Halloween

What does Halloween mean to you? I was never introduced to Halloween celebration until my first year of university in Canada. Halloween is part of the western culture and a good excuse to PARTY!! Not just that, dress-up party is the fun part. And, and, and... Halloween treats! Trick-or-treating is certainly something that kids look forward to. Children will dress up in their Halloween costumes and go door to door in the neighbourhood with siblings or friends asking for Halloween treats.

The brain cup cakes, yumm...

Halloween decorations.

The Pumpkin Sacrifice is an annual event hosted by the Harrison residence at the University of New Brunswick. I was living in Harrison during my first year of university and have always wanting to attend the event again. What is it all about? It's a 500 lbs pumpkin plummeting from the roof of the residence!

It's believed that pumpkin is sacrificed in order to harvest a fruitful academic year. This is the oldest residence tradition in Canada. The tradition started when some Harrison residents decided that it'd be a good idea to throw pumpkin off the roof of the building in 1973.

The ceremony started at 9 p.m. The gigantic pumpkin was carved with the faces of Janus, the two-visaged Roman God of beginnings and endings. It was borne across the quad (in front of the Student Union Building) by ten first-year Harrison students dressed in black, followed by the rest of the first-year residents and ten Harrison alumni in black, with candles held in hands.

Upon reaching the Joy Kidd residence, it was lit with three flares before retracing its steps back to Harrison and hoisted two and a half storey onto the roof of the residence's lounge.

The gigantic, carved 500 lbs pumpkin.

The pumpkin was borne by ten Harrison students.

On their way to the Joy Kidd residence.

Candles in the pumpkin almost caught a fire?!





The 36th annual Pumpkin Sacrifice at its climax. Three wise people said an invocation before the crashing of pumpkin.





The pumpkin was set on fire before meeting its doom.

This event brought back my memory of residence life. It was an unforgettable experience to be part of the Pumpkin Sacrifice. This year, however, I was one of the crazy bunch of spectators ;)

Indian Buffet

This is the best Indian buffet restaurant I've ever been! Buffet Maharaja is acknowledged as the largest Indian cuisine buffet in North America. With over a hundred food items on its buffet menu, it attracts many Indian cuisine lovers, from within and outside the Montreal city. The buffet section is divided into a few divisions and just to mention some of my favourite dishes:

(A) Appetizers: vegetable samosa, yellow lentil soup, pakora etc.
(B) Meats: Butter chicken, Tandoori chicken, beef curry, chicken curry, chicken korma, lamb sag (spinach), egg kofta etc.
(C) Vegetarian dishes: Chick peas, aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), begun bhortha (spiced roasted eggplants), lentil curry, sag panir (spinach and cheese) etc.
(D) Rice dishes: Briyani etc.
(E) Breads: Nan bread, papor etc.
(F) Desserts: Golab jamun, carrot halwa, jelabi etc.

Isn't that overwhelming?! At least I was overwhelmed! If they're offering such a great variety of food, how much do they charge?? Well, you'll be really surprised...

Monday - Wednesday: $10.99 for lunch and $14.99 for supper.
Friday - Sunday: $11.99 for lunch and $16.99 for supper.

Where else can you find authentic Indian cuisine that beats the price?? Not even close! It's a must go in Montreal for sure!!

Address: 1481, René-Lévesque Bld. West, Montréal, Québec H3G 1T8
Tel: (514) 934-0655

Here are pictures taken from this past June during my second visit to Buffet Maharaja. Mom and Dad enjoyed the food a lot too!

My first plate.

Mom's first plate.

My second plate, with more butter chicken ;)

More?? Yes, my third plate!






My dessert/fruits plate.





Dad's plate, with his favourite Tandoori chicken.

致爷爷

每次看回这首诗，都有很深的感触。对爷爷，我一直都是又敬又畏的。在异乡的日子，突然很想写点字句送给爷爷。依稀记得当时的确写了一封信寄回家乡，希望他老人家看了觉得安慰。说着说着，好像很久没跟爷爷联络了。是不是时候写封信给他呢？

写于2003年十月的一首诗：

致爷爷

远赴加国求学去
一年半载不相逢
心头满是思念情
不知爷爷可心疼？

秋意正值浓厚时
黄彤一片好景光
眼前尽是绿草地
宛如身置仙境般

忙碌日子不尽数
勤奋求学不言弃
玩乐时刻尽放纵
生活愉快忧尽消

埋头案上执笔书
绘尽心声于纸墨
但愿爷爷永安好
随风飘去诗一首

Bluetooth Headset

Arghh... I've been having issues with my hands-free. It tangles up every single time I try to put it on. Worse still, I've to keep the excessive length of wire aside, possibly hide it under my fall jacket. What's the matter with it?! It's driving me nuts....

