A Second Chance, a Second Life

    As an ordinary clerk in a branch of bank, Max, a little bit chunky, in late 40 ages, had never realized that his appearence does matter until his ex-wife fell in love with a young guy and left him.

    How did that happen? This question is always bewildering to Max, he can't understand why his wife would changed mind to leave after 15 years marriage just because she met a young guy. Hmmm , just young but not handsome, at least not as good looking as Max was at his 30 ages.

   These thoughts came into Max's mind when he is running and sweating in the running machine at Crunch. This gym located in San Francisco downtown,  which is opposite the place Max works. At 7 pm every evening, Max would like to stay in gym , running or lifting weights, whatever, if only not to stay alone.

    Max is setting speed of the running machine faster , but soon he become breathless.

   The coach came to Max, he showed him how to exercise properly while gave some advices and suggestion to work out efficiently and effectively. Max looked at that guy and nodded continuously but said nothing. No doubt that the coach is a muscle guy,  well-training shape and confident, but Max don't think he can reach the coach's shape no matter how hard he work hard, because he thought his body is as old as his age is, and there is no magic to make them back to youth.

   The coach went to another customer over there, a young girl in 25 age or so, who is lifting weights now.

   "Young girl is always more attractive than an mid-aged guy, vice versa ". Max talked to himself while wiping sweat on his face.

    When Max decided to join in the membership in Crunch, one of his friends laughed at him and kidded that if he keep working out in gym , he can go back to good shape and be popular with girls and ladies, maybe his ex-wife would consider to back to him. Max didn't take what his friend said serious, but after met that girl outside the gym at the first sight, he thought there might be a chance to meet her again if he keep going to there.

   Yeah, that girl is the reason that  made him decide to go to gym! that girl made  him escape from loneliness in the evening!

   Max reset the speed of runner machine so that he can keep walking with smooth breath.

   Life is changing after he started to spent 2 hours in gym. Although he didn't see any changes in his shape but feel exhausted after back to home , which made the quality of his sleep is much better than before. He won't feel indescribable loneliness in the evening ; won't be tortured by sleeplessness and headache when he is working in daytime.

   Max recalled these dark times after divorced : work with all of enthusiasm but did nothing except just staring at the TV with blank thoughts in his mind. What do single people spent their evening ? watching TV like he does ? listening music or have a drink with friends in pub ? Max has a few friends which are
just his colleagues, they have their home and families so that nightlife is warmer than Max's night life.

   It has been a long time that Max felt it is hard to move further, the rest of his life would go on like this, he would spent all of his evening alone to look at that old type TV set, but never know any show's name.

   With a state of mid-aged mind, Max knew that he is not attractive any more either in personality or looking, and no girls and ladies would like to date with a chunky guy.

   "Need do something to change!" This thought came out from his mind when he saw that girl outside the gym that afternoon. She is not a kind of typical beautiful girl, but has a inspiring smile , which make  you have a warm feeling.  Days after that day, he always could see her going into the gym at that time when he was sitting in the Starbucks with a cup of Latte .

   Then he came to Crunch with T-shirt and shorts!

   A new start comes out from a try, nobody knows how much you can harvest surprisingly!






 

 

Life is a recipe

Many years ago, she 'd never thought someday she would enjoy cooking ,

for her, it is just all consuming! At the best time of dreamchasing,

she dedicated all to movie making and was anbitious.

Ironically, the director who lived in the upstair of her apartment is only interested in

teaching her how to cook but not to be a professional scriptwriter.

Yes, he got great satisfication when people expressed he is

qualified as a professional chef !

There was no opportunity to reach her dream with this kind of director,

Then she learnt a lot cook different dialect dishes,

especially Shanghai food, because the director is shanghainese.

Each time when she cooked the braised ribs, natually

she would recalled that period of time,

would this dish represents the tone of that part of life ?

  

Braised ribs with arrowhead

Simple Life in San Francisco

 Nothing is better than a simple and happy life in the place where

 is full of sunshine!

She is not ambitious any more, just start to enjoy the every fun of life.

Reading, traveling, studying and taking picture.

What you can tell from her face is what she fell at that moment!

She often smile at these animals when their looks are

so cute and naive!

She smiles when the weather is sunny !

She smiles even listening an amazing music or

watched an funny video!

Simple is the best !

Loofah with dried mushroom

   Rice fried with eggs and green bean

        Favorite fruit--Orange

      Ready for dinner

Coffee and cookies

   These thoughts above came into her minds when she was cooking

   today's dinner in the kitchen while listening news online.

    "Sometimes the process is more enjoyable than the results

She smiles !

 Because of a person !

Coffee & Tea Time

 

 "Don't go too fast, you will  lose your heart!" 

A Spanish proverb came into my mind automatically. 

I leant it from one of my friends, an tractive screenwriter,

 when she just backed from France many years ago. She never hide her

love for literature and filmmaking as much as for Wine. 

What did we lose on the way we chasing dream ?

It is a hard question to answer! 

     I prefer to think about nothing but enjoy a cup of green tea and  

the beautiful views outside the window at this moment ! 

 

When we were young, we thought Happiness is simple

After grown up, we realized to be simple is happy!

