Sweet rice wine/amazake/Cơm Rượu

I'm grateful for having been exposed to and grown up enjoying Vietnamese cuisine, especially desserts... except for chè chúi ugh. My favorite dessert to this day is cơm rượu, or amazake (it's just easier to pronounce). The first time I had it, I must have been a baby still, because I called it gái đó ("that thing"), and even now as I'm clearly intelligent enough to call food by its given name, my grandma still likes to tell me whenever she's made a new batch that she's made a new batch of gái đó. Jumping to last summer, I had decided to learn to cook finally as I imagine myself on-my-own very soon, and one thing I definitely wanted to make is cơm rượu. My family lived in Saigon but were originally from the North, so I planned only to make it with short-grain brown rice, the way my grandma makes it. Now, though I'm more interested in cơm rượu miền Nam, made with gạo nếp and shaped into tight rice balls.
This Saturday I go grocery shopping so I'll be picking up Chinese yeast balls and I'll start the experiment. Until then, and to keep motivating myself, fotoezz.........

 

//so excite//

Thigh high socks and negative connotations

I really dig thigh-high socks, or over-the-knee socks, because they're cute and are wonderful alternatives to full on pantyhose and tights when I'm wearing skirts and dresses. I'm a little hesitant about wearing them in the presence of the male specimen, though, because they come with sexual undertones and I'd like to avoid enticing anyone, what with my fabulously tight thighs and bright yellow skin and all. It still bothers me that my Google search results for "how to keep thigh highs up" are an equal mix of helpful links to tutorials and images with lingerie models and dominatrix pornographic video screenshots. Thanks, Google, I understand now. I understand that nude legs are sexy, and I understand that barely clothed legs are just as sexy and to many people, even more arousing. Given that, I don't like to dress cute while others look at my ensemble as sexy. Initially when I came home shopping with three new pairs of thigh-highs, I was afraid Mother wouldn't approve because they are "sexy", but she gave me the o-k because "sexy" didn't cross her mind, so I was happy until I talked to a male friend about it, to which he replied and warned me to not tell him about my thigh-highs again or else I'd paint a displeasing--or rather disrespectful-- picture of myself in his mind.

Could someone help me solve the mystery as to why it's so hard to draw the line in the proper place between these two looks?

All clueless complaining aside, I have actually worn a pair with lace band to a dinner party with my dad, and he didn't say anything so I hope these are good to go when I get back to school. (Then again he doesn't tell me anything that bothers him so I'll never know...) At this point it's really difficult to close the case and vow to never wear thigh-highs in order to respect my image when I've already bought three adorable pairs and six complementary knee-socks I was already very excited about wearing. Crossing my fingers here: I hope my first "Thigh-high Thursday" in school goes well without unwanted attention. Winter is my favorite season for fashion!

It's the only season to break out these adorable Bear-bands, too :)

Every soul deserves a prayer

Tonight I just got news from my aunt that a co-worker at her hair salon died of a car crash. It was on her way out of Giant Pharmacy picking up her medicine after leaving work. It's a little ironic: she picks up medicine that will essentially help her live longer by fighting sickness or improving her health, but before she can even go home to properly ingest it, her life has ended in a second.

One time I said to my uncle that I typically don't like to find any kind of death a funny matter unless it's an ironic death. I take it back. Every death is a solemn matter, and every soul deserves a prayer.
I spend a lot of my life planning for the future and deciding what to do with my life 20 years down the road, but it takes another person's death to remind me that nothing about my future, not even my future itself, is guaranteed. I optimize my chances of living a long life every day by taking care of my diet and practicing safety measures when I'm out in public, but in the end, anything can happen.

When I stop to think about it, I don't fear death. I'm only afraid of my life ending on bad terms. I hope her life ended at the fine time.

Busking experience

On Saturday my string quartet played outside our local Giant for donations for the orchestra. It was cold and windy as expected, but my fingers weren't prepared, so for four hours straight it was really rough. We played Winter holiday tunes and Handel's Passacaglia in G minor out of the blue, which I guess is still appropriate because Baroque and minor keys add ups to winter themes.

The passacaglia was the last song in the cycle to play though, and we played three cycles. By the end of the first song, which was really long because of the tempo and the half notes, the cellist was ready to cut the passacaglia. I wanted to sympathize, but I couldn't at the time, so I pouted and told him sternly that nothing would be cut. Of course, after our last cycle I decided to have us check out thirty minutes early and get our hands warm and functioning again.

The sweetest memory I have from that day is when on our last cycle, just as we were getting to play Handel's Passacaglia for the last time, a man walked toward the box to donate and told us he'd stay to watch us play one song. No one decided to stay and watch because no one before him actively showed any interest. Once he stayed, though, a couple of others gathered to watch, and it was so heart-warming especially since it was our last song of the day and it became our best performance. We finished and he applauded, threw in another dollar, and left.

