Whoop my arse!

Since we moved to the new place, we went without gym and a fair amount of regular exercise for about 6 weeks. And seeing how my lungs arent use to the dry weather here, running outdoors was rather unpleasant. That confined me to yoga at home about 4 times a week and once or twice at the studio at $20 per class.

But 3 weeks ago, we finally caved and signed up for the membership at the super swanky gym nearby which is a 2 min walk from the apt. I say we caved in becos we enquired about the membership weeks ago and said it was ridiculous to pay $145 a month. But...after doing my calculations i realise that if we push ourselves to go to the gym 4-5 times a week and take 4-5 yoga classes a week, it's more than our money's worth. So, that is what we've been doing since we signed up.

I LOVE IT! I can now run almost everyday and I can take unlimited yoga classes which makes me giddy with joy!

And I have a free personal training session today after a free body n fitness evaluation the past weekend. I am actually kinda looking forward to it with excitement becos i've never had a personal trainer and i don't really know how to work anything else in a gym apart from the cardio machines. I've even toyed with the idea of continuing the personal training for another 12 sessions just to see how my body will feel after real strength training.

So today: 7am power yoga and 1pm personal training session!

What's going on America?

There's an oil slick in Louisiana.

Arizona is pulling over any dark skin person who looks like an illegal immigrant and shoving them to the police station. So much for Martin Luther King.

Attempted bomb scare right in the middle of Times Square in NYC.

Pipe raptured in Massachusetts and now we have no clean water to drink! Tap water cannot be used for drinking, cooking, washing, brushing teeth and baby formula. It's only clean enough for flushing toilet bowls and bathing. You know it's an epidemic when Starbucks is shut down until the tainted water issue is resolved. And supermarkets are rationing how many bottled water one can buy.

All hell is breaking loose!!!

Ok it is not THAT bad, life still goes on. The weather is still perfect and pple are still out doing their own thing and getting on with their lives. But seriously, what the hell is going on here?

Steal this look!

I wish...I dream...and I definitely want a bakery of my own someday - even if that day comes when I am 40 and bold enough to start something of my own and put a part of myself out there. And I already have the location in mind, one of those old shophouses at Joo Chiat back home. I want it to look like this bakery in NYC.

I love it becos nothing seems to match but yet it's all thrown together so perfectly. It's got a lil tinge of an European cafe and it is so homely looking. I can't describe exactly what kinda look this is, but I love the white, the wooden floors and the odd furniture that are mis-matched and yet look so good together. I gotta steal this look!

Baked goods!

Get the recipes at shewhobakes.blogspot.com!

Apple Pies

Chocolate Strawberry Ganache Cupcakes

Profiteroles...

...with vanilla cream and chocolate ganache

Farmers' Market, Parks and Princess

This spring is just sooooooo pretty! The weather is perfect at 20 degrees C or so, with loads of sunshine that almost makes it feel like summer came early. It's like fake summer.

2 things that I fell in love with over this spring. First up - unknowingly, our apt is a 5 min walk away from the farmers' market that only comes on every spring to fall. Fresh fruits and veggie and super cheap prices, what's more fun than to start your weekend off with a shopping spree there?!?!

The market is huuuuuge! These photos don't capture how much there is. We bought:

- a box of clementines (which is actually mandarin oranges) for $2.50

- 7 kiwis for $2

- 5 apples for $1

- 1 pound of lady fingers for $2

- 5 onions for $1

Ooooooh and I have found a new love, with avocado....3 avocado for $1!

Next would be the parks. The Boston Common looks amazing when it's not covered with snow. In fact, I actually think it is more picturesque than NYC's Central Park. At least the Common doesn't smell like ass (Central Park has a zoo in it that's why).

And we've cultivated the habit of just lying down on the grass for an hour or so for a nap (talk about relax and shake leg). We did this twice in 2 different parks this weekend. We have turned into those pple who just lay out there whenever the sun comes out!

We met the saddest but luckiest dog at the park. Princess is a Jack Russell who fell and lost one of his hind legs and broke his other hind leg so badly that it now is crooked and juts out to the side. So she moves around with 100% usage of her two front legs and maybe 20% of her one hind leg. She doesn't run, she kinda just hops. But she has the best owner who brings her out to the park when the weather is good, she has her lil blankie laid out there to lie on and snuggle in. She's well taken care of even though she's damaged. That's quite a good life - probably luckier than healthy dogs who are abandoned or being ill-treated by owners who can't train dogs or commit time to them.

YES - I have also turned into one of those pple who cannot resist touching a dog when I run into one. I can't help it! Dogs are everywhere here in all kinds and they are always super frenly and super well-behaved!

And I shall end this by telling you that when I asked the boy when can we have a dog, he said maybe when a dog with bad legs turn up abandoned at our door step then can. GEE.

I want a horse!

a wooden one since i cant have a real one, and also becos a real one is really really funky smelling. luuuuurve this wooden horse (life size!) i saw on tv and again in a magazine. apparently it was acquired from The Met. so i can only dream of it now.....

Easter baking!

Get the recipes at shewhobakes.blogspot.com

White Cupcakes with Strawberry Puree Buttercream

Hot Cross Buns