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UK Vacation Day 7 Recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: animals, cafe, castle, desserts, edinburgh, experiences, food, games, harry potter, history, museums, ocean, pictures, pizza express, scotland, snacks, travel, uk, views, walking

08 December 2013

On day 7 of our grand UK adventure, Panda and I explored the streets of Edinburgh and found a bunch of museums. The morning started off with a silly moment, when Panda got my ring stuck on his finger… and we thought he might have to wear it around all day for me. 😛 I got a delicious treat at a cute bakehouse, we swung by the cafe where Harry Potter was written, and of course went to check out the castle (getting a few items in the gift shop but not actually going in). Along the way, we came across two Chinese ladies asking for directions and I regretted not helping. We wanted to also check out this place called The Mound, but I think they were closed so we skipped it. For dinner, we got Pizza Express and I discovered my new favorite pizza. Later at night we got hungry again so we went out to a Chinese place where they were very interested in chatting us up. I guess Chinese-Americans don’t come around that often.

[Don’t forget about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, and Day 6 recaps.]

english breakfast at hilton edinburgh with fried eggs, baked beans, tomatoes, hash browns, tea, omelette, and fruit

We started the day off right with a hearty breakfast British style.

salt and pepper shaker in one unit with salt on top and pepper on bottom

I’ve never seen a salt and pepper shaker as one unit! I want.

princes street in edinburgh bustling with pedestrians

Off to the bustling Princes Street. There’s just a bit of blue sky out there.

rainbow colored columns of building in edinburgh

So bright and cheery against the other dull colors.

old building with clock tower in edinburgh

Classic building in these parts.

girl standing with hair blown in face on streets of edinburgh

Caught me chillin’ on these cute roads.

world's end painted on wall in edinburgh

We found the world’s end!

flodden campaign of 1513 sign in museum of edinburgh

We arrive at the Museum of Edinburgh to find we were there on exactly the 500th anniversary of the Flodden Campaign.

stone spiral staircase in museum of edinburgh

What a cool staircase.

painting in museum of edinburgh with midget man standing next to towering giant

Hehe, I was amused by the midget next to the giant.

pairs of old shoes on display at museum of edinburgh

Those shoes do NOT look comfy.

scottish ambulance driving down road in edinburgh

Ambulances here use blue and neon yellow.

large selection of dessert items on display at mimi's bakehouse in edinburgh

Stumbled upon Mimi’s Bakehouse, where I could hardly choose just one thing to try!

cute bird cage-themed light frame hanging in mimi's bakehouse in edinburgh

Such a fun light frame.

malteser bar with white chocolate and malteser balls

I decided to opt for the Malteser bar. Yummy yummy.

old stroller from long ago in museum of childhood in edinburgh

We made a quick stop at the Museum of Childhood. Strollers used to be so much simpler.

shoot the moon vintage game in museum of childhood in edinburgh

I’ve never heard to this shoot the moon game and I haven’t a clue how it works.

view of giant three story room in museum of scotland

Next up was the grandest museum of all: the Museum of Scotland! Gorgeous room.

girl standing on scale showing weights of various animals weighing in close to giant aneater

Weighing in against animals, I am right around the same as a giant anteater. Fun fact: Panda and I are almost exactly the same weight – sometimes 2 lbs off but often identical.

large cat display in museum showing only cat that can climb down trees

This is the only breed of cat in the world that can climb down trees, thanks to claws that go the other direction! If only household cats could get those claws…

girl sitting in museum using giant light to signal morse code

I spent all this effort sending a Morse code message to Panda only to discover he wasn’t paying attention! Men.

girl sitting on chair provided at museum for those with tired feet

So perfect for me! My feet and back get sore easily, so I happily grabbed a seat to rest on.

the elephant house in edinburgh's storefront

The fun little cafe with a view of Edinburgh Castle in the back, where JK Rowling did much of her earlier writing.

plaque detailing the elephant house in edinburgh's history of inspiring authors like jk rowling, ian rankin, and alexander mccall-smith

Apparently this place inspires plenty of writers!

view of sliver of ocean in distance from edinburgh

We can just make out the ocean out there. So cool! I wish we could have gone to visit but it’s far.

walking up hill towards edinburgh castle in scotland

Up, up, up to the Ednburgh Castle.

entrance to edinburgh castle atop hill with temporary bleachers set up

There was some sort of event there and they were taking down the bleachers they’d set up.

