting 6 more weeks of winter.

...not to be out-done...I also saw MY shadow...and predict 6 additional weeks of dieting...

It is cold here, this morning.

Like 6 degrees.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Huddled around the heat with hot chocolate, and listening to the whirrrr of snow blowers and the scrape of snow plows.

This would be why.

On Wednesday evening it started to rain...quickly changing to ice...then it snowed...and snowed...and snowed.

All day and night on Thursday.

We got a LOT of snow.

Everything was just CLOSED for a couple days.

"I'm STILL closed, Mom!"

                                  Sofi

"Yep...just snuggling into the drawer for a nap!"

                                                                          Gadget

Hibernation, fresh baked bread, warm creamy potato soup and thick quilts seem like the best option.

Did manage to see the most recent Ice Age film.

 It was "meh" 

To be honest...they have pretty much done Ice Age to death.

The really little ones (think 3-5) might enjoy this...but 6 and up are just going to be as underwhelmed as I was.

Hoping for a few good films this year...but this isn't one of them.

Do yourself a favor. 

Pass.

Starting virtual Hong Kong on Monday!!

Till then...stay warm...

Virtual China: Chinese New Year- Year of Tiger

 

恭喜发财 / “gong-sshee faa-tseye”

                                       Happy Lunar New Year!

And what a better way to start the Year of the Tiger than wearing traditional red...and enjoying sticky rice...dumplings...egg rolls... mandarin oranges and a cherry topped pastry.

(firecrackers optional)

 The celebration in China.

https://youtu.be/Rv4s-UzGjFc

The Chinese Zodiac (and calculator)

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/ 

See which sign you were born under.

The PRC (People's Republic of China) now calls this Spring Festival and preparations begin a couple of weeks ahead...and will last for 15 days!

Everyone gets the 15 days of Spring Festival off school and work.

It is basically a feed your face...see family and friends...extravaganza. A 15 day party.

This year the end will be on February 15th...and is also The Festival of Lanterns.

On the first day of Chinese New Year there are certain things that are never done.

Housecleaning

Washing or cutting your hair.

Cooking or use of fire....food is prepared the night before.

These are to keep LUCK in your home for the next year.

...it's complicated...

We will start with the three areas of China which are not considered Provinces...but operate independently.

Hong Kong

Macau

Taiwan

Until then...

Red packet envelopes given with money enclosed for the New Year.