These issues prompt me to get a bluetooth device, and save the hassles of dealing with the wires! I came to know about the existence of bluetooth technology when I was in middle school, but didn't pay much attention to it. Nowadays, you can get cellphones, computers, laptops, GPS receivers, game consoles such as Wii and Play Station 3, and much more with bluetooth technology. How cool is that?

At first, I just wanted a regular "businessman" bluetooth headset that hangs on to one ear. I found out later that it's only used for talking on the phone but can't play music (otherwise, you're gonna listen to music on one ear, and noises on the other, huh?).

That was a big let down. Now what? I was looking online for a stereo bluetooth headset but found it pricey (ranges from $50 to $100+), and never got around thinking much about it until I visited the Wal-Mart on the weekend....

Motorola HT820 stereo bluetooth headset.

Hmm...buy or not to buy ($50 after taxes)? After contemplating for 30 minutes, I decided to give it a try. Furthermore, it's under warranty, in case anything goes wrong...

Gadgets that come with it.

I wondered what's the use of the headphone jack on the headset at first. Well, maybe you can amplify the music by plugging it to stereo speakers? I didn't realize until I came across with a review that it can be used to plug to an iPod while connected to a cellphone. Basically, you can be running on the treadmill while listening to songs, and not missing a call!

Wirelessly listen to music and never miss a call on this stylish headset!

It's absolutely amazing! Great stereo effect, easy control of buttons (on/off, volumes, track change, make/receive calls). It has 12 hours of music time, or 17 hours of talk time, and weighs only 100g. Very cool! Honestly, I appreciate the technology nowadays that makes life so much easier, and of course, more enjoyable ;) Simply loving it!

The Latte Factor

"A latte spurned is a fortune earned"

~ People Magazine

What's a latte factor?! I first came across with this term while reading "The Automatic Millionaire" by David Bach. Every one's latte factor varies, it can be lotto ticket, Starbucks coffee, cigarettes etc. It's something than we invest in, on a regular basis; and yet, we don't realize the large amount we end up putting into it. Why?? It simply because we feel like it's costing nearly nothing when we spend on the purchase!

Lotto tickets? $8 a week. A cup of Starbucks latte? Oh well, it's only $5 a day. But do the math:

Lotto ticket
One week: $8
One month: $32
One year: $416
Ten years: $4,160!

Coffee

One week: $35

One month: $140

One year: $1,820

Ten years: $18,200!

It turns out to be a staggering number! Let's save up this amount and see what happens...

Assuming 3% interest per annum, compounded monthly over 10 years. Using the monthly compound interest formula, you'll end up with a value of more than $700 (lotto ticket) and $3,000 (coffee) from the interest alone! Well, perhaps you're not convinced... you question about inflation: what's the point of saving up? At the end of the day, it may not mean much after all.... And I don't mean to boycott the Lotto 6/49 or Starbucks, the message I'm trying to get across is to identify your latte factor and realize how much you can do by avoiding it!

Think about this: the above example is merely a 3% interest p.a., if you invest that amount in something that has a higher return rate, i.e. mutual funds, stock market etc., you're looking at a return of double or even triple of the above figures. Please bear in mind that lotto ticket or coffee is just an insignificant expenditure in our daily life. Imagine how big an impact would be when you sum up all your latte factors over the years... It's a stunning figure, I can assure you!

Then you may ask: why are we making life so difficult by saving up? Shouldn't we enjoy life while we can? Well, it's important to enjoy life, but do it in a responsible way and sensible manner. Do you know that 18,000 children die everyday because of hunger and malnutrition and 850 million of people go to bed every night with empty stomachs (Statistics from the United Nations, 2007)? We could have used that money to benefit others and spread the love of God!