Spectacular place to live. We decided not to go into the castle but just enjoy the views and shop.

adorable brightly-colored sheep-shaped soap sold at edinburgh castle gift shop

Such cute soaps! I recorded the brand so I can remember to get these one day…

pizza express dough balls appetizer dish

Not quite what we imagined when we order dough balls, but they were good!

pizza express la reine and pomodoro pesto pizzas

Panda go La Reine and I go the Pomodoro Pesto in the back – FAB. I love thin crust, fresh tomatoes, mushroom, and pesto.

view of edinburgh castle from princes street

What a beautiful place Edinburgh is. So much greenery!

cobblestone path down to princes street gardens lined with multicolored roses

Such a quaint path down into the Princes Street Gardens.

windowsill in edinburgh with bright flowers growing against dull walls

Such a beautiful burst of color against the drab.

pile of red scottish print sherpa blankets

Seeing this inspired me to get one back when I was stateside!

red and white changed priorities ahead sign in edinburgh

Time to consider changing your priorities along with it?

singapore noodles dish at china star restaurant in edinburgh

Panda always loves his Singapore noodles.

365great Day 267: tigers

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, experiences, pictures, thailand, tigers, travel

06 December 2013

I love felines of all kinds and my favorite of the large cats would have to be tigers. They have an air about them that is awe-inspiring and their strength yet grace is captivating. Their stripes are so fun and vibrant; it’s a unique pattern that no other big cats have. I got a chance to visit the Tiger Temple when I was in Thailand and it was such a special experience. When I approached the area where the adult cats were lounging, everything hushed and I carefully navigated through them with my guide. They didn’t seem to mind much that people were milling out and either let me touch them gently or didn’t even feel my hand stroking them. My favorite part was petting the baby tiger though – it was already quite big, with giant paws and far more strength than me. Yet, they still had an awkward, adorable quality about them. I absolutely loved being able to get so close to these creatures – what a great vacation stop!

365great Day 262: hummingbirds

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, birds, flowers, hummingbirds, nature, pictures, trees

01 December 2013

Hummingbirds are a fascinating type of bird. They’re so different that they’re almost like over-sized insects rather than a tiny bird. They’re delicate and cute, very much like butterflies. They even drink from flowers and flit around like butterflies. Their tiny little bodies are adorable and they rather feel like toys. Even though they tend to move around quickly, when they perch on something, there’s a certain peace about them. They’ll even stare at me sometimes, completely unphased. Because of their ability to hover, it’s easy to watch them for ages without ever moving your head. And well, I’m great at staring at things like that. I could sit and watch a (humming)bird feeder all day long. Hummingbirds are so cool! I wish I could have them as pets – wouldn’t that be great?

Catdoration

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: animals, behavior, cats, love, missy, pictures

30 November 2013

Can I take a moment to gush about my cat?

I love cozying up to her.

This is Missy. I’ve talked about her plenty, but I still can’t shut up about her. I mean, I love her in ways I can’t even describe sometimes. Is that crazy? Maybe. Will I become a crazy cat lady? Only if I suffer some major trauma in my life. For now, I think I’m safe. It doesn’t change the fact that I can’t get enough of her though. Ever since I first picked her from the shelter and brought her home, I’ve been super attached. It all started when she happily took a nap in my lap at the shelter – that’s when I knew that I couldn’t let this one go. Over the months and years since, she and I have only gotten closer. We now have a variety of rituals:

Every night when she’s ready for bed around 9 or 10, she’ll come find me and hop on up. I’m usually sitting in bed on the computer, so she’ll snuggle next to my legs. She won’t just lay down and sleep though. Oh no, she’s got to do her purring massaging routine. Whether it’s a clump of blanket or Rupert her boyfriend or a pillow, she has to find something to knead. Then she’ll purr and stick her nose in whatever she massages as her paws press one at a time, claws coming out to grab at it. If I’m already close to sleeping myself, she’ll sometimes come knead me (often my bare arm or leg – ouch!), especially if she crawls under the covers between my legs. As long as it’s something squishy, it’s fair game (and my inner thighs and armpits seem to qualify every time). After a good 10-15 minutes of this, she’ll finally decide she’s done her work for the night and plops her butt down to rest.