Regardless of having to put up with playing in the wind for generally unspirited and uninspired people in the community, being there with my team and being rewarded with that one generous man at the end made my time there worth while. I'm excited to do this again.



Happy Thanksgiving,
Annie.

Things I never learn

I've been really happy with what the Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream has done for my face these past six days I've been using it! I feel fresh and confident when I walk out the door no matter how many pimples I have! (And that is a problem as well....................................)

Make up has liberated me from caring about my diet and because Dad bought Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake that Saturday that Mom bought me the BB Cream, and also because my violin student gave me an entire chocolate log cake the day after, I haven't found any reason to take care of myself! Mixed with the fact that the more I eat, the less water I drink, my skin has been paying the price, and I am dependent on BB cream each day these past six days. (Cheesecake is my kryptonite... it makes me forget the most important lessons on health and beauty.)

In order to combat this, I have now limited myself to one slice of either cake and only one Keebler cookie (ACK My grandmom gave me Sandies the Sunday I received my student's chocolate log cake! Shortbread cookies also make me weak ///crying///) per day. I must also drink at the very least three 48 fl. oz. of water and two cups of green tea on those days I decide to indulge. It's still not healthy to have a slice of cake every day but so long that it's here, I want to surrender to its goodness.

My face, digestive system and my bowels are not having it lately. I'm worried about Thanksgiving and Christmas season coming soon! :( ...American and Vietnamese food combined, and loads of it at that!

This is Annie, crying signing off.

"I am suddenly alive..."

The shock of winter,
The coming on of spring...
Suspended summer nights,
The evening flights that
only fall can bring...

I am suddenly alive,
I would sail across the world for just the color of your eyes.
You appear, appear to me.

--"Octet" from The Light in the Piazza

The past couple weeks have been a blast! My school orchestra had our first concert with our substitute and it turned out to sound really wonderful. I've also noticed that with the music he selected for us, I had to be pushed to think while I'm playing to play it well, and I don't know if it's because he's commanded us a couple times that I finally got to understand how important that was, or if I had grown wiser as a musician and decided to do it on my own too. Anyway, preparation for the first concert and the actual performance turned out to help me grow a lot, and I'm so grateful.
 I wrote a review about it on the orchestra blog.

This week I also have my recital list finalized so I don't have to worry about picking out a new song to practice and to perfect in a limited amount of time because A) I have been working on some beautiful pieces yet never had the chance to perform them, so the recital's perfect for them, and B) I'd much rather spend so much time perfecting the sound of the pieces I already know the notes by heart. I feel like since my recital's in March and also because I am a lazy person when it comes to practicing (Hahaha....), I can get a lot more valuable work done perfecting musicality in four months rather than technicality in a new piece and then having little time to touch on musicality.

So far, the program is:

1. People of the Far North - Nobuo/Hamauzu
2. Attack on Bevelle - Hamauzu
3. Besaid Island - Hamauzu
4. The Swan - Saint Saens
5. Pavane for the Dead Princess - Ravel
6. Vocalise - Rachmaninoff
7. Concerto in B minor op. 35 - Rieding

And it'd last to about 33 minutes at minimum which rocks. I really only need 20 minutes to send to IB, but going over makes me feel great.

I also found out today that my math grade jumped up two letter grades on my report card thanks to a massive test, THANK YOU CALCULUS.

Things are looking well. Annie out!

I AM HAPPY

Blog productivity has been way up this month, which is fantastic - I love to write! The same is with all my other work, Calculus and 20th cent History and the like and I have been feeling so great about myself.

Today was even more special because I had apple pie. Just kidding :>
My rival school's orchestra director came to rehearse with MY orchestra today. I met her and her orchestra at a district orchestra event last year, and they are just the greatest group of people ever. Half of them graduated to go on as music majors and it's crazy how dedicated they all are. (It's incredibly inspiring.) I unfortunately cannot say the same about my orchestra, so I was worried she'd be a little turned off about working with us, but she smiled and treated us with love and care. It warmed my heart.

Of course, now I feel that my existence in my own school and orchestra is meaningless because I keep wondering "WHAT IF I had met her orchestra two years ago when I was moving? How different of a person and performer would I be today if I had moved to that school's zone?"
It isn't something I should be thinking about now as a senior, but one simply just can't help it.

And I melt away into the memory and... finish reading about France (the biggest bitch in history) between WWI and WWII.