To be rich, it's not about how much you earn; but how much you save and how much you're willing to give. I always admire those who live a joyful and contented live. They may not have the best thing in the world and a lavish lifestyle, but they're able to savour the goodness of life by avoiding the spendthrift attitude. It's never too early to start saving for old age, or any financial crisis down the road. Better still, if we can share it with people who are in need.

Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is.

"For the love of money is root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

~ 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)

It's never easy to cultivate a desciplined life, especially when it involves finance. It's just like teaching a newborn child, it requires lots of efforts and patience. Once the child is disciplined, the temperament is going to stay for good for the rest of his/her days. Likewise, we shall make an impact on our future and change the world, as the calling is within us, if you ever pay attention to the small voice deep down the soul...

Frank's Finer Diner

What kind of restaurant catches your attention? Restaurant shopping is a term I'd use for myself. I enjoy visiting different restaurants and even if I'm back to the same restaurant, I'd prefer trying a different dish! Why? It simply because I love varieties! You never know what you really like until you've tried enough to figure that out. What if you made a bad choice? Well, learn from the lesson never to do it again, just like what we ought to do in life, isn't it?

Frank's Finer Diner is one of the best restaurants I've ever been in Fredericton. It's unique with its 50's dining settings and even some waitresses on their roller skates. A homey ambiance, friendly staff, reasonable pricing, and comfortable settings have made this restaurant a success! We had to line up for seats on a Sunday afternoon.

The 50's restaurant settings.

A nicely setup miniature electrical train and tracks.

The Hot Turkey Sandwich that I ordered.

Dave had this Ham Dinner which offered as the daily special.




Paul had wings, veggie sticks, and a generous serving of onion rings and poutine!





Betty had Chicken Sandwich with salad. A big serving!

Dorrie ordered a Crispy Chicken Wrap with mashed potatoes.

We had a great meal together after the church service. Frank's Finer Diner is located at the Two Nation's Crossing, north of Fredericton. It's opposite of the new Wal-Mart. This is my second visit in one and a half years. The reason for having a Hot Turkey Sandwich? I missed my turkey for Thanksgiving! The house fries were very crispy and delicious. The gravy on sandwich was great too, although I should have asked for whole wheat bread instead of the white bread served by default. The turkey though, could have been better, since it's mainly dark meat. With an extra cost of $1, you could get all white meat. Nevertheless, nothing could beat the real, whole home-baked stuffed turkey!

Jubilee Chinese Buffet

The Jubilee restaurant that offers Chinese buffet! They claimed to offer over 100 Chinese/ Canadian buffet food items.

Paul, Eric and myself decided to visit the Jubilee restaurant for their super Chinese buffet! The supper buffet was $14.99. The price has gone up quite a bit over the years. It was around 5:45 p.m. when we arrived. The restaurant was crowded. Oh well, it's buffet, so we helped ourselves with these:

My first plate.

My second plate.




My third plate.

My fourth plate shared with Eric.

Last but not least, desserts!

Food I enjoyed at this restaurant? I voted for the seafood! Fresh mussels, steamed haddock fillets, stir-fry shrimps, yumm.... and of course, I liked the Singapore-style noodles too! We were stuffed at the end of the meal. It was great, but it won't be a place where I'd visit often, because I lose control of what I eat for buffet, and that's bad! It'd be a nice treat though, once in a blue moon ;)

Be a Smarty Pants!

Wanna outsmart others and be a Smarty Pants? Well, dogs do too! Here is an interesting video...

Hehe...be a Smart Pants? Think twice! *v* It takes more effort than you think ;D

One-day meal journey in Saint John

Breakfast

Venue: McDonald's (near Lancaster Mall)
Menu: Blueberry pies

The blueberry pie from McDonald's which I have been wanting to try. Two for $1.39. It was tasty and value for money.

Lunch

Venue: Sampan Restaurant at Lancaster Plaza (640 Manawagonish Rd.)

Menu: Dim Sum +_*

Rice porridge with century egg and pork, yau char kuey, and egg plants with stuffed meat. Yummy!

Steamed buns, pork belly, fried tofu, pot stickers etc.

My favourite egg tarts with flaky shells! Meat rolls in bean curd skins, squid curry, and more!

Pork dumplings, pork ribs, shrimp dumplings, and char kuey teow (fried rice noodles).