If she ever wants to be fed (generally around sundown), she’ll come meow and meow at me with her little crackly voice until I get up. I try to placate her by meowing back and talking to her, but she’ll have none of that! She keeps trying to lead me out of the room and when she sees me finally start to move, she bounds down the hallway to show me where to go. At the end of the hall, she’ll look back and if I’m not close behind, she’ll come get me and run off again. Then she’ll practically float down the stairs, skipping three steps at a time. As I get out a can to feed her and Molly, she’ll impatiently pace back and forth on the kitchen counter until I start serving. At that point, she knows not to try to eat on the counter and she jumps down to sniff Molly and wait for the plates to be put on the ground.

After eating a hearty meal, she’ll generally find me sitting eating my own dinner. At that point, she’s full and content, so she jumps up to my lap and spins around until she finds the perfect spot to settle in. I usually put one arm down for her to lean against, since my legs aren’t wide enough for her to spread out without falling. When I finish my meal, I can’t bear to move her in her slumber, so I sit… for hours until my butt falls asleep or I need to go to the restroom, I wait there with her and enjoy her company. For whatever reason, when I try to carry her up to bed to continue sleeping, she always gets up. I’ve learned that her dinner nap is sacred and if I don’t appreciate it, she’ll leave me to spend her time elsewhere. The only way to get her to stay in bed is after a play period following the dinner nap!

I happen to be an excellent scratcher, with nails that are just long enough to give a nice deep scratch. Missy loves it when I scratch her neck, back, ears, and face. The look of pure joy on her face is freakin’ amazing. I tried to capture it at Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s usually an even more pleased look. She closes her eyes, tilts back her head, and puts her weight into it to get the best results. She’ll purr gently and push her head against my hand if I stop before she’s ready.

We have a special bond that nobody else has with me or with her. I could spend an entire day just lounging around with her, letting the hours melt away. In fact, I’ve done that before. I really wish I could bring her back east with me, but I don’t feel settled enough for that yet. Plus, snow might freak her out… she can get scared of her own shadow sometimes. For now I’m milking every moment with her and I look forward to a time when I can raise her in my new home.

365great Day 258: elephants

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, elephants, experiences, pictures, thailand, travel

27 November 2013

I got a chance to ride an elephant when I was traveling through Thailand and it was one of the coolest things ever. I’m in such awe of these creatures. Even though they’re so large, they’re very precise and delicate with the way they approach many things. Their gait is a funky jolt that makes riding them a bit of a rollercoaster, which is fun. It was amazing to be up so high in the trees as we passed by – I could see so much more! I enjoyed running my feet on their rough skin, which provided a sort of massage for my achy soles. They didn’t seem to mind that we were climbing atop them and touching them and basically being these annoying little distractions. There’s an air of wisdom and zen about them and it was great to be able to get up close to interact with them.

365great Day 243: baby animals

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, babies, baby, cute, ducklings, nature, pictures, pond

12 November 2013

The young of almost any creatures are super adorable. They’re softer and wobblier and awkward and cute bundles of fun. Who doesn’t like kittens, puppies, ducklings, and the like? The way they waddle and squeak and don’t quite know how to do things is hilarious and endearing at the same time. If only they could just stay like that! My mom has always wanted a baby tiger for a pet, but of course you can’t keep them for long before they outgrow you. Meanwhile, I prefer smaller animals that can fit in your hands when they’re young, like these ducklings. Back in China in my childhood, my cousin and I would get baby chicks and ducklings from street vendors, then try to raise them at home. They were the sweetest little things! Unfortunately we were not very good at keeping them alive since we didn’t have a heat lamp and had no clue what we were doing. So I guess it’s best to leave it to their moms to raise them til they’re not cute anymore. Still, I love it when I can play with baby animals. They feel so great!

UK Vacation Day 6 Recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: animals, experiences, feeding, food, memories, nature, panda, pictures, products, shopping, skincare, travel, uk, york

12 November 2013

Day 6 of our UK trip was a wonderful day of revisiting memories and sharing them with Panda. We wandered all through York and checked out a bunch of stores, buying some items but mostly browsing. I got a chance to feed some ducks and geese by a river, which I loved. We even had time to enjoy afternoon tea at Betty’s before returning to the hotel to rest and wait for the train to Edinburgh. A few hours later, we were stepping off onto Scottish soil and making our way to the hotel (getting a bit lost along the way). Once we finally found it, we happily settled in and enjoyed the welcome gifts and nice warm quarters.

