I am getting famouser and famouser

This was a post I did for studyshare.org a while back. It is on The Daily Korean (right column, down a bit). HUZZAH! Everyone shall know the awesome that is Melissa Chan (not the UCLA gymnast, singer, or al-jeezera reporter...but being these Melissa Chans or a combination of these Melissa Chans would be pretty awesome. Imagine Melissa Chan the gymnast, singer, al-jeezera reporter, graduate student, teacher, AND BLOGGER.)

 http://paper.li/TheTripologist/1327848095/2012/02/10
See it here

and I took a screenshot!!! I have no idea who those people are on the left, but I am right next to them. HAHAHAHAHAH

Places: Solvang

I am moving to Santa Barbara soon! So I will be in and out of LA and SB. Friendie, British Cousin, and I went to my dorm/apt, and then we headed off to Solvang (NOTE: NEVER EVER TAKE THE 154 IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE THROUGH MOUNTAINS). It was interesting. I can honestly say, I've never seen anything like this. It was kitsch, funny, and fun allllllll at the same time. We stopped by the Danish Mill Bakery for an apple boat. FREAKING DELICIOUS. So oily, flaky, crunchy, crispy, and sweet. I can eat 100000000000000000000 of them if someone could pump my stomach immediately after. Go for the danish. DANISH. If you can make me a danish as delicious as this, I will marry you.

Places: The Counter in Pasadena

Went to The Counter in Pasadena with British cousin and friendies. We split the fries/ sweet potato fries. I appreciated their shoe stringy like quality. I had the veggie burger bowl (I love bowls, taco bowls from CHIPOTLE AKA THE BEST AND MOST WONDERFUL FAST FOOD EVER). For the set price you get to choose what you want from each list (if you want extras, they list the price added on the side). I had the organic greens, veggie patty, sharp provolone, olives, jalapenos, sun dried tomato vinaigrette, and pickles. The ingredients were FRESH, and the only worry we had was if the combinations we picked would work together or not. IT WORKED. Service was friendly, but I felt like I had to be really friendly back. All in all super duper duper duper. BECAUSE BOWLS ARE THE WAY TO GO. GO. GO.
 

Places: Fine Garden in San Gabriel Valley/ LA

In the SGV area, there are a lot of Chinese vegetarian restaurants, but this one is by far my favorite because there are two AWESOME things: almond tea (top) and vegetarian dimsum (素点心). There is almost no such thing as vegetarian dimsum, but this place has it. The almond tea is super duper too. They basically put a puff pastry on top of almond tea and bake it. Puff pastry and almond tea, nothing can go wrong.There are only two words that can describe this place: 好帮。 The only down side is that it is PRICEY. A bit for Chinese food.

http://www.finegardenveggie.com/


EAT IT. IT IS DELICIOUS.

Gardening: Chili and Basil

Chili, sweet basic, and thai basil from my garden. All natural and organic yo! Hahahahaha My mission to become self sustaining is slow but progressive! I need more land to plant things. I started to plant onions, different varieties of chilies, and garlic. Hopefully, they all grow. The tomato and zucchini  seem to be kind of major fails, probably because I planted them too late in the season.

Life goal: Survive by farming on three acres of land.

Random Thoughts: The Nonexistent Children of My Own

I don't particular like children. The thought of having my own kids scares the beegeesus out of me. You get fat and bloated. You can't see your own feet due to your bloated state, and you put on two mismatched shoes wearing your moo-moo Hawaiian dress. That look is everything I am against.
I taught kids, a lot of kids. They're adorable, but I could not spend more than an hour a day with the little monsters. Plus, kids in classrooms are much different than kids at a house.

This is a conversation I had with MaMa Chan, who was an advocate for grandbabies coming out of my belly.

MaMa Chan: We need a farm. I want to separate the dragon fruit tree.
Me: When are we going to have fruit?
MaMa Chan: After it groes this big. (Spreads arms outward)
Me: You won't be able to eat the fruit.
MaMa Chan: I'm planning for the future generation.
Me: There won't be a future generation.
MaMa Chan: Fine, then. BE THAT WAY.

It seems we are settled. No babies from my belly.

Places: Art in the Streets @ the Geffen Contemporary in LA

So I went to the Art in the Streets with Office Hubby before Big Man Bakes. It was pretty interesting. We talked about the irony of putting street art into an indoor exhibition and the commodification/ commercialization of an alternative lifestyle.
I do suggest that people go a take a look, because it's free on Mondays and Thursday evenings.

落泊糕: Radish Cake deliciousness.

This is one of my favorite things to eat, and my mom recently taught me how to make it. It's called 落泊糕 in Chinese, or if we translate it, it's called a radish cake. Even though it's cake, there's nothing sugary about it. Although it lacks sugar, I would argue with anyone on this earth if they had the gall to say it wasn't one of the sweetest savory things they have eaten.
Now, traditionally it's made with meat, like ground pork, sausages, dried shrimp, etc.., but since I'm vegetarian again, I made a vegetarian version. There is also a variation of this dish called 芋头糕 made with taro instead of radish.
Making it was easier than I expected, so I decided to shareeeee <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

 落泊糕/ Luobogao/ Radish Cake Recipe

White Radish/ Daikon: about 1-2 cups grated or thinly sliced
(Apparently daikon prevents subcutaneous fat accumulation. HUZZAH!)

Rice flour (not sticky rice flour): 1 cup

Water: 2 cups (or if you like your cakes a little more solid, use 1.5 cups)

Optional delicious stuffs:
Mushrooms: 1/2 cup finely chopped, and stir fried with onion and garlic
Veggie meats: 1/2 cup finely chopped
Green onion: 1/4 cup finely chopped
Sesame seeds: roasted, for garnishing

Basically you mix all the ingredients together, and put it on the stove on medium heat for about 5 mins to make it a little bit more viscous. Why do we want it a bit more viscous? That way whatever you put into your nice little cake won't all float to the top. Even distribution is nice when you eat nice food. YES?
After, you put it in a pan, and put that pan into a steamer. The steamer has to have water in it that is already boiling. You know how when you preheat an oven to make things deliciously and evenly? Well, my lovely voracious eaters, this is the same concept.
Steam the monster for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes take off the steamer cover as quickly as possible. WHY?!?! because you want to prevent all that water that has accumulated on the cover to avoid falling onto your beautiful cake, don't you? Let it steam without a cover for 5 to 10 mins. If the top of your cake is still wet. Take a paper towel and soak up all the excess water from the top. Sprinkle the sesame seeds. Let it cool for about 20-30 minutes. YOU ARE FINISHED!

Now eating it is also varies from person to person. You can eat it as is, or you can slice it up and pan fry/ shallow fry it. Don't deep fry it because rice flour just absorbs oil like no other being on this planet.

Now, aren't you so fabulous.

OH YEAH, you can also freeze it. It can keep for a couple months. When you want to eat it, just resteam or pan fry.

One more thing for my fellow vegetarians. Try to avoid putting tofu because there is a lot of excess water in tofu. If you really want tofu in there, get a dryer tofu/ firmer tofu, or you can get pressed tofu or something called 豆腐干/doufugan/dried tofu. This comes in different flavors (soy sauce, five spice, etc..). Get the plain ones.

LOVE YOU. K. THX.