Looking through my Flickr photos (so much fun, eh?) I realized I’ve had brunch enough times for another round-up but this time, instead of a month of brunches, these were consumed over a period of three months. Sadly, Cari Ann and my brunch “tradition” fell by the wayside of late while scheduling has gone haywire (for her) and I’ve been in a three- to six-month bad-funk-streak (blah!).
If you thought perhaps I was flagging in pursuing dine-out activities, there’s been little slowing down as interspersed between these brunches and not included …

I have been reading Cathy Erway’s memoir, The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love The Stove, in the strangest places. I read about two-thirds of the memoir over several elliptical sessions at the gym and some of the rest while, fittingly, eating out. And since it was the kind of meal where I could read while eating, it wasn’t a spectacular meal or while with friends.
Based on an unpublished blog entry of mine where I alluded to Erway’s popular blog, Not Eating Out in …

Original source: Babble.com (I made the five-minute cake I blogged about several more times but it seemed chewy–maybe five minute is too long. Then I learned of this one through The Food Pornographer and haven’t looked back. I love how it is really nice and moist, and uses up the Nutella I have, although it doesn’t not taste greatly of chocolate hazelnut spread.)
4 tablespoons self rising flour
4 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a large coffee …

Another Easter weekend in Toronto. Last year I went over the same weekend and helped Lil’ Sis move into her apartment. This year, her apartment is all set up in her very natural spa-oasis theme and we went slightly nuts again! More diverse this year, too.
Panera Bread

As per my usual custom, I took a red eye flight leaving Vancouver at midnight and arriving in Toronto at 7a.m.; with the three-hour time difference, it meant if I slept continuously I had only four hours of sleep. Then, in Toronto it’s a …

Original Source: AllRecipes.com (I did not use the chili peppers or cheese the recipe called for.)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
ground cayenne pepper to taste
ground white pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
5 cups chicken broth

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned. Add the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper to taste and white pepper to taste and saute …

What a nice weekend we spent in Seattle just before Valentine’s Day! We were a small but fun group consisting of two couples and one more guy and girl. For me, some of the best parts revolved around food and drink. We stayed at the Sheraton downtown which one of our friends so kindly donated his Starwood points to lower the daily rate and we relished the opportunity to stay downtown–we didn’t even (gasp) go to the outlet mall!
Our rooms were on the 33rd floor (a Preferred Guest Level), giving …

Next after Groupon, Living Social (LS) is where I have made the most group-buying purchases. No doubt LS is doing a good business for itself but I’ve noticed they got a fancy new logo (can’t even remember the old one) and differentiating itself with family-oriented Family Edition coupons as well.
I didn’t know about Kreation Artisan Cakes, itself a narrow shop tucked between narrow shops on the west side of Cambie Street between West 17th and 18th Avenue. Their LS deal of $7 for a half dozen cupcakes (reg. $14.25) and …

Boy oh boy, this was quite the big Dineout Vancouver year with 5 dinners, three of which were with friends. In addition to these five, NPY went to one with his family to Maenam and I went to a Winterlicious meal in Toronto; and it was a great chance to get to know a colleague at work through talking about food, swapping stories, learning about places we’re each going to but don’t have the time/stomach/money to go to as well!
hidden tasting bar and social lounge
My “redo” of this year was …

I’m so happy to say that there is a Part II to the Toronto Dineout Reviews I made in early January as I was able to go back for a whirlwind three-day weekend last week.
Osgoode Hall Restaurant
However fun it was to go through Toronto’s Winterlicious menus to find a restaurant downtown to have a celebration lunch, getting a reservation at Osgoode Hall Restaurant was the most appropriate place for us to dine. We were a small party of six: mum and her older brother, me and a cousin just 2 …

One more Hong Kong post, this time in my Dineout Reviews format. Why should I apologize anyway? What has definitely been a “regret” of mine–because I can’t take a good experience as is and am intent on finding life bittersweet–was the dining out. There is so much more I want to do: street-style dining, really fancy HK-style Western, tea buffet at the Hyatt (esp after TFP’s post), etc.! But we did have some really great meals, concentrated in the last few days, funny enough. This really is just an excuse …