[Need more recaps? Here are Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5 recaps.]

view of york eye and train station from hampton inn by hilton hotel window

Good morning, York!

yorkshire soap co bath butters and soap on specialty tray

I had a lot of fun choosing what to get from the Yorkshire Soap Co.

holding up yorkshire soap co shopping bag and cute paper box

Yippee, now I’ve got awesome bath products from lovely Yorkshire.

cat scarves at the cat gallery in york uk

Cat scarves?! I was really tempted, but next time…

Did you know Guy Fawkes was born in York?

collage of person taking picture of york minster and photo taken of york minster

Panda got a shot of me getting a shot of York Minster.

Our wanderings eventually took us outside the city walls.

guy on stilts and man with ghost walk sign promoting york ghost walks

Fancy a ghoulish tour? Then meet these guys for the Ghost Walk!

purple windblown street performer frozen on bike in middle of road in york

Hehe, check out this windblown street performer.

storefront for evil eye lounge asian fusion food and bar

Evil Eye lounge! All I remember is weird beds upstairs and Asian fusion downstairs (with a bar too, of course).

collage of mr chippy fish and chips shop

Panda had to try some fish and chips. Tasty!

standing in middle of road walking streets of york

Caught me wandering.

collage of sainsbury grocery store and products inside

The Sainsbury that I once walked all the way back from with my groceries!

trees overgrown on bridge over river with lily pads and boat

I wish we could get on that bridge.

collage of river and hungry geese and birds being fed

I had to stop and feed the birds. It’s a compulsion.

grinning happily while feeding ducks and geese in river

Can you see how gleeful I was? I love animals.

collage of ducks and geese in river being fed and following food along bank

A ton of them joined in when they noticed food and I had fun walking along the bank sharing the wealth.

collage of pigeon and black duck waiting for food

Even this pigeon wanted in on the action. Check out the cool black duck too!

collage of person leaning over bridge feeding birds

At one point, I leaned over the bridge to feed them.

walking on bridge holding plastic bag with wind blowing hair around

After running out of food, I happily walked off into the wind.

If they can make their marketing suite this big, I wonder what the places they’re selling are like!

collage of old cars on display in plaza in york

Back in the center of town, we discovered some old cars on display.

large owl eye contact cases and googly eye iphone case

Random browsing brought me to these adorable contact lense cases!

exterior view of betty's cafe tea rooms in york

It was cold out, so Betty’s was especially inviting to us.

collage of betty's tea room afteroon tea set

I loved warming up to a pot of tea and some snacks. Afternoon tea rocks!

old toff's club in york now rebranded tokyo

Back by the hotel, I hardly recognized this as the old Toff’s where I went clubbing once. (I much preferred the Gallery.)

Does this look like a proper hotel entrance? Cuz it totally was.

view of edinburgh castle at night from princes street

After a few hours on the train, we arrived in Edinburgh and got to see the castle from afar!

free glass bottles of strathmore water and jars of the dormen nuts and candies

All settled in at the hotel, with these nice treats waiting for us.

Missy and Molly

laelene Posted in video blog，Tags: animals, cats, feeding, food, massaging, meowing, missy, molly, national cat day, purring, videos

30 October 2013

In honor of National Cat Day yesterday, I thought I’d share some videos of my kitties. Missy is my sweet baby who sleeps with me at night, massages her boyfriend Rupert the giant bear, and has a crackly little meow. Molly is our old grumpy one who loves my mom, has no patience for me, and might possibly be bipolar.

This is how Missy chills:

cat swishing tail from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

This is how Molly chills:

cat on stairs from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

This is how Missy meows (adorable!! it’s like her first time every time):

cute little kitty meow from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

This is how Molly meows (sounds so cute, but oh she’s a fierce one):

cat purr-meowing from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Here’s Missy massaging Rupert’s leg:

cat massaging upside down from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

Here’s Molly rubbing the chair she loves:

cat rubbing chair from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

And finally, with Molly not letting Missy eat near her, I decided to intervene:

my new cat feeding strategy from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

It’s always interesting in the house with these two around! I miss playing with them daily.

