New year wishes....

Received a many calls from home and plenty of new year wish messages on MSN. Got to speak to my aunts, uncles and cousins... they are all eager for July to come when Sharon and I both head back home. We can't wait!!

Thank you all for the lovely CNY wishes. I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year.. year of the Dog (Sharon's year). Eat plenty of cookies and mandarin oranges and collect plenty of "ang pows". Think of me as you are quenching your new year celebratory thirst to Orange soda and/or Shandy!~

Chinese New year eve...

On Chinese New Year eve... we had a small get together... it was more of a relaxing evening with wine and food for the usual crew. What else is new right? Well.. we can't help it!~ We love to wine and dine!!

Chele prepping herself for some drinks while Lori gets comfy on the sofa. Petey and Chele for the camera!

Boris & Slavena... Sher & Pete.. the couples together...

Wojtek helping himself to the good and wine... Chele and Lori plays along for the camera!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!~

Another year, another semester...

First week of school is almost over.... well, to be precise.. 3 days of the Spring semester has gone by (Monday was a public holiday - Martin Luther King Day). However... Wojtek agreed with me earlier this afternoon that, it so feels like last semester just poured itself over to this new term.

*sigh... boy, I can't wait for school to be over with. So much for going for a doctorate... I am 3/4 done with the entire program.. just sit for my comprehensive exam this summer/fall and then begin with the dissertation process!

It's nice to see more familiar faces on campus. Everyone's back from their winter break and gearing up for a new semester of stress. One thing's for sure... I am already behind on readings and it's only the first week!!

This semester, I have 3 conferences to prepare for... very intimidated by all of them. Two student conferences - one in UB and one in Harvard (I know.. I can't believe they actually accepted me!) Let's see if I even make it there or if I chicken out :( The other is a national conference to be held in Honolulu over UB's spring break. Here's my chance to present at a national conference... I better do myself proud here! Other than that, it would be an awesome return to paradise island and to see Laurence@Captain. Get your surfs ready to hit those waves!!

But before I hit those books, papers, assignments, and presentation preparations... let's all just take a moment of breather. Thanks to Wojtek... he is hosting a party over at his place tomorrow night. Can't wait to get the usual happy hour gang back together. Let's just all enjoy the weekend for now! ;P

Back from Penang....

Welcome back to WNY guys... we know for a fact that you guys had a lot of fun back home. Thank you a bundles to Han Wei, Chee Ming and Wnyx for bringing back with them our list of demands from home!! Thank you so much also to the Chong family for the delicious murukus, peanut cookies Chinese New Year snacks and gifts!! Thanks to mom and dad for my Hup Loong and Maggi spices, peanut cookies, kuih bangkit, CNY cards, chinese calendars, early ang pows (red packet) and my book!

Here's Chee Ming, Han Wei and Wnyx with my parents having dinner at, err... somewhere (where did you guys go again?!) in our wonderful hometown, Penang. When Chele and I first saw these pictures from Dad, we had our eyes set on what was on the table instead of the wonderful people in the picture! Sorry 'yah... :p

Bethany's visit...

Bethany was here over the weekend... thanks to her, we did some waiting (renewing her Canadian student visa), shopping (BIG TIME!), plenty of eating and mahjong playing! Come back or even better move here, please.... You know the townhouse next to us is empty!! You know you want to 'cause we want you to!~! Anyways, will be seeing Bethany a.k.a. Betty/Beverly around Chinese New Year... Chele and I planned on heading to Barrie for a weekend celebration.. let's see how that turns out :D

Working out...

I've never ever been a "let's go workout or to the gym" kind of girl. I mean, back in Penang.., one has just got to walk outside under the hot scorching sun to sweat it out! I can even count the times I have been to a gym in my entire life prior to joining the BAC this past weekend - it was 5 or 6 attempts to work out... more like 5 or 6 attempts to people watch! :P

Nevertheless, Chele and Sharon got me to join the Buffalo Athletic Club (BAC) right across where we live.. in fact, I was the first to sign up for the 3 months trial membership. This particular BAC is for women only and the fact that my trainer can come and ring my door bell and get me to the gym, kind of motivated me to get up and going before I get dragged out of bed. Not really a new year resolution for me to start working out... but I thought it would be fun to go to the many classes they offer at the gym. We went to two hip-hop classes already and it was a great fun, jumping and grooving to the music while sweating up a storm. One has got to know what the Beyonce shake is and the Hip Lasso shake!! Oh yeah, babay!~

6 years abroad...