Oh man college

Y'know what? I'm seventeen. I've got little life experience to talk about. I prefer to be on house arrest than to have a curfew. I'm a little awkward, and I don't know if any university would be impressed by me. I can't even answer the common application essay prompts easily... My English teacher told me to just use my voice, and I thought "Fine, so I'll just blog this. That's doable."
...
I hate myself:

The fall of the Republic of Vietnam in 1975, I believe, has positively impacted my life as it would be twenty years later, being born in the United States. This is not to say that the spread of communism was a blessing itself, because historically, communism had convinced all of its victims that it is the Andrew Jackson to the Constitution, though because these days I see the glass as half-full, I see that communism at least came with a blessing for people like me.

Where am I going with this why do I even care nothing matters I'm done.
All I have left to do are instrumental auditions and a composition portfolio. And James Blake, I have James Blake:

My last responsibility-free weekend

Two days ago I left for an impromptu trip to NYC to see family members there, help out with their moving out, and roam around Chinatown for some good bánh bao.

I don't get why people like that city sometimes. Yes, there are many major perks, but the cons are just too much that I personally cannot live there. I mean, what's my opinion matter anyway? I'm from NOVA! It's way cleaner in the suburbs and there's an actual diversity here (that's very well blended).

I don't mind a one-day trip to Chinatown NYC, though. I do like getting really good food for reaaallly cheap. I just never feel safe, though, because I'm not Chinese and it's obvious. Heck, I'm a TOURIST. It's one thing to be a non-Chinese walking through Chinatown, but to be carrying a bag-full of two weeks worth of bánh bao as well is like wearing a tee shirt that says "Yes, I will accept crappy service with a side of mockery." That doesn't go for all streets in Chinatown, but it's what I feel through most of the area.

After Chinatown I separated from my parents to stay with my cousin in New Jersey, and I had a lot of fun the next day. We had lunch at Mitsuwa Marketplace and to those of you who are really interested in Japanese food and lifestyle, have lunch there. 
In New Jersey Mitsuwa Marketplace, when you enter the building the size of Costco, you see first the food court. Each kiosk is really one in the same but of different specialty dishes.

photo by yummyinthetummyblog

 I don't speak or understand one bit of Japanese but from what I saw, one kiosk had ramen dishes, another had rice dishes, one for smorgasbords and so on.

 I ordered my first cold tempura soba from this kiosk and now all I want to eat is soba. Okay no, all I want to eat is noodles. I have been craving noodles this whole summer, but not Vietnamese rice noodles or anything my tongue is familiar with. Anyhow, lunch here was perfect and I'd love to go here again and maybe every week. Now if only I could stand the pollution enough to live in New Jersey.

Another great thing is that beyond the food court is a supermarket with loads of Japanese everyday essentials. Y'know, like Giants, but in Japanese. Literally. I could not read anything. I understand numbers, and a pretty woman's face on cardboard advertisement which told me "SKIN CARE".

My history with Japanese skincare products is short, and isn't even worth bragging about. Some four years ago my mom ordered some DHC products from their mail-in catalog one day and bought me their Balancing Lotion and made my skin look and me feel great. Blessed was I that day because I found a shelf for DHC products in the skincare aisle! It was the only product line written entirely in English! I was feeling a bit cheap when it came to shopping there because I had spent $8.80 on lunch and didn't feel like handing over any more bills. BUT, I decided that day to end my search for plain facial cleansers that would not break out my skin any more with DHC Cleansing Foam. I was looking for their Washing Powder but it wasn't there so I settled for this, which is still great. After two times using it I know I'll be using this for a while and buy it again when it's out. 

Now, as I finish up this blog post and also my IB HOA IA and IB Eng summer assignment, I'd like to take a moment to say this: I am a high school senior, and I'm scared shitless.

 

Fenwick Island

Just came back from my last beach trip of the summer. Looking back, my summer was pretty alright.
I didn't get any creative projects I had planned to get to during the school year done, but I got loads of sleep and saw some movies and animes I really wanted to watch. I didn't even practice as much as I wanted to. Summer just makes me so dull... until I go to the beach. I guess my three beach trips this summer is all I'll remember about this year when I look back. Which is alright. I don't remember much these days anyway.

I do remember to pack my camera every time I'm out though, and to set my camera's picture quality to VGA when I take photos hundreds at a time for stop motion projects.

So......

 

Aaaand I leave this blog post with this:

644 photos used;

"Who's Theme" by Nujabes and MINMI

(from Samurai Champloo)

I want to go to Brazil what do

In the near future I have two opportunities: World Youth Day 2013 and the next Olympics; and by then I guess I should have the means to travel. Wishful thinking.

Gil and Adriana

I'm equally interested in meeting Catholics around the world as well as seeing the greatest athletes together, but even more so, I just want to walk the streets of Rio and absorb the culture. I love Brazil in the same way Gil from Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris loves France.