UK Vacation Day 4 Recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: animals, aqua bus, cardiff, pictures, seagulls, train, travel, uk, water bus

13 October 2013

On our fourth day in the UK, we wrapped up our time in Cardiff by checking out the castle and taking an AquaBus down to the bay. I decided to give the seagulls by the bus stop my buttercream frosting on a whim, not thinking they’d completely devour it. We got a chance to shop around Mermaid Quay down at the bay and grabbed some yummy lunch before walking back to the hotel. I found the coolest set of hooks to put by the door at our new condo while there. Along the way back, we stopped to get me a cool purse and some Welsh stuff (I chose a set of coasters). Then it was off to the train station to make our way to York!

[Need to catch up? Read Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 recaps.]

collage of breakfast items offered at executive lounge at hilton cardiff

We started off our day with breakfast in the executive lounge.

panoramic view of living room space in suite at hilton cardiff

We got a suite this time, with a large living room.

collage of room and bathroom at hilton cardiff

The bedroom had a post in the middle, which made it feel like a smaller cozier space. The bathroom came with separate bathtub and shower!

view of multiple floors of hilton cardiff hotel from inside glass elevator

The glass elevators offered a view of a lobby area and many floors.

Off we went towards Cardiff Castle across the street!

pausing to eat cupcake in middle of street in cardiff

I took a moment to eat the celebration cupcake.

typical welsh road in cardiff with buildings close together and welsh flags everywhere

Tons of Welsh flags flying in Cardiff.

butte park entrance path with sign in cardiff

We kept going to Butte Park, where the nearest Aqua Bus stop was located.

collage of seagull eating buttercream frosting

As we sat waiting for the bus, I put out the buttercream I hadn’t eaten. Little did I know the seagull would gobble it up.

seagull pecking at ground very close to person's feet outstretched on the rocks

These seagulls were pretty bold.

aqua bus water bus arriving at bus stop dock in cardiff

Here comes our Aqua Bus!

swan with butt sticking up and head submerged in water seeking food

On the way down to Cardiff Bay, we caught this swan sticking its butt up as it dove for food.

bevy of swans gathered at driveway that slopes down to the water

So many swans out here!

view of mermaid quay at cardiff bay from south side

Arriving at Cardiff Bay, ready to explore.

mallard duck with large swollen cheeks the size of ping pong balls

Aww, look at the duck with its giant swollen cheeks!

street at mermaid quay, with gbk visible on right side

Time to do some shopping. The gbk is where we ended up getting lunch.

standing on sidewalk near wifi signal, looking at phone

I often found myself stopping to access wifi to save on data.

I’m so glad I found this moustache hook thing. My first purchase for the new condo!

collage of gourmet burger fish burger, cheeseburger, and fries

At gourmet burger kitchen, I got the Captain Cook (fish burger with rocket salad), which was a completely new and DELICIOUS taste for me. Panda got a cheeseburger and we shared shoestring fries. The ketchup container is so cute!

panoramic of wales milliennium centre at mermaid quay cardiff bay

As we left, we passed this giant building – the Wales Millennium Centre.

cluster of black and red wild berries on bush

We came across some berries that I was tempted to pick, but who knows if they were ok to eat…

What cute rows of houses!

marks & spencer teriyaki beef salad bites in mooli ribbons

At the train station, we browsed food and I wanted to try these but still had plenty of food.

wifi signals at cardiff train station with italian-inspired names

What’s up with all these Italian-inspired wifi names at the train station?

collage of cardiff train station and train arriving

Waiting for our train to take us from Cardiff up to York!

collage of yelp notice of queen status and new gold theme

Woo hoo, I became the Queen of Cardiff on Yelp while I was out there!

long watering pole for reaching plants up high

At one stop, I noticed how easily this guy was watering the flowers. Cool tool!

We got to York after dark so that’s all the pictures for the day!

Mischevious Missy

laelene Posted in video blog，Tags: animals, behavior, cats, videos

30 September 2013

I miss having cats around the house and I’m looking forward to when I can again. For now, I’ll have to just enjoy videos of my quirky Missy, who is always getting into and on things.