 Sunflowers in Starbucks

     She spent most of weekend's afternoon at a Starbucks shop 

  when lived that traditional city, her second hometown, 

reading ,writing or just looking at the passer-by, 

 There was always a blunch of sunflowers in the corner of shop.

The owner of the shop might love sunflower as she does, 

she thought that when enjoying the smell of Cappuccino in her hand. 

     Nowadays, she has stop writing and cook coffee at home, 

but each times when looking at sunflowers, 

smile appears on her face .

Bubba Gump Shrimp

"Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you 're gonna get ?"

Yeah, it is a memorable quotes from  the movie "Forrest Gump".

                                     

It's been a long time that heard there is a seafood resturant in San Francisco
which is  inspired by my favorite movie "Forrest Gump" and
specilized in shrim dishes.
To celebrite thanksgiving ,a couple of my friends and I decided to
 have dinner in Bumba Gump resturant located
 in Pier39, San Francisco.

Pier 39 is the most symbolic scenic spot in this city , there are many diversified

resturantsand shops. Along the way to the resturant,  tons of perple

from all over the world enjoyed themself and the

atomosphere is hilarious at that night.

Past by the glamorous carrousel, the resturant is here. Did you notice  a long line

 waiting outside the resturant in the picture? yeah, it is true that 

this resturant is really popular within guests : )

    

Fortunately, we didn't wait too long to get a table, and most importantly
 it is by the window .

        

          How would you feel if you have a nice dinner while enjoying the beautiful
                                             night view ouside the window?

The atmosphere in the nice resturant is cosy, lots of family and friends are

pleasant to have dinner together.

      

The unique decaration in the resturant and their nationwide resturants map.

It is hard to order the dishes when we looked at the menu because  fried shrimp,

crab, salmon and unknown seafood are always our favorite. But no

 doubt about one dish : the special food of this resturant .

 

Fried Bubba Shrimp Cambo

  The special shrimp cooked by 4 different  ways

                    

Salmon & shrimp with lobster sause                           Fried onion rings

  

Boiled shrimp with Lemon juice                             Pasta with shrimp

   Crab and clamshell                         Strawberry smoth and shrimp

Can you imagine how happy my friends and I with the tasty shrimp? Wow, the feeling is beyond

to discribe . For me, it is much more than a expeirence of tasting seafood :

the movie,the night view, these friends and that specific evening etc,

all of things created an unforgetable moment for us!

Enjoy food as much as enjoy living...

Thanksgiving Turkey Lunch

 

Halloween, Thanksgiving ,Chrismas and chinese Spring festival etc,the holidays

seems countless , but I enjoy both of  western or chinese holiday so much ,

because every holiday symbolize a special day or

have particular meanlingin history.

Thanksgiving, as the national american holiday, it is celebrated by a never

 changed pattern:family dinner with apple ,grape,chestnuts,orange,

walnuts on the table,there will be pulm pudding,mince pie, the

 most attractivefood is roast turkey and pumpkin pie.

As an international student in San Francisco, it is great to enjoy the

diversifiedculture and american holiday with friends .

In school, there is a tradtional turkey lunch for all of students each year,

so I joined in the lunch party with a couple of my friends.

Wher arrived the cafeteeria, I met many classmates and friends there,

 they seems enjoy the turkey lunch as much  as I did. We talked

 aboutour study and thanksgiving plan, when someone

mentioned the Black Friday, all guys got excited

terriblly! But I reminded them why not lets

taste these delicious food first!

Pumpkin pie with cream                      Pumpkin pie with chestnuts

Looking at these mouthwatering pumpkin pie,who can stand to just talk!

the best way is just let's do it ,hehe!

               

           Ho you feel the  autumn when you look at  the pumpkins on the tabl

         As a gourmet , I think the color of food is same important as  the

                the taste of food, because it provide us a visal enjoyment

             the same time when we are eating food!

                                                    

 

          Roast turkey,mashed potato, fried chicken and grape etc.

Happiness could be simple, sometimes I felt it from a piece of sweet cookie,

sometimes from the smell of  a cup of coffee, today it come

from the roasted turkey and happy moment sharing

with friends around me!

                  

                   

Best baked chicken Wing

Baked chicken wing is one of my favorite recipe and is popular for all


of my friends.


In those past days when I was in Beijing, Chicken wing was the main


dish and we ordered it every thimes when had dinner in resturants.


However different chef has their own distinctive style to cook chicken wing .


As a gourmand lover and rich experience of cooking, I have my own


preference to cook this dish too. Some people enjoy taste fantastic food,


others perfer to cook and provide creative food for friends , basically,


I m the latter one !


Well, let's go back to today's cruisine : baked chicken wing .



Firstly , to cook this dish is very simple, but need to prepare it ahead

one day before to cook it . In other words, we need put the clean chicken

wing with chinese sauce together in a plate, add ginger, cooking wine,

green onion. Second, put the chicken wing into the toaster about 20 min.

with higher fire. Then , the baked chicken wing is done easily !

You can serve the dish with some kind of dessert , in this case, I prefer


 to serve a bowl of fruits!