I don't know too much about life in Brazil, just some of the architecture and other important sites. Should I go with a nearby parish to World Youth Day 2013 though, I'd be so psyched to visit the Cristo Redentor. Sure, there are plenty of tall statues of Jesus where I live and in places I've visited like La Vang, but it's because I think it is the most famous tall statue of Jesus and that it's in the city of SAMBA that attracts me. <cough>And speaking of samba</cough>

Anyway, if I ever go to Mass in Brazil, I bet my weak little conscious will end up singing the tune of Corcovado behind the Our Father. Sad but true. I really only love Brazil for the music. But hopefully, if I go to any of these events, I'd be able to see so much more. And find a Brazilian boyfriend who plays drum set.

All fantasies aside, the bigger dilemma in all this is what to do with my money now that I'm working (violin + piano teacher). I do really want a DSLR. It's time to upgrade from my 12 year-old Fujifilm pseudo-DSLR, which hasn't ever done me wrong, ever, it's just time. I also need a car, because aside from travel, I actually live in the US, and you need to drive to get to places here in the US.

Siiiigggggh. What do I neeeeeeeeeeeeed

Myrtle beach and flickr uploads!

Myrtle Beach

This past week spent at Myrtle Beach was a blast. It's not every day - or every year - that I get to see relatives from Florida, so when we do meet for the first time in ten years, it's a really refreshing split-second to just wash away what happened that made me "me" these past ten years and be cool and just say "hi". So, I spent the week with some people I was very familiar with and got to re-meet not-so-familiar yet really interesting people as well.

When I got to the beach I was expecting some clear blue water and beautiful white sand, but I quickly learned that I had been in dream land since my last beach trip to Punta Cana last year.

Punta Cana

 No matter, it was still a joy to crash into waves and fall into warmer waters to escape the oppressing sun. What rocks about Myrtle Beach is the social environment that's a little different than the kind I'm so used to in Virginia Beach. It's just a bit more lackadaisical over there than in Virginia Beach, but not so much that the beach experience gets me a little jaded. My cousin described it as "Y'know, the south!" It actually reminds me a little of Vietnam at night. People just hop on mopeds and ride, and it's not a waste of money to rent mopeds for a day or two because everything's worth the money at the beach.

Other activities like Parasailing and Banana boating are pretty fun there, too. I don't remember ever doing these things in Virginia Beach because just the ocean and the boardwalk were enough for me and my family. I went banana boating and jet skiing for the first time this year, and for those who haven't and want to, it's ten degrees of fear lower than roller coasters. No worries.

Five days at the Ocean was enough for all of us, so on the last full day we spent most of the time shopping (at nearby outlets) and cruising on mopeds. My dad had a lot of fun on those. I guess he felt like he was reliving his past life in Vietnam over twenty years ago, so to explain why he took me out on the highway at 1 A.M. at 80-90 MPH. The next morning was slower as we went on the main road, which gave me a chance to take over 1,000 photos for a nice 1-minute long stop-motion video!


And now that it's all over, it's time to actually start on summer assignments and help Dad nag my mom about getting a motorcycle.

My first painting in 2012 among other things

Wow I haven't blogged in a while, but more importantly, it's July and I haven't painted THIS YEAR until earlier today. Last year I discovered how thrilling and liberating painting could be. Yes, much less cathartic than pencil drawing, but nonetheless painting, as I established in the summer of last year, is my...quasi passion. I don't know really. There's music, and anyone who's listened to me mention anything regarding music knows that's my passion. I just can't put music and art on the same scale.

And art came first, for the record.

So here I am on a lazy morning. I change my Facebook timeline header/photo/whatever it's called to an old design of Zanarkand from FFX and a friend tells me I should start drawing again, because I haven't really been doing that this year either. I don't usually get motivated that easily, but I guess it's because lately I've also been telling myself to stop anime-binging and start drawing and painting again that having someone to simply tell me to draw again was a sufficient enough push.

I've noticed I like coral reefs and marine life. And noodle soups. So um.

Hey Aaron if you're reading this, this is for you. Kind of. Eh. Thanks. I suppose when this is done I'll also finally have something new to post onto Flickr and deviantART, because Lord knows I have nothing else to photograph anymore. My face? Hah. My profile pictures on Facebook lately have been anime characters and currently it's:

Hahn Bin from his Sarasate Carmen Fantasy performance. It was not impressive. It was actually pretty disastrous considering he graduated from Julliard and was Itzhak Perlman's protege! <bitterness>Child prodigy my ass. Get those false harmonics down with speed and then I'll put you on the some scale with Sarah Chang.</bitterness>
I guess he just had a lot of shit from people like me just before the performance. ~Not sorry~

It's late so I'll go. I've got a new violin student first thing tomorrow morning!