On January 8th, 2000 - I arrived safely in Buffalo, NY to attend UB. It's been a home away from home for me for me this past 6 years and about a year and a half for Sharon. Living abroad this half a decade has brought me to a great many acquaintances, travels and memories to last a lifetime. It's where I met great friends such as my roomie/triplet sister Michele, "Mama" Mindi, Alex, Chee Ming, the Milizia & Gauger family and most importantly... the love of my life, Peter!!

Chantico-a-go-go...

Caught a bit of the cold bug... the weather's turning cold again.... snow, the whole nine yards. Not a frequent Starbucks goer, but interesting enough.. I am craving for a shot of Chantico! The first and only time I ever had it was on New Year's eve at the Rockefeller Center - Peter got it thinking how much I would enjoy it. Sure enough... an addict was born. To sum up what a Chantico is... it's an extremely rich liquid chocolate drink. So intense.... I get my sugarhigh from a sip of it. That's why a serving of it only comes in a 6 fl. oz. shot/cup. Currently sniffling away... I sure can do with an order of it. Went by to the Starbucks on-campus, unfortunately they don't serve it.. I wonder if the other Starbucks around where I live have it? Chantico hunting anyone?!

Rose Bowl 2006 - Longhorns NCAA Champion

Final game of the NCAA season - No.1 USC Trojans vs. No.2 Texas Longhorns... what a game!! Victory goes to the LONGHORNS... no doubt!!! My gosh... watched the entire game and was a bit upset over Texas's starting game in the 1st quarter... but they got their heads straight and ploughed through against the Trojans. Suspense and jumping on the bed I was as Vince Young charged and got that touchdown on the last 19 seconds of the game to beat the Trojans by a point 38-39. Instead of going for the one bonus point field goal, they went for the 2 points touchdown for a final score of 38-41. The Tower at The University of Texas at Austin will be lighted entirely orange tonight and for the rest of the week!

Both are my favorite teams.. but Longhorns will always be number #1 to me!!

Hook 'em Horns!~!

We'll miss you Matt!

We could NOT pass up a final group picture with our big brother Matt as he leaves for the airport for his flight back to SoCal. In our comfy PJs and semi sleepy-headedness, we still managed to take one decent picture of ourselves!~

'Till we meet again Claire!

New Year's day... parting lunch with Claire in Norwalk, CT... thanks for being there dear friend! We may not have Christmas together this year, but we sure made it on time for new year's!!

New Year's in New York City...

We arrived safely in Stamford, CT at Claire's apartment right before 9:00 p.m. A lot of New Yorkers were leaving the city as we WNYorkers traveled east to spend new year's in the city. Instead of me writing about what we did... here's a photo-tale of our weekend adventures...

The girls in the Metro-North rail heading from Stamford to NYC...

We started our morning with a Dim Sum brunch in Chinatown... interesting enough, there was a dish at the restaurant called Sweet Cakes "Malaysian Style" or Malaiko (in Cantonese) which amuses us Malaysian girls. We ordered it... tried it.. and it was as plain as bread. Not a very good representation of Malaysian food. Nevertheless, it's always nice to know that a touch of home is present even though one is far away from home :D

Walking down Mulberry Street in Little Italy. Eric met up with us lot and we roamed the little streets of Little Italy in search for two particular delis'. They sell gourmet cheeses and sausages and Michele just had to get them :P

Chele beaming bright upon finding the deli... the guys just hanging loose.

In Bryant Park... snow is falling.. the plan was to ice skate... we brought our skates... left it at Claire's since we didn't want to lug it around the city.. so instead, we brought umbrellas and lucky we did that!! Wet snow...

:( Unfortunately.. it was snowing hard and even the Zamboni machine could not clear and smooth out the rink fast enought before it accumulates again. So, we walked around the park looking at what the little stores set up during this festive season were selling.

No one can deprive themselves or pass up any opportunity(ies) to pose for silly/fun pictures... Sher & Claire skate in unison while Eric and Chele tried the mirror image approach :P

Rockefeller Center... the tree... the brightly lit huge Christmas tree at the Rockefeller!


Sher all bundled up for the really cold new year's eve... we walked towards the Washington Arch at Washington Square Park to meet up with Dan so we can all head for dinner.

At dinner... Prem-On Thai Restaurant in Soho...

Taking it easy for countdown... we were in Central Park East (72nd & 5th) where the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run Welcomes 2006! was taking place... had to avoid the superbly crowded Times Square!

Happy New Year 2006 everyone!!!

XoX

Pete & Sher