The food was tasty, even though it was rather greasy and fatty. Oh well, "dim sum" is the way it is! It was a Chinese food indulgence that happened once in a blue moon. There were nine of us at the table and everyone was stuffed by the end of the meal. Good food and great time chatting. Nevertheless, "yum cha" (a.k.a. morning tea) should only be taken as a treat once awhile!

Coffee Break

Venue: Starbucks

Menu: Pumpkin spice Frappuccino (*limited time only*)

Green tea Frappuccino and my pumpkin spice Frappuccino (right). They were tasty and refreshing!

A drive-thru Starbucks?! Nice!

Starbucks, a place which I don't visit very often. Why? Well, I don't usually drink coffee (since caffeine doesn't work on me) and drinks here are super expensive! I'd rather buy a meal than getting a cup of coffee. Having said that, it was a treat to myself today!

Supper

Venue: Lemongrass Thai Restaurant (42 Princess St.)

Menu: Tom Yum soup, vegetarian Pad Thai noodles, tamarind, shrimp, Malaysian chicken curry, and chicken green curry.

Very unique ceiling lamp. A stalk of flower hanging upside down! Very artistic indeed.

Tom Yum soup ($16) with shrimps, baby corns, and mushrooms. Lemongrass, lime leaves, and fresh cilantro added flavours to it! I'd prefer the soup to be thicker and spicier though.

Pad Thai noodles ($13) are rice noodles cooked with Pad Thai sauce, peanuts, red peppers, tofu, bean sprouts, green onions etc.

Tamarind shrimp ($17) cooked with mushrooms in the sweet and sour tamarind sauce. I enjoyed the large shrimps a lot!

The green curry chicken ($15) cooked with cubes of eggplants. The curry was light in colour instead of green that I expected. Perhaps the word "green" came from the green chili padi they used.

The daily special dish, Malaysian chicken curry ($17) which tasted a lot like curry laksa! Yumm...yumm...yummy!!

Six of us sharing all these dishes. That's the awesomeness of dining in a group. You get a variety of food!

Our first choice was Suwana Restaurant for Thai supper. It was fully booked when we got there. Apparently, someone would have to make a supper reservation three months in advance!! Oh well, hope I get to try their Thai dishes on my next trip to Saint John.

The food at Lemongrass Restaurant was great, although I was a bit let down by the Tom Yum soup. My favourite dish of all, was certainly the Malaysian chicken curry!

Saint John

Saint John is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick (N.B.), with a population of about 70,000, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. Fredericton, the capital city of this province, has a population of 50,000. On the other hand, Moncton is the most populous census metropolitan area in N.B., boasting a population of 126,000.

Please keep in mind that the largest or the most populated city may not be the capital city of a province or country. For example, Ottawa (population of 1.2 million) is the capital of Canada, and Toronto (population of 5.6 million) is the capital of Ontario.

Anyway, back to my Sunday trip to Saint John! Together with three other friends, we attended the Sunday service at the Main Street Baptist Church. It was a very powerful sermon delivered by the church pastor about the building of a strong community, and how we are dependent on one another to succeed in life.

We met some Chinese friends and the Chinese pastor at the church. We then went to the Sampan Restaurant for "dim sum." Yumm...I haven't had it for a long time (well, since my trip home in May).... The food was great, although I found it too greasy. I shouldn't have complained about it, because "dim sum" is just the way it is! I was disappointed that they didn't serve phoenix claws (a.k.a. chicken feet) at the restaurant....

Here is the link to my one-day meal journey in Saint John.

After the meal, we visited a few landmarks in Saint John.

The Reversing Falls at low tide.

Posing at the UNBSJ campus. From left, Mick, myself, Xin, and Quan.

Poster for a thought. It was found on a bulletin board in the Irving building.

A university building located in downtown, opposite of the City Market.

The famous City Market of Saint John.

A neat stall. These products are made from red clay collected from the Bay of Fundy. Each of us was given a piece of the Cape Spencer lighthouse. The stall owner wanted us to own a piece of Canada ;) Very sweet of him!

The downtown of Saint John. There was a big cruise ship, Sea Princess.

Thick smokes emitting from the chimneys of factories can be seen everywhere in the city centre of Saint John. Hmm..not very environment friendly at all.

Besides, we also visited the drive-thru Starbucks and Lemongrass Restaurant for Thai supper. Despite the chilly weather (a few degrees above freezing point), it was an enjoyable and fruitful trip! We had lots of fun traveling in a group.